Faith and Obedience

Living and walking daily with faith and obedience to the living LORD God are themes throughout the Holy Bible. Our wholehearted faithfulness with obedience to the living LORD God leads to doing God’s will and pleasing Him. Examples of people walking with faithfulness and obedience to the living LORD God include Enoch, Noah, Moses, Joshua, David, Job, and notable Christ Jesus our Lord. Abraham of the Old Testament is another perfect example of prompt faith expressed in obedience to the living LORD God, and Abraham’s example of faith with trust and obedience is a golden thread that runs throughout the Old and New Testaments. The living LORD God of heaven and earth found Abraham’s heart faithful and obedient to Him. Abraham expressed his continual love and faithfulness to the LORD God in worship and giving by looking to and calling upon the LORD’s Name in holy reverence and worship, bringing His Presence into his life and heart. Our wholehearted faith with trust expressed in obedience and worship to the living LORD God leads to His divine blessings (happiness), mercy, and favor (grace). Genesis chapters 1 through 11 describe the good beginnings of creation, then the original sin of Adam and Eve, the flooding of Noah’s generation because of evil and violence, and the scattering of humankind throughout the earth at the tower of Babel due to pride and self-reliance without God. After the tower of Babel, the coming of Abraham (Abram) from Noah’s son Shem family line gave the world hope of redemption as Christ Jesus our Lord would come from Abraham’s family line to bring heaven’s salvation and blessings to the entire world. The living LORD God of Glory called Abraham to move from Ur in Babylon-Chaldeans (ancient Mesopotamia) and move to a new land in Canaan, the Promised Land of Israel-Palestine. The people of Canaan were descendants of Noah’s other son, Ham, who Noah cursed because of Ham’s disrespect during the time of his father’s drunkenness. Abraham obeyed the living LORD God’s voice and call with faith, and he moved with his wife Sarah (Sarai), who was barren without children, and their helpers to the new land of Canaan, which he would receive as an inheritance. Sarah’s name means princess, and she was a beautiful woman who loved and respected her husband, Abraham.The living LORD God blessed Sarah to become the mother of many nations. Also, Abraham’s nephew Lot and Lot’s helpers went to the new land with Abraham and Sarah. Soon, Abraham and Lot’s helpers began to argue with strife over the pasturelands for their animals. So, Abraham, wanting to live in peace with his nephew Lot, allowed Lot to pick which land to own and live on, and Lot chose the green grass but evil, lawless, and wicked lands of Sodom and Gomorrah for his new home. After Lot’s departure, the living LORD God of heaven and earth blessed Abraham and promised Abraham all the land of Canaan (Israel-Palestine) forever. Even more, the living LORD God blessed Abraham to become the father of many nations with many descendants (offspring) as the stars of the heavens, the dust of the earth, and the sands of the seashore because of his faith and obedience to Him. Then, the living LORD God led Abraham to the land of Hebron. Abraham was a Hebrew (Jew) along with his sons Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, and they are considered the patriarchs of the Holy Bible and they were also blessed with many descendants, including our Christ Jesus our Savior. Furthermore, Abraham was the father of Ishmael with the bond servant Hagar, and the living LORD God also promised Abraham many great nations and blessings through his son Ishmael and Ishmael’s descendants. Abraham was a wealthy man with livestock, gold, silver, and many faithful servants. Although Abraham was rich, the living LORD God was Abraham’s shield and great reward. Abraham believed and trusted in the living LORD God by faith, which led to Abraham’s righteousness before God. Ultimately, everyone who belongs to Christ Jesus by faith and obedience is also Abraham’s offspring and descendants because Abraham is the father of all who believes in the living LORD God and His Son, Christ Jesus, as Lord. The living LORD God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham, and Christ Jesus and the other New Testament writers referred to Abraham as an example of faithfulness and obedience to the living LORD God. Abraham and Sarah sometimes struggled with impatience and lack of trust regarding God’s timing of His promises, but they always returned to the living LORD God with faithfulness and obedience to Him. In the New Testament, Christ Jesus referred to Abraham’s side as the place of blessedness where the righteous go after death.