Some Thoughts on Abraham

Some Thoughts on Abraham 1. God called Abram alone out of Ur. GEN 12:1; ISA 51:2. A. Prior to his calling, Abram was an idolater as were his family. JOS 24:2, 14-15. B. His father, Terah, took the family out of Ur because of what God had said to Abram. GEN 12:1 c/w GEN 11:31 c/w ACT 7:2-3. C. Blessed is that man whose calling from God motivates those around him in spite of their natural opposition. c/w MAT 13:55-57. D. Mind that God called Abram, not the other family members. Over time, Terah died (GEN 11:32), and Lot separated from him, at which time God increased His work with Abram. GEN 13:14-16. 2. God promised to bless Abram and make his name great. GEN 12:2. A. Abraham is honored by Christians, Jews and Muslims. B. About 32.4% of the world is Christian, 17.1% Muslim, 0.4% Jewish (1996 world census). C. Almost half (49.9%) of the world's population consider Abraham great. God is indeed faithful. 3. God also promised to make Abram a blessing. GEN 12:2. A. As the Biblical record and history show, his life and example bless believers to this day. B. From his natural posterity, the Jews, came the Bible, the church, and the Christ, the chief blessings of mankind. JOH 4:22; ROM 9:3-5. 4. God also promised to bless all the families of the earth in him. GEN 12:3. A. (GAL 3:8) And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. B. This promise to Abram is the gospel. C. The blessing is justification through the faith of Jesus Christ. GAL 2:16. D. If one is a believer, he IS BLESSED, that is, he is justified by the faith of Christ. GAL 3:13-14 c/w ACT 13:39; ROM 3:21-22. E. This blessing that would be extended to the heathen was promised to Abram while he was a heathen! 5. Abraham is our father if we walk in the steps of his faith. ROM 4:11-12. 6. Abraham's faith is recorded for our sakes that righteousness might be imputed to us if we believe God. ROM 4:22-24. 7. If we believe “even as” Abraham, then we are his children and blessed with him. GAL 3:5-7, 9. 8. If we do the works of Abraham, then we are the children of Abraham. JOH 8:39. 9. Since Jesus Christ represented the seed of Abraham, it is of utmost importance that we be Abraham's children. HEB 2:16. 10. Abraham is so much the archetype of a child of God that heaven is called “Abraham's bosom” (LUK 16:22). A. He was chosen (NEH 9:7-8). Mind that God's election is mentioned BEFORE Abram's faith. c/w 2TH 2:13. B. He was redeemed. ISA 29:22. C. He was called. ISA 51:2. D. He was justified. ROM 4:2-5. E. Thus, he is the archetype of a child of God. Some Thoughts on Abraham 9-4-16 Page 1 11. We are commanded to follow those who through faith and patience inherit the promises, Abraham being an example of such. HEB 6:10-15. 12. Those who seek the Lord are called upon to look to Abraham for comfort. ISA 51:1-3. 13. Abraham's faith is essentially N.T. faith in God, His Christ, His promises and heavenly things. A. He believed the declarations of the Word as being those of Jehovah. GEN 15:1-6 c/w JOH 1:1, 14; 14:1. B. What God preached to Abraham, and what Abraham believed, was the gospel. GAL 3:8. C. He believed that God would justify men through faith. GAL 3:8. D. He knew that circumcision was an inferior evidence of righteousness compared to faith. ROM 4:3, 9-11. E. He therefore also knew that circumcision availed nothing to make one righteous. GAL 6:15. F. He rejoiced in Christ and had no confidence in the flesh. JOH 8:56 c/w PHIL 3:3. G. Like us, he was called to forsake family, friends and lands for Christ, and he did so. MAR 10:29-30. H. Abraham obediently left Ur by faith (HEB 11:8) without sight of the land that God would show him (GEN 12:1-3). This is our calling also. 2CO 5:7. I. He reckoned his inheritance to be by virtue of God's power and promise, not by the law. GAL3:17-18. J. He understood God's promised inheritance to be heavenly, not earthly. ACT 7:5 c/w HEB 11:9-10, 15-16. K. His hope was in the power of God to resurrect the dead. HEB 11:17-19 c/w ACT 24:14-15; 26:6-8. L. He did not rely on his monotheism but also proved his faith and showed himself just with works. JAM 2:19-22. M. His obedience of faith identified him as God's friend. JAM 2:23 c/w JOH 14:1; 15:14. N. In other words, the religion/faith of Abraham was Christianity! O. Those who have THAT kind of faith show themselves to be just and are blessed with faithful Abraham, their faith likewise being counted for righteousness. GAL 3:9 c/w ROM 4:23-25. Some Thoughts on Abraham 9-4-16 Page 2