Chapter 22: Prologue: The Goal of Faith
Q1 - Consider the scripture in 1 Peter 1:8–9 (BSB):
Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy, now that you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Does having such a glorious goal change how you live your life and view your day-to-day living?
A1 - Of course, this is a personal question, but hopefully you do have as the goal of your faith the salvation of your soul. Keeping this goal foremost in your thoughts will influence every aspect of your life and the decisions you make. Maybe write down various inspirational Bible verses and place them around the house or where you work to help remind you of God’s goodness and your desire to spend eternity with Him.
Q2 - In Hebrews 11:1 (ESV), faith is defined in this way: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” What did faith look like in Abraham and Sarah’s lives? What do you share in common with their faith? In what ways do you think your faith is different from theirs?
A2 - Abraham and Sarah left their homeland and never returned. They were on their own as they struck out for parts unknown, and their lifestyle changed from living in a thriving community to living in tents as nomads. It was like they went on a camping trip that never ended, and their faith was solely dependent on God. They had no wise elders to call upon for guidance and advice.
From the time that Moses received the Law and the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, God’s people have had a written law and priests to instruct and guide the people in following God’s commands. Then when Jesus came to earth, He fulfilled all the requirements of the Law and left us with a New Covenant. He now serves as our perfect high priest who sits at God’s right hand and intercedes for us.
Today, we have a written Bible which we can hold in our hands and study at will. Abraham and Sarah had no such privilege. Even the Israelites who lived under the Law usually had to go hear the word read at the tabernacle or temple, as many could not read and few would have had personal copies of the Old Testament scriptures.
We also have a church family, other followers of God we can associate with—if we so choose. We can worship God together and call upon them for both spiritual and physical help. Abraham and Sarah had no such support system. As Christians today, we have so much more help that we can avail ourselves of, and it’s something for which we should be extremely thankful!
Q3 - James explains in James 2:14–26 how faith and works go hand in hand. He gives the example of Abraham, who exhibited both faith and works when he attempted to offer Isaac on the altar. He quotes from Genesis 15:6 when he says this in verses 22–23 (ESV):
You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
Think about how Abraham earned this designation as a “friend of God” and compare that to another passage from James 4:4 (ESV) in which he explains how NOT to be a friend of God:
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
What can you do to be like Abraham and become God’s friend? What do you need to avoid in order to not be God’s enemy?
A3 - Abraham took God at His word. He truly believed Him, and He whole-heartedly obeyed Him. Abraham’s heart belonged to God. Even though as an imperfect human he could never be righteous on his own merit, God counted the bent of Abraham’s heart and the actions he took in faith as righteousness. Abraham feared God, but he also loved Him. As a result, he was called a friend of God. By his life, Abraham set an example for all who would follow of what it takes for us to also be called a friend of God.
Those who wish to indulge in the pleasures of the world that run counter to God’s commands will, of necessity, become an enemy of God. Either you’re on God’s team or you’re not. Either by your words and your actions you uphold God’s righteous precepts or you don’t. Bear in mind that righteous people falter, maybe often, but they repent and keep themselves pointed toward God. It’s when you turn yourself away from God that you risk becoming an enemy of God.
How do you know what God expects of you? Jesus came to earth and did much teaching while here. Read through the gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—to hear his words and learn from Him. Read through the rest of the New Testament to learn from inspired writers what God expects of His people. Read through the Old Testament to understand the great measures God took to prepare the world for the coming of His Son in order to redeem us to Himself. Earthly pleasures are fleeting, but redemption through Christ Jesus is eternal.