Where is Abraham the father of all believers in Jesus?
(Isa. 4:3; Rom. 4:16-17; Gal. 3:26-29; 2 Pet. 2:9;) Blog May 02-08, 2021
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: In order to establish a lasting relationship with his people God first makes a proposal and after a period of time enters into a covenant with them. Behind ever divine covenant stands the covenant that God the Father and the Son made before the foundation of the world. In it, Jesus promised to be Substitute and Security for humanity. So, when Adam broke God’s covenant with humanity, God was able to immediately offer the “Seed of the Woman” to redeem humanity. The covenants with Noah, Abraham, and David, like the New Covenant were given by grace. The covenant Israel made at Sinai, like that made with Adam, were based on human performance and both failed – one without excuse, the other because they didn’t have the ability to keep their promise.
Father Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; Ex. 19:5-6; Isa. 54:6; Eze. 16:3-8; Gal. 3:16; Heb. 13:15-16; 1 Pet. 2:5, 9)
1. How does God describe his people when he first chose Abraham? As having heathen parents & receiving no natal care but being cast away into an open field as forsaken.
2. If when God chose his special people, they had no special worth, what does that tell us about God? That he is a God of love that takes on apparently impossible projects.
3. What did God propose to make of Abraham’s descendants? A great, holy nation of royal priests through whom blessing would come to all mankind.
4. Since priests are meant to offer sacrifices from the people unto God, what are the sacrifices we are to offer God today? We are to offer spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ (for he purifies them with his blood) that include praise, thanksgiving, good deeds, & sharing the Gospel.
5. What else did God covenant to give to Abraham? A son & a land.
6. Who does the Apostle Paul say was the promised son of Abraham? Jesus.
7. What does the Apostle Paul say was the land promised to Abraham? The whole world.
Abraham’s Seed (Gen. 15:1-3; Matt. 23:38; Rom. 2:28-29; 4:16-17; Col. 2:10-13)
8. How are all nations blessed in Abraham’s “seed”? Since Jesus is the promised “seed” of Abraham then all that he won for humanity in his life, death, & resurrection become ours in him.
9. How does the Hebrew race fit into these blessings? Not all Hebrews were circumcised in their hearts so thus they were not truly partakers of the covenant promises even though they were part of God’s visible, organized church.
10. What happened to God’s visible, organized, Jewish church? It was set aside by Jesus when he said: “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”
11. According to Romans 4 where is it that Abraham is the father of all true believers in Jesus? Only before God – not before men, for before men he is the father of all the Hebrew race but before God, he is the father of the faithful.
The Baptized Remnant (Gen. 15:1-3; Isa. 4:3; 10:20-25; Mic. 4:6-7; Zeph. 3:12-13; Rom. 6:3; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:26-29; Heb. 12:23)
12. What does the word “baptized” mean? “Baptized” means to be immersed into something.
13. Which of Paul’s three uses of the expression “baptized into” (Rom. 6:3; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27) refers to water baptism? None of them refer to water baptism – two of them refer to being immersed into Jesus & the other refers to being immersed into his body, the church.”
14. Through what means is a person baptized into Christ? By the means of faith alone.
15. By whom is a person baptized into Christ’s body, “the church of the firstborn”? By the Holy Spirit.
16. In which verse of Galatians 3 does Paul portray the equality of all those “baptized into” Christ? In verse 28.
17. What does Paul say that a person becomes when they are “baptized into Christ”? They become “Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
18. If all Israel is to be saved according to Romans 11:26 why does Paul say in Romans 9:27 that only a remnant of Israel will be saved? Because the Bible uses the term “Israel” to refer both to national Israel & to the true Israel of God who are those “baptized” into Christ – not all the physical descendants of Abraham will be saved but all those found in Jesus by faith will be saved. Believers in Jesus are heirs of all the covenant promises made to Abraham.