Some of what I now write I have written before, but there is certain information and scripture truth one must have in their mind in order to see most clearly what God’s Word has to say about Abraham and the covenant God made with Abraham and all his descendants – ALL of his descendants.
In the fourth chapter of Paul’s letter to the Roman believers he introduces a subject that is one of the most profound truths in all of Holy Writ. But we need to back up into the third chapter and read the last three verses in that chapter, connecting them with the information contained in the fourth chapter. Beginning at verse 29 of chapter 3, we read these words: “Is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also (God) of the Gentiles (as well)? Yes, of the Gentiles also. Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision (Jews) by faith, and uncircumcision (Gentiles) through faith, do we then make void the law through faith? GOD FORBID. Yea, we establish (Greek histemi, pronounced HIS’-tay-mee, “continue”) the law.” Now, continuing to read with Romans 4:1, “What shall we say then that Abraham OUR father (yes, father of both the Old Covenant Jew and the New Covenant Gentile as well as the New Covenant Jew and Gentile), as pertaining to the flesh, has found?”
Did you catch that – AS PERTAINING TO THE FLESH! Abraham is OUR father as pertaining to the flesh. Gentile believers are as much descendants of Abraham as any Jew, in fact MORESO. “Neither, because they are the (literal) seed (descendants) of Abraham, are they all children, but, in Isaac (the promised son) shall thy (Abraham’s) seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh (literal descendants of Abraham), these are NOT the children of God, but the children of the promise (that’s US) are counted for the seed” (See Romans 9:7-8).
Through Paul, God declares that Gentile believers, truly converted men and women of any and all nations, are to be reckoned as descendants of Abraham. Therefore, anything and everything God promised Abraham AND HIS DESCENDANTS belongs to US “that he might be the father of ALL them that believe, though they be not circumcised (Jews)” (See Romans 4:11). But these mighty promises are made only to those “who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham” (verse 12, Romans 4).
Just believing isn’t going to get it, folks. That’s where Satan intervenes and robs multitudes of the blessings promised Abraham and his descendants. He says, “All you gotta do is believe.” The steps of faith Abraham walked in were steps of obedience to God. When God said “Take your son, your beloved only son and sacrifice him to me on Mt. Moriah,” Abraham gathered up the firewood and said to Isaac, “Let’s go!” (Read the account in Genesis 22 and how God provided a ram as a substitute for Isaac).
To be continued…….
Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley