November
30, 2003
GOD'S
COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM
"I
will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants
after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant,
to be God to you and your descendants after you" (Genesis
17:7, NKJV).
The covenant
of grace was renewed with Abraham and extends to more than
his physical descendants. "In your seed all the nations
of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My
voice" (Genesis 22:18). Because of Abraham's faithfulness,
he was chosen to be the progenitor of the promised Messiah
through whom all mankind is blessed. And Abraham received
this covenant because of his faith, trust and obedience to
the word of God.
"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...
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,'
concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the
dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense"
(Hebrews 11:8, 9, 17-19).
By faith
Abraham obeyed, and as a result he is called the father of
the faithful. It is by faith and obedience to the instruction
of God to us that we also will share in the rewards of the
covenant made to Abraham. "And if you are Christ's, then
you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise"
(Galatians 3:29).
The covenant
made with Adam and renewed with Abraham was ratified at the
death of Jesus Christ. It had existed by promise before creation.
"The power of God - has saved us and called us with a
holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
His own purposes and grace which was given to us in Christ
Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the
appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death
and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel"
(2 Timothy 1:8-10).
God's
covenant of grace has been extended to every man, woman and
child, who put their faith and trust in their Creator. "This
is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John 17:3).
What an inheritance! Thank God for His covenant to those who
value His values and who trust Him.
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