Once More, By Faith

Genesis 25 opens by describing the last years of Abraham’s life and finally his death. It’s therefore a good time to reflect back on the great patriarchs life and to once more answer the question: what does it mean to live by faith.

We live by faith by obeying God’s call.
Abraham’s life of faith began by obeying God’s call to leave his country, his extended family and his father’s household and go to the land that God would show him. This was also a call to leave the worship of local idols and begin a lifestyle of worship, service and loyalty to the one, true, living God.

For us to live by faith is to answer God’s call to come out of a lifestyle of sin. It is a call to identify with God, His worship, His will and His Son. It’s a call to know, love, obey, delight in and serve the Lord. To live by faith is to live by the belief that what God has for you is far, far better than anything that you could get for yourself. It is a call to believe and follow Jesus Christ.

Do you believe that in Christ you are the delight of the living God? Do you realize that God had every right to allow humanity to sink further and further into our own destructive sin without the possibility of salvation?

We live by faith by living in this land of promise as a foreigner. Abraham didn’t fasten all his hope on owning and controlling the land of promise. He was willing to wait until God’s full, final salvation to enjoy all of the benefits and blessings of the land of promise.

For us living by faith means approaching this world with a certain attitude. It means among other things that we’re not pinning all lf our hopes for the good life in the here and now. We’re not deceived into thinking that through seven steps we can achieve our best life now.
We’re convinced that the world and all of its blessing belong to us through faith in Jesus Christ. Psalm 37:7-11.

Consequently, we use the things of this world for the purpose furthering the kingdom and invest ourselves into people for the sake of the proclaiming the gospel. We eagerly await, long for and anticipate the eternal city where we will live with the Lord who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood.
Rev. 21:9-14, 22-27.

To live like a foreigner is to live the lifestyle of our Lord Jesus. It means enjoying the abundant life which is the life of service, love, obedience, joy and hope that Jesus lived.

Are you willing to live by faith in this way which is the only biblical way to live by faith?

Like our father Abraham, we are willing to die by faith.
Abraham never rec’d or enjoyed all the promises God made to him. He never owned the land of promise, saw the millions of his descendents and didn’t physically see the Christ which was the ultimate end of his calling and blessing.
Abraham lived by faith by not living for the here and now. He was willing to stake his entire life on the promises of God.

If Abraham didn’t see the full fruition of the promises of God what did he see?
He saw the day that is the time of Jesus Christ and the full, final and blessed salvation that day would bring.

Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad." So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." John 8:56-58.

The day of Jesus Christ is the time of the Lord’s long promised and awaited salvation. It is that salvation that will once and for all bring us face to face in eternal fellowship with our savior and king Jesus Christ.

And it’s our savior Jesus who has promised to go and prepare a place for us and to return again to take us to Himself.

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. Jn. 14:1-3.

What does it mean to live by faith? It means being willing to give up all hope for living our best life now in the here and now so that we can live for our savior.

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. Heb. 11:13-16

Let me ask you a final question? Are you willing to stake your life and soul on the promise of God found in Jesus Christ?

Pastor Lance