God's Covenant with Abraham
Posted June 16, 2006
Genesis 17:1-8 says, "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. v.1
And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. v.2
And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, v.3
As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. v.4
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. v.5
And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. v.6
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. v.7
And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." v.8
In Romans chapter 3 and 4, the Apostle Paul by the Spirit of God teaches us some knowledge of this covenant that he made with Abraham.
In Romans 3:19-31 it states,"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. v.19
This tells us why the whole world is guilty before God. It is the LAW OF MOSES, which includes the Ten Commandments.
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. v.20
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; v.21
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: v.22
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; v.23
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: v.24
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (to appease) through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; v.25
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. v.26
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. v.27
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. v.28
Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: v.29
Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. v.30
Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." v.31
Continuing on in Romans 4:1-25, "What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? v.1
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. v.2
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. v.3
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. v.4
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. v.5
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, v.6
Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. v.7
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. v.8
Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. v.9
How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. v.10
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: v.11
And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. v.12
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. v.13
For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the PROMISE MADE OF NONE EFFECT: v.14
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. v.15
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, v.16
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. v.17
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. v.18
When God spoke these words to Abraham, he gave him the faith for Isaac to be born. When God gave me Lisa, he gave me the faith to bring her to my house.
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: v.19
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; v.20
We notice here that Abraham was not in unbelief, but was strong in faith, glorifying God. Since God gave me Lisa, I have remained strong in faith that he gave her to me and he has been perfecting my faith to bring her home.
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. v.21
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. v.22
Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; v.23
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; v.24
Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. "v.25
God bless you,
Doyle Davidson
