GENESIS PAPER

Genesis 15:6

And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

• Abraham was justified by his faith (Genesis 15:6).

Genesis 22:9-12

Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” 12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

• Here God confirmed what He thought of Abraham, as stated in Genesis 18:19. As a free moral agent, Abraham could have disappointed the Lord, but testing him made it possible to say, now I know. God limits His own attributes to conform to His plan for free moral agents. This makes Him no less omniscient, but makes it possible for Him to respect the will of man. Thus, God does not plan man's choices or acts, but holds him responsible for them.

Hebrews 11:8-9, 17

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. 9 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... 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son...

• By his obedience and faith, Abraham had the promises. Offered his only begotten son through whom the Seed should come (Gen 21:12). Had faith that if the killed his son in obedience that God would raise him from the dead to fulfill what He had promised (Heb 11:19). Received Isaac back from the dead in a figure  (Heb 11:19).

James 2:21-24

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 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. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

• It is clear from Genesis 22 that Abraham proved his faith when he was asked to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice. It was faith that led him to this act of obedience (Jam 2:23). Had he refused to obey it would have demonstrated that he had no faith in God or His word. It is also clear that this act of faith and works was not his initial justification by faith. That was 40 to 50 years before offering Isaac (Gen 12:1-4; 15:6: Rom 4:1-6).

Conclusion

If Abraham worked for and merited justification, then it was not of grace because God owed to him. But if he believed God for it instead of working for it, then faith was counted for righteousness and God gave it to him as a favor. Since he was called when he was a heathen, a Gentile idolater, and he was justified freely by grace, then all other sinners can likewise be justified (Gen 15:6; Rom 3:21-28; 5:1-11). But true faith manifests through actions (works). All these Bible passages emphazise faith with works, and works with faith; not faith only or works only. Thus every act of obedience is an act of faith and works combined to maintain justification before God. The greatest blessing possible is to be a friend of God (Jam 2:23).

 - - - - - -