The Abrahamic Covenant is a vast and detailed promise that men have given much study to, some even devoting their lives to the understanding of this majestic covenant established by the Lord Himself.
There are two things out of this Covenant which are required, both when it was first introduced to Abraham and the completion of the Covenant being introduced to each of us today through the acceptance of Christ Jesus our Lord: 1) obedience and 2) faith.
Abraham and the Lord established a relationship together and in Genesis 12 the Lord spoke to Abraham and said to him: " Leave your native country, leave your relatives and all your father's family, and go to a land I will show you." Here is where we see the two keys to knowing God our Father take place, Abraham demonstrated obedience by doing the very thing God asked of him, and demonstrated faith and trust in God as well by going to a land he had no idea where it was located or what it even might look like.
As always, it is the Lord who takes initiative and makes the first move by giving to Abraham a vision in which Abraham would have a son and through his son the descendants of Abraham would be as numerous as the stars in heaven.
And here then lies the key to this whole Covenant our Great God made with Abraham, which has echoed down time right into our present day here, in the Year of Our Lord: 2012 A.D.
It is found in Genesis 15:6, and the Living Translation puts it this way: " And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him righteous, because of his faith in the Lord."
Faith in the Lord is what makes a man righteous in the eyes of the Lord, back in Abraham's time on earth and today in our lives as well. Faith is able to generate a power that produces righteousness within us as we simply obey in faith of what the Lord Himself has declared, and makes possible for us to receive the blessings He has established in this Abrahamic Covenant.
The Lord later ratified this Covenant with Abraham through the outward and physical sign of circumcision. Again God proves His love for us by establishing an outward sign to reassure us of His promise to Abraham...that being land, descendant's, and future families that will benefit all from the covenant given to Abraham who accepted it by faith.
Most covenants are written between two equals, to bring peace and harmony between one another, but in this Abrahamic Covenant, this was not the case. God did not have to make any such covenant, but chose to...because He loves us. God's only requirement was for Abraham and for all of us....for the covenant was made for each of us.....was and is to have faith, simply put our trust in Him.
Through time, it seemed this covenant was put on a shelf and almost forgotten. The sin of man became so apparent that God had to step in again and create the Law, which could never compare to the Covenant given to Abraham, but simply contained man from totally destroying itself altogether.
In fact, there was only one way the Covenant with Abraham could ever be completed...God sent His Own Son to take away and remove the sin in our very lives...and that coming at a dear price...the very death of God's own Son.
So, we who live today have the freedom to serve the Lord through a relationship with Him as intended in the Abrahamic Covenant, made possible only through the Death and the Resurrection of Christ Jesus, God's Son...who now enables us to live our lives by the very same calling Abraham had...faith and obedience to what our God speaks and shares within our very hearts!
Circumcision has now been fulfilled, our outward sign is the water baptism...acknowledging publicly Christ lives in our hearts! And there lies the real prize....this Covenant with Abraham...lives in our hearts...for God has now chosen to set up His very Kingdom....in our hearts!
There are two things out of this Covenant which are required, both when it was first introduced to Abraham and the completion of the Covenant being introduced to each of us today through the acceptance of Christ Jesus our Lord: 1) obedience and 2) faith.
Abraham and the Lord established a relationship together and in Genesis 12 the Lord spoke to Abraham and said to him: " Leave your native country, leave your relatives and all your father's family, and go to a land I will show you." Here is where we see the two keys to knowing God our Father take place, Abraham demonstrated obedience by doing the very thing God asked of him, and demonstrated faith and trust in God as well by going to a land he had no idea where it was located or what it even might look like.
As always, it is the Lord who takes initiative and makes the first move by giving to Abraham a vision in which Abraham would have a son and through his son the descendants of Abraham would be as numerous as the stars in heaven.
And here then lies the key to this whole Covenant our Great God made with Abraham, which has echoed down time right into our present day here, in the Year of Our Lord: 2012 A.D.
It is found in Genesis 15:6, and the Living Translation puts it this way: " And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him righteous, because of his faith in the Lord."
Faith in the Lord is what makes a man righteous in the eyes of the Lord, back in Abraham's time on earth and today in our lives as well. Faith is able to generate a power that produces righteousness within us as we simply obey in faith of what the Lord Himself has declared, and makes possible for us to receive the blessings He has established in this Abrahamic Covenant.
The Lord later ratified this Covenant with Abraham through the outward and physical sign of circumcision. Again God proves His love for us by establishing an outward sign to reassure us of His promise to Abraham...that being land, descendant's, and future families that will benefit all from the covenant given to Abraham who accepted it by faith.
Most covenants are written between two equals, to bring peace and harmony between one another, but in this Abrahamic Covenant, this was not the case. God did not have to make any such covenant, but chose to...because He loves us. God's only requirement was for Abraham and for all of us....for the covenant was made for each of us.....was and is to have faith, simply put our trust in Him.
Through time, it seemed this covenant was put on a shelf and almost forgotten. The sin of man became so apparent that God had to step in again and create the Law, which could never compare to the Covenant given to Abraham, but simply contained man from totally destroying itself altogether.
In fact, there was only one way the Covenant with Abraham could ever be completed...God sent His Own Son to take away and remove the sin in our very lives...and that coming at a dear price...the very death of God's own Son.
So, we who live today have the freedom to serve the Lord through a relationship with Him as intended in the Abrahamic Covenant, made possible only through the Death and the Resurrection of Christ Jesus, God's Son...who now enables us to live our lives by the very same calling Abraham had...faith and obedience to what our God speaks and shares within our very hearts!
Circumcision has now been fulfilled, our outward sign is the water baptism...acknowledging publicly Christ lives in our hearts! And there lies the real prize....this Covenant with Abraham...lives in our hearts...for God has now chosen to set up His very Kingdom....in our hearts!
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