ABRAHAM WAS A CHRISTIAN AND UNDER THE NEW COVENANT AND THE FATHER OF FAITH

 

Abraham looked forward to the messiah but we look backwards at the messiah but its still the same faith common to both

This is absolutely correct. The core principle of faith in God and His promises unites Abraham and believers today.

 

Here's a breakdown:

• Abraham's Faith: Abraham lived before the Messiah's arrival. He looked forward to God's promise of a future descendant who would bless all nations. His faith was in God's ability to fulfill this promise, even when circumstances seemed impossible.
• Our Faith: Christians look back to Jesus Christ, believing He is the promised Messiah, the descendant of Abraham who fulfilled the prophecies. Faith is in Jesus' death and resurrection as the means of salvation and the fulfillment of God's promises. Modern believers have never seen Jesus in the flesh and neither did Abraham, it is by faith alone that Abraham and todays believers are united.   
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• The Shared Element: Both Abraham's faith and the faith of believers today are rooted in trusting God and His promises. Abraham believed God's promise would be fulfilled, and believers accept that it has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ without either having been present during the life of Jesus.. The source of salvation, God's grace, and the means of receiving it, faith, remain the same. 

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The promise can be seen as a journey. Abraham was at the beginning, trusting that God would lead him to the destination. That destination is the kingdom of GOD. Believers are further along, looking back at the path traveled and trusting that God has fulfilled His promises, particularly through Jesus Christ. Jesus confirmed the promises made to all the previous men and women who were of the faith of Abraham.  The covenant GOD gave to Abraham was the new covenant because all the promises are the same. 

While the specific object of the faith, Jesus, is spread across time (anticipation versus fulfillment), the underlying principle of trusting in God and His promises is the same. Abraham is called the "father of faith" in the New Testament, representing the foundation of faith for all believers. It is fitting that Abraham, the father of the faithful church, was himself of the church.  The gospel was preached to Abraham, the message GOD sent HIS son to preach, Abraham believed the gospel, believed GOD and believed Christ.  Before Abraham was I am, said Jesus, and this is what Jesus meant by this statement;  the blood of Christ is not just from Pentecost forward but backward as well.  Spiritually Jesus was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world.   Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.  Jesus was only actually seen in the early first century AD.  Would this mean that only those who actually saw Jesus are Christians ?  

 

• Abraham will be resurrected in the first resurrection, also known as the resurrection of the just or the resurrection of life. This resurrection is specifically for those who have faith and are considered righteous, and it will occur at the return of Christ, 

  Here's a more detailed explanation:

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    First Resurrection:

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  This resurrection is reserved for those who have faith in God and follow His two great commandments. It is associated with everlasting life and being with God in glory.  Those who do not believe and are not righteous will be resurrected in the second resurrection, also known as the resurrection of damnation. This resurrection is associated with judgment and separation from God. 

   

  Abraham's Faith: .
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Abraham is considered a man of great faith in the Bible, and his willingness to sacrifice Isaac is a testament to his belief in God's power, even to raise the dead. 
 
Jesus' Teaching:
• Jesus himself stated, "He [YAHWEH] is the God, not of the dead, but of the living," when referring to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.   This implies that they will be resurrected in the future first resurrection. 
 
Firstfruits of Resurrection:
• Jesus' own resurrection is considered the firstfruits, meaning it is the first instance of the resurrection that will be followed by the resurrection of believers

 Only the church, the saints, Christians, are in the first resurrection and Abraham will be in that resurrection.  People who have faith in GOD, Christ and the message of the gospel will be in the first resurrection. 

 

Could Abraham be called a Christian ?

 

Some argue that the label "Christian" can be seen as just a label, suggesting that the core message and beliefs are what truly define a person's faith

. This perspective emphasizes that adhering to the label doesn't automatically mean one's beliefs or actions align with biblical teachings. 

Here's why some people hold this view:

• Behavior as a Representation: Simply labeling oneself as Christian doesn't guarantee that one's behavior reflects Christian values. Some individuals may take on the label without truly understanding or embodying the principles of Christianity. This can lead to hypocrisy and misrepresentation of the faith.
• Focus on Discipleship: For some, focusing on the message of Christ and living according to his teachings is more important than the label itself. They believe that demonstrating faith through actions and character is a more authentic way to honor their belief system.  It is not the hearers but the doers. James 1:22
  
• Filtering and Discernment: With many claiming the label of "Christian," it's crucial to discern what is truly biblical and what is not. Just as "food" isn't guaranteed to be healthy, the label "Christian" doesn't guarantee adherence to core Christian doctrines.
• Beyond Labels: Some people find labels limiting and prefer to emphasize their personal journey of faith and relationship with Christ rather than simply a label. They believe that true faith is about inner transformation and living out the teachings of the Bible, not just adopting a name. 

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In summary, while the label "Christian" signifies a person's affiliation with Christianity, some believe that the true essence lies in the message, teachings, and personal embodiment of the faith rather than the label itself.  This idea applies to Abraham and all true Christians.  Throw out the labels and and focus on the faith.  Since this describes both the church and Abraham, Abraham fits the definition of what a true Christian is.

Abraham demonstrated his faith by his works just as James explained in his letter.  James 2:17  The works James is speaking of are GODS works in and through the Christian by HIS agape that fulfills the intent of the law without the carnal works of the law. 

Abraham was not under the law and neither are Christians.  We and Abraham, before our conversion, were both Gentiles.

Abraham will be in the first resurrection and so will Christians.  All our names are in the book of life.

Abraham was justified. Christians are justified.  James 2:21,23,23

Abraham inherits the world and so will Christians. 

Abraham understood about and sought the city whose builder and maker is GOD, the new Jerusalem, and so do Christians.  Hebrews 11:8,9,10

Abraham was a stranger and pilgrim on earth, Hebrews 11:13   Christians are not of this earth, are ambassadors and citizens of heaven. Philippians 3:20  John 17:16  2 Corinthians 5:20

With all these indicators present it is a shame that Abraham wasn’t a Christian ?  

What ever happened to the duck test. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it’s a duck.  If a man walks like a Christian, talks like a Christian, lives like a Christian and has the same hope and promise of a Christian then he is a Christian.

The things I have listed here that show the bond of Abraham to Christians is undeniable and is scriptural fact.  Two groups of people living at different times yet believing the exact same things cannot have the same label, Christian ?

   Abraham was a YAHWEH worshipper and so are Christians.  Yahweh worshippers and Christians are synonymous; different labels but exactly the same beliefs.   If I call the messiah Jesus instead of Yeshua  does that mean I am not a Christian ?  If I call the most high YAHWEH instead of GOD am I a Christian ?  I am just like Abraham, a YAHWEH worshipper and I am also a Christian.  Abraham was just like me, a Christian who was also a YAHWEH worshipper.  Should we be offended by the word Christian applied to Abraham ?  

Then if you can see that Abraham was indeed a Christian then it follows the Abraham was under the new covenant because the very principles of our faith and beliefs are the same as those of Abraham. 

 The Abrahamic covenant is the new covenant.  The message of the gospel, the new covenant, was preached to Abraham.  Galatians 3:8  Do Christians have a different gospel than Abraham had ?  If Abraham understood the gospel then he understood the new covenant.  The law, Paul tells us, was added because of transgressions, to define good and evil for the carnal mind because the law is not for a righteous man but for the unGODLY .  To be under the law you have to be carnal and unGODLY.  David was not carnal or unGODLY.  David had the Holy Spirit ,  Psalm 51:11 , so did all the ancient saints.  The Apostles and Jesus preached the gospel using the scriptures of the old covenant because the new covenant scriptures did not yet exist.  The light of GOD and Christ shines on the shadows of this old covenant to bring out the truth, the substance, of what was only ritual and symbolism.  Abraham and all the ancient saints before Jesus understood the truth of GOD just like Christians do.  David said, “sacrifice and offerings thou do not want else would I giveth thee” . David understood repentance was, “a broken spirit, a broken contrite heart, a circumcised heart”.  David understood the things that we who call ourselves Christians should understand.  Gentiles are branches grafted into the church, the olive tree,  the Israel of GOD, to replace the unbelieving Israelites, but the root of of the olive tree or church are the ancient saints and this root supports us not we it.  To say the ancient saints are not Christians is to boast against the root.  Romans 12:18  king David said,  Psalm 52:1-9 amazing things that has the potential with the spirit to teach the truths I have been giving here. So does Psalm 149:1-9  David consider himself a saint , part of the GODLY people, rules along with Christians as a king and priest in the kingdom of GOD.  David was not carnal or unGODLY and even though he administered the law to carnal Israel was not under the law himself anymore than Christians are.  David, like Abraham and all Christians, was a YAHWEH worshipper, a believer in messiah.  Romans 7:22   What Paul said here is what David also said in the psalms.  I can say the same thing because I was before my conversion under the curse of the law thinking that doing its works pleased GOD and secured my salvation.  When I was converted I realized the only way to fulfill the law was by agape working in me and not me working in the law.  Agape only comes by the Holy Spirit, humans do not have it naturally.  Romans 5:5 

Without the holy spirit no one can understand spiritual things,  1 Corinthians 2:13,14  Abraham, Moses, King David and many more ancient saints understood spiritual things.  They all meet the criteria of what a Christian is.

 
A Christian is defined by their faith in and following of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and Lord, and their adherence to the teachings and principles of Christianity as outlined in the Bible. This includes believing in one God,  the salvation offered through Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection. 
Belief in Jesus Christ:
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A central tenet of Christianity is the belief that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament and in the faith of Abraham, and Jesus as the savior of the world. 
 
 
Faith in God:
Christians believe in one God, who is the creator of the universe and the ultimate source of everything. 


 
 
Salvation:
Christians believe that salvation is achieved through faith in Jesus Christ, belief in the gospel and his sacrifice on the cross. 
Following Jesus' Teachings:
Christians strive to live according to Jesus' teachings, which emphasize love, compassion, forgiveness, and justice. 
The Holy Bible:
The Bible is considered in its original writing the inspired word of God and a guide for Christian living. 
 
Salvation, grace, faith and agape are all spiritual things that are in YAHWEH.  YAHWEH is eternal and so are these things as well as others.  It does not matter what time it was or what name is used, what matters is when YAHWEH opens a persons eyes to see and ears to hear.  If it was 6,000 years ago or today salvation, grace, faith, GODS love, Jesus Christ and the gospel, imputed righteousness and the kingdom of GOD are like GOD , eternal.
Concentrating on labels or times is meaningless as they are carnal things but the true spiritual substance is the Holy Spirit of GOD who has made all things possible.   


Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?  To their own master servants stand or fall.  And they will stand for YAHWEH is able to make them stand.  Romans 14:4  


Christ is the messiah of both the dead and the living.  Romans 15:9
Jesus Christ said that Abraham will be in the kingdom of GOD at his return,  Luke 13:28 , notice it also says all the prophets, and all the scriptures that define the people in that day who will be in that kingdom are Christians , who were under the new covenant, because it is impossible for anyone to be in the kingdom of GOD who was not in the new covenant and a Christian.