Based on Hebrews 11:8-10, 17-18 (New King James Version)
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God… …By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called.’”
There are many that have the idea that there are people that are more special than others, and that these other people supposedly are more special because they have certain spiritual aptitudes that are superior to others. But, if we read very carefully God’s Word, things are not necessarily like that. It’s possible that we all start differently, and of course, with certain disadvantages in comparison to others, but that doesn’t mean that we need to stay like that. And when it involves salvation and following the Lord, even more so, we need to understand that despite the differences we may see in those as superior, that we need to leave the place where we started and press towards the goal, not towards our vision, but rather, towards the goal that God has for each of us. Today, a half-truth per se has been circulated within our Christian community, that God accepts us just as we are. And yes, it’s true that God accepts us just as we are, as sinners with many faults, but the other side that completes the truth is that God accepts us just as we are, but with the goal to be transformed into something very different, and that is the main focus, the one that the devil tries to deviate people from with half-truths.
If we see the life of the apostles, none of them remained where they started in their walk with the Lord. Thomas, for example, stopped doubting. Peter stopped dealing with things by being guided by his emotions and impulses. Paul stopped persecuting Christians. Mary Magdalene stopped being a demon-possessed prostitute, and so on. We all started as something unpleasant before the Lord’s eyes, but by His grace and love, despite our terrible state, He accepted us as we were, but with the condition that we repent and convert from all of our sins, to stop doing those things that are evil which were the works of our fallen state, and to start doing what brings Him honor and glory, in summary, those things that produce life and blessing. That is the point. That is the end God is looking for. It’s not like one of those false and sinful doctrines where sin is accommodated and shown as acceptable by God, allowing a person to justify doing whatever they want to do. Our lives were created by God, but to glorify and serve Him, and not to glorify sin and to serve the devil, because that is what happens when a person does not leave their sinful lifestyle.
In the Scriptures, God left us a key example showing what each of us should be like in the end. But of course, our model always was, is, and shall be Christ. But, nonetheless, we see the Lord through Abraham, and what should be manifested in each person that desires to be saved. And this can be understood quite clearly through the Word, that our faith should be like Abraham’s faith if we want to be saved. Salvation does not consist of a simple belief in God. The Word says this: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” James 2:19. So then, today, even within the people of God, there are many that believe less than how the demons believe, because they neither fear, nor even less, tremble before God. And if it’s like that, can they be saved? Definitively not. At a minimum, our faith should exceed that of demons.
This is what the Word of God says: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6. So, if our faith needs to be like Abraham’s, how was his faith then? And this is what the Word says: “But do you want to know, o foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” James 2:20-24. So then, we can see quite clearly that Abraham’s faith consisted of not just believing, but of something far greater and deeper, of faith and works. This is another error, and one that Satan has promoted, that we are saved by grace alone and that we don’t need works. This is of the devil because this goes completely against what the Word and Christ Himself taught. We are saved by God’s grace through the Person of Jesus Christ, but for good works. We must produce fruits. We must do things that glorify God. You must do the Father’s will if you want to have the hope of being able to enter the Kingdom of God. There is no other way. This is what Abraham lived, and what every other person that is in God's presence now lived. This is also what the Word says: “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-27. What does doing consist of? Works, action, fruit! Abraham believed in God, and he also believed God and he did what God commanded him to do no matter what the cost. Abraham loved God so much that God asked him to sacrifice his son, all his hope, all of his desire, all of his descendancy, that when he raised his hand to do it, only God himself was able to stop him. What did Abraham illustrate with his life? He fulfilled the law by his faith: “…The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31.
We must become like this Abraham if we want to get to God. There is no other way. Does it sound impossible? But this is what the Word says: “…‘Who then can be saved?’ But He said, ‘The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.’” Luke 18:26b-27. Christ did it all, and we through Him have free access to everything that is divine. But we must do our part though which is repent and convert from all of our sins, and look to do His will, whatever it is, no matter what, until we see Him face-to-face one day, when we will be in His presence forever. So then, do you have Abraham’s faith and love, for your own good? Lord bless! John