This week, we finished the “Be Like Abe” series. We
FINALLY got to the point of what it was that Abraham believed that God credited
to him as righteousness. Before we got there, we looked at some of the things
Abraham had done that, by the law, would have disqualified him. Romans 4:13-15 tells us that where there is
no law there is no transgression. Abraham lived before there was law to define
transgressions. His mistakes still caused problems, as sin always does, but his
mistakes did not change his right standing before God or his ability to be
blessed by God.
In
Genesis 12:1, God tells Abraham to leave his family and go to the land He would
show him. Then, three verses later, we find that he takes his nephew Lot along. This decision causes a lot more trouble than
God ever intended, but it did not change Abraham’s standing with God or the blessing
he would receive. Then, later in the
same chapter, in verses 10-20, we find that Abraham, in fear for his own life,
lied to Pharaoh about his wife. He says that she is his sister. If she were
known to be his wife, he thinks they could kill him to take her. Keep in mind
that she was 65 years old at this time, but so beautiful that a ruler would
want her. Abraham turned his wife over to Pharaoh, and in return gets blessed
with herds and servants. God causes a
disease to come onto Pharaoh and his household that keeps Sarah (Sarai the
time) from being touched. Long story short, Pharaoh gave Abraham his wife back
and sends him on his way blessed. Can you imagine what Sarah had to say to
Abraham when they were reunited?
We
also looked at Genesis 16 and found that Abraham went along with the suggestion
of his wife who believed that she could not conceive a child as God had
promised. She suggested Abraham lie with her maidservant Hagar. Abraham did not
refuse. Out of this action cane the child, Ishmael. This decision is probably
one of the greatest mistakes made my any man since Adam eating of the tree of
knowledge of good and evil in the Garden—its repercussions are still felt
today.
Then,
in chapter 20, Abraham tells the same lie about Sarah being his sister (for the
same purpose of saving his own life) to another ruler, Abimelech. God causes a
similar thing to happen to Abimelech as He had to Pharaoh, so that he would be
incapable of touching Sarah (who is now almost 75 years old and apparently
still great looking).
In
all of these things, we do not find a single time where God rebukes Abraham.
Wow. That might be hard to believe, but I challenge you to read the stories
yourself. You will not find God rebuking Abraham. Is this because God was okay
with these actions? No! But, there was no law to define the trespass, so there
was no penalty for the trespass – from God anyway. Again, each of these actions
produced problems for Abraham that were not God’s plan. They had repercussions but not in terms of
Abraham’s relationship and standing with God.
We
also looked at Romans 4. We must remember that, if we are in Christ and we
receive His righteousness by faith, we also are no longer under law. Sin still
produces unnecessary pain and trouble, but it does not have the power to cut us
off from God or His blessing. Don’t misunderstand this message. Sin is not the
way to blessing, but sin, or lack thereof, is not the determining factor that
determines whether we receive blessing.
In
verses 18-21, we see that the thing that Abraham believed that was credited as
righteousness was that he was “full persuaded that God would do what He had
promised.” That is what we have to do – believe that when God says something,
He will do it. Most important is for us to believe that, when He says we have
been made righteous by the blood of Jesus, He means it. Live your life like you
truly believe you are righteous apart from works. Then I firmly believe that grace will do its
work in you, and you will slowly become transformed into His image. Sin’s power
will break, and it will fade in your life. Living by law can never do that. All
it will do is force us you to look holy and not be holy. Grace will change you
at the heart level.
To
listen to the entire sermon go to http://ahwatukeechurch.com/media.php. To learn more about Living Word Ahwatukee,
visit http://ahwatukeechurch.com/.
