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For St. Paul Abraham is our father of faith. In leaving his homeland at the request of God, Abraham showed living, active faith. When God tells him in a vision that his prayer for a child is heard, Abraham demonstrated believing faith not looking at his age or that of Sarah and hoped against hope. When God puts Abraham to the test to sacrifice Isaac on the altar, Abraham demonstrated trusting faith. Because Abraham did not waiver but hoped against hope that he receives the Promised Spirit. Now St. Paul tells us that the law was given as our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. It is through repentance that we come to experience new life. It is through faith in Christ that we are born again. It could be argued that the faith of our father Abraham was so unusual that very few exercised that kind of faith up to the time of the law so that none could get to the place to receive the blessing. Living under law was the best most of us could achieve and we know that no one is able to keep the law in its entirety but for this reason God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. In St. Paul’s discussion of Abraham he tells us that the law given 430 years after the promise does not cancel the promise. We become the seed of Abraham through faith in Christ. It follows that when faith is conceived God expects us to demonstrate the faith of Abraham to receive the blessing which is the promised Spirit. We are to seek first the kingdom of God which is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit and his righteousness, the very holiness of God, and we will receive all the blessings promised to us in scripture. Our faith is based on promises. Abraham is the model and the standard of our faith. Because he believed the promises, he inherited the blessing. It behooves us to be people of faith. We believe in the resurrection for our salvation and we should believe in the promises of God for the blessing. Be people of faith! Amen |