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III.
The Way to Christ
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Chapter
31
:
The Obedience of Faith
1. WHAT did the Lord command Abraham to do?
"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of
thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy
father's house, unto a land that I will show thee."
Gen. 12:1.
2. How did Abraham respond to this command?
"So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto
him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and
five years old when he departed out of Haran." Verse 4.
3. Of what was Abraham's obedience the fruit?
"By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to
go out unto a place which he was to receive for an
inheritance: and he went out, not knowing whither he
went." Heb. 11:8, R.V.
4. What command did the Lord later give to Abraham?
"And He said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac,
whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of
Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering
upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of."
Gen. 22:2.
5. Upon what ground were the previous promises then
renewed to Abraham?
"And said, By Myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for
because thou hast done this thing, and hast not
withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing I
will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy
seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which
is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the
gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the
nations of the world be blessed; because thou hast
obeyed My voice." Verses 16-18.
6. What enabled Abraham to endure the test?
"By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up
Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up
his only begotten son." Heb. 11:17.
7. Of what were the works of Abraham an evidence?
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works,
when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?" James
2:21.
8. By his works what was shown to be perfect?
"Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by
works was faith made perfect?" Verse 22.
9. In what statement of the scripture was Abraham's
obedience really implied?
"And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham
believed God, and it was imputed unto him for
righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God."
Verse 23.
10. What kind of faith avails with
God?
"For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision
availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith
which worketh by love." Gal. 5:6.
NOTE.-The faith which justifies, is the faith which
works. Those who say, and do not, are not men of
faith. The obedience which is pleasing to God is the
fruit of that faith which takes God at His word, and
submits to the working of His power, being fully
assured that what He has promised He is able also to
perform. This is the faith which is reckoned for
righteousness. See Rom. 4:21,22.
11. For what purpose is the mystery of the gospel
made manifest?
"But now [the mystery] is made manifest, and by the
scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment
of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for
the obedience of faith." Rom. 16:26.
12. For what purpose is the grace of Christ received?
"Through whom we have received grace and apostleship,
unto obedience of faith among all nations, for His
name's sake." Rom. 1:5. R.V.
13. What example of obedience has Christ set for us?
"And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled
Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross." Phil. 2:8.
14. At what cost did even He learn the lesson of
obedience?
"Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by
the things which He suffered." Heb. 5:8.
15. To whom did Christ become the author of
salvation?
"And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal
salvation unto all them that obey Him." Verse 9.
16. How complete should this obedience be?
"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that
exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience
of Christ." 2 Cor. 10:5.
17. What effect did the preaching of the apostles
have upon the hearers?
"And the word of God increased; and the number of the
disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a
great company of the priests were obedient to the
faith." Acts 6:7.
18. What effect did the preaching of the apostle Paul
have upon the Gentiles?
"For I will not dare to speak of any of those things
which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the
Gentiles obedient, by word and deed." Rom. 15:18.
19. How highly does God regard obedience?
"And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in
burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice
of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than
sacrifice, and to harken than the fat of rams." 1
Sam. 15:22.
20. With what sins are rebellion and stubbornness
classed?
"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and
stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath
also rejected thee from being king." Verse 23.
21. Whose voice had more weight with Saul than had
the commandment of God?
"And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have
transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words:
because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice."
Verse 24.
22. What charge did Jesus bring
against the Pharisees?
"And He said unto them, Full well ye
reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own
tradition." Mark 7:9.
NOTE.-Human tradition is simply the voice of man
preserved in the church. To follow the traditions of
men instead of obeying the commandments of God is to
repeat the sin of Saul.
23. What will be the fate of those who do not obey
the gospel of Christ?
"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord
Jesus shall
be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in
flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not
God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ." 2 Thess. 1:7,8.
24. What condition is attained
in obeying the truth?
"Seeing ye have purified your souls in
obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned
love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with
a pure heart fervently." 1 Peter 1:22.
25. What promise is made to the obedient?
"If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good
of the land." Isa. 1:19.
26. Whose example are we urged to imitate?
"That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who
through faith and patience inherit the promises."
Heb. 6:12.
To obey is
better than sacrifice, the Lord hath said;
To harken when He commandeth, than an offering made.
All ye who
say, "There is naught to do since Christ doth save,"
Remember what He commands you in the Book He gave.
Remember
only the doers of the word are blessed;
'Tis well to hear and believe it, but to do is best.
F. E. BELDEN. |
