Live in God's Presence And Be Blameless - The Life of Abraham

Structure:
I. The Covenant of Circumcision to Israel

1. God appears to Abram saying "I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and be blameless"
2. Notice the emphasis in this chapter on the "nations"
3. The covenant is with Abraham and his descendants
4. Circumcision was the covenant sign with His people Israel

II. The Covenant of Circumcision to Us

1. We are God's people by faith alone
2. Faith produces obedience to God
3. Obedience is not a passive process

Verses:
• Genesis 17
• Exodus 19:5-6
• Romans 4:9-12
• Romans 4:23-25
• Romans 2:22-25
• Jeremiah 31:31-33
• James 2:18-20
• 1 Corinthians 9:26-27
• 1 Peter 2:9-10


Quotes:
• "What God does (“As for me”) is keep the unilateral covenant of Genesis 15. What Abraham does (“As for you”) is submit to circumcision. Failure to circumcise will cut off individual males (and their households) from the national family. But it will not annul the prior promise to Abraham." - Duane Garrett
• The eight day derives its significance from the account of creation, where God made the world in six days and rested on the seventh. Since the seventh day is indefinite, the eight day is the beginning of the new creation, and this fits with the new creation imagery connected with Abraham as a new Adam
• "We are saved by faith alone, but faith is never alone" - Martin Luther
• "Our problem is that we have misunderstood 'living by faith' to mean that no effort at holiness is required on our part. In Fact, sometimes we have even suggested that any effort on our part is 'of the flesh'" - Jerry Bridge

Reflection Questions:

• Do you believe in Lord Jesus Christ and his salvific work on the cross? Do you trust him?
• Does your faith produce obedience?
• Do you press on with all your effort to live godly?

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Sermon Notes:

Soccer player:

• Which emphasized the importance to Abram to live before God as his chosen people!
• Notice the progression of the promises and covenants with Abraham
◦ Gen. 12 - The promise to Abraham, - Go out, and I will bless
◦ Ch. 15 - the Abrahamic covenant, - God said "I will do it"
◦ Ch. 17 - the covenant of circumcision. - Here is what you are to do.

• Apostle Paul in Romans 4, says that the order of these covenants are super important. Abram was justified by faith first and then God commands him to be blameless.
◦ Thus his righteousness is only through faith, that is why Abraham is the father to all of us, to the circumcised and not circumcised. But then God requires of Abram a certain kind of life. To live under an Almighty God.

There's a lot of detail in this chapter, and this sermon will definitely wont do justice to the text. But we will spend alittle bit time understanding the covenant of circumcision and then see how it apply to us who are not Israelites.

Lets read the whole chapter! Genesis 17

I. The Covenant of Circumcision to Israel

The Structure of the passage is very simple here, there are three sections to this narrative:
1. God demands obedience - Abram's name is changed to Abraham. God confirms his promises. (1-8)
2. God demands for circumcision - Sarai's name is changed to Sarah (9-23)
3. Circumcision is carried out right away (24-27)

Notice Important Details:
• 1. God appears to Abram saying "I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and be blameless"
◦ This is the summary to everything God will be saying.
◘ In other words he is saying live according to my will in everyday life.
◦ This is the first time God has ever named himself in the Bible. In Hebrew its "El Shaddai"
◦ But this time God comes with a command to Abram to live in his presence and to be blameless.
◘ These are the same words that we read about Enoch and Noah in Gen. 5:24 and 6:9.
◘ Both of them were people who walked before the Lord.
◘ God calls him to live a life of obedience to God.
◘ In fact everything else in this chapters is hinged on this idea.

• 2. Notice the emphasis in this chapter on the "nations"
◦ v. 4 "you will become the father of many nations". v. 5 "...I will make you the father of many nations". v. 6 "and will make nations and kings come from you". v. 16 "I will bless her, and she will produce nations"
◦ Even the name change Abram means "exalted father" to Abraham which means "the father of many nations
• 3. The covenant is with Abraham and his descendants
◦ v. 7-8 "I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring after you. And to you and your future offspring I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as a permanent possession, and I will be their God."
◦ Notice how the circumcision is with all the men of the household of Abraham and to his future generations. In was to symbolize that Israel is God's chosen nation.
◦ Yahweh will be the God of Abraham and the God of his descendants (Exodus 6:7)
• 4. Circumcision was the covenant sign with His people Israel
◦ Even though the covenant that God made with Abraham in chapter 15 is different the covenant we read here.
◘ Yet, they are extremely tied. As if the covenant of Chapter 15 is the foundation of God's relationship to the people of Israel and then comes the circumcision and life of the people of God which is to build upon that covenant.
◘ chapter 17 is considered to be a secondary covenant to the covenant in ch. 15 which is primary.
◘ Duane Garrett says this well "What God does (“As for me”) is keep the unilateral covenant of Genesis 15. What Abraham does (“As for you”) is submit to circumcision. Failure to circumcise will cut off individual males (and their households) from the national family. But it will not annul the prior promise to Abraham."

◦ Why did God choose Circumcision to be the sign for Israel?
◘ In order for us to understand why we need to understand the background of the ancient near east.
◘ God used a covenant ritual of the middle east in chapter 15, so he is using an circumcision of that time as well.
◘ Circumcision was not unique in their day and age. Particularly Egypt practiced this ritual.
◘ Yet, in Egypt circumcision was mainly performed on priests who serve their gods.
◘ It was also designated for the king-priests who were supposed to be the god in Egypt.
◘ Yet God commanded every male to be circumcised on the eight day signifying that Abraham's family was consisted of priests.
◘ Every single person is to serve God, and reflect God in a unique way to the people around them. That is why ◘ God chose them to be a blessing to the people around them.
◘ We read in Ex. 19:5-6 " Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”
◘ This sign was uniquely personal. Something that each man would be a testimony to himself and his family daily that they are consecrated to God.
◘ To live according to His will and be ministers to this world.
◦ The circumcision was to be done on the 8th day.
◘ One commentator on this passage says it well"The eight day derives its significance from the account of creation, where God made the world in six days and rested on the seventh. Since the seventh day is indefinite, the eight day is the beginning of the new creation, and this fits with the new creation imagery connected with Abraham as a new Adam"
◘ In other words this is something God is creating that is new, he is going to work with this family bring something new into this world, and that is to bring people back to himself.
◘ He working redemption through Israel.

SO stepping back, God promised and made a covenant with Abram in chapter 12 and 15 that he will do it not matter what happens. Yet, in chapter 17 circumcision would be the means by which these people would identify themselves with this promise.
◦ Symbol of circumcision - showed that Israel is God's chosen nation.
◘ That is why David calls Goliath "an uncircumcised Philistine" (1 Sam. 17:26).
◦ Remember that the angel of the Lord was about to kill Moses kids because they were uncircumcised and his wife circumcises them and they are saved.

Circumcision was vital to the nation of Israel. God is choosing them to be priest before Him to all the nations!
• It was a sign of the covenant!
◦ It was important to show Israelites that God is their God and they are to walk before HIM.
• So Abraham is obedient right away to God. He circumcises himself, his son Ishmael and every male in his family.

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Why is this so important to us:

II. The Covenant of Circumcision to Us

Open with me to Romans 4:9-12
9Is this blessing only for the circumcised, then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness. 10 In what way, then, was it credited—while he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? It was not while he was circumcised, but uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also. 12 And he became the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith our father Abraham had while he was still uncircumcised.
Order really matters to apostle Paul. The fact that first Abraham believed and it was counted as righteousness, and then after a few years (14 years) he is commanded to be circumcised and his decedents.
• Circumcision does not make him righteous, his faith makes him righteous. Circumcision was a sign or a seal of righteousness that happened by faith.

1. We are God's people by faith alone

• Not need to circumcise!

• We read in Romans 4:23-25 "Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone, but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification."
• The main reason Israel was God's people is by faith and trust in God.

Notice that Ishmael was circumscribed as well, but for some reason he was not part of the people of God.
• Why? - Because the act of circumcision is a response to faith in God.
◦ Even though he was blessed by God, he did not serve God, even though he had the sign of the people of God.
• As, Christians we have two signs of our faith:
◦ We have Baptism and Lords Supper (Communion).
◦ Yet by themselves those signs have no meaning if we have no faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
◦ Both of them are super important, because Jesus said we should do them. But without faith in Jesus these signs have no meaning.
• Abraham was the father of faith:
◦ He believed God and then he went out from his comforts to a land of promise.
◦ He believed God and then he was circumcised and circumcised his household.
◦ He trusted God to the point of being willing to sacrifice his promised son.
• Our faith works the same way:
◦ We believe in God who sent his Son to die for our sins, and that is why we baptize people who confess that as a reality.
◦ These same people take the cup which symbolized Christ's blood, and the bread which is his flesh in remembrance of who we are as the people of God, only by Christ's death and resurrection.
◦ Our faith is tied to those symbols.

Sometimes parents may think that if their children would just get baptized, then they will serve the Lord. But that is not true.

Yet,

2. Faith produces obedience to God

Martin Luther famously said: "We are saved by faith alone, but faith is never alone"

Open with me to Romans 2:25-29 "25 Circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 So if an uncircumcised man keeps the law’s requirements, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 A man who is physically uncircumcised, but who keeps the law, will judge you who are a lawbreaker in spite of having the letter of the law and circumcision. 28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh.29 On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter. That person’s praise is not from people but from God.
• Even though the people of Israel were circumcised they lived against God's will. Thus, circumcision did not mean a thing anymore.
• Apostle Paul argues, that if you a person who is uncircumcised but lives for God, he is truly representing what this circumcision is for.
◦ A circumcision of the heart.
• This was the problem of Israel even though they we the "chose nation" they lives did not present themselves as a chosen nation. They would break the law.
◦ When God gave them the way to live as his people on mount Saini, they broke the law right away. Even though they promised to live according to His will.
◦ They have made an Idol, which is the first law in the 10 commandments.

In other words they could not live by their title as circumcised. They were stubborn, proud and self-centered people.
• God would work with them, and would send them prophets to warn them for the wicked acts they committed.
• God would punish them but he would not forsake them because of his promise.

Then God promises this:
“Look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—my covenant that they broke even though I am their master”—the Lord’s declaration.“Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”—the Lord’s declaration. “I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people." - Jeremiah 31:31-33

Now we are God's people.
• Jesus said this is the covenant in my blood. Same covenant Jeremiah is referring to.
• But notice about this covenant, these people are not just believing God, but their life is changing. They are obeying the Lord. They live according to his will.

That faith that we have in Jesus will produce obedience.
• We bought into this idea, that to be Christian is to simply believe and it does not matter how your life is.
• Yet in reality if your life does not change, if you are not living for God and desiring to serve him, you don't have a new heart. Your faith is dead.
• James says in James 2:18-20 "But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works. You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder. Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? "
• EX: Our faith is not just a sticker we placed on ourselves but rather it is a whole engine swap, that make the car run now.
◦ You see faith when you see it run!
• There are so many people who say they believe and yet, looking into their life their is not even a smell of Jesus.
◦ You see them being like the world in every possible way, but they say they "believe Jesus"
◦ As if that is a lucky penny in your pocket that will help you in the day of judgement. That is not how it works.
• Just to be a "good person" in this worlds standard does not mean you are a Christian!

Ask yourself do you love Jesus? Do you obey him? Do you serve him? Do you desire to read his word to know his will for your life? Do you actually change?
• True faith produces a new heart that truly cares about God and his will.

3. Obedience is not a passive process
• Abraham was obedient right away, he circumcised himself, his son Ishmael and all the men in his household.

There is another BIG misunderstanding to this, is that we should not exert effort to serve God. Because no one is saved by works, only through faith, and God will do the rest.
• "Legalism"!
• Some might say is that not legalism to take action, be disciplined and pursue righteousness? Are we not saved by faith alone.
◦ EX: But it's like a farmer waiting for harvest without doing any work. Yes he has no control over the growth process, or the weather. But in reality even though he has no control over certain things, God created this world where a farmer is to labor and God will provide the rest.
◦ Jerry Bridges says it well here: "Our problem is that we have misunderstood 'living by faith' to mean that no effort at holiness is required on our part. In Fact, sometimes we have even suggested that any effort on our part is 'of the flesh'"
◘ But in reality God calls us to press on toward godliness.
◘ To change, to pursue righteousness - it's not a passive process
◦ As apostle Paul says "So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified." (1 Cor. 9:26-27)
◘ Ex: we might go to the gym to work out and feel good about it, but do we pour out sweat for Jesus?
◘ Ex: we might made risky decision in our business but do we make risky decision fors Jesus?
◘ Ex: we might research something to make it work, but do we pour out that energy for Jesus?
◦ If you are are not exerting effort, time and money into growing for Christ, then you will probably not grow.
◦ It is not a passive process. It requires a lot of work. A lot of discipline.
◘ We need to realize that the world around us is in total sin. There is more influence on us movies, music, social media and more than ever before.
◘ It causes us to be dumb, to be passive.
◘ It produces in us desire to fight for the wrong things.
◘ We are heavily influenced by this world. And if we are not shaped by God's word we become no better then they.
◘ We might think and say we believe in Jesus and consider our selves Christian, but does our life testify as well, or are we no different from this world.

• Yet as the people of God, we are to press on to live for him.
◦ Walk before the Lord! Live in his presence and be Blameless!
◦ Be holy for the Lord your God is holy. Fight sin, grow in righteousness.
◦ For you are God's people, and that is what God's people do.

"you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; you have not received mercy, but now you have received mercy" (1 Peter 2:9)

SO in conclusion:
• Ask yourself do you believe in Lord Jesus Christ and his salvific work on the cross, do you trust him?
◦ Is your foundation planted in faith in Jesus? Does it manifest itself in your dependence on Him for all things?
• Does your faith produce obedience? Do you live for him? Do you love him? Do you do his will?
• Do you press on with all your effort to live godly?
◦ Or are you like a shriveled up leave that goes where the wind blows? Or are you pouring energy and sweat into your growth and obedience to Jesus?