The Bible Column - Outside Our Control (Part 2)

“And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.” Acts 27:30-32
This continuing story of tempest and shipwreck includes the verses above. Just previously, the angel of the Lord had assured the Apostle Paul of the safety of each person on board. The shipmen however, remained unbelievers in the message and messenger of God. They set about to save themselves by the works of their own hands. They had let down the rescue boat out of the large ship.
Here, the Bible tells us that they did their deed “under colour” as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship. Shortly before, anchors had been cast out of the stern or hindmost part of the ship. Now “Under Colour” or with an outward show of casting anchors out of the foreship or front of the ship, the shipmen were really trying to escape the ship by themselves and leave the rest to perish in the sea.
Please notice: 1) the message of divine safety came from Almighty God 2) the plan of human safety came “under colour” or pretext or cloke of an outward show of doing something good, and 3) the servant of God in the Apostle Paul was able to discern the difference between truth and falsehood.
The way of salvation is always through the free gift of divine protection, rather than the work of man’s hands. The work of God is honest. The work of man is “under colour”. While Paul and those aboard were in the battle for their very lives, there were those in their midst who were liars and deceivers in letting down the boat of escape. The liars were exposed in the next verses, and their plan cut away, but the effort of dealing with the liars was still present.
Dear reading friend, make sure that you are in the ship of God’s safety. Don’t accept the “boat” of works salvation. The truth will “cut the ropes…and let her fall off”, into eternal loss. The message of God will stand the test of time!