Who Belongs To Abraham’s Family

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Can someone be part of Abraham's family without sharing his bloodline, his circumcision, or keeping the law of Moses? Jews claim him through Isaac, Muslims through Ishmael, but we Christians boldly call Abraham our father too. In Romans 4 9 to 17, the apostle Paul shows us exactly why. First, Abraham's faith was credited as righteousness before circumcision. Second, God's promise came before the law. Third, Abraham is the father of all who share his faith. Join me as we discover what it means to live as Abraham's children today.

Everyday Trust Versus Abraham’s Faith

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Every day we trust things we cannot fully prove in advance. We step onto bridges, board airplanes, and sit in chairs because we believe they will hold us. But Abraham's faith went deeper. He trusted a promise that looked impossible.

Righteous Before Circumcision

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In Romans 4 9 to 10, the Apostle Paul asks if the blessing of justification granted to Abraham is limited to Abraham's natural descendants, the Jewish race. He then goes on to emphatically declare that the answer is no. This is so because faith was credited as righteousness to Abraham before he obediently carried out the physical act of circumcision. In Genesis 15, 5-6, when Abraham was still childless, God told him that he would have more children than there were stars in the sky. When Abraham unconditionally believed God's word, it was credited to him as righteousness. In the next chapter, we find that Hagar bore a son for Abraham, Ishmael. Genesis 17, 25 to 26 then recalls that this son Ishmael was 13 years old when both he and Abraham were circumcised. However, God had declared Abraham righteous before Ishmael had even been conceived, which was at least 14 years before Abraham's circumcision. In Romans 4.11, the Apostle Paul tells us that circumcision did not bring righteousness. Instead, circumcision served as a visible sign and a seal to Abraham's descendants of the righteousness that was imputed to him by faith. Similarly, as Christians, faith gives us our right standing with God. When we obey Jesus' commandments, that obedience serves as evidence that our faith is real. God justified Abraham prior to circumcision to indicate that Abraham is the spiritual father of all who are justified by faith. As a result, Christians become Abraham's children, not by birth and the act of circumcision, but through faith in Jesus Christ. In Romans 4.12, Paul states that Abraham is not the father of the Jews simply because these Jews are circumcised. Rather, Abraham is the father of those Jews who are not only physically circumcised, but who also walk in faith like Abraham did.

Signs That Cannot Replace Salvation

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The Hebrew people came to take great pride in circumcision. Gentiles came to be regarded by the Jews as the uncircumcision. A daily prayer of a strict Jewish male was to thank God that he was neither a woman, a Samaritan nor a Gentile. The Jews boasted in the covenant sign of circumcision, but it was only in their flesh. The true spiritual circumcision God desired had not reached their hearts. Those of us who depend on baptism or other church sacrament and yet who have never repented and trusted Christ are in this similar situation. Many in Paul's day treated circumcision as though it made a person acceptable to God. However, circumcision was an external sign of an internal work of grace by faith, which occurred when Abraham believed. As Christians through faith in Jesus, we experience circumcision of heart and receive true salvation. True salvation imparts to the individual a desire to obey God rather than rebel against him. Today there are millions who believe that the fact that they were baptized or join a church acts as a basis for their righteousness. They ignore inconvenient truths such as that they intensely dislike their neighbors, harbor bitterness, and might cheat on their income tax. Symbols such as baptism and church membership are important. The problem arises when we place our faith in a sign or symbol rather than in Christ Jesus. What if God is calling us as Abraham's children to truly walk by faith?

Wesley Learns Faith Has Depth

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Christian history tells us how our faith can influence our outlook on life. John Wesley and his brother Charles Wesley sailed to the American colonies on October 14, 1735. Wesley was traveling to take up the post of minister in Savannah, Georgia. It was on the voyage to the colonies that the Wesley brothers first came into contact with Moravians. At one point in the voyage, a storm came up and broke the masts off the ship. While the English panicked, the Moravians calmly sang hymns and prayed. This experience led Wesley to believe that the Moravians possessed an inner strength which he lacked. The Moravians believed religion was not just for priests and pastors. They encouraged active participation by lay people, advocated daily Bible study, prayer, and personal spiritual growth. These Moravian practices heavily influence Wesley's theology of Methodism. Are we truly living out our faith in Jesus Christ as Abraham's children? Envision competing to win a price, only to discover that the guidelines that you have been following are not the ones that will enable you to succeed.

Promise Comes Before The Law

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The Apostle Paul does not stop with circumcision. He now moves to an even bigger question. Did the promise come through the law? In Romans 4.13, the Apostle Paul affirms that Moses' law that was given on Mount Sinai does not annul the Abrahamic covenant that was given to Abraham and his descendants some 430 years prior. Rather, the law was added alongside the covenant. The promise that was given to Abraham and his offspring, that Abraham would be heir of the world, did not come to the law. The promise stated that Abraham would be the father of many nations, not just of the Jewish nation. This promise was not a matter of merit, something Abraham had earned by obedience. Rather, the promise was extended on the grounds of sovereign grace. Abraham's physical descendants include not only the Jewish people, but also the Arab world via Ishmael. All who trust Jesus Christ as Savior are Abraham's spiritual children. The Apostle Paul points out in Romans 4.14 that if law keepers were to receive the promise, then faith would be irrelevant and of no value. Judaizers wanted their hearers to go back to Moses, but that was not far enough. You must go back to Abraham where the promise started. The law did not annul the promise. The law was given to reveal sin and prepare the way for Christ to come and fulfill the promise. Dependence on the law renders faith null and void. Fa is a matter of belief while the law is a matter of doing. As Christians, when we rely upon a moral code for righteousness, we nullify the promise made to Abraham of the righteousness by faith through Christ. In Romans 4.15, the Apostle Paul indicates that the law brings wrath. The law does so because it condemns those who fail to keep its commandments perfectly and continuously. As no one can do this, all who are under the law are condemned to death. When the law comes in, the knowledge of sin explodes. The law can diagnose a malady, but it cannot effect a cure. The law shows a man where he is going wrong, but is powerless to help him avoid going wrong. Whenever law is introduced, transgression follows. Before the law came in, sinful attitudes and actions might go unnoticed because there was no specific commandment that was violated. The Greek word that is used here for transgression means a violation of a known law. Before the law was given, teenagers may have bad-mouthed their mothers and father. Then came the law, honor your father and your mother. Now every disrespectful word becomes a specific violation of an explicit commandment. Let us reflect on the truth that we are no longer under Moses' law as Christ came and fulfilled the law.

The Law Exposes Sin Not Cure

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Christian history tells us that many persons still may not know that it is not works but faith that leads us to the one true God, Jesus Christ. In the early 1900s, Sundar Singh was a missionary both in India and Tibet. In 1908, 18-year-old Sundar Singh set out for Tibet. While traveling there, he met another religious person. This man was sitting surrounded by four fires as the sun blazed overhead. Sunda asked him why he was sitting with fires all around him on such a hot day. The holy man replied that he was disciplining his body. He was encircled by fire all summer and in the winter he stood for hours in the icy river below. Sunda asked the holy man what he had gained from this regime, to which the holy man replied that nothing had been achieved. Sunda then told the religious man how the God of the Bible offered him a life of freedom from sin through faith. What if God is calling us to let others know that they too can be Abraham's children?

Grace Guarantees The Promise

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Imagine that you took the time to do a DNA test. To your delight and shock, you meet a whole new family that you did not know existed. Cousins, brothers, nephews. Paul now addresses the heart of the matter. The promise comes by faith. Therefore, all who share Abraham's faith are Abraham's children. In Romans 4 16, the Apostle Paul states that the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and guaranteed to all of Abraham's children. There are two Greek words which mean promise. Huposhesis means a promise which is entered into with conditions, as in I promise to do this if you promise to do that. Epagalia means a promise made out of the goodness of someone's heart with no strings attached. It is epagelia that Paul uses here to refer to the promise of God. God's promise comes to faith. The reason that this promise inheritance is by faith is so that it may be in accordance with grace. The power of justification is God's great grace, not man's faith. Faith is similar to a hand of a drowning man reaching out to grab the life preserver which God's grace provides. Faith is essential. However, the reason faith is essential is because it is the only condition of the heart that is in line with God's grace. The promise, faith, and grace are set in direct contrast to law, works, and merit. The law was only given to the Jew, and if salvation had been given on the basis of works, only the Jew could be saved. Abraham, Paul has shown, was saved before the ordinance of circumcision was given and before the Mosaic Law was instituted. As a result, Abraham becomes a spiritual father of both Jew and Gentile when they are saved by pure faith in accordance with God's grace. Gentiles do not need to keep the law of Moses in order to be saved. Rather, Jews and Gentiles alike must believe in Jesus to be saved. There is no necessity of works as a preliminary requirement to salvation. Furthermore, if salvation were based on our good deeds, how would we ever know when we had done enough? How would we demonstrate that our love for God is pure and fervent enough? When would we know that we had done enough service to the poor? When would we have given enough money?

Faith In The God Of Life

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In Romans 4 17, the Apostle Paul reminds the reader that Abraham was made a father of many nations. This was possible because Abraham believed in the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. In Genesis 17, God promised Abraham that he would make him the father of many nations. In light of this, God gave Abraham, which means exalted father, and new name Abraham, which means the father of a multitude. Abraham was then 100 years old. His wife Sarah had always been childless and was now ninety. Abraham was long past the age of begetting, and Sarah was long past the age of being able to be a son. However, Abraham believes God's promise, even though the fulfillment of it was humanly impossible. Abraham's faith was based on God's power to quicken the dead and call into being things that were not. It was this faith that was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. History lets us know that the promise was fulfilled literally through the many descendants of Isaac and Jacob, Ishmael and Esau, and true Abraham's sons by Keturah. However, the promise has been fulfilled even more so to the spiritual descendants of the seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ. As Abraham's children, have we put our trust in God's Son, Jesus Christ?

Luther And Justification By Faith

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Similar to the Apostle Paul, Martin Luther, who was ordained a Catholic priest in 1507, came to the realization that justification is not earned by any human acts or intents or merit. Luther preached that salvation is received only as a free gift of God's grace through the believers' faith in Jesus. Luther held that good works were a necessary fruit of living faith, part of the process of sanctification. Luther's theology challenged the authority and office of the Pope and Bishops. He taught that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge on the gospel. Luther opposed the belief that the priesthood was needed as an intermediary between God and individuals. In 1521, Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther. Luther's translation of the Bible into German made the Bible vastly more accessible to the ordinary people. Let us reflect on the truth that to be Abraham's spiritual children, we must have faith in Jesus Christ.

Final Questions And Spiritual Family

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We started by asking whether someone can be part of Abraham's family without sharing his bloodline, his circumcision, or keeping the law of Moses. As we analyze Romans 4, 9 to 17, we discover that Abraham's faith was credited as righteousness before circumcision. God's promise came before the law. As a result, Abraham is the father of all who share his faith. Do we believe the God Abraham believes? Do we trust the God who gives life to the dead? Do we trust the Christ through whom the promise is fulfilled? If so, then by faith we are Abraham's children.

Prayer To Begin Real Change

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Before you go, if this message spoke to you, like this podcast and subscribe so you don't miss what God is doing here at Catch on Fire Podcasts. If you're ready for real change, take a moment right now to pray with me. Jesus, I give you my life. Lead me, forgive me, and make me new. If you pray that, welcome to the family. Follow along, stay connected, and let's walk this walk together. Demystify the Bible using the covenant story that's available at Amazon.com or the online course that can be found at biblical discipleshipacademy.uscreen.io. Many people know the stories of the Bible, but few see the one story that connects them all. From creation to promise, from kingdom to Christ, scripture reveals one unified narrative of divine redemption. Discover the covenant story through a 10-volume series on Amazon or go deeper with the online course at the Biblical Discipleship Academy.uscreen.io. Start your journey today.

Spoken Blessings And Psalm 23

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Please join me as we confess words of life over all of our lives. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we are still holding on to God's unchanging hand. We are still in God's holy plan. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we are living holy lives as God requires. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we are feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, giving clothes to those in need. Ministering to the sick and visiting those in prison, and we are doing so to the least of those among us, as when we do so we are ministering to Jesus. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we have received healing, as by his stripes we are healed. From the crown of our head to the soles of our feet, all of our bodily organs are working correctly. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that God is ordering our steps, that all weapons that are formed against us have been utterly and completely destroyed, and every tongue that is rising against us in judgment is condemned. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that all generational curses are cancelled. Anything that runs in our ancestral bloodline that is not of God has no power over us, our children and our grandchildren, and is eliminated forever right now. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that angels are watching over and keeping our family, our children, our grandchildren, our loved ones safe. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that every negative word that has been and is being over our lives and that of our family, children, grandchildren, and loved ones is cancelled and sent back to the pit from whence it came. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we are the head and not the tail. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we are not and will never be ashamed. Our enemies have not and never will triumph over us. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that anything that is not of God that has been dispatched to hinder our blessings, our progress, and our well-being is immediately destroyed. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we are financially in line with God's word, and as such we are lenders and not borrowers. As a result, all of our debts have been paid and are forgiven. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that the enemy of our souls has no authority over our finances and our funds, and that we are good stewards of the money that God has placed in our keeping. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that in the area of business and our carriers, that just as Isaac reaped a hundredfold, the blessings of Abraham are falling on us, and we are reaping a hundredfold from whatever we put our hands to. We declare and decree in the name of Jesus that we are living under an open heaven in every area of our lives. Blessings are falling on us, our family and our loved ones. These blessings are being manifested in our lives, in the spiritual and in the physical. Let's repeat the 23rd Psalm together. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restored my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Amen.