By Faith Abraham Obeyed #2278

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going (Hebrews 11:8, NKJV).

Many people move. They plan where they intend to move (sometimes years in advance). Perhaps to retire, maybe it’s a job reassignment or an educational opportunity. Perhaps it’s to start a marriage and life together. Belongings are packed and shipped (or hauled in a U-Haul) to the new residence. Moving is a lot of work! Imagine moving to a new location without any idea where you are going – except that it would be your inheritance. Because the Lord told you to go, you go. That is what Abram did. (Oh, and by the way, you are seventy-five years old and have no children at the time, Gen. 12:1-7.) He obeyed God “by faith.” Abram trusted God even though he did not see the outcome when his journey began. That is what obedient faith does. It follows the word of the Lord even when the end is not seen yet (1 Pet. 1:6-9). Obedience trusts God more than we trust ourselves and others. Faith without obedience is incomplete (James 2:17). Obedience without faith is an empty pretense (Matt. 15:7-9). The thing is, we know where we are going when we follow Jesus. We are going to the Father and our eternal inheritance (John 14:1-6; 1 Pet. 1:3-5). Christians are homeward bound. By faith, obey God’s word, and you are on your way to your eternal inheritance (Heb. 11:13-16).

Independence Day #525

17  But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18  And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” (Romans 6:17–18, NKJV)

Independence Day. We are not talking about July 4, but an even greater day on which freedom is not only declared, but obtained. We are talking about the day the sinner is “set free from sin” and from sin’s death (v. 18, 23). It is very troubling that so many people cannot identify the Bible’s Independence Day from sin (the day of salvation). This passage helps. When these sinners “obeyed from the heart” the gospel of Christ (“that form of doctrine”) they were “set free from sin”. Their Independence Day occurred when they obeyed the teaching of the gospel. The gospel (“that form of doctrine”) commands the lost to believe the gospel, to repent of sins and to be baptized in order to be saved (read each of these gospel commandments, Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:38). Did you think you were freed from sin without obeying Jesus? If so, the call of the gospel is still being delivered to you. Obey the gospel of Jesus now to be freed from your sin.