Abram’s Path to Christianity

The Wagon Wheel

The Hub of this Wheel

Genesis 15:1–6 “1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. 2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. 4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”

God Said:

I am thy shield

I am thy exceeding great reward

Abram Said:

Where is my proof?

You said I would be the father to many nations, and I go childless

I have an heir, so maybe you meant it another way, maybe it’s something I can do to help

God Said NOPE

I meant what I said, it’s coming out of you

Abram believed God

Genesis 15:6 KJV 1900

6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Paul uses/explains this verse with regards to Salvation but not just for the Jews

Romans 4:1“1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

“our”

Jewish father?

Gentile father?

as pertaining to the flesh…

Romans 4:2 “2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.”

Justified

Just as if I never sinned

by works = Circumcision

1 Corinthians 1:29 “29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

Romans 4:3 “3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

Abraham believed God

Genesis 15:6 “6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”

Romans 4:3 “3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

Is that the same?

In a debate - You can not believe something, that does not exist. So something must exist for you to believe in it

Hebrews 11:6 “6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

it was counted unto him for righteousness

So the righteousness that Abram recieved (or was given, imputed) to him was because of Abram’s belief?

Not his works - Circumcision

but his belief - faith

Would/Did Abram get given righteousness before or after his works - Circumcision?

After - and therefore Not because of but as a result of

Why is this important?

Romans 4:4 “4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.”

Here = Get’s Circumcised

Now =

Get’s Baptized (as we are about to see)

Going to Mecca

Finding Elightenment - Nirvannah

Keeping the law

would not be reckoned of grace

Grace

Unmerited favor

getting something you don’t deserve

If you deserve it… you earned it, and if earned it is not freely given, and therefore a debt

In business we have to reconcile things

If someone has been earned/paid for it is my legal obligation to give it to them

Binder Payments

Small Claims court

If you did all the right steps, you could earn (Be rewarded - Heaven) I would owe you a debt because you did something for me but then it could not be reckoned of grace

Romans 4:5 “5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

Counted for righteousness - AGAIN

Romans 4:6–8 “6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”

Remember vs Romans 4:1 “1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?”

Romans 4:9–12 “9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. (See Matt 5:20) 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. (The Before or After Question) 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.”

THE LAW

Romans 4:13–15 “13 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. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.”

THREE METHODS

Circumcision

Did Abram believe that if he circumcised himself that God would “count that as righteousness”? NO

Because Abram believed God it was counted to him for righteousness, that belief lead to obedience that lead to circumcision

If Abram had not had gotten circumcised would that have removed the righteousness that was given? No becuase then it would have been of debt/earned and not of grace

The Law

SAME Logic

Did the Law ever make even one person righteous? Is there a verse that say so and so followed the law, completed the law and it was counted unto them for righteousness? NO

Failure to complete the law, is the same as failure to be circumcised

It is the belief, that lead to the following of instructions

Circumcision

Following the Law

Jesus

Faith - Leads to Action

The circumcising of the male

The Following of the Law

The Looking for that blessed hope (Titus 2:13)

WHAT DID ABRAM BELIEVE IN?

Romans 4:18 “18 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.”

Against hope believed in hope

There really was no hope or Abram having a child so late in life we can see that through Abram’s frustration in Gen 15 I go Childless, What wilt thou give me, I have an heir

Abram believed that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken

He believed in What God said!!!

Romans 4:21 “21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

Being Persuaded: 2 Timothy 1:12 “12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”

Gal 3:8 SAYS: The Gospel according to Abraham is “…In thee shall all the nations be blessed”

Read the whole verse: Galatians 3:8 “8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.”

Galatians 3:6–7 “6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.”

WHERE THEN IS THE CROSS!!!!

Romans 4:11 “11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:”

Now the hard questions

Why was “righteousness not count to Abraham” when he left Ur or Haran?

Hebrews 4:11 “11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

Why the testing if he already believed

Genesis 22:12 “12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.”

Genesis 22:18 “18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”

Here I thought it was simply because Abram believed God that it was counted for righteousness…

It was… Because of Abram belief it was counted to him for righteousness as it is our

Abram believed God, God wanted to know if Abraham feared God

Belief does not negate the Testing of God

Ecclesiastes 12:13 “13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

Why does James still think that works is involved?

It is the obedience to God that brings the blessing NOT the righteousness

Faith leads Action

That action is Obedience

Now Enter James

James 2:21–24 “21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 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. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”

Abraham’s Path to…

Is as that of the Christian

He started on journey not knowing wither it went

He then believed God and it was counted unto him for Righteouness

He then was tested to see if he feared God

Jeremiah 12:3 “3 But thou, O Lord, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.”

Jeremiah 17:10 “10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

Proverbs 17:3 “3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: But the Lord trieth the hearts.”

Psalm 44:21 “21 Shall not God search this out? For he knoweth the secrets of the heart.”

Proverbs 21:2 “2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: But the Lord pondereth the hearts.”

I think about Mary and Martha with Lazarus

I know Lord, I can pass the test I know I will see him again in the ressurection but

Mark 9:24 “24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”

Then his obedience lead to his blessing

Please note that on Abraham Path, it was laden with

Unbelief

Sin

Questionable behavior

Because Abraham was “working out his own salvation with fear and trembling” Phil 2:12