Freedom is Good News Part 60

I just re-read the previous article and paused to consider the fact that Abraham was called a “friend of God”.  You believe in an Almighty God, creator of the entire universe.  What would it be like to know that God calls you His friend?  Indeed, what would it take to be called God’s friend?

We saw in that article that Abraham was obedient to God.  We also saw that obedience is linked to faith.  “Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness.” (Gen. 15:6 & Rom. 4:3)  There are four concepts, faith, obedience, friendship with God and righteousness that are brought together in the book of James 2:21-24: “Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did (obedience) when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness’, and he was called God’s friend.  You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.”

So just what is faith?  Is it merely a belief that God exists?  Earlier in this same chapter of James (verse 19) we read, “You believe that there is one God.  Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder.”  That in itself is a telling statement!  We must go beyond that if we are to be a friend of God.

Some time ago, a friend and brother in Christ, said that a good working definition of faith is having a trust in God so as to know that His every intention for you is always good.  I believe this gets to the heart of a true faith.  When we know and understand that God’s intentions for us are always good then we will have no problem in doing what God wants us to do.  We will be obedient and so emulate our father Abraham. 

There is another aspect to consider when we look at the word obedience, and that is love.  The easiest way to connect the two concepts of obedience and love is to see what our Savior had to say about them.  In the gospel of John 14:15 Jesus said, “If you love me you will obey what I command.”  In verse 21, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.”  And in verse 23, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.  My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him.  He who does not love me will not obey my teaching.”

How can we say we love and trust God and then not do His will; not obey Him.  This kind of obedience is a good thing; for it pleases our Father and is the conduit for His love upon us.  And that is “Good News”!