#58 Believe, Obey Genesis 22

And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time form heaven and said, "By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice." So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba. Now after these things it was told to Abraham, "behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel." (Bethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother. Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah. Genesis 22: 15-24 ESV

Here, God reaffirms His covenant with Abraham and states again, "because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son." Everything we are and all that we have belong to God. If we truly believe this, that God is real, that He gave His only begotten Son to die in our stead, then our actions will testify to our Faith. As one writer so well puts it:

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "you have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe - and tremble! 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. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2: 14-26 NKJV

Faith had already been accounted to Abraham when By faith:

1. obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance Hebrews 11:8 NKJV
2. dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, Heb. 11:9 NKJV
3. And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. Gen. 15:6 NKJV

When we truly believe, it is evidenced by our walk. Does the man or woman of faith pass his fellow man, leaving him naked and hungry? Does he tell him to "name it and claim it", "be warmed and filled?" We are told that, "faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." Abraham left the place he knew, he lived in the place of promise as a stranger, and died not seeing the multitude of descendants God had promised. We often take a warped view of faith. "If you would have believed harder, then your child would not be sick. If you visualize that new car and have faith, not doubting, then you will get that new car." I hear people say things like this and even attempt to relate it to the story of Abraham, but ask yourself: What were the things Abraham hoped for, and where did his hope come from? The substance and confidence of Abraham's hope was in the promises of God. Abraham believed in, hoped for and waited on God's promise. When he doubted, or could not see, he took matters into his own hands, and relied upon his own wisdom. It was in those moments, he deceived others, saying, she is my sister, or even offered God an alternative plan, in one from his house ,or in his son, Ishmael. Faith does not go untested by doubt, but rather and most humbly finds it way back to the cross. Faith believes in the promises of God and ask for help with the unbelief of man. It is tied to a changed heart, one that now has love and the desire to obey God. It's spirit is evidenced by the works of God justifying the believer, and sanctifying him through the work of Christ.