Title: Faith that Overcomes Contradictions (Genesis 22:1~12)
Contents
① In living the life of faith, there are times when we find inconsistencies in what God is doing, and we have doubts and troubles. ② Contradiction is a phenomenon that does not fit the front and the back and does not make sense. ③ Our believers' knowledge of God is not, but the phenomena that actually appear in my life are often opposite to the knowledge I know. ④ What the hell happened? The contradictions of the world can be digested by being ceremonial. ⑤ In this lesson, we want to receive grace by reflecting on how Abraham, the father of faith, overcame contradictions and pleased God and received grace through the text.
First, the contradiction of what God is doing.
① Is there any contradiction in God? God is full of contradictions. ② I don't know if I'm contradicting myself, but I first find a contradiction in God. ③ Do you offer Abraham your only son Isaac as a sacrifice? Where is this contradiction? ④ Isaac is the son given to God as the promised child. He is the son of Kyungsoo who was born at the age of 100 through miraculous works from the skinny body of Sarah. ⑤ Also, how do you say that people should be slaughtered like beasts and offered as sacrifices? Contradiction Even if there is a contradiction, there is no such contradiction. ⑥ Also, God said that Ishmael was not your offspring, but Isaac was your descendant...⑦ There are many instances of these contradictory incidents as Abraham encountered them in the course of our faith life. ⑧ In this way, God often gives us many contradictory realities that we do not understand.
Second, belief in the face of contradictory reality
① But it is strange. Since the life of faith is a life made by the promises with God, there should be no contradictions. When contradictions come, they must be destroyed, but contradictions come, and when contradictions come, the saints have overcome them.
② The great forefathers of faith did not doubt God, did not depart from them, believed to the end, and obeyed God's Word, even when phenomena that contradict their knowledge and experiences appear. No one has ever disobeyed. ③ Look at Abraham. Without arguing, protesting, or worrying, he obeyed God's command and offered Isaac as a sacrifice. God was satisfied with this and acknowledged Abraham's faith. Our faith should be like this. Whether I understand it or not, I follow God's will.
Third, contradiction is the work of God's grace.
① Why do we believers have to overcome contradictions with faith? Because it is the work of God's grace and providence. ② God works together the reality of all contradictions for good (Romans 8:28). Even if an event that you do not understand comes and seems contradictory, if you keep your faith, obey, and overcome it, He will turn your woes into blessings, prevent future woes, prevent great woes into small woes, and turn small blessings into great blessings. . ③ God is good. God is always trying to give good things to bad parents, but wouldn't a good God give better things to them? ④ He also makes us a person of eternal hope. When you give us the reality of contradiction, He induces us to give eternal hope for the afterlife through that contradiction. It is the inducement of the good God to cut off the things of the world and give us eternal rewards in the world to come. Therefore, let us not be discouraged or discouraged, but stand strong and overcome with faith so that we may become a blessing.
Fourth, let's receive the grace we have prepared for you in the reality of contradiction.
① The reality of contradiction encountered by people of faith is the field of God's work of grace, so we must respond to the end with faith to complete the work of grace. ② If you complain, doubt, and become discouraged, you will not receive the grace given through the history of contradiction.