God calledAbrahamby grace - He took him out of
the land of idolatry (Babylon) "from the other side of the flood (the great river Euphrates)" (Joshua 24:2 cf. Genesis 15:7,18; Isaiah 47:1)
and led him thru the land of Canaan and multiplied his seed thru the gift of Isaac (Joshua 24:3), the "child of promise" (Romans 9:7-9)
Like Abraham, God called us by grace out of Satan's earthly
kingdom (Ephesians 2:1-5) and leads us into Christ's heavenly kingdom (Ephesians 2:6-7)
Abraham respondedin the obedience
of faith to God's call, but his obedience was
progressive over time (Acts 7:2-4)
At God's first appearing to him, he leaves his country
with his father, but dwells on the same side of the river in Haran (Genesis 11:31-32)
After his father's death, he leaves his father's house
and crosses the river into Canaan, but he still has kindred with him - his nephew Lot (Genesis 12:1-5)
Once in the land, Abraham separates himself from Lot and
only then is able to see his inheritance (Genesis 13:14-17)
After having been refreshed by God's "bread and wine"
(communion elements) and having received God's blessing, Abraham responded with tithes of all he had to his God
and was able to refuse the "riches of Sodom" (Genesis 14:18-24)
Like Abraham, we respond progressively in the obedience of faith
to God's call
Just as Abraham had to see the demise of his "old
man" (Terah) BEFORE he could set out for the "new land", we need to see our "old man (Adam)"
as dead BEFORE we can experience our "newness of life" with Christ (Romans 6:3-8)
Just as Abraham had to be separated from his "flesh
relative" (Lot) in order to view his inheritance, we need to "put off" our "old (fleshly) man
(Adam)" and "put on" our "new (spiritual) man (Christ)" (Ephesians 4:22-24) by "reckoning (trusting)" how God sees us with Christ (Romans 6:9-11)
- so that we can "seek those things which are above ... not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:1-2)
where we shall be "revealed with Him in glory" (Colossians 3:3-4) at His heavenly appearing for us (Philippians 3:20-21)
Like Abraham, before we can be victorious over "this
world's riches" (I Timothy 6:17), we need to fellowship with the One in whom we have "our heavenly
riches" (Colossians 2:1-3 cf. Ephesians 1:17-19)