HOW   GENTILES   ARE   RELATED   TO   ABRAHAM

      Abraham was Hebrew born, from Ur of the Chaldeans. He came from the descendant of Noah (Genesis 14: 13). From the lineage of Shem's through to Abraham, the children of Israel were birthed through the line of Jacob. Jacob wrestled with God and God renamed him Israel and from thence, we have the house of Israel (Genesis 11: 31). The first "Jew" in Abraham's lineage was his great, great-grandchild, "Judah."

It is said that the word Jew, is a shortening of the name Judah. Abraham was a Jew, and many Christians today believe this is why we are called sons of Abraham. In actuality, Christians are called sons of Abraham because of his faith, Abraham believed God just as we believe God, by faith.1 Christians are not miraculously changed into Jews after converting to Christ Jesus. A Jew is a Jew:

Ø  By birth, or genetics

Ø  Bloodline, and

Ø  Keeping the Law

          When Gentiles are Born-Again circumcision of the heart takes place as the believer is being born a Jew inwardly.2 Before we were Born-Again, we were simply Gentile sinners, after believing the Gospel of Grace; we were Born-Again by God’s Grace. Believers are not transformed into Jews we are sons of Abraham and are accepted into the family of God by faith the same way Abraham entered into the family of God. This is the connection believers under Grace have with Abraham; we are spiritually related to Abraham.3 When God called Abraham, He promised him that his seed would be blessed.4 The word Seed when used in the singular form always speaks of Christ Jesus; and when seed is in the plural form, it speaks of the whole Nation of Israel. God in His infinite Sovereign Grace promised Abraham a progeny of two different groups of people:

Ø  The dust of the earth, speaking of his earthly offspring who came by Isaac son Jacob (Genesis 13: 14-17).

Ø  Then God brings Abraham out and tells him to look toward the Heavens; the un-numerable stars spoke of a Heavenly, spiritual people (Genesis 15: 5).

Throughout Scripture, there are two concepts referred to as Houses. These two concepts are:

Ø  The earthly people Israel, and

Ø  The Heavenly, spiritual people, the Church

Both peoples are connected to Abraham by promise:

Ø  His earthly progeny are the children of Israel, and

Ø  His Heavenly progeny, is the Body of Christ

          The Body of Christ consists of those who entered into the family of God by faith. Abraham was given a two-fold promise whose connection is both earthly and spiritual. The Body of Christ is still being called out by faith under Grace.5 The Old Testament believers from the time of Adam, all the way up to Abraham came into a right relationship with God through faith plus sacrifices and keeping the Law. The priest weren’t exempt from making sacrifices to God; they too had to approach God with a sacrifice. Even in Christ’s earthly ministry, He did not teach the concept of Salvation by faith alone as the Apostle Paul does. They kept the Law of Moses with the added responsibilities of repentance and water baptism for Salvation. Faith alone wasn’t enough to achieve Salvation for the Old Testament believers because Christ had not yet died for the sins of the world. The early chapters of Acts tell us that repentance and baptism were requirements of the Law and faith was not a factor.

          When the Apostle Paul came on the scene, he began to teach faith without requirements and called it God’s Grace.6 There is one requirement for Salvation under Grace and that is faith, we must believe that Christ died for our sins, and rose from the dead. Abraham was saved by faith plus nothing when he believed God and the same principle applies to the Body of Christ.7 There is a baptism that comes with Salvation today and that is the filling or baptism of the Holy Spirit.8 By faith, Abraham was imputed righteousness, and you and I as members of the Body of Christ have also been imputed righteousness through the shed Blood of Christ Jesus.9 By faith Noah was warned by God of things not seen and he moved with fear preparing an Ark that saved him and his family. Noah became an heir of righteousness by faith.10

Throughout the Scriptures, men like:

Ø  Abel

Ø  Enoch

Ø  Noah

Ø  Abraham

Ø  Moses

Ø  Isaac

Ø  Jacob, and

Ø   King David

          These men were all men of faith plus keeping the Law. Abraham was born into a pagan worshipping family and he never made a sacrifice to God until years after leaving his homeland; he simply believed God, and God saw his faith and attributed righteousness to him.11

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1(Romans 4: 3)

2(Romans 2: 28-29)

3(Galatians 3: 7)

4(Genesis 22: 18)

5(Amos 9: 12)

 6(Ephesians 2: 8)

 7(I Corinthians 15: 1-4)

 8(Acts 2: 4)

 9(Hebrews 11: 4)

10(Hebrews 11: 7)

11(Romans 4: 3)