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If You Were Abraham’s Children (Kent Heaton)
The Jews of Jesus day were very proud of their ancestry with Abraham. They defended their actions before Jesus by declaring, “We are Abraham's seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?” (John 8:33). Because of their rejection of Jesus as the Christ they could not (and would not) accept his teaching nor his authority. “I know that ye are Abraham's seed: yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath not free course in you. I speak the things which I have seen with my Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from your father. They answered and said unto him, our father is Abraham. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham” (John 8:37-40). Why did the Jews reject Jesus and have him killed on the cross? While they filled themselves with pride as being the children of Abraham in the flesh they were not the children of Abraham in the spirit of God. The great patriarch of old was an example of complete trust in the word of God. “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God … By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back” (Hebrews 11:8-10; 17-19). The works of Abraham condemned the Jews. Abraham did not argue with the Lord nor deny the power of the Lord. He accepted in faith the teachings and the power of God. Jesus was from the Father (John 8:19) and if the Jews had the same faith as Abraham they would believe. The works of Abraham manifested a complete trust in the Father. The works of Abraham saved him with his faith (James 2:21-24). Jesus showed his power in the miracles (John 10:38) and they still rejected him as Christ. The teachings of Christ were truth and they sought to kill him (John 8:40). If they were truly the children of Abraham they would do the works of Abraham. Disciples of Christ today are the spiritual children of Abraham. “For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus. And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:26-29). The spiritual blessings of God are in the seed of Abraham which is in Christ Jesus. To be faithful children of Abraham we must “do the works of Abraham” (John 8:39). The miracles of Jesus testify that he is the Son of God (John 20:30-31). Salvation can only come from believing that Jesus is the Christ. “Except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24).
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