As we learn to walk in the new covenant of grace, it's difficult to forget about the old covenant of Law. As gentiles, we were never actually under the old covenant of Law because this was the covenant God made with Israel through Moses four hundred years after Abraham. The Law God gave through Moses was never part of the new covenant of grace. Abraham wasn't aware of those things written on stone tablets. How then, could Abraham walk with God in such a way as to be called the friend of God? Isaiah 41:8 (Amplified) says, "But you Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham My friend."
God Himself called Abraham the friend of God. There was an advantage between God and Abraham that only one other person shared and that person was Moses according to Exodus 33:11 (Amplified) which says, "And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friend."
Moses and Abraham walked under a covenant of grace before and with their friend God. All of the great deliverance that occurred during the Exodus was under grace. The miracles delivering God's people happened because of God's grace and mercy and favor under God's covenant with His friend Abraham. Exodus 2:24-25 (Amplified) says, "And God heard their sighing and groaning and (earnestly) remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and with Jacob." Verse 25 says, "God saw the Israelites and took knowledge of them and concerned Himself about them (knowing all, understanding all, and remembering all)."
God had a covenant of grace before the Law was even given, that overrode all the Law He would eventually give to the people. This covenant of grace is also the portion of the "Blessing of Abraham" we have inherited by faith in and through Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:14 (Amplified) says, "To the end that through (their receiving) Christ Jesus, the blessing (promised) to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might (all) receive (the realization of) the promise of the (Holy) Spirit."
The Holy Spirit has now come and has been poured out from on high according to Acts 2:1-4 (Amplified) which says, "And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all assembled together in one place when suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a mighty tempest blase, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting." Verses 3-4 go on, "And there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated and distributed and which settled on each one of them. And they were all filled (diffused throughout their souls) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other (different, foreign) languages (tongues) as the Spirit gave them clear and loud expressions (in each tongue in appropriate words)."
The coming of the Holy Spirit has been something that divides many of today's Church. Divisions arise over whether we believe in the speaking of tongues or the gifts of the Spirit. For those who believe and accept it, the coming of the Holy Spirit is the "Blessing promised to Abraham" and their return to grace and faith. It's no longer Laws that were written on stone to be kept by external deeds and sacrifices. It is the friend of Abraham, God Himself, Who can speak to us as friends. It is all the power of the Spirit to come and live within us. It is all the great prosperity of heave, the power of heaven, the authority of heaven and the ability to actually enter into heaven to the Holy of Holies and the throne room of grace.
Hebrews 4:14-16 (Amplified) tells us that, "In as much then as we have a great High Priest Who has (already) ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession (of faith in Him). For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weakness and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but one who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning." Verse 16 goes on, "Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners) that we may receive mercy (for our failures) and find grace to help in good time for every need (appropriate help and well timed help, coming just when we need it)."
This age and covenant of grace and faith is what our Father of Faith, Abraham, walked in. All of his blessing and prosperity and ability came through his relationship with the Spirit of God. It made him "the friend of God." Abraham's shortcomings and mistakes were covered by God's favor and mercy.
Jesus spoke to His disciples shortly before His death in John 15:15 (Amplified) saying, "I do not call you servants (slaves) any longer, for the servant does not know what his mast is doing (working out) but I have called you My friends because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father (I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him)." Remember when God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18:17 (Amplified) which says, "And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham (My friend and servant) what I am going to do."
God still reveals the hidden things of the Spirit ,by His Spirit, to His friends. As the friend of God, Abraham stood face to face bargaining for the lives of all the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. This covenant of grace will embolden us in our faith and enable us to do what God wants done. If God's people will forget the condemnation of the old man and walk in the grace of the new man, then grace will give legs and wings to your faith. God is not only our friend, but now He is our Father.
I know several sons and father who are not friends with one another,. We don't need the commandments to be written on stone any longer because we have the very Spirit of God abiding in our own spirit. We know what is right and we know what is wrong. We already have a Sacrificial Lamb Who died and has covered our mistakes. Romans 8:1-2 (Amplified) says, "There is now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live and walk not after the dictates of the Spirit." Verse 2 says, "For the Law of the Spirit of Life (which is) in Christ Jesus (the Law of our new being) has freed me from the Law of sin and death."
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