THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM AND SARAH
My eyes were opened for the first time in understanding Abraham and Sarah’s exercise of their faith to have a child, Isaac. Romans 4: 2 says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness”. I have asked how that could be until I read to the end of chapter 4. I could now relate their faith and action to how we ourselves are accounted as righteous through believing in Christ.
Romans 4:16-25
16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations."[c] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."[d] 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
For Abraham and Sarah, believing and having Isaac is a type in the Old Testament of us being born again today. “He believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were”. Also, “Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead.” Do you see the likeness? Isaac, a “spiritual life” could only come by faith through grace. You and I as dead as we are in our sins, could only have spiritual life through faith by God’s grace. Read the account of the birth of Isaac in Genesis 21. “1 Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac [a] to the son Sarah bore him.”
What fact do you and I face today? The obvious fact is that our bodies are dead like that of Abraham. There will be no spiritual life and birth without the grace of God. When was the last time you saw a 100 year old man and a 90 year old woman having a baby for the first time? Can you now appreciate the new life you have in Christ which was impossible under human conditions? I have used as an encouragement, the story of Sarah and Abraham to belief for God to do impossible things (birth of child, work, healing & etc) in my life. It is okay to be used in that sense. But it means more to me now that I have realize that the real impossibility God did for me is counting me righteous and giving me a new life in Christ.
Abraham believed that God can raise the dead and He did so in the life of Sarah and Abraham. I also believe that God can and did raise Christ from the dead, so that I can have a brand new spiritual life.
Do you desire a “spiritual Isaac” in your life or the life of a loved one? Let God who causes the dead to rise bring him forth in your life by HIS GRACE.
Keep on Believing in the God who gives life to the dead. Let others know about this your God. Amen.
Romans 4:16-25
16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations."[c] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."[d] 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
For Abraham and Sarah, believing and having Isaac is a type in the Old Testament of us being born again today. “He believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were”. Also, “Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead.” Do you see the likeness? Isaac, a “spiritual life” could only come by faith through grace. You and I as dead as we are in our sins, could only have spiritual life through faith by God’s grace. Read the account of the birth of Isaac in Genesis 21. “1 Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac [a] to the son Sarah bore him.”
What fact do you and I face today? The obvious fact is that our bodies are dead like that of Abraham. There will be no spiritual life and birth without the grace of God. When was the last time you saw a 100 year old man and a 90 year old woman having a baby for the first time? Can you now appreciate the new life you have in Christ which was impossible under human conditions? I have used as an encouragement, the story of Sarah and Abraham to belief for God to do impossible things (birth of child, work, healing & etc) in my life. It is okay to be used in that sense. But it means more to me now that I have realize that the real impossibility God did for me is counting me righteous and giving me a new life in Christ.
Abraham believed that God can raise the dead and He did so in the life of Sarah and Abraham. I also believe that God can and did raise Christ from the dead, so that I can have a brand new spiritual life.
Do you desire a “spiritual Isaac” in your life or the life of a loved one? Let God who causes the dead to rise bring him forth in your life by HIS GRACE.
Keep on Believing in the God who gives life to the dead. Let others know about this your God. Amen.
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