When we study the lives of the patriarchs, we notice that the Scriptures record their great faith and obedience to God, but also their failures and their sins.
In the life of Abraham, the Holy Ghost recorded at least three sins: twice Abraham lied about Sarai being his sister, not his wife, in order to protect himself in a foreign land. Abraham also went along with Sarai's fleshly scheme to produce the promised heir by Hagar her servant.
All three of these sins caused harm and sorrow to other people. In addition, they were brought on by Abraham's lack of trust in the Lord's power to preserve him and to fulfill His promises of a blessed seed.
Think of it: the man most known for faith, the father of all who trust in Jesus, nevertheless had an imperfect faith! No wonder God recorded these facts, to show us that our salvation lies not in the power or perfection of our faith in God, but rather in the power of Jesus to save everyone who trusts in Him!
When Paul establishes in Romans 1-3 that there is none righteous, no not one, he included Abraham. In chapter 4, Paul explicitly instructs us that Abraham's righteousness was not according to works or obedience. Rather, God imputed righteousness by faith in His promises! God refuses to count our sins against us if we have trusted in Him. Therefore, we believe in a God who justifies the ungodly!
No doubt some of Paul's readers would have choked on the idea that Abraham was a sinner, but he was. His perfection lay not in his own actions, for he was a sinner just like the rest of us.
Rather, he trusted in God's promises, and God declared Him righteous by the blood of Jesus. So any sinner may be justified in Christ!
SERMON ACTIVITY
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John Pittman Hey was born in 1961 in Jackson, Mississippi, to Godly parents who from the beginning raised him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. With child-like faith he came to Christ on his fourth birthday at his mother's knee. He received his education at church...
