04-07-2021 Abraham’s life time journey

Title: Abraham’s life time journey

Romans 8:30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

Progression of our faith journey : Predestined, Called, Justification, Glorification.

Glorification is the end state of our faith journey.  It is either resurrection or transfiguration at the end.

1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

• Predestination

God has to plan to save you and I.  Even if we wanted to be saved but if God did not plan for us it will not happen.

Ephesians 1:4-5 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

• Calling

You are invited by various means to come to church, being called out from the place of idolatry and corruption to the kingdom of God.

Isaiah 51:2 “Look to Abraham your father And to Sarah who gave birth to you in pain; When he  was but one I called him, Then I blessed him and multiplied him.”

• Justification

God renders us righteousness and God justified us. We were sinners and not righteous, but God justify us, He proclaims that we are righteous with Him.

Abraham’s life – God regarded him righteous more than 1 occasion but 3 times.

• Abraham was 84 years old

Ratification of the Covenant of the Torch

Genesis 15:5-6 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Then he believed in the Lord ; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Word of God was given and Abraham believed it. That faith God reckoned it as righteousness.

Hebrew word to reckon was “hashard” it means “give something to someone who doesn’t deserve”.  Abraham was not righteous completely but God reckoned him as such because of his faith.

• Abraham was 100 years old

Romans 4:19-22 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness.

If you see Abraham’s life he did not live a life 100% believing and obeying after the first justification.

He had Hagar and gave birth to Ishmael. This was an unfaithful event. Abraham was working against the will of God. At times he lived his life against the will of God but at times he lived obeying the God.

God appeared to him when he was 99 years old and said he would have a son through his wife but Abraham laughed at God and said to just take care of Ishmael to live well before God (Gen 17:17-18).

When Abraham turned 100 years old, he saw Sarah pregnant. That changed Abraham’s faith one more time and God reckon it as righteous.

• When Abraham was 136 years old or earlier

The main event was sacrificing Isaac. God reckoned Abraham’s faith as righteous.

James 2:21-22 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;

Genesis 22:12 He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

Fear of God is translated as reverence. It means 3 things:

1. Big faith

2. Big obedience

3. Great joy

When God said for now I know you fear God it means: I know you believe in Me, have faith in Me, have great joy in Me.

Righteousness requires belief and faith.

Isaac represented Abraham’s last attachment or fondness.

We heard the Word of God for the first time, love the Word of God and come to church. From there we must grow to the state we can sacrifice all attachments and fondness of this world.

These 3 justifications show us that our journey of faith require growth.  That applies to our believing life as well because we are the people who seek glorification. We need to grow and become mature and become godly.