a. The Covenant Is Everlasting
* not fulfill yet
* not fulfill yet
18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.
5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
* The promise from Abraham all the way to Jacob's descendents (the 12 tribes)
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
* Abraham’s faith had to be perfected by works
* God imputed him righteousness
* Some people will use this verse to show that he was saved by faith alone but they don’t read the next verse
a. Abraham’s Faith Had To Be Perfected By Works
* This verse clearly shows his salvation is not by faith alone, it had to be perfected by works
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
* Many people also use this verse to say that everyone was saved by faith alone like us christians because there are so many mentions of “by faith: No. Its not the same
* Noticed that from his faith, there was somekind of works that came out. What did he have to do?
* See verse 17: “He had to offer up Isaac”
* By faith, he had to do somekind of works out of it.
* So, it doesn’t change the fact that there was some faith and works system involved if we’re going to be very honest after reading these verses as it says
* Some people think that because there is so much promise and because Abraham and his children got away with a lot of sins and the law demanded death and since the law was not born during this time, they automatically assume that they weren't saved by works but just faith.
* This is not true. Even though the law was not formed during that time, they had to be saved by faith which involves work.
* It may have leaned towards faith, but it doesn't change the fact that there was some sort of work that had to be involved if we are very honest by reading the bible as it is.
6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
* This event caused him to receive imputed righteousness
* Do take note that this event happened in his earlier life.
* He was 75 years old when God called him out (Gen 12:1-4).
* This happened probably not too long after God called him out.
* At this time, he have not even married Hagar (Gen 16:3)
* Ishmael was only born when he was 86 years old (Gen 16:16)
2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
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.
James 2:18-21-24 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.
* This event caused him to receive justification
* Do take note that this event happened in his older life.
* He was 100 years old when Isaac was born (Gen 21:5).
* At this time, Isaac could already walk and talk. So Abraham could have been even older than 100 years old
* Abraham believed God (faith) to receive imputed righteousness happened at one time of his life (earlier life) and then offering Isaac (works) to get his justification happened at another time of his life (older life)
* Imputed righteousness and justification happened at two different time
* The gap between these 2 events for Abraham’s salvation was at least minimum 14 years gap
* Christians we do not have 2 parts for our salvation. We only have 1 part in our salvation
* We receive both God’s imputed righteousness and justification at the same time (at the moment of salvation when we believe by faith alone)
* So it makes sense, even though they had faith, they had to do works out of it physically because God is dealing with physical and he can't based it on spiritual things
* Today's christians we can just go by faith (spiritual) and God can deal with us spiritually because we have a spiritual nature that is alive as a result of Christ sacrifice
* During their time they never had that because when Adam sinned, the spiritual nature died, so God can't do that with them. God deals primarily by physical dealings.
* However we see that God's grace is carried from the beginning to the end (Genesis-Revelation) as He will do some sort of spiritual dealings too but he does not do everything based of spiritual dealings
* Because the spiritual nature was dead, that's why works (physical) that was their salvation system and they cannot do spiritual because the spiritual nature of man was dead
* Paul he had no new testament, he only had old testament.
* How is he going to use the old testament to prove new testament spiritual doctrine?
* Paul had to find any spiritual dealings of God in the Old testament.
* Paul then quotes those verses about what God did in the old testament to prove spiritual doctrines that christians can follow.
* Lets look at these examples
6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
* Do take note that the this event is about the 1st part of Abraham’s salvation (during his earlier life). Its talking about spiritual dealings of God with Abraham (faith to get imputed righteousness)
* Notice verse 6: “Abraham believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness”
* This entire verse shows spiritual dealings of God and there is nothing about physical works involved.
* Paul saw this verse is suitable to use to introduce christian doctrine of salvation by faith alone because as we can see there is no works involved.
* Paul quoted this in his epistle to show that his teaching of new testament christian doctrine about salvation by faith alone without works is biblical and God has done this kind of spiritual dealings before in the old testament with Abraham
* Paul understood that Abraham’s salvation was by spiritual dealings (faith) and physical dealings (works)
* But Paul is focusing only on the part of about spiritual dealings of God with Abraham. How his faith caused God to count it as him having righteousness (God imputed him righteousness)
* What Paul did was he divided Abraham’s salvation. He looks at Abraham’s salvation as 2 parts. Spiritual dealings (by faith to receive imputed righteousness) and physical dealings (by works to receive justification)
* Paul points out the fact that when Abraham was justified, its not by God’s standard of righteousness (God’s perfection, righteousness without sin) * Abraham was justified according to man’s standard of righteousness
* Abraham’s salvation is very different from new testament christians. When we are justified, we receive God’s righteousness
a. James Tells Us That It Is By Abraham’s Own Righteousnes (By His Own Works) That Caused Him To Be Justified: Abraham Was Justified By Works When He Offered His Son Isaac
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
* Wrought = worked into shape by effort
* This shows salvation is not the same from eversince the beginning.
* Their salvation is different from christian salvation which is faith alone without works.
* When man is justified by God for salvation in the old testament its according to man's own righteousness
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
* When christians are justified, we received God's righteousness
* We don't have to do it later on in life to perfect our faith with our own righteousness with our works
18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
* they had to keep his covenant, to remember his commandments and to do them
* This event happened when Abraham was 99 years old (Gen 17:1-4)
* the keyword is “nations”, plural
* God is so brilliant, He knows past present and future. He knows that He is dealing with Israel right here as a physical nation (that’s a promise that’s unbreakable) but God sees everything and thinks always a hundred steps ahead.
* God knows that the Jews in the new testament is going to reject their Messiah.
* So what God’s going to do is that He’s going to temporarily put Israel on hold so that God can deal with the Gentiles and different nations to become the spiritual Jews (spiritual nation of Israel)
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
* Paul quoted the old testament verse to show that it is biblical to argue that Abraham is not just a father of physical nation of the Jews, Abraham is also a father of spiritual nations
10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
* if the Jews don’t circumcise, their salvation will be lost
* Do take note that Abraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised (Gen 17:24)
* This event where God asked them to practice circumcission happened many years later after God counted Abraham as having righteousness
a. Abraham Is Not Only Father To The Circumcised But Also Father To Those Unscircumcised But Of Faith
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.
* Paul realised the case that Abraham and the people that time had to practice physical circumcision or else their soul was cut off
* But Paul, he was focusing on the spiritual aspect.
* Paul points out that Abraham received imputed righteousness before he got circumcised.
* Noticed verse 11: “which he had yet being uncircumcised”
* That means imputed righteousness happened first. Then many years later only had to do circumcision
* Paul used that to prove that for christians, since we have a salvation where we receive the imputed righteousness and justification by faith automatically so this is a complete salvation which does not need to be perfected later on with somekind of physical things like offering of Isaac on the alter or works or circumcission etc.
* Because of that, we do not need those physical things
* Once we got saved by faith, we got this circumcision already
* its a spiritual circumcision: “circumcision made without hands”
* circumcision of Christ means its done by Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one who performs this circumcission at the moment of salvation when we believe
“ What did God do? What did God circumcise us out of?
* We are are cut off completely from our body. So, no matter what our body sins, it will not contaminate and effect us
* Who is us? We are the soul. When someone dies, its their soul that goes to either heaven or hell
* Fill up water in the tray - ice becomes part of the tray
* Break up the ice from the tray but leave the ice in the tray - ice is no longer part of the tray - it is cut off but still in the tray
* If a save person sins with his body, it doesnt affect his soul
* Our soul is not corrupted with sin no matter how many times we sin in our body
* That’s why when we die, we will go to heaven no matter what.
=> Once Saved Always Saved
* Once we got saved by faith, God already performed this circumcision for us
* So, we don’t need those physical circumcission, physical works to perfect that faith which Abraham had to do
* But we still commit sin in our body and God is going to judge our soul for the sins done in our body
a. We Will Be Judged At The Judgement Seat Of Christ, God Will Judge Good Or Bad Things Done In Our “Body”
* whatever we do in our body will be judged wheter good or bad
* whatever work we do in our body will be judged, every secret, good or evil work
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
* Our works will be revealed and tried by fire
* If our works are good, we will get rewards (gold, silver or precious stones) because the rewards will be able to withstand the fire
* If our works are bad, we will get garbage because it will not be able to withstand the fire, it will be burnt away (we loose rewards)
* Noticed verse 15: “but he himself shall be saved” we are still saved
* This judgement is not to judge our salvation but it is to judge our service to God
* If we don't know this, we will get confuse with so many doctrines out there and thinking that salvation have always been the same from the beginning
* People who teach that salvation has always been the same from beginning to the end only focused on the part where Paul focused on spiritual dealings of God in the old testament. And they say because Paul used the spiritual dealings of Abraham or David or etc, they automatically assume that people in the the old testament are saved the exact same way with the christans today
* No. Paul did not do that. Paul divided it. Paul divided the spiritual things from the physical things
* With that division of the spiritual things in the old testament, Paul can apply the spiritual things to the christians but he didn’t do that with the physical things
* The problem with these wrong doctrine people is that they did not divide.
* They take the spiritual things and physical things and all combined into one big mess
* Then we have those Jews who thinks that everything in the old testament is physical but they overlooked some of the spiritual things that God did throughout the old testament
* That’s why we are going to find out later on, when Jesus came in His ministry, there was a total change. Jesus introduced a lot of spiritual things and not physical
* Even though Jesus dealt with Jews a lot, He changed the tone That’s why the disciples and the Jews could not understand His spiritual teachings and spiritual application. They were all thinking physical
* Why? Because for the past thousands of years, that’s what the old testament was based on. But, they forgot some of the spiritual things that God dealt with in the old testament. So Jesus had to remind them
a. God Is Telling Abraham To Offer Up His Son Isaac As a Sacrifice
* This shows a great prophecy that Jesus will one day be the sacrificial lamb for our sins
* Remember, we are talking about spiritual dealings
* In this Abrahamic covenant, we can see spiritual dealings that will match up with new testament doctrine.
* Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac is a spiritual type of God's sacrifice of Jesus Christ
a. Jesus Is The Sacrificial Lamb Of The Sins Of World
* Jesus was telling the Jews that Abraham saw His day
* How did Abraham saw Jesus’s day? They’re all wondering
* The Jews did’t understand because they were seeing through physical lenses and not through spiritual lenses
* They only saw a physical sacrifice of Isaac going on by they don’t see the spiritual that’s happening behind the scene
* There's a lot of physical things that God did in the Old Testament represented a type of a lot of things that God is going to do in the future
* One thing we got to understand about God is this: We will never understand about God in our phisical human aspect. Eg our mind or our eyes
* Whatever God does, He does it for a reason and He has a plan and purpose for everything
* Ishmael which came the Ishmaelites which came the muslim people
* The muslims insist that it will go from Abraham through Ishmael and to the muslims today
* Ishmael is Abraham's seed but God says no, the official seed will be from Isaac
* Sarah wanted Ishmael and Hagar to be cut off from the Abraham's people and God said listen to Sarah
* Its going to be through the Jews line but not Ishmael's line