Would you turn back to Genesis
chapter 18? While you're turning there, tonight we will observe
the Lord's table together. And next Saturday, the Harry's
are having a barbecue at their house at five o'clock. Everybody's
invited. And Paul said, if you have any
question, ask a female Harry's, which is all the rest of the
Harry's. I've entitled this message, Abraham's Children. Abraham's Children. The title came from verse 19,
For I know him, that he will command his children and his
household after them, and they shall keep the way of the Lord,
to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abram
that which he hath spoken of him. I told Lynn this morning, I feel
like I've never preached a more important message than the one
I'm gonna bring this morning. I said, I probably shouldn't
say that, should I? She said, no, you say that all the time.
And yes, but I hope I feel that way about every message I preach.
I hope I do, I ought to. Abraham's children. There is no understanding of
the New Testament without the Old Testament. Now, let me repeat that because
in religion, the Old Testament is looked at as the old Bible
and kind of not, you know, kind of inconsequential. But there
is no understanding of the New Testament without the Old Testament. Now, in the passage of Scripture,
I just read, we are given the nature of justification. Several weeks ago, I said Martin
Luther made the statement that a church stands or falls upon
justification, and I would agree with that. In this passage of
Scripture, we're given the true nature of justification. Now, what do I mean by the nature
of justification? Nature means the basic or inherent
features of something, the essential and permanent features of something.
Now, what does the Bible mean by justification? I hope nobody
thinks we already know that. You don't know it, nor do I know
it as well as we ought to know it. What does the Bible mean
by justification? When that guilty self-condemned
publican cried, God, be merciful to me, the sinner. And the Lord
said, I tell you, that man went down to his house justified rather
than the other. What does that mean? I look back in Genesis chapter
15. Verse six, and he, Abraham, believed in the Lord. And he,
the Lord, counted it to him, Abraham, for righteousness. What does that mean? He counted it to him for righteousness. Now, I want to remind you that
the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and God says things precisely
and exactly as He intended to say them. I'm thankful for that,
aren't you? Now, with that in mind, go back
to Genesis 18, beginning in verse 17. And the Lord said, shall I hide
from Abraham that thing which I do? And he was talking about
the destruction of Sodom. He said, am I going to hide that
from Abraham? Seeing that Abraham shall surely
become a great nation, a mighty nation, and all the nations of
the earth shall be blessed in him. For I know him. that he will command his children
and his household after him. And they shall keep the way of
the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon
Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. This is not, I repeat, This is
not about Abraham's excellent parenting skills. Doesn't have anything to do with
Abraham's ability as a parent. Perhaps he was a good parent,
but if you look at this and then look at the conduct of his physical
descendants, there's a real disconnect in it. His physical descendants
are as wicked a bunch of people as ever was, and as disobedient
a bunch of people as ever were. And they hated Christ, and they
crucified Christ. And you look through the history
of the Old Testament, what an unbelieving, sinful bunch of
people, just like me and you. Just like me and you, I'm not
getting on the Jews in that sense. They're no different than us.
Jews and Gentiles are all under sin. And you cannot look at this
and say, well, this is talking about Abraham's parenting skills
because that goes against what the Bible lets us know about
Jews and Gentiles and everybody else. Abraham, I hope he was
a good parent. And let me say this. This is
not, I'm not being dismissive of the importance of being a
good parent. You know, we're given specific
instructions in the Proverbs and in the New Testament epistles
regarding this thing of being a parent. And don't think it's
not very important how you raise your children. Let me read you
a passage of scripture from the book of Proverbs chapter 13,
verse 24. He that spareth his rod, hateth
his son. But he that loveth him chasteneth
him." Early, B times, early. Don't think for a second that
your parenting is not important. Your parenting will in many respects
determine how your child is as an adult. Now I know that scripture
says train up a child in the way he shall go and in the end
he shall not depart from it. And some people think that means
if you train up your child in the right way they'll end up
going in the right direction. Now that's not necessarily so.
What he's saying is if you don't restrain your child, if you don't
make them do what's right, they'll end up going in a bad direction.
That is what that verse of scripture actually means. But I think of the fifth commandment,
honor thy father and mother. honor thy father and mother.
What that's teaching is respecting authority. Yes, you're to honor
your mom and dad, but more than anything else, it means you're
to teach your children to be respectful to authority. And if you don't do that, you're
ensuring that they're going to have a rough life. And they're
not going to do well in life. They're not going to do well
in school. If they have problems with authority, they're not going
to do well on the job. They're going to be disrespectful people.
They're going to have people disliking them. And it's your
fault if you don't train them up to respect authority. I mean, something as simple as
a child acting respectful toward adults. If your child doesn't
act respectful toward adults, you correct them, and you do
whatever it needs. Your job, my job as a parent,
is to make your kids do what's right. And that's not to be a
buddy to them, although I hope you are a buddy, but more importantly,
a parent. You are to make them do what's
right. And so in that sense, I'm not
dismissing the importance of parenting, but that is not what
this passage of scripture is about. Now, the Lord says in
verse 17, and the Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham that
thing which I do? Now, why does the Lord say this?
Because Abraham was his friend. Abraham was the friend of God,
the scripture says. And you don't hide things from
your friend. You know, if you have a true friend, they've got
your back. You don't need to worry about them trying to twist
what you're saying and distort what you're saying. They've got
your back. And Abraham was the friend of
God. Turn with me for a moment to
John chapter 15. Hold your finger there in Genesis 17 and turn
to John 15. Verse 13. Greater love hath no man than
this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do
whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants,
for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth. The Lord doesn't
explain to his servant what he's doing, he doesn't have to. But
I've called you friends for all things that I've heard of my
Father, I've made known unto you. Now the Lord has made known
that which is altogether important to him, to his friends. If he's
revealed the gospel to you, you know what? He counts you his
friend. He's let you know the intimate
things of his heart, the gospel, the glory of God. Now that is
true with regard to every believer. As Abraham was the friend of
God, Every believer is the friend of God. I think of the Lord spake
to Moses face to face as a man speaketh with his friend. What
a privilege, what a privilege of grace to actually be the friend
of God. And that is a description of
every believer, the friend of God. And the Lord said, shall
I hide from Abraham that thing, which I do talking about the
destruction of Sodom. We're going to consider that
in the next few weeks, seeing that Abraham shall surely become
a great and mighty nation. Now, I want to remind you that this
reference to Abraham's physical descendants is picturing his
relationship with his people. It's not just Israel he's talking
about. He's talking about all the elect of God, all of those
who believe. Galatians 3, 29 says, For you
are all children of God, all children of God by faith in Christ
Jesus. If you be Christ, then are you
Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Now, Abraham's
seed is not the physical nation of Israel. This is talking about
the spiritual seed. This is talking about all of
God's elect. This is talking about all who
believe. Listen to this scripture, Romans chapter two, verses 28
and 29, for he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly. Neither is that circumcision,
which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew, which is one
inwardly. And circumcision is of the heart
and the spirit and not of the letter, whose praise is not of
men, but of God. Now, keep your finger there in
Genesis 18, and I want you to turn to John 8 for just a moment. You know, so many people, religious
people, talk about God having two programs, one for Israel
and the other for believers. That's just not so. You can't
get that from scripture. And let me show you this. Look
in John chapter 8, verse 36. If the son therefore shall make
you free, you shall be free indeed. Now I know he's speaking to physical
Jews. I know that you're Abraham C,
but You seek to kill me because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I've seen
with my father, and you do that which you've seen with your father.
They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus
saith unto them, if you were Abraham's children, you would
do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill me,
a man that has told you the truth, which I've heard of God. This
did not Abraham. You do the deeds of your father.
They said unto him, we're not born of fornication. We have
one father, even God. Jesus said unto them, if God
were your father, you'd love me. For I proceeded forth and
came from God, neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do
you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot hear
my word. You are of your father, the devil. And he says, you claim Abraham's
your father. Your daddy's the devil, not Abraham. And the lust of your father,
you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode
not in the truth, because there's no truth in him. When he speaketh
a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he's a liar, and the father
of it. And because I tell you the truth,
you believe me not. Which of you convinces me of
sin? And if I say the truth, why do
you not believe me? He that's of God, heareth God's
words. You therefore hear them not.
because you are not of God. Then answered the Jews and said
unto him, Say we well that thou art a Samaritan and has a devil,
your demon possessed? Jesus answered, I have not a
devil, but I honor my father, and you do dishonor me, and I
seek not my own glory. There's one that seeketh and
judgeth. Verily I say unto you, if a man keep my saying, he shall
never see death. Then said the Jews unto him,
now we know thou hast a devil. Abraham's dead, and the prophets,
and thou sayest, if a man keep my saying, he shall never take
the death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is
dead, and the prophets are dead? Whom makest thou thyself? Jesus
answered, if I honor myself, my honor is nothing. It's my
father that honoreth me, of whom you say that he's your God. Yet
you've not known him, but I know him. If I should say, I know
him not, I'd be a liar, like you are. Can you imagine how
they felt when he said that? But I know him and keep his sayings.
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it
and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him,
Thou art not yet 50 years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus
said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham
was, I am. And they knew exactly what he
was saying. I am that I am. Then took they up stones to cast
at him. They were gonna murder him over
this. But Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple going
through the midst of them and so passed by. Back to our text in Genesis 18. seeing that Abraham shall surely
become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth
shall be blessed in him." Now, Abraham shall surely, this is
for sure, this is not speculation, this is not, I hope so, This
is for sure. Abraham will surely become a
great and mighty nation. Now one other scripture, hold
your finger there and once again turn to 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2, this is what is being
spoken of. 1 Peter 2 7, unto you therefore
which believe he is precious. 1 Peter 2 7, unto you therefore
which believe he is precious. But unto them which are disobedient,
the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made
the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense,
even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient,
whereunto also they were appointed. But you are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar, and my marginal reading
says a purchased people, that you should show forth the
praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light. Now that is the nation Abraham's
children shall become. What a nation, a holy nation,
every one of them, a purchased people, a chosen generation,
the elect of God. This is the nation that Abraham's
children will surely become. I think this is interesting.
Men for centuries think that their ethnicity makes them different
than other people and a better and mightier people, and all
that is is foolishness. All that is is sinfulness. It's
base to even think that way. But this nation is different. This nation is God's purchased
people. This nation is God's holy people. This nation is God's chosen nation. This is a true kingdom of priests. This nation is different. This is the nation of which Abraham's
children will be. Verse 18, Genesis 18, seeing
that Abraham shall surely become a great mighty nation, the one
we just read about, and all the nations of the earth shall be
blessed in him. And Paul calls this in Galatians
chapter three, verse eight, the gospel. Nations shall be blessed,
not maybe or might, but they shall. All of God's elect shall
be blessed in him. Now look in verse 19, for I know
him. Now in this verse of scripture,
We have the true nature of justification. This is what justification means
in the Bible. Remember, God says things exactly
as he would have them said. And really, we can't understand
the New Testament doctrine of justification apart from this
statement. Remember, Genesis is said to
be the seed plot of the entire Bible. Every doctrine in the
New Testament is found in the book of Genesis. And here we
have what justification before God is. Now let's read verse
19. that he'll command his children
in his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the
Lord to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon
Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. This religious world we live
in believes that justification comes as a result of what is
called an imputed righteousness. And that word imputed is in the
Bible. But do you know the word imputed righteousness is not
found in the Bible? Righteousness imputed, imputed
or imputation is always a verb Righteousness imputed, but it
is never an adjective. Here's one type of righteousness,
imputed righteousness. Now this is the way the religious
world looks at justification. It's God giving you an imputed
righteousness that gives you a perfect legal standing before
God. It's even been called a forensic
righteousness relating to the courts of law. You have a legal
righteousness because the imputed righteousness of Christ is given
to you. You now have a legal standing,
a righteousness before the law of God, which is called justification. And here's the way justification
is defined, just as if I never sinned. Question, what if somebody brutally murdered
your child and they're brought before the court and the judge
says to that person who murdered your child, I am going to treat
you just as if you never sinned. You know what that is? Unjust. That is criminal. A judge like that, we'd get rid
of him, wouldn't we? To treat someone just as if they
never sinned. That judge would not be just. And that is what men make justification. an unjust act of God. Him treating you just as if you've
never sinned. But look what is said in verse
19. I know him that he will command
his children in his household after him and they shall keep
the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment. Now that and nothing
less than that is justification. They shall keep the way of the
Lord. We're going to consider that's faith in Christ, but it's
to do, to do justice and judgment. Now, that word justice is the
word generally translated righteousness. Only those who are DOERS of righteousness
can be just before God, and the word judgment, they'll do justice
and judgment. The word judgment is the legal
verdict and sentence of the judge. Justification is not just as
if I never sinned, Justification is I never sinned. I have always kept God's law
perfectly. I am perfect before God. I've always done that which is
right. I have a righteous legal standing
before God because I have lived righteously. Now, keep listening. Keep listening because somebody's
thinking, but I haven't lived righteously. I know you haven't.
Keep listening. The only people who are justified
are people who have never sinned. God said in Exodus chapter 34
verse 7, I will by no means clear the guilty. Under no circumstance
will I ever clear the guilty. This is an absolute prohibition. Under no circumstance will I
ever clear one who is guilty. If I'm cleared by God, it'll
only be because I have no guilt. perfect righteous. Now, the only
way that the Lord will bring Abraham on that which he's spoken
of him, look in verse 19, I know him that he will command his
children and his household after him. And they shall keep the
way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may
bring upon Abraham that which he has spoken of him to be this,
um, holy nation, this royal priesthood. Now, God says, I know him. He's the only one that does. I know him. He's going to be
righteous. And the only way that can really
be understood is where the Lord said in Matthew 3, verse 15,
thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. You see, when
Jesus Christ kept the law, he did it as an us, Abraham and
his children. Thus it becometh us. to fulfill
all righteousness. Now, God says, I know him. I
know him. You know, in eight other translations,
I always look at all the different translations, and eight other
translations say, I've chosen him. And one even says, I've
singled him out. I've singled him out. This is
talking about, and listen to the word very carefully, this
is talking about God's discriminating love. Well, that seems like a bad thing.
Listen, if God didn't have a discriminating love, me and you'd be in hell.
All of us would be in hell. There would be no one saved.
I think of what the Lord said through Moses, Against any of
the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue. Against
man or beast, that you may know that the Lord doth put a difference
between the Egyptians and Israel. If you're saved, God singled
you out. God chose you. Somebody says, I don't like that.
I do. I do. I love it. I love it. I know
I wouldn't be saved if God didn't choose me. I'd never choose him.
Thank God for electing grace. I know Him. You know, the Lord's
the only one who really knows. He's the only one who knows you.
He's the only one who knows me. knowing. And really how the Lord
knows is how things really are. I think of that passage of scripture
in Colossians 1.22, it says that concerning every believer, they're
holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight. Now in his sight
is how things really are. I know him. I know him. I mean,
we are all going through the Lord knows. He knows how things
really are. He says, with regard to Abraham,
I know him. I know him. And here's what he'll
do. He'll command his children in
his household. You see, salvation is dependent
upon the Lord's command. Him commanding me to believe,
causing me to believe. You know, the Lord's commands
are never disobeyed. He doesn't say, believe, and somebody says,
no. No, if you don't believe, he wasn't speaking to you. He
commands all of his children to believe, and they believe. He causes them to believe. That is the preaching of the
gospel. I'm gonna command him. I will command his children and
his household after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord
to do justice, to always do righteousness and judgment. That's the perfect
standing before God that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that
which he has spoken of him. Now, notice he says, I'll command
his children and his household after him and they shall keep.
they shall keep the way of the Lord. Now, that's the first time
this phrase is used in scripture, the way of the Lord. Now, what
is the way of the Lord? I bet a lot of you are thinking,
well, what the Lord said it was, I am the way, the truth, and
the life. No man cometh to the Father,
but by me. Now, let's think of that glorious
statement that is so infinite that there's no way we could
extract everything that's in it. If we had eternity, we couldn't
do it. But think what the Lord said,
I'm the way. He didn't say I am a way. He
said, I'm the way, the way that excludes all other ways. And if you're in him, you're
already there. He's the way to the father. This
is not a journey. You're already there. I am the
way. I am the truth. I'm the truth
concerning who God is. I'm the truth concerning who
you are. I'm the truth concerning God's salvation. I am the truth. Not I'll teach you the truth.
Not I'll show you the truth. Not I'll lead you along the way. I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. My life before God is the life
of Jesus Christ. His obedience, his perfection,
his law keeping, that is my life before God. I am the life. No man cometh to the Father but
by me. They're gonna keep the way of
the Lord. And in keeping the way of the
Lord, and that's talking about faith in Christ, they do righteously. They do justice. And they are
justified before me. Now, this is the gospel. This is how God saves sinners.
Now, in closing, let me ask this question. I believe all that,
do you? I believe all that. But in my experience, right now,
I'm not talking about the way I used to be. I'm talking about
the way I am right now. I am a sinner. I am a sinner. So how can I, without just doing
mind games and convincing myself of something that's really not
true, how, if I am a sinner, how can I be someone who has
always done that which is right, that has never sinned, who the
law of God would look me over and say, I find no fault in him? How can that be? Well, that's what the Bible teaches
with regard to justification. What we've been talking about,
that self-condemned publican, God be merciful to me, the sinner. Christ said, I say unto you,
that man went down to his house justified, having never sinned,
with a perfect standing before God's holy law. How can that
be? Number one, justification is
by grace. It's the gracious act of God. It is God that justifieth. Who's gonna say anything against
that? If God does it, it's done. This is the act of God. You know,
the judge never, ever says, well, I'm gonna give you a choice.
Do you wanna be justified or condemned? Oh, I think I'll take condemnation. Nobody's gonna do that, are they?
But it's not a choice anyway. Judge doesn't say, I'm gonna
give you a choice. He declares you either guilty or not guilty.
That is the sentence of the judge. And this is a gracious act of
God. If God does it, what are you
gonna say? Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? God justified them. Justification by grace. But understand
this, Romans 5.9 says, being now justified by his blood. What
that means is this is righteous grace. His blood, when Christ
said, it is finished, think of those precious words, it is finished. Every one of God's people had
no sin. He put away that sin. That's
why he died. He died because of sin. And when
he said it is finished, sin was put away. There is no sin. The reason his body never went
through the processes decay is because God was completely satisfied
with what he did. Their sin is gone. So I really don't have any sin.
Because the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, he was delivered
for our offenses and raised again for our justification. And every
believer stands before God without guilt. Justification by grace,
justification by blood, justification by faith. What is the evidence? What is the evidence that you
stand before God without guilt? Faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Right now, while I'm
talking to you, I fully, well, as much as I can, I don't think
fully understand is the proper language for any sinner to use,
but I believe that because of the grace of God, because of
the blood of Christ, I'm relying on who he is and what he did
as all that's needed to make me perfect before God. Now I understand this about justification,
the nature of justification. It's not God treating me as if
I had no guilt. I have no guilt. I don't have
anything to feel guilty about. I don't have any sin. I stand
perfect before God because the blood of Jesus Christ, God's
Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Let's pray.