Abraham, physicalphysical father of the Jews, is the spiritual fatherspiritual father of all men and women who place our faithfaith in GodGod through Jesus Jesus

ChristChrist.

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Romans 4 11 And he {Abe} 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: 12 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.

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Circumcision, as a “sign” or “seal,” was an outward token of the justification Abraham had alreadyalready received.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.

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Circumcision did not savenot save anyone; it was an act of faithact of faith in the Promise of God.

Without personal faithpersonal faith in God, circumcision was meaninglessmeaningless.The second thing in which the Jews had putJews had put all

their hopehope for salvation was that

they had received the Lawthey had received the Law.

If the Jews could have been justifiedjustified, made made righteousrighteous, through keeping the LawLaw,

Then faithfaith in God would be meaningless,

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And Jesus died in vain.And Jesus died in vain.

13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was notnot to Abraham, or to his seed, through the LawLaw, but through the righteousness of faithrighteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the Law be heirs, faith is made void, and the Promise made of none effect: 15 Because the Law worketh wrath: for where no Law is, there is no transgression.

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The LawThe Law did not come to the Jews for centuries afterafter Abraham was justified

Through faithThrough faith..

TLB 15 But the fact of the matter is this: when we try to gain God’s blessing and salvation by keeping His Laws we always end up under His anger, for we always fail to keep them. The only way we can keep from breaking laws is not to have any to break!

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God wanted a relationshiprelationship with mankind.

So He made that relationship dependentdependent,

NotNot on keeping the Law,

But on faith in Himfaith in Him.

Any abilityability that man has to have a relationship with God is by God's GraceGod's Grace.

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Even the faithfaith with which we trust in God,

Is the GiftGift of God.Ephesians 2:8

16 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 allfather of us all, 17 (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.

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Galatians 3 27-29 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

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Just as Abe's relationship with God by faithby faith came beforebefore He was circumcised,

So our relationship with ChristChrist comes by faith, through the Spirit of God, and

Water baptismWater baptism is the outward sign only.

18 Who (Abe) 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. 19 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: 20 He staggered not at the Promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

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21 And being fully persuaded that, what He (God) had promised, He was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

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Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90.

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18 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.

"God, Who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were." (V17)

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If we will simply put allput all our hope and trust in God,

He will workwork in our lives just asjust as He did in Abe's.

God will callcall those things that are not - to beto be,

And they willwill be.

By faith, God has chosen uschosen us to be His children.

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Psalms 34 (NIV) 10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Is there some lacklack in your life?

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Don't seek the thingsthings you need.

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Psalms 127 (NIV) 1 Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. 2 In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat -- for He grants sleep to those He loves.

Don't strive to bebe what you need to be.

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Galatians 5 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Next Men's Fellowship and Meeting

May 21, 2011

18November 28, 2010