How do we know that grace is essential in Noah's story?

The narrative of Noah emphasizes the essential nature of grace in salvation, as evidenced in Genesis 6:8, where it states, 'Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.' This tells us that Noah and his family were spared not due to their righteousness but solely because of God's grace. Similarly, every believer's salvation is rooted in grace—free, unearned favor from God. God’s grace is essential because it operates in concert with His justice; He can only be gracious once sin has been justly dealt with. In Noah’s case, the ark symbolizes the way God's justice was satisfied while also providing a means of salvation.