Dial Daily Bread

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread":

Abraham is “the father of all those who believe” (Rom. 4:11), which means: no one will enter the gates of the New Jerusalem except as a child of Abraham. That means in turn that his being justified by faith is the model or pattern of conversion for all who believe in Jesus.

 

Abraham was a Gentile like everybody else in the world until “the Scripture.... preached the gospel to Abraham” and he believed (Gal. 3:8). When was he “accounted” righteous, or “declared” to be righteous? Not until he believed and his heart was reconciled to God, for we read that his faith “was accounted to him for righteousness” (Gen. 15:6; Gal. 3:6).

 

But like every other member of the fallen human race, while Abraham was a Gentile in heart, his “carnal heart” still in a state of “enmity against God” (Rom. 8:7), he was not “accounted” or “declared” to be righteous. But Christ’s sacrifice on His cross enabled the Father to treat Abraham as though he were righteous! Christ being the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8), He was slain for Abraham while he was in his unbelieving state. Because Christ died for Abraham while he was “still a sinner” (Rom. 5:8), the Father was enabled to “make His sun rise” and “send [His] rain” on “still”-unbelieving Abram (Matt. 5:45).

 

There is a world of difference, yes an eternity of difference, between the Father treating “every man” as though he were righteous and the Father declaring or accounting an individual person to be righteous. The Father can never tell a lie; therefore He cannot declare one to be righteous until that person has chosen to “believe,” “to be reconciled,” to be “crucified with Christ.” But then at that point He “counts” his faith for righteousness even though the faith may be very immature. He knows that genuine faith always “works by love and purifies the soul.” He therefore accepts the faint beginning of personal faith as evidence it will be “complete“ in Christ.”

Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.

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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" phone message is available via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.