Sunday Morning - February 8, 1998
Text: Genesis 15:6-7 "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. 7. And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it."
ABRAHAM WAS SAVED IN GENESIS 11
Genesis 15:7 "And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it."
GOD APPEARED TO ABRAHAM
Acts 7:2 "... The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, ..."
FELLOWSHIP WITH THE LORD
Genesis 12:7 "And the LORD appeared unto Abram, ... and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, ..."
WORSHIPPED THE LORD
Genesis 13:18 "Then Abram ... and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, ... and built there an altar unto the LORD."
BLESSED BY MELCHIZEDEK
Genesis 14:19 "... he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, ..."
ABRAHAM WAS JUSTIFIED IN GENESIS 15
Genesis 15:6 "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness."
WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE?
Romans 4:1-3 "What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2. For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.[justification]"
MIGHT BE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
Galatians 2:16 "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed [aorist tense] in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
FAITH WAS RECKONED TO ABRAHAM
Romans 4:9 "... for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. [justification]"
REWARD RECKONED OF GRACE
Romans 4:4-5 "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned [present passive] of grace, but of debt. 5. But to him that worketh [present middle] not, but believeth [present active] on him that justifieth [present active] the ungodly, his faith is counted [present passive] for righteousness."
FAITH PLEASES
Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: ... he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
FAITH ACCESSES GRACE
Romans 5:2 "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
GRACE
Hebrews 12:28 "Let us have [present active subjunctive, may we have grace] grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:"
STOP HAVING FAITH AND GRACE
1 Timothy 1:19 "Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:"
1 Timothy 4:1 "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,"
FATHER OF THOSE WHO PLEASE
Romans 4:11 "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 [present active, faith], though they be not circumcised; that righteousness [justification] might be imputed unto them also:"
SONS OF ABRAHAM
Galatians 3:6-9 "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 [sons] of Abraham. 8. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen [gentiles] through faith, preached before the gospel [justification] unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham."
NOT BY ANY KIND OF WORKS
Romans 4:2-3 "For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness."
NOT BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW
Romans 3:28 "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
FAITH THAT IS NOT DEAD
James 2:20 "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead [useless, idle, in some MMS]?"
IT TAKES WORKS OF FAITH
James 2:21-22 "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 [complete]?"
NOT OF FAITH - SIN!
Romans 14:23 "...whatsoever is not of faith is sin."
INHERITANCE ON THE BASIS OF FAITH
Romans 4:13 "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 [justification]."
PHINEHAS WAS JUSTIFIED
Psalms 106:30-31 "Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed. 31. And that was counted unto him for righteousness ..."
WHO ARE JUSTIFIED
Romans 8:29-34 "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, ...
30. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect [the called, were predestinated because He foreknew them]? It is God that justifieth. 34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God [priest after the order of Melchisedec], who also maketh intercession for us." (Ref. Romans 4:25)
THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION
Ephesians 1:15-18 "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16. Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,"
WORKS OF FAITH
Matthew 25:23 "His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."