justification by faith, is introduced by Abram's question concerning his heir, and the

Lord's answer concerning this is the groundwork of Abram's faith. Rom. 1:-3: lays the

foundation of justification by faith, and is followed by chapter 4:, which is nothing

more nor less than an exposition of Gen. 15: 6. In the midst of this chapter we read:--

"The promise, that he should be the HEIR of the world, was not to Abraham, or to

his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are

of the law are HEIRS, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect"

(Rom. 4: 13, 14).

In like manner Gal. 2: and 3: conclude with the words:--

"If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise

. . . . . if a son, then an heir of God through Christ . . . . . the son of the bondwoman shall

not be heir with the son of the free woman" (Gal. 3: 29, 4: 1, 7, 30).

Titus 3: 7 also testifies to the same truth:--

"That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of

aionian life."

The perfecting of Abraham's faith, however, is seen in Gen. 22: There he not only

stood before God, having left his native land, his kindred, his father's house, but he had

also foregone his rights in the matter of Lot, and now he goes to the full limits and

voluntarily gives his best, his beloved son in whom all the promises of God were vested.

The Hebrews were exhorted to:--

"Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience INHERIT the

promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no

greater, He sword by Himself" (Heb. 6: 12, 13).

Abraham "patiently endured" and "obtained the promise". So, continues the epistle to

these tried Hebrews:--

"Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive

the promise" (Heb. 10: 36).

James 2: 22 declares that in the offering of Isaac Abraham's faith was "perfected",

brought to its true end, the key-word of Hebrews. Translated into terms of doctrine the

several steps in Abraham's faith are seen to be so many approximations of the cross of

Christ:--

1.

The step that follow the death of Terah stands for the crucifixion of the "old man"

(Rom. 6: 6).

2.

The separation from Lot, and the vision that followed, with the dwelling at

Hebron, the place of fellowship, stands for the crucifixion of the flesh (Gal. 5: 24).