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Tracing Abraham's Life: The Trial of Faith
Biblical TRIAL --> God seeking fear, and then, God finding fear, when it is observed by deeds…then salvation is assured. The Lord sought the perseverance of Israel’s (the Exodus generation) salvation, and in the same context, God seeks to know a saved man’s faith. After a man is justified (by faith apart from works), God seeks to verify, vindicate, affirm, confirm, and justify this work by “justifying” men according to their works. Abraham is the first individual where the Trial of Faith is explicitly chronicled; likewise, he is the chief figure of “justification by faith” (Rom. 4), the chief figure of “justification by works” (James 2:14-26), and therefore he is the example of perseverance through a performance of oaths/covenants/promises (Heb. 6:11-20, 11). |
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God in the Ways of God
Elective/Predestinated & Exclusive Love Elective/Predestinated and irresistible will/counsel of salvation
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God in the Ways of Man
Universal, all-inclusive Love Universal and Resistible will/counsel of salvation
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Abraham’s Election:
Abraham was elect according to the counsel of God in the ways of God, thus his salvation (justification by faith) and perseverance (justification by works) were all determined by God’s predestination. In Genesis 18:19 God says, “I know him” – and this “know” is evidence that he is elect of God (God in the ways of God).
Abraham was elect according to the counsel of God that determined him to be saved, persevere, and become the chief example of justification by faith (see Romans 4) and justification by works (see James 2:14-26). God in the ways of God did love Abraham with an everlasting love, and therefore he did persevere in faith to God (was justified by works), and consequentially God did perform the Covenant/promises in salvation.
If Abraham had not persevered in faith, he would have failed “the Trial of his Faith” wherein God sought to know his faith by his works. If Abraham had failed the trial of his faith, he would have failed to obtain the performance of the promises and Covenant, and therein was his salvation. Remember how God related to Israel after their salvation?
Israel
The Israelites received the gospel of the Passover, the Red Sea, the Manna, and the Rock; however, they were eventually reprobated when they denied “the gospel” (Heb. 3-4) at the Promised Land. All these instances were a type of salvation for them, an example of the difficulty of perseverance, and also, they were a picture of present progressive salvation. This idea is not well understood today. Most think the gospel and salvation are begun and completed at justification by faith. After this, all else is considered to be eternally inconsequential circumstances which always involve a “mere” sanctification. This is a great misunderstanding. The Bible does not say work out your sanctification with fear and trembling. It does not say work out your rewards with fear and trembling. God warns, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Php. 2:12).
The first emphasis, burden, and work of God with Israel is a “trial of their faith” – but the Lord speaks of it in the terms, “There He proved them” (Ex. 15:25). God seeks to know the heart of His people by trial – looking after their deeds – as if He did not already know their hearts, know their future, or determine it. This is God in the ways of man. A man is limited to knowing a person by fruit, because only God can see the heart. Man does not know the future, nor can he determine it. The genuine nature of this trial can be seen in Exodus chapter 16 when the Lord institutes further means of trial. Exodus 16:4 – “Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or no.” As God did relate to the them in the context of “proving” and observing “whether they will walk” in His law or not, so God does give conditions to their salvation through the means by which their faith will be tested/tried and their salvation will be verified/persevered!
Abraham
God saved Abraham by the gospel calling in Genesis 12:1-3. He obeyed the call, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will…I will…thou shalt…I will…and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:1-3). This obedience (obeying the gospel, 2 Thess. 1:8) was illustrative of our gospel experience, and, it was famed in the Hall of Faith: “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 11:8-10). Abraham’s faith in the gospel call that was bound with promises eventually became the primary illustration for salvation by faith apart from works, because Abraham was justified by faith alone before the law or circumcision. Therefore, Abraham is the father of faith, seeing he exemplifies this pure justification before the law. Many years, trials, and further revelations of this call and gospel were given to Abraham till, in Genesis 15:6, the Lord gives the most elaborate and explanatory revelation of the Covenant yet. When believing this promise it was written, “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). This faith was exemplary for the Covenant of God with the Gentiles in Christ Who needed no circumcision, for Abraham “received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised” (Rom. 4:11-12). Before circumcision he was justified; nevertheless he continued to believe and therefore passed the trials of his faith. Thus it is written of him, that through all the trials, he, in “hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be” (Rom. 4:18).
This faith that was maintained was “that he might become the father of many nations” according to the promise of Genesis 12:1-3. He was 75 years old when the gospel call first came. The persevering faith that obtains Covenant promises is exemplified in the following reference after Romans 4:18, verses 19-22. “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:19-22). At this instance, Abraham continues with the understanding that faith must continue for the oath of God to continue. He knows that the oaths of God are subject to interruption, because God teaches him this. When Abraham was 99 years old (Gen. 17:1), He was warned of the necessity of perfection, and on this day he did exemplify perfect faith by believing that life could come from the dead (the deadness of Sarah’s womb), and thus he received the gospel again (Christ bringing life from the dead, Gen. 17:15-19, Heb. 11:11-12). Do you not believe that Romans 4:18 is applying the consequence of possible interruption from fulfilling the Covenant promise that Abraham would be made “the father of many nations?” It is what the verse says plainly, but there is more proof. In Genesis 17:1-2, God gives the clear condition that the Covenant’s performance hinges upon. When Abraham was 99 years old, God “appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect. And I will make My Covenant between Me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” Therefore, if Abraham didn’t walk before God and be “perfect,” then God would not perform or “make” the Covenant “according to that which was spoken” (Rom. 4:18). Now you may wonder, what is perfection?
Abraham was elect according to the counsel of God in the ways of God, thus his salvation (justification by faith) and perseverance (justification by works) were all determined by God’s predestination. In Genesis 18:19 God says, “I know him” – and this “know” is evidence that he is elect of God (God in the ways of God).
Abraham was elect according to the counsel of God that determined him to be saved, persevere, and become the chief example of justification by faith (see Romans 4) and justification by works (see James 2:14-26). God in the ways of God did love Abraham with an everlasting love, and therefore he did persevere in faith to God (was justified by works), and consequentially God did perform the Covenant/promises in salvation.
If Abraham had not persevered in faith, he would have failed “the Trial of his Faith” wherein God sought to know his faith by his works. If Abraham had failed the trial of his faith, he would have failed to obtain the performance of the promises and Covenant, and therein was his salvation. Remember how God related to Israel after their salvation?
Israel
The Israelites received the gospel of the Passover, the Red Sea, the Manna, and the Rock; however, they were eventually reprobated when they denied “the gospel” (Heb. 3-4) at the Promised Land. All these instances were a type of salvation for them, an example of the difficulty of perseverance, and also, they were a picture of present progressive salvation. This idea is not well understood today. Most think the gospel and salvation are begun and completed at justification by faith. After this, all else is considered to be eternally inconsequential circumstances which always involve a “mere” sanctification. This is a great misunderstanding. The Bible does not say work out your sanctification with fear and trembling. It does not say work out your rewards with fear and trembling. God warns, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Php. 2:12).
The first emphasis, burden, and work of God with Israel is a “trial of their faith” – but the Lord speaks of it in the terms, “There He proved them” (Ex. 15:25). God seeks to know the heart of His people by trial – looking after their deeds – as if He did not already know their hearts, know their future, or determine it. This is God in the ways of man. A man is limited to knowing a person by fruit, because only God can see the heart. Man does not know the future, nor can he determine it. The genuine nature of this trial can be seen in Exodus chapter 16 when the Lord institutes further means of trial. Exodus 16:4 – “Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or no.” As God did relate to the them in the context of “proving” and observing “whether they will walk” in His law or not, so God does give conditions to their salvation through the means by which their faith will be tested/tried and their salvation will be verified/persevered!
Abraham
- Genesis 12:1-3, the gospel call --> Hebrews 11:8-10.
God saved Abraham by the gospel calling in Genesis 12:1-3. He obeyed the call, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will…I will…thou shalt…I will…and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:1-3). This obedience (obeying the gospel, 2 Thess. 1:8) was illustrative of our gospel experience, and, it was famed in the Hall of Faith: “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 11:8-10). Abraham’s faith in the gospel call that was bound with promises eventually became the primary illustration for salvation by faith apart from works, because Abraham was justified by faith alone before the law or circumcision. Therefore, Abraham is the father of faith, seeing he exemplifies this pure justification before the law. Many years, trials, and further revelations of this call and gospel were given to Abraham till, in Genesis 15:6, the Lord gives the most elaborate and explanatory revelation of the Covenant yet. When believing this promise it was written, “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). This faith was exemplary for the Covenant of God with the Gentiles in Christ Who needed no circumcision, for Abraham “received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised” (Rom. 4:11-12). Before circumcision he was justified; nevertheless he continued to believe and therefore passed the trials of his faith. Thus it is written of him, that through all the trials, he, in “hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be” (Rom. 4:18).
- Genesis 17:15-19, imputed righteousness (justification by faith) --> Romans 4:17-22, Hebrews 11:11-12.
This faith that was maintained was “that he might become the father of many nations” according to the promise of Genesis 12:1-3. He was 75 years old when the gospel call first came. The persevering faith that obtains Covenant promises is exemplified in the following reference after Romans 4:18, verses 19-22. “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:19-22). At this instance, Abraham continues with the understanding that faith must continue for the oath of God to continue. He knows that the oaths of God are subject to interruption, because God teaches him this. When Abraham was 99 years old (Gen. 17:1), He was warned of the necessity of perfection, and on this day he did exemplify perfect faith by believing that life could come from the dead (the deadness of Sarah’s womb), and thus he received the gospel again (Christ bringing life from the dead, Gen. 17:15-19, Heb. 11:11-12). Do you not believe that Romans 4:18 is applying the consequence of possible interruption from fulfilling the Covenant promise that Abraham would be made “the father of many nations?” It is what the verse says plainly, but there is more proof. In Genesis 17:1-2, God gives the clear condition that the Covenant’s performance hinges upon. When Abraham was 99 years old, God “appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect. And I will make My Covenant between Me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” Therefore, if Abraham didn’t walk before God and be “perfect,” then God would not perform or “make” the Covenant “according to that which was spoken” (Rom. 4:18). Now you may wonder, what is perfection?
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Matt. 5:48, 19:21, Lk. 6:40, 8:14, 1 Cor. 2:6, 2 Cor. 7:1, 13:9, 11, Gal. 3:3, Eph. 4:12-13, Php. 3:15, Col. 1:28, 4:12, 1 Thess. 3:10, 2 Tim. 3:17, Heb. 6:1, 13:21, Jas. 1:4, 2:22, 3:2, 1 Pet. 5:10, 1 Jn. 2:5, 4:12-18, Rev. 3:2.
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As stated before, Abraham exemplifies the workings of God as a skeleton for the NT. The burden of God to find His people perfect throughout the trial of their faith was first introduced in the trial of Abraham’s faith, and the trial is of the such that, if Abraham failed it he would have come short of the promises/Covenant/salvation that God did speak to him; and to come short is erring from perfection. Falling from perfection, or being perfect, is the burden of the ministers in the New Covenant. The end goal of all the work of NT ministers is that they would present the saints perfect before God (Eph. 4:12), and in so doing none would fall short of the promised salvation in Christ. Jesus Christ, and all saving obedience necessary when walking in Him, was what they did “preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:28). If you die having fallen from a state of “perfection” (Heb. 6:1, 1 Cor. 2:6) you will be damned. That is falling from perfection as a Christian (Col. 1:28-29, Eph. 4:12), which is, falling from perfecting works in Christ (Rev. 3:2), perfected holiness (2 Cor. 7:1), perfected faith (James 2:21-22, 1 Thess. 3:10), and as John addresses it, a perfected love (1 John 2:5, 4:12, 17).
We, in the New Covenant, are as Abraham because we have received a parallel gospel call that severs us from our house, land, and kindred (Gal. 5:24, Mk. 8:34-35, Lk. 14:26, Matt. 10:34-39, 12:49-50). We do maintain a strangeness and alienation to the world because God is an alien to the world, and we are the friends of God (Col. 1:21-22, Rom. 8:7-8, Eph. 2:1-3). “He was called the friend of God” (Jas. 2:23). We are strange because we, by Spirit and law, are not of the world (1 John 4:5-6, John 15:19, Gal. 6:14). We have been partakers of Christ’s death; however, the consummating victory over death will not be actualized until after the fullness of the gospel of His Kingdom is consummated. We have been resurrected (Rom. 6:4), regenerated (Tit. 3:5), we have overcome death (Eph. 2:5), inherited the Kingdom (Lk. 17:21), but we await a final consummating resurrection (1 Cor. 15:42-50), regeneration (Rom. 8:18-21, Php. 3:12-14), defeat of death (1 Cor. 15:54-57), and inheritance of the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15:50). In this manner we await a “salvation to be revealed” (1 Pet. 1:5), which is not full yet, and we strive for the calling of this final freedom (Php. 3:14) as it daily draws “nearer than when we believed” (Rom. 13:11). This is the doctrinal logic behind present progressive salvation. Now, should it be any wonder that if a man discontinues to walk in the newness of life of the resurrection by an unrepentant indulgence of the old man, refuses the power of regeneration to then abide in the death which was once experientially overcome, despising the free inheritance of holiness which the Kingdom of God offers, that this man is doomed to the abyss of the anti-gospel hellfire? Those things are the gospel and Christ, and to deny them is to deny Him. Those who choose earth over heaven and the devil’s kingdom over God’s – they love hell and hate heaven. God will give them what their works justify for them.
Therefore we have to continue in saving faith through appropriating the gospel power and truths, which will maintain a strangeness and enmity with the world and a familiarity and walk according to heaven. We are chosen from darkness, death, the world & earth, the flesh, and dishonor. We are brought into the light, heavenliness, the Spirit, and holy honor. Maintaining a walk in the Spirit is maintaining the faith of the gospel call, which is, maintaining a walk in a perfect way – therefore God will perform the Covenant of our salvation to its completion. The gospel by promise (spiritually and lawfully) performs these things within us Christ’s indwelling nature; the gospel by command is the present-tense command to walk in these things which we have already received at salvation (thus we will be presently/continuously saved), and if we maintain this perfect walk or God returns and finds us perfect then, we will be finally saved (at death or His return). The gospel by promise is – “I have given you the Land to possess it” (Num. 33:53), and, “The LORD your God which goeth before you, He shall fight for you, according to all that HE did for you in Egypt before your eyes” (Deut. 1:30). The gospel by command is the charge to “go up and fight” with “weapons of war” and the sword (Deut. 1:41) at the command of God – “Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land,” (Deut. 1:8) and, “go up and possess it” (Deut. 1:21). God could have fought for them, but they must fight with Him, but they “set not their heart aright” so as to fight (Ps. 78:8). “The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle” (Ps. 78:9). So it is with us – all the things formerly addressed are given to us, put within us, promised for us, but we must presently take them, fight for them, and lay hold on them. Eternal life is a present possession in Christ (1 John 5:11-12), and yet we must daily “fight the good fight of faith” and “lay hold on eternal life” by standing against and prevailing over evil angels with the weaponry of God’s war instruments (Eph. 6:10-18).
We, in the New Covenant, are as Abraham because we have received a parallel gospel call that severs us from our house, land, and kindred (Gal. 5:24, Mk. 8:34-35, Lk. 14:26, Matt. 10:34-39, 12:49-50). We do maintain a strangeness and alienation to the world because God is an alien to the world, and we are the friends of God (Col. 1:21-22, Rom. 8:7-8, Eph. 2:1-3). “He was called the friend of God” (Jas. 2:23). We are strange because we, by Spirit and law, are not of the world (1 John 4:5-6, John 15:19, Gal. 6:14). We have been partakers of Christ’s death; however, the consummating victory over death will not be actualized until after the fullness of the gospel of His Kingdom is consummated. We have been resurrected (Rom. 6:4), regenerated (Tit. 3:5), we have overcome death (Eph. 2:5), inherited the Kingdom (Lk. 17:21), but we await a final consummating resurrection (1 Cor. 15:42-50), regeneration (Rom. 8:18-21, Php. 3:12-14), defeat of death (1 Cor. 15:54-57), and inheritance of the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15:50). In this manner we await a “salvation to be revealed” (1 Pet. 1:5), which is not full yet, and we strive for the calling of this final freedom (Php. 3:14) as it daily draws “nearer than when we believed” (Rom. 13:11). This is the doctrinal logic behind present progressive salvation. Now, should it be any wonder that if a man discontinues to walk in the newness of life of the resurrection by an unrepentant indulgence of the old man, refuses the power of regeneration to then abide in the death which was once experientially overcome, despising the free inheritance of holiness which the Kingdom of God offers, that this man is doomed to the abyss of the anti-gospel hellfire? Those things are the gospel and Christ, and to deny them is to deny Him. Those who choose earth over heaven and the devil’s kingdom over God’s – they love hell and hate heaven. God will give them what their works justify for them.
Therefore we have to continue in saving faith through appropriating the gospel power and truths, which will maintain a strangeness and enmity with the world and a familiarity and walk according to heaven. We are chosen from darkness, death, the world & earth, the flesh, and dishonor. We are brought into the light, heavenliness, the Spirit, and holy honor. Maintaining a walk in the Spirit is maintaining the faith of the gospel call, which is, maintaining a walk in a perfect way – therefore God will perform the Covenant of our salvation to its completion. The gospel by promise (spiritually and lawfully) performs these things within us Christ’s indwelling nature; the gospel by command is the present-tense command to walk in these things which we have already received at salvation (thus we will be presently/continuously saved), and if we maintain this perfect walk or God returns and finds us perfect then, we will be finally saved (at death or His return). The gospel by promise is – “I have given you the Land to possess it” (Num. 33:53), and, “The LORD your God which goeth before you, He shall fight for you, according to all that HE did for you in Egypt before your eyes” (Deut. 1:30). The gospel by command is the charge to “go up and fight” with “weapons of war” and the sword (Deut. 1:41) at the command of God – “Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land,” (Deut. 1:8) and, “go up and possess it” (Deut. 1:21). God could have fought for them, but they must fight with Him, but they “set not their heart aright” so as to fight (Ps. 78:8). “The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle” (Ps. 78:9). So it is with us – all the things formerly addressed are given to us, put within us, promised for us, but we must presently take them, fight for them, and lay hold on them. Eternal life is a present possession in Christ (1 John 5:11-12), and yet we must daily “fight the good fight of faith” and “lay hold on eternal life” by standing against and prevailing over evil angels with the weaponry of God’s war instruments (Eph. 6:10-18).