*International Conference, Sept 2019 -- Saved by His Life*

*Message 4* -- Abraham believed God (Rom 4:3,11-13).

-- The founder of the state of Israel, David Ben-Gurion, historian and scholar of civilizations,
said that if we do not learn from our past we will always become like kids. That’s why I began
to speak about the context of the words contained in the book of Romans. We have seen that
Nimrod built the tower of Babel to avenge God, gathering men around a city whose purpose
was idolatry to themselves. Their idea was to build a tower to make the man's name famous.
Let us not set up an altar to make our own names famous, but to worship our Lord. In all
places and neighborhoods where there is no altar for God, let us lift up the church life to
worship, serve, and call on the name of the Lord. Let us preach the gospel. Let us urge people
to turn to God, in season and out of season. For that, we must use all the tools we have.

-- The things that happened in the time of Nimrod were written for our warning, upon whom
the ends of the ages have come (1Co 10:11). Let us take heed (vs. 12). Only forty days of
Moses' absence from the midst of his people was enough for the people to raise up idols for
themselves through Aaron. Let us not make our God an idol for us.

-- Abraham was justified before God in the midst of that corrupt generation, not because he
was a special person, but because he had simple faith in God, which was accounted to him for
righteousness (Rom 4:3). We can also believe in God as Abraham believed. The God of glory
appeared to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldeans provoking him to leave for the promised land (Act
7:2-5). When the God of glory appears to us, we become different people, for our faith will
arise, though at first we have little strength.

-- Abraham did not immediately arrive in Canaan but came to Haran and dwelt there (Gen
11:31). It was only after the death of Terah, father of Abraham, that God appeared again to
Abraham, calling him to get out from his family, possibly referring to Lot, and to get out from
his father's house, possibly referring to his father's business. Abraham obeyed God (Gen 12:1).
We can learn from this experience of Abraham. One brother left a chance to receive a high
salary in a reputed company to be a colporter and promoter of God’s Word. That was my
experience and also Ezra's. I personally submitted myself to a vow of poverty in order to serve
the Lord. And we do not regret it.

-- Abraham obeyed God and therefore God promised that Abraham would be a great nation
and in him all the families of the earth would be blessed (Gen 12:1-3). So it will be with us if we
are like Abraham. In Gen 12:7 God appears again to Abraham, after he raised an altar where
he called on the name of the Lord. As for us, faith comes by hearing the word of Christ (Rom
10:17). In Babel, Abraham raises a new altar, taking possession of the place to God, calling on
the name of the Lord (Gen 13:3). As we can see, there was a man among that corrupt
generation who called the name of the Lord and understood God. We are people who by
hearing the word of prophecy call on the name of the Lord and understand God.

-- Abraham experienced the famine in the land that God had promised him. This was certainly
a test for him. Abraham failed the test and went down to Egypt. Abraham lied about his wife,
Sarah, so as not to be killed by Pharaoh, saying that she was his sister (vs. 13). God did not
allow Sarah to be taken by Pharaoh and forced him to send Abraham away and all his people,
including Lot from the land of Egypt (vs. 19-20).
-- Abraham became very rich, though he was not attached to material goods (Gen 13:2). Lot
also became a very rich man, indicating that those who are close to the one who is blessed by
God, also receive blessing. The livestock and the herdsmen of his nephew Lot began to dispute
space with those of Abraham. Those two flocks were a source of trouble. Spiritually there must
not be two flocks in our midst. There is only one work to be performed among us. We do not
want to promote ourselves in the unique work of God. If Lot had understood that his flock
should be part of Abraham's flock, perhaps his end would be different. The same principle can
be seen in Jacob, who despite having 12 sons, the flock was one. The same is seen in Ruth who
told Naomi: “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God” (Rth 1:16-17). That
should also be our feeling. Let this word destroy the whole germ of division in our midst.

-- How good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity. This is what is
stated in Psalm 133. It is in this environment that God commands life and blessing forever. This
Psalm is a prophecy to us. We can live together. That is very good. When Abraham proposed to
Lot to choose where he would like to live, Lot, without shame, chose the best land. The end of
Lot was to come down gradually to Sodom and there to turn away from God. Sodom became
the target of God's destruction.

-- Abraham was the prophet of God at that time. Abraham was warned by God that He would
destroy Sodom and, because of this, Abraham interceded for his nephew Lot. God himself
claimed that Abraham was His prophet (Gen 20: 7)

-- May we have the pure heart of Abraham. Let us not have “two flocks”. I and the other co-
workers have only one work to do. May our hearts become increasingly clean.

--Jesus is Lord! Amen!