Where there is no faith, there is no future
In Genesis 12, when God called Abram, it came with promises. First, Abram was promised a new land. “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.” 12:1. Second, Abram was promised that he would have man descendants and be a blessing. “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.” 12:2. Third, Abram was promised protection from enemies for him and his family. “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” 12:3.
Abram stepped out on faith upon God’s promise. He departed and began his great adventure of faith. Have you begun your life of faith by obeying the gospel of Christ? Since obeying the gospel of Christ, are you still living by faith? Have we entrusted our future to God? What is faith? It is obeying and trusting God no matter what!
Our faith, trusting and obeying God, affects our family. Abram was to leave for Canaan with his family. He was to be a blessing to all families of the earth. God is interested in our families. Noah and his family were called into the safety of the ark. Genesis 7:1. The Philippian jailer and all that were in his house heard the word of God. Acts 16:30-33. Abram would struggle with unbelief over having a family. Genesis 15:1-3. However, God had promised Abram a seed. Paul said, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” Galatians 3:16. Our faith, trusting and obeying God, should be examples to our families.
Our faith, trusting and obeying God, affects our future. “And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.” Genesis 15:4-5. What if Abram had not risked embarking on his voyage of faith, trusting and obeying God? There would have been no promised blessings for him and his family. He would have missed out on life’s greatest voyage. His faith, trusting and obeying, assured his future. He would be led to the Promised Land. His descendants would be a blessing. His name would be great and remembered. Look at the scope of these blessing. He and Sarai would have a son in their old age. His descendants would be as the number of the stars.
Our faith, trusting and obeying God, affects our fellowship with God. “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:6. Faith, trusting and obeying God, had brought Abram into a right relationship with God. He had believed, trusted and obeyed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. The Psalmist said, “My tongue shall speak of thy word: For all thy commandments are righteousness.” Psalm 119:172. He was justified before God by his obedient faith. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.
This is good for you and I. We are all sinners. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. Christ died to save sinners. “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” Romans 3:25. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” Romans 5:8-9. We like Abram are justified by our obedient faith.
To be justified by God one must obey His commandments. “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15. Before His ascension, Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be
Bobby D. Gayton
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