| Hebrews 6:15 15 And so, after Abraham had patiently endured [in waiting on God and obeying His voice], he obtained the promise.4 [Abraham, the father of the Christian faith, did not receive instant salvation; and neither does anyone without patient endurance on the inward cross of self-denial — endurance to the death of your sinful nature, carnal mind, passions, pleasures, lusts, pride, and satanic spirit that all uncrucified men have. “Lo! This is our God, we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” Isa 25:9] | |||||||||
4 after Abraham had patiently endured [in waiting on God and obeying His voice], he obtained the promise. Scriptures tell us that Abraham's faith is the model for obtaining the promise of God by faith, yet Abraham did not instantly receive the promise by believing in God. With persistence and patience Abraham enduringly walked in the steps of faith: he waited on God to listen for God's voice, he heard, he believed Him, he persisted in obeying God's voice, and then he received the promise. In your [Abraham's] offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice, Gen 22:18; and because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commands, My statutes, and My laws. Gen 26:5. Gentle reader: faith without obedience is lip service. Obedience is the evidence of faith; the result of persistent obedience is purity, holiness, cleanliness, and the fruit of the Spirit. The Lord Jesus said: Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you? Luke 6:46. Faith without works of loving obedience to the commands of the Lord, is make-believe Christianity. Faith that doesn't purify is the hypocrites' faith [talking about God and walking in sin]. Salvation claimed while still sinning, is the devil's covenant of death, a lie: Your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with hell will not stand. Isa 28:18. For God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 1 Thes 4:7. Without holiness, no one will see the Lord. Heb 12:14. By your steadfast endurance do you possess your soul. Luke 21:19. What steadfast endurance? Steadfast endurance on the cross, steadfast endurance in tribulation, steadfast endurance in obedience, steadfast endurance in seeking, steadfast endurance in self-denial.
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