The Trial of Faith

THE TRIAL OF FAITH.

Genesis 22:1-14.

1 Peter 1:7 (King James Version)
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

I)The Sacrifice of Faith.

Genesis 22:2 (KJV)
2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

"His only loved son"

A)This simply meant his all.

B)All must be given up to God

Matthew 19:21 (KJV)
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 15:3 (KJV)
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

II)The Obedience of Faith.

Genesis 22:3 (KJV)
3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

"He rose up early"

By faith he obeyed (Heb. 11:7)

III)The Expectation of Faith.

Genesis 22:5 (KJV)
5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

"I and the lad will come again" (v. 5);

A)accounting that God was able to raise him up

B)Hebrews 11:19 (King James Version)
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

C)His promise could not fail

Genesis 21:12 (KJV)
12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

IV)The Work of Faith.

Genesis 22:6 (KJV)
6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

A)"He laid the burden (wood) on the offering" (v. 6).

B)serious work to faith. "He bore our sins in His own body on the tree"

C)1 Peter 2:24 (King James Version)
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

V)The Assurance of Faith.

Genesis 22:8 (KJV)
8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

"God will provide" (v. 8).

A)On the path of obedience many a question will arise (v. 7) which only faith can answer

Genesis 22:7 (KJV)
7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

Acts 27:25 (King James Version)
25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

VI)The Persistence of Faith.

"He bound Isaac, and took the knife"

Genesis 22:9 (KJV)
9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

A)The faith that fails in the hour of trial is no faith

Mark 4:40 (King James Version)
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

VII)The Victory of Faith.

"Now I know," says God, and the lad is saved;

A)yet an offering made (v. 12), faith abundantly rewarded

Genesis 22:12 (KJV)
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

Romans 9:33 (KJV)
33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Mark 9:25 (KJV)
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

1 John 5:4 (KJV)
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.