8.61 Abraham was justified by faith many years before he offered Isaac as a sacrifice.
Yesterday, we said that faith justifies us before God, while the actions of faith justify us before man. Let us consider the example of Abraham that was quoted in James.
(James 2:21-23)
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
When was Abraham justified before God? It happened in Genesis 15:6 when he was about the age of 86. He believed God and God declared him righteous. He did not do a single thing except to believe.
(Gen 15:4-6)
And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
And he BELIEVED in the Lord, and He ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Paul says that Abraham was made righteous apart from works and had nothing to boast about. It was by grace.
(Rom 4:2-4)
For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born. Isaac must have been a young lad when Abraham offered him at Mt. Moriah. So some 20 years must have passed since Abraham was pronounced righteous. During that time, many things happened. For example, Abraham interceded for Lot when God wanted to destroy Sodom. Surely Abraham was considered righteous in order for him to make intercession. He was righteous all those years.
But when he acted in faith to offer up Isaac believing that God could raise him, it demonstrated his faith before his family and his servants. It demonstrated his faith for us to read about (Heb 11:17-19). He was justified by faith long before we saw that powerful demonstration of faith. So when you truly believe, “works of faith” will follow soon.
(James 2:21-23)
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
When was Abraham justified before God? It happened in Genesis 15:6 when he was about the age of 86. He believed God and God declared him righteous. He did not do a single thing except to believe.
(Gen 15:4-6)
And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
And he BELIEVED in the Lord, and He ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Paul says that Abraham was made righteous apart from works and had nothing to boast about. It was by grace.
(Rom 4:2-4)
For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born. Isaac must have been a young lad when Abraham offered him at Mt. Moriah. So some 20 years must have passed since Abraham was pronounced righteous. During that time, many things happened. For example, Abraham interceded for Lot when God wanted to destroy Sodom. Surely Abraham was considered righteous in order for him to make intercession. He was righteous all those years.
But when he acted in faith to offer up Isaac believing that God could raise him, it demonstrated his faith before his family and his servants. It demonstrated his faith for us to read about (Heb 11:17-19). He was justified by faith long before we saw that powerful demonstration of faith. So when you truly believe, “works of faith” will follow soon.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 11:41 PM
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