YOUR FAITH AND ABRAHAM - PART 1

SATURDAY 09 OCTOBER 2021

Today, we are discussing how our faith connects us to Abraham, in terms of being his children. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law so that the blessing of Abraham could come upon us. Therefore, if you be Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Reference: Galatians 3:7 King James Version (KJV) 'Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.'

We must understand that those who have faith in Christ are children of Abraham. The basis or criterion required to have this faith is salvation. Based on the grounds that you are of faith in Christ, you are qualified to partake of the benefits of the blessing God promised Abraham. In other words, God's benefits in Christ belong to us but He gave them to us through Abraham. That's what God Himself said in Genesis 22:18 - "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice" (NKJV).

So Paul wants us to understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Why so? It's because Abraham himself, believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. Here, Paul's main point and focus is on "Abraham's faith in God as the basis of his standing before God." In the same manner, our faith in Christ automatically established us as Abraham's children. Romans 4:13 spelt it clearly: "For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith." It is exactly "this righteousness that comes by faith" that we have in Christ.

God's promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was not based on his obedience to God's law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. This is how our faith connected us to Abraham as his children. We as "Children" here denotes his spiritual descendants, and this has given us unspeakable advantage and privileges. Now all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20 NLT), which points to the salvation and grace that come through the gospel (Galatians 3:16 NIV). Now we are all blessed in Christ as the children of Abraham!

But here's the mystery about this faith: First, faith dispels doubt, lying vanities, false appearances and opposing circumstances. Abraham's faith passed all of the above-mentioned tests. For instance, in Genesis 5:5-6 (ESV), God brought Abram outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then God said to him, "So shall your offspring be." And Abram believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness. The unfavourable circumstance of the man that believed God was totally far from what He believed. So Abram had every reason to doubt God and consider the lying vanity of his situation at that moment in time. His condition was a false appearance and completely the opposite of what God said concerning him.

Second, faith calls and sees things that are not, as though they were. This explains that faith is opposed to what is not there yet, yet its opposites are its ground for imminent existence. Faith establishes the reality of the invisible perfectly in the visible. In the natural, faith begins something desirable and tangible which has never been available to us, until it becomes available. This was how Abraham believed God and his faith paid off, and so, was considered as the "father of faith." Stay tuned for part 2 of this topic. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - 2 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 11:8; 1 Peter 1:21; 1 John 5:4.

Guided Prayer:

Dear Father in heaven, thank you because I'm the very seed of Abraham and the confirmation of your covenant with him, through which I'm exceedingly blessed with unspeakable blessings and advantageous privileges. By receiving and partaking of the blood-purchased salvation in Christ, my faith is alive and active to position me to walk in the benefits of your wonderful blessing such as divine health, untold wealth, victory, dominion, righteousness and holiness in Jesus' Name, Amen!