The Obedience 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."—Hebrews 11:8-9

 

The life of faith begins with the call of God; and it is a life which is characterized by obedience to God. Though true faith is characterized by obedience, neither our faith in Christ nor our obedience to him is perfect. Far from it! Our faith is ever mingled with unbelief and our best obedience with disobedience. This, too, is evident in Abraham.

 

Incomplete Obedience

 

There is no indication that Abraham hesitated in his obedience to God. Yet, it is evident that Abraham, the father of all who believe, did not comply with God’s command completely. When the Lord God called Abraham, he specifically told him to leave his country, his people, and his father's household. Indeed, he left his country and his people, but he did not leave his father's household immediately.

      Terah was Abraham's father. But God came to Abraham, not Terah. God told Abraham to leave all ties in Ur. God gave Abraham the promises, not Terah. But we read in Genesis 11:31-32 that it was Terah who led the way. It was Terah who bound himself to Abraham's promise. And it was Terah who settled his family in Haran

 

Abraham "left Chaldea, but instead of separating from his kindred, he suffered his nephew Lot to accompany him; instead of forsaking his father's house, Terah was permitted to take the lead; and instead of entering Canaan, Abraham stopped short and settled in Haran. He yielded to the affections of the flesh...Though Abraham had settled down in Haran, God would not allow him to continue there indefinitely. The Lord had purposed that he should enter Canaan, and no purpose of His can fail. God therefore tumbled him out of the nest which he had made for himself (Deu.32:11), and very solemn is it to observe the means which He used: ‘And Terah died in Haran’ (Gen.11:32; Acts 7:4). Death had to come in before Abraham left Halfway House. He never started across the wilderness until death severed that tie of the flesh which held him back." – (A. W. Pink)

 

Complete Grace

 

I point out the weakness of Abraham’s faith, because I want us ever to understand that God’s goodness, grace and mercy, his faithfulness, does not at all depend upon ours. “If we believe not, he abideth faithful.” It is not our imperfect faith that is imputed to us for righteousness, but the Lord Jesus Christ, the perfect Object of our faith.

 

      Understand this, too, —“The gifts and callings of God are without repentance.” God did not forsake Abraham. Indeed, our God will never forsake one of his own. (Read Mark 16:7).

 

      Let us ever remember that our Heavenly Father will see that all his children obey him, even if it means he must take from us those who are dearest to us (Heb. 12:5-11). The Lord God says, “My son, give me thine heart.” And he means to have it. “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

 

Abraham Went Out

 

Because God is faithful even when we are not, because he will not forsake his own even when we forsake him, because he is true even when we are not, because he who gave Abraham faith kept him in faith, we are told that Abraham went out of Ur. He sojourned in the land of promise as a pilgrim in a strange land.

 

      All the days of his pilgrimage, he lived among men and women who had no regard for God; but he made his dwelling with those who were heirs with him of the same promise. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived like they did, believing God, because they had his Word of promise for the basis of their faith. The promise was and is a promise of grace. Isaac and Jacob were heirs with him of the same promise because they, too, believed God.

 

      They dwelled in tents because they were pilgrims. Pilgrims do not built their homes in the land of their pilgrimage. Let us never forget that we are pilgrims here. This world is not our home. May God give us grace never to loose sight of this fact.