Thus Saith The Lord God; "Behold, I Set Before You The Way Of Life - Part 1812

"For when God made promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no greater, He share by Himself, saying, "Surely blessing, I will bless thee, and multiplying, I will multiply thee."

And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater; and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, [even] Jesus made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec ..." (Hebrews 6:13-20)

When we think of Abraham, we know that by faith he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Further, through faith also, Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore, sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable, these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a country, and truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore, God is not ashamed, to be called their God; for He hath prepared for them a city." (Hebrews 11:8-16; Revelation 21:21)

Thus, we can say that our head office, the Head of the body of Christ church is in heaven. Our Lord God and Saviour, who after His kindness and love toward man appeared, having robed Himself in sin prone flesh (and yet without sin), so that we might experience a relationship with Him. (Titus 3:4-7)

And by faith, Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had receive the promises offered up his only begotten [son] -- of whom it was said, "That in Isaac shall Thy seed by called; accounting that God was able to receive [Him] up, even from the dead: from whence also He received Him in a figure." (Hebrews 11:17-19)

James also elaborates on Abraham -- in the context of faith -- stating, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto Him for righteousness, and he was called the Friend of God." (James 2:21-24; Genesis 22:9-18; Hebrews 11:17; John 8:39; Genesis 15:6; II Chronicles 20:7)

Still, it is in the book of Romans that we begin to understand the significance of Abraham more fully, in that we can now conclude that a man is justified by faith (in this current dispensation of grace) without the deeds of the law. That we are now justified through our belief in Jesus, justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is only found in Christ Jesus ... "whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. To declare, [I say] at this time, His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus." (Romans 3:24-31)

The righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe ..." (Romans 3:21-22)

But I digress somewhat. In Romans 4, the question is asked, "What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?" For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath [whereof] to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worth is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him the works not, but believes on Him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." (Romans 4:1-17)

It is herein that we begin to understand the faith of Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised, for the promise, that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham, or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith ... for if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect. Because the law worketh wrath; for where no law is, there is no transgression.

Therefore, is is of faith, that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed: not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.

(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations0 before Him whom he believed, [even] God, who quickens the dead and calls those things which be not as though they were, who against hope believed in hope, that He might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken -- "So shall thy seed be." And being not weak in faith, he considered his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded, that, what He had promised, He was able to perform, and therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness." (Romans 4:1-23; Romans 15:4; Genesis 15:6; Hebrews 11:11, 19; Genesis 17:17; Genesis 15:5; Romans 8:11; Romans 9:26; Romans 3:23-24; Galatians 3:18-22; Isaiah 51:2; Genesis 21:12; Genesis 27:26-40; Genesis 48:1, 5, 16, 20; Genesis 50:24-25; Romans 11:29; Colossians 1:5; Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 3:1; Hebrews 5:10-1)

Note that this was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him, but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, IF WE BELIEVE ON HIM THAT RAISED UP JESUS OUR LORD FROM THE DEAD, WHO WAS DELIVERED FOR OUR OFFENCES AND WAS RAISED AGAIN FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION. (Romans 4:23-25; Romans 15:4; Acts 2:24, 36-38; Isaiah 53:4-5; I Corinthians 15:17)

Therefore, being justified by faith, we can now have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God! (Romans 5:1-2)

And when we realize that God commended His love toward us, that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us, "much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." (Romans 5:8-9; Isaiah 53:5; John 3:16; John 1:10-11; John 15:13; Ephesians 2:13; I Thessalonians 1:10)

And in so doing, He has set before us an open door, inviting us into His wedding feast, wherein we are no longer under condemnation but rather saved by grace through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is so much more to share here, but let what is written serve for understanding how the old covenant and law intertwines with the New Testament (wherein the Lord does a new thing!) showing how the promise that those faithful could only have hoped for has been offered to us -- if we repent, and are water baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus -- so that we too can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. The resurrected Christ within. His Spirit that moved across the face of the waters in the beginning, dwelling in our hearts, as both Lord and Christ.

His Name is JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21-23) Therefore, be strong in faith, giving glory to God; and similarly, be fully persuaded that what He has promised to those who believe in Him by faith, He was wholly able to perform.

Stand in the offering plate.