Sunday Morning - February 25, 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'S PLAN OF AN HEIR - SAVED, BUT CHARGEABLE
Genesis 15:3 "And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir."
GOD'S PLAN OF AN HEIR
Genesis 15:4-5 "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."
ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD'S PLAN
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."
BEING FULLY PERSUADED ABRAHAM WAS JUSTIFIED
Romans 4:20-22 "He staggered not at the promise of God [concerning his inheritance] through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21. And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22. And therefore it [Abraham's faith] was imputed to him for righteousness."
CHARGEABLE IN A COURT OF LAW
Romans 8:33 "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth." This word is used in the book of Acts concerning Paul's defense against the Jews who charged him according to their laws. Acts 19:38,40; 23:28,29; 26:2,7.
Acts 26:2 "I think myself happy, king Agrippa [court of law], because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused [charged] of the Jews:"
HEAVENLY COURT OF LAW
2 Corinthians 5:9-10 "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."
JUSTIFICATION WILL PROVIDE AN INHERITANCE
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."
INHERITANCE IS REWARD FOR WORKS
Colossians 3:23-25 "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 25. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons."
JUSTIFIED BY WORKS OF FAITH IN GENESIS 22:16
James 2:20-25 "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? [WORKS] 22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23. And the scripture [in Genesis 15:6] was fulfilled [in Genesis 22:16] which saith, Abraham believed God [FAITH], and it was imputed unto him for righteousness [JUSTIFICATION]: and he was called the Friend of God. 24. Ye see then how that by works [of faith] a man is justified [will have an inheritance], and not by faith [alone] only. 25. Likewise also was not [saved] Rahab the harlot justified by works [of faith], when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?"
FAITH
Genesis 15:6 "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness."
JUSTIFICATION
Genesis 22:16 "And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:"
JUSTIFIED BY WORKS OF GRACE THROUGH FAITH
Romans 3:20 "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."
FALLEN FROM GRACE
Galatians 5:4 "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."
GRACE NEEDED FOR SERVICE
Hebrews 12:28 "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom [our inheritance] which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:"
GRACE BY FAITH
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."
NOT ANY KIND OF WORK WILL JUSTIFY
Romans 4:2 "For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God."
THE INHERITANCE WOULD BE DEBT
Romans 4:4 "Now to him that worketh [any kind of works apart from grace] is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt."
NOT FAITH ALONE WILL PROVIDE AN INHERITANCE
1 Corinthians 13:2 "...though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing."
Galatians 5:6 "... faith which worketh by love."
FAITH IS NOT ENOUGH
2 Peter 1:5-7 "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6. And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity."
AND YOU WILL HAVE AN INHERITANCE
2 Peter 1:10-11 "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things [2 Peter 1:5-9], ye shall never fall [from grace]: 11. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
FAITH THAT WORKS
1 John 3:16-18 "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us [works]: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren [works]. 17. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18. My little children, let us not love in word [faith without works], neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."
FAITH IN WORD
James 2:18 "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works."
WORKS OF FAITH BY LOVE
Hebrews 6:10 "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister."
JUSTIFICATION AND INHERITANCE BY WORKS
Matthew 25:34-35 "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:"
WHEN?
Matthew 25:37 "Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?"
WORKS OF FAITH AND LOVE TOWARD THE LORD
Matthew 25:40 "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."