THIS IS RIGHTEOUSNESS
We are made righteous by Jesus Christ but there was a man who believed in what God told him that his belief was counted to him for righteousness. The man is Abraham – yes the Lord said, “I am the God of the living, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,” Matt. 22:32. Yes humanly speaking they are not physically alive and are considered dead but the Lord said, He is the God of the Living.
At about 100 years of age Abraham heard from God, Sarah was about 90 years old and childless, Genesis 15:1-6. Abraham thought Eliezer was going to be his heir, but God said not so, for the son who will be born of Sarah will be thy heir. It looked humanly impossible when you look at the age of Sarah. Remember with God all things are possible and nothing shall be impossible. Abraham was looking for one son but the Lord told him to look into the night sky and see the stars. That is the number of the children he will have, if he could count them. It is possible as a human being to wonder if God meant it really, but let God be true and every man a lair. When God says something, He means business, God is not mortal man. Abraham saw it God’s way by faith and believed every word, Hebrews 11:1-“faith is the evidence of things not seen.”Abraham believed God and staggered not at the promise of God, Romans 4:1-25, study this chapter in faith, prayer, fasting and see what happens to you.
When God saw that Abraham doubted not but believed the word of God, God counted it to Abraham for righteousness. Consider yourself in Abraham’s situation that took about 25 years to see the promise start to MANIFEST. The bible said Abraham not Sarah, did not stagger at the promise of God. This was the promise of bringing Isaac forth, the promise of the seed of David, Jesus Christ coming forth. This did not end there but becomes like the stars of heaven, the seeds promised Abraham. These seeds are believers in Jesus Christ who through faith are children of Abraham, no matter their sex, age, color, nationality. These seeds are citizens of heaven with the promise of an endless life. It is faith in Jesus Christ that makes us seeds of Abraham. It is by faith and through faith. You have to believe that the promise made to Abraham includes you and it is only by and through faith in God by Christ Jesus. If you do not believe, may be you are none of His.
Now, the word of God was spoken to Abraham by the Lord Himself, and Abraham believed it and that He who has promised was faithful to bring it to pass, Amen. The SAME God and Lord had left us the same promise by WORD like unto Abraham. As God gave Abraham the promise of the seed, in Him even the gentiles will trust (Jesus Christ), and it was counted unto him for righteousness, so it is that He also gave us a promise by His WORD. The promise made to us has similar importance, impact and implication as the promise given to Abraham. Our own promise is found in St. John 14:1-3. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me (SALVATION).
Psalm 11:7
In my Father’s house are many mansions (HEAVEN): if it were not so I would have told you (I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE DOOR AND THE LIFE). I go to prepare a place for you (HEAVEN).
And if I go (ASCENSION) and prepare a place for you, I will come again (TRANSLATION), and receive you unto myself (IN THE AIR, 1ST THESSALONIANS 4:14-18); that where I am, there ye may be also.” You can see how loaded this promise is to those who believe. To Abraham the promise was the coming of Christ Jesus to the world, His CROSS, death, resurrection and ascension. To us the promise is His CROSS, death, resurrection, ascension, translation and much more. The CROSS is the point where the promise of Abraham and the promise made to us as believers merge (THE BLOOD OF ATONEMENT).
The promise to Abraham, a 99 years old man, with a wife of about 90 years old; looked both naturally and medically impossible to have a baby. Abraham was not the problem because he had a child with Hager and later after the death of Sarah had children with Ketura. His life force was still there but Sarah was past the age of having a baby. Only God could make SARAH’S womb to come alive and this is a special miracle of God as in the case of the aged mother of John the Baptist. The promise was the birth of a child that will translate through several generations to the real SEED promised, the son of God, Jesus Christ. Sarah was a female; the church is female in representation (bride). Both will bring forth THE MAN-CHILD. Abraham’s children like the true believers who will be counted worthy to meet the Lord in the heaven, and later the tribulation saints, will be like the stars of heaven or sand of the sea in numbers.
When Jesus Christ was heading for Jerusalem, He gave the disciples and us (St. John 17:17-21) the important promise of coming to take us to Himself (St. John 14:1-3), “I go to prepare a place for you and when I have finished I will come again and take you to myself that where I am there you may be also.” His return to take us is called the translation. The promise looks strange and unimaginable humanly speaking and thinking but with God NOTHING shall be impossible. This promise was spoken by Our Lord Jesus Christ, and it is still in force ready to happen. He said heaven and earth shall pass away but not my WORD -AMEN. Abraham waited for years to see the promise manifest, so likewise we have been waiting a long time to see the promise of the coming of the Lord to take us home. Christ came to the CROSS at the end of 2000 years of Abraham’s promise; the Israelite/Jewish period, the SEED. Now the gentile period of 2000 years is about to end, the SEED of Abraham is coming to take us home, Amen.
How then, shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in whom they have not heard of? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things.
Matthew 5:6
“Hebrews 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise ”
The promise given to Abraham and to Christians, have several similarities:
1. God gave both promises.
2. God will watch over His promises.
3. The promises took and will take time to fulfill.
4. God is in charge.
5. The promises are contrary to nature (Abraham faced overcoming old age). The translation which is contrary to gravity will be faced and overcome by translation candidates.
6. It requires and takes FAITH,TRUST and CONFIDENCE that HE who has given His WORD of promise cannot FAIL.
7. Before the promises come to pass there are tests and trials to make us appreciate the fulfillment of the promise.
The issues in both cases, is not the promise, because He who made the promises is the same, faithful and sure. The issue is they to whom the promise is made. We are weak and human but He is strong and divine. He knows all things. We know little or nothing. We are on earth and He is heaven. We are mortal and He is immortal. If we judge Him faithful who has promised, then we will with patience wait for it. If we believe this promise of coming to take us to himself, we should act like Abraham: stagger not, no matter the odds, fight a good fight of faith, resist discouragement, doubt and unbelief, which Satan will throw at us. How discouraged do you think Sarah was expecting pregnancy every month for 25 years and nothing seemed to happen? Maybe she saw her menses every month for all those years despite her age. The promise of God can change the functioning of the body, time and all things to bring the word of God to pass. Our time is now, can we believe the promise of God that He is coming to take us home to be with Him (Translation)?
Beware of those who say since the fathers slept all things have being the same, 2nd Peter 3: 1-7. Yes the promise of His coming may be long but though it tarries, (DELAYS) wait, for it is coming and will not LIE. It is the WORD of GOD. If you doubt not the promise of coming to take us home, stagger not through unbelief but stand strong trusting the Lord as Abraham THEN IT WILL BE COUNTED UNTO YOU AND I FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, as was counted unto Abraham for BELIEVING GOD’S PROMISE. Where do you stand on this issue, time is short, be sure you are holding to THIS promise of GOD that it may be counted unto you for righteousness.
Look at the prophecies and biblical signs around us today and you will know that this promise is about to be fulfilled, with or without you depending on what you do with this PROMISE. Also read St. John 3: 16-21. He will only appear to those who are looking for HIM. ARE YOU?
By Douglas E. Amobi