Main Scripture: Read Genesis 15:1-6. After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward (vs. 1). Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness (vs.6).
Associated Scriptures: Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised (Romans 4:9-12).
Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith" (Galatians 3:6-11).
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone (James 2:20-24).
Correlative Quotes:
There are at least three reasons why God called Abraham and Sarah. In His love, God was concerned about their salvation; so He revealed His glory and shared His gracious promises. But even beyond their personal salvation was God's purpose in blessing the whole world. This was accomplished when God sent His Son into the world through the Jewish nation. Christ died for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2; 4:14) and wants His church to tell the good news to the whole world (Mark 16:15). But there is a third reason: The life of Abraham is an example for all Christians who want to walk by faith. Abraham was saved by faith (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:1-5; Galatians 3:6-14) and lived by faith (Hebrews 11:8-19), and his obedience was the evidence of his faith (James 2:14-26). Abraham obeyed when he did not know where (Hebrews 11:8-10), how (vv. 11-12), when (vv. 13-16), or why (vv. 17-19): and so should we. Abraham and Sarah were not perfect, but their walk was generally characterized by faith and faithfulness. When they sinned, they suffered for it; and the Lord was always ready to forgive when they repented.[1] – Warren Wiersbe
The meaning of Abraham and his faith, as set forth here in Romans, is to be understood only by a reference to the calendar of the events in his life and the order of those events. Paul has set forth that salvation is entirely by grace and totally apart from the works of the flesh. Man's complete ruin in sin and God's perfect remedy in Christ has filled the first three chapters of the epistle. Now Paul must proceed to show the people of Israel that salvation is apart from mere law-observance, and Abraham is used as the example. When was Abraham saved? The answer shows, of course, that he was saved several hundred years before Moses and the giving of the law. It is evident, then, that Abraham cannot have been saved by the law. But, someone might argue, God gave to him the rite of circumcision, and thus Abraham was identified with the chosen people and the law that should be given to them, and through them to the world, much later. But now the calendar is brought out in proof that this argument is not true. When was Abraham counted as justified? The scheme of events shows that he was saved long before God revealed to him the sign of circumcision that was to mark his body as faith in God's word was to mark his soul and his spirit.[2] – Donald G. Barnhouse
Study:
Abraham is our father in the faith (Romans 4:16). He is named 218 times in the Old Testament and Abraham is mentioned 72 times in the New Testament. His mark on scripture, as a whole, is undeniable. His faith is as remarkable as it is unquestionable.
We are ordinary people just like Abraham and Sarah. We are created in the likeness of God but yet we choose to sin in the same way that Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. We are imperfect and would rather do what is wrong than what is right (Isaiah 53:6 and Romans 7:14-15). However, God in His mercy provided a way for us to escape the bondage that we experience from the life of indulgence that we have created for ourselves (John 3:16).
While we were separated from Him and at war with Him, He sent His only Son Jesus Christ to be the substitute for our eternal punishment. (Romans 5:8) When we accept Jesus as our personal savior and Lord, we are made new again. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Regenerated by faith we are now free to serve God and live a life that pleasing to Him (Romans 8:1-2).
Abraham was a man of exceptional faith. He followed God’s direction whether or not he understood why. If he questioned God, it was only for the purposes of clarification. Even when it seemed impossible that he could have a child, let alone a son, at an advanced age, Abraham trusted God completely and his trust was rewarded with a son just exactly as God had promised.
God moved Abraham several times. God promised him that he would be the father of a great nation. Finally, when asked to kill the son, whom Abraham had waited for more than one hundred years, he raised the knife only to be stopped by the Angel of the Lord (Genesis 22:2-8).
Abraham’s faith was rewarded because he acted on it. James 2:17 tells us, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” Works are the result and the proof of our salvation (Ephesians 2:10). If we feel that God is leading us, but we do not take the appropriate action to facilitate or expedite that message by faith, our faith is dead or nonexistent.
As Rick Warren famously said in his multi-zillion selling book The Purpose Driven Life, "It's not about you." Life is about God. God is the Creator of all, and all of creation, including me and you, exists to bring Him glory. This flies in the face of pretty much every message communicated to us since birth (even sometimes within Christian circles), but it is, in fact, the absolute bottom-line of reality. Believing and living otherwise is a never-ending, empty uphill battle.
Parenthetically let me add this. Before we dismiss God as an insecure egomaniac, let's quickly remember that He became one of us, entered into our suffering, and gave His life so that we could experience the primary purpose of our existence — to know Him. He defined Love by His actions. He did not create then abandon. He created and stayed and acted. He loved to the point of death and secured a path for our ultimate fulfillment: eternity with Him.
So, we start with God, not us. If you are making decisions based primarily on what makes "me" happy, then you have your priorities backwards and you will stumble at every turn.[3] – John Thomas
An important aspect of faith is knowing the will of God for our lives. We know God’s will by listening. We hear God through His word. Romans 10:17 (NKJV) says it this way, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” We must read God word looking for what will honor and glorify Him and not what we think will make us happy.
Even though we are ordinary people, with God’s help and direction and our action in faith, we can become people of extraordinary faith. The steps are simple, believe God and live according to his Word. We must seek and act on His direction and plan for our lives.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:1-2).
Understanding God’s will for our lives is important. His will is tied directly to our prayers. Abraham understood God’s will clearly and he followed through with appropriate actions leading to God’s blessing in his and Sarah’s life. Genesis 12:2-3 speaks of the wide range of blessings that Abraham and Sarah, their descendants, and those who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior would receive when it says, “And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." God promises us in 1 John 5:14 that if we ask anything that is according to His will He will hear us, “
Prayer is an essential part of the Christian experience. It is the only way that we can communicate with God. When we pray, in His will, the Holy Spirit prays with us in a language that God can understand and God can then hear our petitions and act on them.
We must pray that God will reveal Himself and His will to us through His Word the Bible.
In addition to prayer, to be people of extraordinary faith, we must know God. The only way to learn about God is to study His Word. The Word of God is His inspired teaching given to us as a road map for life. When we read God’s Word, it gives us knowledge and wisdom to do what God has commanded us to do. When we understand God and his purpose for us it increases our faith and encourages us to act for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God Psalm 143:10 (NASB).
It is the Spirit of God who teaches, expresses, God’s will for our lives and instructs us to live according to His will. Once we know and understand what it is that God wants us to do and how He wants us to live, we must act according to what we have learned.
As we pray to God continually and we seek to know Him better through His Word, we will be encouraged to take the actions that God shows us. Each of us will act using the gifts and talents that He has given us. This will occur, as we read God’s word and the Holy Spirit interprets it into instructions for our lives. It is through this interpretation that we will understand God’s will for our lives and the direction He wants us to go.
Psalm 25:4-5 (NASU) explains this truth when it says, “Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.”
While listening to ascertain God’s direction for our lives, we must be prepared to act. Patience is essential, action must be immediate. Remember that Abraham waited years between God’s directions. However, when God spoke, Abraham was ready to act and did so immediately.
As we seek God’s will and direction through prayer, reading His word, and listening to His Spirit, He will help us to understand His will for our lives. When we understand what He wants us to do with our lives and we act on it, we will make the right decisions and He will bless us with exciting outcomes.
The result of living in God’s will is joy and fulfillment. When we live in His will, we will experience the gifts of the Spirit on an ongoing basis. Galatians 5:22-25 (KJV), “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
Summary Statement:
We must believe and we must act. Both are essential to respond in faith. When we seek God through prayer (1 Chronicles 16:11), read His word for understanding (Hebrews 4:12 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17), take action using God’s direction (1 Timothy 6:2), and make our decisions based on His direction (Proverbs 2:6 and 1 Corinthians 10:31), we will be blessed with the true joy of life. We will live the abundant life that God has planned for us (John 10:10).
[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament, © 2001-2004, by Warren W. Wiersbe. All rights reserved.
[2] Donald G. Barnhouse, Romans: Expositions of Bible Doctrines, © 1966 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
[3] John Thomas, Finding God’s will for My Life, © 1997-2016 Focus on the Family, focusonthefamily.com/faith/spiritual-development/finding-gods-will-for-my-life/gods-will-for-my-life-part-1-of-3.