The Condescension of God
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  • Table of Contents
  • Chapters
    • To The Reader
    • 1 - The Condescension of God >
      • A Poetical Introduction: Look at the Cross
      • The Sovereignty of God in Determinate Counsel
      • God in the Ways of God
      • God in the Ways of Man
    • 2 - The Simultaneous Genuine Wills of God >
      • Lesser Matters
      • Weightier Matters
      • A Priestly Covenant
      • A Kingly Covenant
    • 3 - The Abrahamic Covenant >
      • Tracing the Abrahamic Covenant
      • The Exodus Generation Saved by Faith
      • Tracing Hebrews
      • Holy Mount Sinai
      • The Call, Mount, and Fear of the Prophet Like Unto Moses - Jesus Christ
      • Zion is the Mountain of our Covenant
    • 4 - The Exodus Generation >
      • The Exodus Generation - The Contrast of Simultaneous, Genuine, Paradoxical Wills in God
      • New Covenant Applications
    • 5 - Abrahamic Exemplification >
      • The Covenant Promises Subject to Conditions
      • Tracing Abraham's Life: The Trial of Faith
      • The Burden of Perfection
      • Understanding the Trial of Faith
    • 6 - The Davidic Covenant >
      • The Davidic Covenant: Seeking a Performance of the Promises
      • Bewilderment & Blindness by a Covenant Breached
    • 7 - Interceding Against Wrath >
      • Wrath Pursuing Sinners
      • Wrath Pursuing Saints
    • 8 - The Near Annihilation of God's People >
      • The Covenant of "the Called" in its Initiation: THE GREAT PAUSE
      • The Divine Struggle Continues
    • 9 - "I Am Weary With Repenting"
    • 10 - "Mercy On Whom I Will Have Mercy" >
      • "Mercy On Whom I Will Have Mercy"
      • Great Is Thy Faithfulness
      • His Mercy Endureth Forever
    • 11 - The Righteous Judgment of God >
      • The Righteous Judgment of God - By Principle: Horizontally & Vertically
      • Life - Tribe & Company
      • Life - City & Nation
      • Life - The Temple of God
    • 12 - The Glory of God in Wrath: Personification, Anthropomorphism, & Zoomorphism >
      • Personification, Anthropomorphism, & Zoomorphism
      • The Glory of God in Wrath
    • 13 - The Doctrine of Reprobation
    • 14 - The Damnable Abuse & Misapplication of Sovereign Election >
      • Jeremiah
      • Joshua
      • Jacob
      • Josiah
    • 15 - The Deception of God >
      • Froward for Froward
      • Eli
      • Balaam
      • Israel
      • Micaiah & Later Generations
      • Saints Who Recover - The Temporary Experience of the Deception of God
    • 16 - Have You Discerned Your "Day" & "Time" >
      • Where Is The Lord?
      • Spiritual Darkness
      • Spiritual Famine
      • Spiritual Drunkenness
      • Spiritual Drunkenness - Spiritual Infancy
    • 17 - A Biblical Study of Spiritual Infancy >
      • Introduction
      • The ROD
      • NT Darkness to Light: The Gospel of Regeneration
      • NT Foolishness to Wisdom: The Gospel of Regeneration
    • 18 - NT Lost to Saved - The Gospel of Regeneration >
      • The Gospel of Regeneration
      • Crucified/Mortified/Buried
      • Resurrected & Ascended
      • Baptized
      • Put on Christ
      • Quickened (Alive, Living, & Revived)
    • 19 - The Partial Completion of the Gospel >
      • Present Progressive Salvation Explained
      • Perfection
      • Blamelessness
      • Holiness & Sanctification
      • Without Spot & Blemish
    • 20 - The Gospel Calling
    • 21 - The Great Falling Away
    • 22 - The NT Gospel Call to Worthiness >
      • The NT Gospel Call to Worthiness
      • "GOD, HIS WAY IS PERFECT'
      • "GOD IS LOVE"
      • "GOD IS ONE"
      • GOD "IS HOLY"
      • GOD IS A STRANGER
      • GOD IS HEAVEN
      • "GOD IS LIGHT"
      • GOD IS GLORY & VIRTUE
      • GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE
    • 23 - The Condescension Withdrawn >
      • PATTERN #1: Our Only Hope - God's Faithfulness
      • Your Ascent or God’s Descent
      • PATTERN #2: God’s Eternality, Sovereignty, & Higher Righteousness Exalted
      • The NT Visitation of God – Final Judgment & Final Salvation
    • 24 - "The Goodness of God Leadeth Thee to Repentance" >
      • How is repentance wrought in the regenerate children of God?
      • "Groanings Which Cannot Be Uttered"
    • 25 - "Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen" >
      • Many Golden Chains: The Golden Chains Throughout History
      • The PURPOSE & INTENT for Salvation
      • NT Intercessions & NT Repentances
      • Called - Elect - Chosen - Foreknown
      • "Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen"
      • The Marriage & The Called, Chosen, and Faithful
      • The Epistles: A Commentary, Echo, and Practical Application of the Parables of Jesus Christ
      • A Pastor's Sermons to Make Sure Biblical Mercy
    • 26 - The Assurance of Eternal Election >
      • Believe His Word!
      • "What Manner of Love"
      • Concluding Statement
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Chapter 5: Abrahamic Exemplification

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The Burden of Perfection:
the NT trial of faith in present progressive salvation
We have been made “strangers and pilgrims,” but we must presently “abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” (1 Pet. 2:11). We have been made now “light in the Lord” (Eph. 5:8) because Christ “delivered us from the power of darkness” (Col. 1:13), but now we must “walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8). We were “foolish” (Titus 3:3), but now Christ has become to us “the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24), thus we must be “a wise man” (James 3:13) – “walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (Eph. 5:15). Notice how the “walk” is consistent with the Spiritual and lawful salvation that has already been accomplished. We are completed in this present progressive work by maintaining saving faith - this is perfection. “Walk before Me” in these manners, God commands in the NT, and in our Covenant, God says “be thou perfect” (Gen. 17:1).




The Covenant of Promises Subject to Conditions


Tracing Abraham's Life: The Trial of Faith


The Burden of Perfection


Understanding the Trial of Faith
  •       Genesis 22:12, “because thou hast obeyed My voice” (justification by works) --> Hebrews 6:11-20 & James 2:14-26, Hebrews 11: 17-19.


When we stay away from the flesh, darkness, death, and the world, we are strangers and pilgrims who desire to continue to be strangers and pilgrims. Unregretful, unrepentant of the decision we have made to forsake all to follow Him against the potential lusts which can come from a house, properties of land, family, and kindred. This was Abraham’s gospel and ours, but look at Abraham’s perfect walk in perseverance.
“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city” (Heb. 11:13-16).
Abraham became a stranger, walked as a stranger, and continued to be a stranger; so must we continue to be, in life, light, righteousness, wisdom, and holiness, which is our alien strangeness in Christ; otherwise Christ will say, “I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity” (Lk. 13:27). But if Abraham was “mindful of that country from whence” he “came out,” then he would have “had opportunity to” return. But since he was steadfast in faith and repentance, according to the gospel call, he did steadfastly “desire a better country, that is, an heavenly!” So Abraham is the example of perseverance for us to follow in. The capstone of His perseverance is referenced directly after these verses in the Hall of Faith:
“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received Him [Jesus] in a figure” (Heb. 11:17-19).
This is the capstone of the trial of his faith, as it says, “when he was tried.” This mark of Abraham is used as the mark of his persevering faith. This is applied and taught to the NT Church in two other places, Hebrews 6:11-20 and James 2:14-26. Salvation begun was justification by faith (Rom. 4), salvation continued is the trial of faith wherein we continue to receive Jesus (like as Abraham “in a figure”), and maintaining this walk of perfection is when our works do demonstrate what is worthy of the virtue already given in the lawful/spiritual salvation (justification by works). "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:21-26).

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