Must One Be Sinless To Be Called “The Friend of God?” Was Abraham So?
Posted: Friday, August 19, 2011
by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html
There are a number of scriptures which indicate that Abraham found favor in God’s eyes, and there are actually two which state that he was a “friend of God”. In the Old Testament, we find this verse:
Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? (2 Chronicles 20:7 NKJV)
And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. (James 2:23 NKJV)
It is, and assuredly would be, a high and desirable state to be considered a “friend of God.” And any one who can humble himself to the point of striving diligently to obey the teachings of Jesus Christ, can become one. No one is expected to never sin. Sin is a term, which in the original meant, “to miss the mark” as an arrow which misses. The instructions of God are to be followed and when we fail in some way to do so, we have missed the mark. God realizes when one’s heart is intent upon correct living and he knows when we inadvertently err, that we were trying to “hit the mark”.
Abraham had faith in God and this was understood as James says , it was accounted to him for righteousness. Yet, we know of several acts committed by him that did show some weaknesses in his faith.
On his journey to the land that God would show him, there were two instances where Abraham failed to trust God to watch after him and his wife Sarah. As they traveled, they came to Egypt and Abraham feared that the Egyptians would kill him for his wife Sarah, who was beautiful. He instructed her to tell Pharaoh she was his sister (She actually was his half-sister). The scheme was carried out and almost caused trouble, but God intervened. (Genesis chapter 12)
In Genesis chapter 15, God promised Abraham a son through which his descendents would be innumerable as the stars. But Sarah had been barren and had not give Abraham any children. She instructed Abraham to take her handmaid and raise up an heir to fulfill God’s promise. He did so and had a son by the handmaid, and they named him Ishmael. Here again he showed his lack of trust in God. (Genesis Chapters 15 & 16)
Later in chapter 20, Abraham had located in Gerar and , once more feared for his life because of King Abimelech possibly wanting Sarah and he told Abimelech the same story he had told Pharaoh. Also, this almost became disastrous, but God once more intervened.
The point behind this is to show that God respects an honest heart and is on our side when we strive to do our best…even though sometimes, we fail. We are weak creatures and we do occasionally miss the mark.
The beauty of an omniscient God is that there is no need to fear if we are striving to do our best. But the fearful thing is, that he also knows if we attempt to pull the wool over his eyes. The suffix omni, leaves nothing out. He has infinite knowledge…that means he knows everything there is to be known.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. (Romans 4:8 NKJV)
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