Berlin Immanuel Church gathered on Sunday, December 3, continuing series on the history of salvation with a sermon on the covenant Abraham. The opening passage was in Genesis 12:1-3, speaking of the calling of Abram and God’s promise to him. When we look at this event in the perspective of the history of redemption, we see God’s answer to the problem of sin is not condemnation and judgement but blessing. God blesses a man who lived as an enemy of God for many years, an idol worshiper who bowed down to false gods for too long in his life. God blessing a sinner shows us that even though the original design of creation was ruined because of Adam’s sin, God’s inherent love and goodness drives him to restore his favor upon humankind and not only a single person of Abraham, but through him the whole world.

The ultimate blessing of God is the Gospel, the news that God justifies a sinner by grace through faith, apart from works. When we are restored to our Father as his children and trust in him absolutely and depend on him for all good in our lives, the purpose of our existence is restored, and the abundance and fulness through God’s provision enters not only in this material world, but more importantly goes beyond into the eternal life. When God blessed Abraham, there were no ‘ifs’ and not ‘buts’, his promise is unconditional and will never be withdrawn, the righteous shall live by faith! However, true faith and absolute trust in God must result in our obedience to him as it does in Abraham’s life in Genesis 22:16-18, and as the Lord taught in John 3:36, ‘He who does not obey the Son shall not see life.’ Apostle Paul explains in Galatians 3:7-9, 26-29 that all those who put their trust in Christ Jesus as the children of Abraham and the heirs of the promises, to them the Word says: your sins are forgiven, God is for you and your name will be great so that the world can see God’s glory and be filled with His knowledge.