Truth Magazine

By Wayne S. Walker

One of the greatest heroes of all the Bible is Abraham. While he made his share of mistakes, the general trend of his life was that of faithfulness to God and, as a result, he is referred to as the friend of God. In this article, we shall notice a statement made about Abraham in Genesis 15:1-6. This particular event follows a number of things that might have given Abraham occasion to be apprehensive. He had been called to leave the comfort of his homeland to sojourn in a strange country. Because of a famine, he had to dwell for a short time in Egypt where he incurred the wrath of Pharaoh. There was strife between his servants and those of his nephew Lot, so they decided to separate. Afterwards, Lot and his family were taken captive in a battle and it was necessary for Abraham to gather an army, overcome the captors, and rescue Lot.

Verse I tells us, “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”‘ God went on to promise Abraham that he would have a child and that his descendants would be more numerous than the stars of heaven. Then it is said of Abraham, “And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness” (v. 6). Abraham believed in the Lord. He was a man of faith. In fact, we often refer to him as the father of the faithful. Based upon this account, let us examine the faith of Abraham.

I. What is faith? “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11: 1). This is not so much a definition of what faith is so much as it is a description of what faith does. The term translated “faith” is defined in Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon as, “Conviction of the truth of anything, belief . . . in the N.T. of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervor born of faith and conjoined with it. . . . When it relates to God, [faith] is the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ. . . . In reference to Christ, it denotes a strong and welcome conviction that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God.” The verb form is “used especially of the faith by which a man embraces Jesus, i.e. a conviction, full of joyful trust, that Jesus is the Messiah – the divinely appointed author of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God, conjoined with obedience to Christ.”

The best way to identify what faith is would be to examine its manifestations in the life of Abraham. God had told Abraham, “Get out of your country, from your kindred and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” Abraham believed God so strongly that he “departed as the LORD had spoken to him” (Gen. 12:1-4). The Lord said to Abraham, “. . . Every male child among you shall be circumcised.” Abraham’s faith was firm enough that he “. . . took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him” (Gen. 17:9-26). When Jehovah commanded Abraham, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Abraham did exactly as he was ordered so that God could say, “For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (Gen. 22:1-2). That was faith!

Notice what the New Testament says about Abraham and his faith. Abraham was justified by faith (Rom. 4:1-3, 1922). The basic meaning of “justify” is “to render righteous or such as he ought to be” (Thayer’s Greek-English). But was Abraham justified by faith only? No, he was also justified by works (Jas. 2:20-24). But is this not a contradiction? How could this possibly be so? “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would afterward receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going” (Heb. 11:8). Abraham was justified by faith when he obeyed God’s word and did the work that God commanded him to do.

II. This brings us to our second point, which is, how do we express our faith? Remember that Abraham obeyed. We must also obey the will of God. “Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Heb. 5:8-9). Just as it was necessary for Jesus to obey the plan of God so that we might be saved, it is also necessary for us to obey the plan of God so that we might be saved. The only people who are said to receive eternal salvation are those who obey Christ. What about those who do not obey? “. . When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:7-8; emphasis mine, WSW). Obedience is the only way to salvation by faith.

Once we have obeyed and become God’s children, we continue to express our faith by faithfulness in service. “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matt. 25:21; emphasis mine, WSW). It is interesting to note that the word rendered “faith” can also be translated “faithfulness,” depending upon the context (Gal. 5:22, cf. KJV and ASV). Jesus told the struggling church at Smyrna, “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).

Another means by which we must express our faith in God is by purity of life. We are not to be conformed to this world but transformed by the renewal of our minds (Rom. 12:1-2). J.B. Phillips explains the command not to be conformed as, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold” (The New Testament in Modern English). To be transformed means to be changed, hence, to be different. How is this accomplished? “For the grace of God t hat brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Tit. 2:11-14). Let us keep ourselves “unspotted from the world” (Jas. 1:27).

III. Our last point is, what are the results of our faith? Just as Abraham was justified by faith, we too can be justified by faith. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). To be justified by faith is equivalent to being saved by faith. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). We are not saved by grace only, but by grace through faith. Grace is descriptive of all that God has done for us to make salvation possible. Faith is descriptive of all that man must do in response to God’s grace to receive the salvation offered. And as we have seen in the example of Abraham, this kind of faith definitely includes obedience.

Another result of faith is that it provides for us a source of guidance in this life. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). Does this refer simply to a blind leap in the dark? No. What is the source of our faith? “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Thus, the source of guidance provided by faith is God’s word. David said, “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path” (Psa. 119:105). Therefore, to walk by faith means to walk in the truth of the Scriptures (3 Jn. 4). This is how the children of faithful Abraham are to live (Gal. 3:6-9).

A final result of faith is eternal salvation. The apostle Peter describes this salvation as “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,” and then goes on to tell his readers that because of what Jesus had done for them and because of their own faith in him they will be “receiving the end of your faith – the salvation of your souls” (1 Pet. 1:39). The world “end” in that passage carries with it the idea of “the final issue or result of a state or process” (W.E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). The blessed promise of Jesus himself is found in John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes [has faith, WSW] in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Abraham could look forward to this hope by faith (Heb. 11:13-16).

Conclusion

As we close this article, consider the following question. Do you have faith in God like Abraham did? “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6). If you do have faith, what kind of faith is it? Is it a dead, passive faith? Or is it a living, active, obedient faith? “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6). Examine your life and remember the warning of Hebrews 10:38. “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draw back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 10, pp. 304-305
May 19, 1988

By Dennis C. Abernathy

It is alarming to see the number of young people who, when they grow older, completely desert the Lord’s church. To see young people thrill at Bible study, only to grow cold and uninterested in the work of the Lord as they grow older, is indeed tragic.

Why are so many young people leaving the faith? What is making shipwreck of their faith? What does the church need to do? What can it do? What can parents do? What do parents need to do? What is the answer? Is the answer (solution or remedy) to be found in youth rallies, youth programs with fun, frolic and gimmickry, youth retreats, etc.?

I don’t believe the faithfulness of a young person to the Lord has anything to do with youth rallies, church sponsored recreation, etc., nor do I believe such is gauged by whether or not a young person attends a large or small congregation. Faithfulness to the Lord is just not dependent on these things. I am convinced, however, that the most important thing in this regard is the young person’s immediate family.

Several congregations ran a survey and came up with the following results:

1. Where both parents are faithful to the Lord, and that includes active interest in the work of the local church, 93 percent of the kids remained faithful.

2. Where only one of the parents was faithful, that figure dropped to 73 percent.

3. In those cases where both parents attended church services only infrequently, the percentage of their children who remained faithful to the Lord dropped to 6 percent!

Shocking you say? But, is it really? We should all realize that indifference and lack of concern breeds the same. How on earth can parents expect their children to care anything about the Lord and his church, if they themselves do not care? Parents with children at home, if you are indifferent to the Lord’s cause, please wake up before it is too late. Common sense tells us that these figures do not lie. You need to be faithful to the Lord. Attend every service of the church that you possibly can. Be active and work hard, giving your very best to the Master, and then teach your children to do the same.

Some reading these words may be thinking: “But, I don’t have any children at home.” That may be true. But there is something you do have. You do have an influence on young people who regard you as a Christian. Which way do you wish to influence their young and impressionable minds?

Do you want your children, your grandchildren, your friends’ children to go to heaven? Are you concerned about so many who are being lost to the Lord? You can teach them faithfulness to the Lord by your manner of life and that will reinforce and strengthen your teaching by word of mouth. I can assure you that you will be blessed, our nation will be blessed, the church of the Lord will be blessed, and our youth will be blessed (read Heb. 10:25; Eph. 6:14; Jas. 1:22-25).

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 10, p. 303
May 19, 1988

By F. David Moyer

It is interesting for me to note how quickly some grab at names and practices which they never take the time to analyze.

A few years ago, when I was in the Air Force, I was worshiping with a congregation of about eighty members that many brethren refer to as “liberal” (a name tossed about loosely!), which was practicing some things that could not be justified by Scripture (i.e., Herald of Truth support, contribution to church-sponsored orphan homes, etc.). I called these practices into question and also sought justification for the use of the building for recreational activities, such as teen parties, “fellowship dinners,” and the like.

For several months I asked, “Where does it say. . . ?” to every male member of the congregation several times, and, as you can imagine, I was never given a verse, although there were some arguments made about how “good” things were. After almost a whole year of this – there were no other congregation within 200 miles, “sound” (another name freely used) or otherwise – I felt I could no longer have fellowship with these “liberal” practices and decided to meet at home with my family and three other families who were of the same disposition. The next six months were so.

I had not lost contact with the “liberal” preacher in town JP – as we were having studies and discussions about once a month. During that time a “Joy Bus” program was in full swing, and there I was, the old “anti,” (an interesting name . . .) gumming up all the works by asking “Where?” all the time.

It’s kind of funny how that there was one young fellow in the congregation, recently converted from denominationalism, who was telling other people in the city, not even members of the church, that I was an “Anti-Christ”! When I confronted him with the fact that I had baptized twelve people in the past few months, and was constantly involved in preaching Christ, how was it that I was Anti-Christ? He simply said that he had heard that I was an “anti” and the only place he could find that term in the Bible was in connection with the “Anti-Christ.” (It seems funny to me that one converted by a “liberal” preacher [names again] could be so concerned with finding his terms in Scripture.) He had grabbed a name tossed out in a disgusting and slanderous manner and thought something else was meant by it.

I straightened him out and now he refers to me as just plain old “Anti.”

Then I asked him, “Anti what?”

A pause . . .

“Certainly not Christ,” I added.

“No.”

“Well then, the church?”

“No, not that either.”

“What then, personal evangelism?”

“No. . .”

“Ah, then it must be caring for destitute saints!”

“Not that. . . “

“So, it must be opening my home to orphans?”

“Well. . .”

“What then?”

A long silence.

“I guess anti-SIN!”

“There you go! I am anti-sin in every way you could possibly imagine.” I guess he got the point because before long he was meeting with us. I guess a lot of people got the message. Within a year we were meeting back at the same church building minus Joy Bus, Herald of Truth, and institutionalism.

Oh, by the way, the preacher moved away and I preached there full-time for seven months before orders to move overseas. And still being called “anti,” we grew by thirty souls in those seven months.

I sure hope that next preacher they got was an “Anti,” . . . ah, “Anti-sin,” that is.

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 10, p. 309
May 19, 1988

By Forrest D. Moyer

Peter spoke to the gathering in Jerusalem on the question of circumcision and law keeping and said: “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are” (Acts 15:10-11). The yoke of which Peter spoke was the Law of Moses. Some of the Judaizers were trying to bind some segments of that law upon the Gentiles who had become Christians. Paul and Barnabas had strongly resisted such an effort at Antioch (Acts 15:1-2). Now in the meeting, Peter likewise resists such Pharisaical demands. He wants the Jews to realize that their salvation, like that of the Gentiles, is by the grace of the Lord Jesus. The meticulous keeping of the law of Moses could not bring salvation to them.

Paul beautifully demonstrates how salvation comes to us in Ephesians 2. Based on the fact that God is rich in mercy, that he has great love, that he shows us the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness, he saves us, raises us up with him and sits us with him in the heavenlies in Christ (vv. 4-7). Then in vv. 8-9 Paul avers: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” Since I am not saved by works of human righteousness but by God’s grace, some have concluded that man has nothing whatsoever to do with his salvation.

Here is where the paradox of grace enters. It is true that nothing that I do can merit salvation for me. It is by his marvelous grace. And yet, strangely enough, our Lord demands all that we have and are. He expects us to deny ourselves and take up his cross daily and follow him (Lk. 9:23). He expects us to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice” to him (Rom. 12:1). He expects my body to be the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). He urges me to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering” (Heb. 10:23). He tells me that Jesus is the “author of eternal salvation to all those who obey him” (Heb. 5:9). Really, he demands my everything – my every thought, my every action, my every word, my heart, soul and mind. And yet he says that I am saved by his grace. How can it be that I am saved from past sins and continue to be saved from current sins by his grace and yet have him demand all that I am? If his grace saves me, why should I need to deny myself and take up his cross? Why should I be concerned about obeying him at all? This is the paradox of grace!

You see, the reason that I cannot be saved by works (of any kind) is that I would have to perfectly work or obey the law under which I live. Paul said that in Galatians 3:10-12: “. . . Cursed is every one who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them.’ Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for ‘The righteous man shall live by faith.’ However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, ‘He who practices them shall live by them.”‘ To be justified by keeping a law, one would have to keep that law perfectly. Since no one perfectly keeps the law (any law), he cannot be saved by perfect law keeping. Even if we could be saved by perfect obedience, then we would have occasion to boast in our perfection. We would glorify ourselves. God’s plan is for all glory to be given to him through Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:21). Since I am weak, frail, imperfect and unworthy, I must have one who is all-powerful and totally perfect in which to put my faith. When by faith I receive salvation by grace, I give him all the praise. I cry out, “Worthy art thou!” (Rev. 5)

But not only so, when I put myself under Jesus as my Lord and do what he says (Lk. 6:46), 1 am giving glory, not to myself, but to him. When I take up his cross daily and follow him, it gives all the glory to God and none to myself, for I must deny myself. The way that I glorify the Father is by honoring the Son (John 5:23). 1 do that by total submission to him. The only way that I can show my love to God is by obeying him (1 John 5:3). My purpose for being on this planet is to glorify God. I could not do this by my own works of righteousness or by meriting a right-standing with him. Consequently, God’s plan for my glorifying him is by my faith taking him at his word. That faith is a response to his love and his grace. When in response to his will, I repent and am baptized for the remission of sins, all the glory goes to him since it is his plan and not mine. Those who refuse Bible baptism are refusing God’s grace and are not glorifying him. In the same way, Christians who do not accept his will for our lives in living for him do not glorify him. They become like those “whose God is their belly and who glory in their shame.” The only way to give all the glory to God is to do what he says in his word.

Does this mean “perfect obedience”? No, John tells us that “if we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). So, I do not live a perfect life or render perfect obedience. I falter, I slip, I fall. To glorify God in such an instance as this means that I turn from my sin in genuine repentance and confess it to him. His grace then forgives, and I keep on walking in the light of his glory. I will be constantly striving to do all that he wants in my life. But I do not rely on my own power to stand in right relationship to God. He is the one who enables. His grace makes it all possible. When I realize this, then I can have a happy and confident walk with God. The “blessed assurance” comes from his rather than from my own ability or power.

I am so thankful for the grace of God that reaches down into this sinful world and saves me and all who come to him in faith. Because of what he has done, I must bow in total submission to his will. I may not understand all of it perfectly, but I must be constantly seeking, learning, and following. And some glad day because of his grace and love, I can be with him in that glorious city where there is no sin and no sorrow and where I can praise him while eternity’s ages roll on and on. Friend, won’t you join with those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb? You, too, can glorify God in your body while you live here on this earth.

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 11, pp. 321, 343
June 2, 1988