Hebrews 11:17-19 (NKJV) By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
What gave Abraham the imputed righteousness before God is based on his faith in God’s work. He believed that God had the power to resurrect Isaac even if he were to slay him on the altar. Abraham believed in the resurrection of Christ. Abraham offered up his only son just like God who offered up His Son Jesus Christ. Abraham’s journey and act on Mount Moriah mirrored the work of God on the place of the Skull where Jesus was crucified.
Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV) That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
The key to having the saving faith is that we are to believe in our heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead just like Abraham that God was able to raise Isaac up. And for the second, we need to confess with our mouth as we are free moral agents and have the right to our own lives.
Of course, believing in the heart comes first prior to saying it with our mouth. There might be occasions when the person is not able to say it with their mouth because of sickness or illnesses. It can be a nod of their head, the blinking of their eyes or any form of acknowledgment for the sake of those who are ministering to them. They are definitely saved when they believed in their hearts! This is the confidence in God because their salvation has to be purely based on grace through faith. They might not have the time to show forth fruits of righteousness or good works.
James 2:21,25-26 (NKJV) Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
The scripture revealed to us the extreme spectrum in society revealing the work of Abraham who was rich in livestock and Rahab the harlot. The common thing among the two were their acts of faith despite of the difficulties that they faced. Rahab was an inhabitant of the land when the two spies sent out by Joshua came to spy out the land. She believed in God regarding how He has delivered the Israelites. She acted to help the spies to escape. She had to face the punishment of her own people if they were to discover what she had done to betray them. It was a price that she had to pay with her life!
Isaac meant a lot to Abraham because he was the son given to him at his old age and of promise given by God. Isaac was very dear to Abraham’s heart and was precious in his sight but he had already considered Isaac dead when he was walking up Mount Moriah with Isaac. Can you imagine how difficult it was for Abraham to answer Isaac when he asked him of the sacrifice knowing that he was the sacrifice? Abraham had to put what was dear to him on the altar as an act of faith in God!
One was the father of faith for the Israelites and Rahab was a Gentile but she chose to believe in God. Both Abraham and Rahab did acts of righteousness when they believed. As Christians, we need to follow their example. We should present our bodies as a living sacrifice, acceptable of God, in order to serve Him. We can manifest our relationship with God by walking according to His principles and faith.
Sermon Series: An Active Faith
亚伯拉罕和喇合信靠神
希伯来书 11:17-19亚伯拉罕因着信，被试验的时候，就把以撒献上，这便是那欢喜领受应许的，将自己独生的儿子献上。论到这儿子，曾有话说：“从以撒生的才要称为你的后裔。” 他以为神还能叫人从死里复活，他也仿佛从死中得回他的儿子来。
亚伯拉罕在神面前能得到公义乃是基于他对神的信心。他相信即使他把以撒杀死在祭坛上，神也有能力让以撒复活。亚伯拉罕相信基督的复活。亚伯拉罕献上自己独生子，就像神献上祂爱子耶稣基督一样。亚伯拉罕在摩利亚山的旅程和行为预表了神在髑髅地做的工，就是耶稣钉在十字架上的那个地方。
罗马书 10:9-10 你若口里认耶稣为主，心里信神叫他从死里复活，就必得救。因为人心里相信，就可以称义；口里承认，就可以得救。
救恩信心的关键是我们要心里相信，神已将耶稣死里复活，就像对亚伯拉罕一样，能将以撒从死里复活。第二，我们需要口里承认，因为我们有自由意志，有权掌控自己的生活。
当然，口里承认之前要先心里相信。有时可能因为疾病而无法用嘴说出来。他们可以点头，或眨眼或用其它任何形式对那些服事他们的人表示承认。心里相信，必得拯救！这是对神的信心，因为得救乃本乎恩因着信。他们可能已经没有时间来结出公义或善行的果子。
雅各书 2:21,25-26 我们的祖宗亚伯拉罕把他儿子以撒献在坛上，岂不是因行为称义吗？同样地，妓女喇合接待使者，又放他们从别的路上出去，不也是一样因行为称义吗？身体没有灵魂是死的，信心没有行为也是死的。
经文向我们显明了社会中极端的一面，亚伯拉罕家畜众多、极其富有，而喇合从事妓女的工作。尽管面临困难，他们的共同点是有信心的行为。当约书亚派出的两个探子去窥探那片地时，喇合住在那里。她相信神解救了以色列人。她采取行动帮助探子逃跑。如果她的背叛行为被发现，她必须面对自己族人的惩罚。这是她需要用生命付出的代价！
以撒对亚伯拉罕意义重大，因为以撒是他年老时神应许赐给他的儿子。亚伯拉罕很疼爱以撒，在他眼里以撒是那么宝贵，但当他与以撒一同走上摩利亚山时，他已经把以撒当作死了。你能想象当以撒问亚伯拉罕祭物是什么时，他有多难回答？亚伯拉罕必须把他挚爱的人放在祭坛上，表明他对神的信心！
一个是以色列人的信仰之父，而喇合是外邦人，但她选择相信神。当亚伯拉罕和喇合相信神时，他们都行了公义。作为基督徒，我们需要效法他们。要将我们的身体作为神可以接受的活祭献给祂。我们可以按着祂的原则和信心行事，以表明我们与神的关系。
讲章系列：活泼的信心
Image Source: pixabay.com