Children of Abraham

Last week, my theology professor assigned us to read a sermon called, "The Activity of Faith: Or, Abraham's Imitators," written by Thomas Hooker in 1633.  So, I downloaded the PDF, printed out ten page sermon, and started reading it. The language was archaic, and his argument, though well-reasoned and nuanced, seemed unending.

I got bored and never read past the first page.

In class yesterday, my professor walked us through the sermon, and I was left in awe.

In Puritan communities, church attendance was required, and the most commonly read books were the Bible and Pilgrim's Progress. Truly faithful believers in Jesus Christ were unsure of their salvation, and those who did not believe were assured by their outward practice of righteousness.

In this sermon, Thomas Hooker essentially says, "Some of you people show up at church and think you're right with God, but you're not."  He presents Abraham as a non-negotiable model of what saving faith is, and he outlines six footsteps of Abraham's faith.  He informs the congregation that if they do not meet any of these footsteps, they are not truly saved.  Wow.

I listed them below, pasted from the original sermon.

1. "The first step which Abraham took in the ways of grace and happiness, you shall observe (Gen. 12:1) to be a yielding to the call of God."

2. "The next step that Abraham, and so every faithful soul, sets forward is this: that whenever faith cometh powerfully into the heart, the soul is not content barely to yield to the command of God, but it breatheth after his mercy, longeth for his grace, prizeth Christ and salvation above all things in the world, is satisfied and contented with nothing but the Lord Christ; and although it partake of many things below, and enjoy abundance of outward comforts, yet it is not quieted till it rest and pitch itself upon the Lord, and find and feel that evidence and assurance of his love, which he hath promised unto, and will bestow on those who love him."

3. "The third step of Abraham's faith was this: he casteth himself and flingeth his soul (as I may say) upon the all-sufficient power and mercy of God for the attainment of what he desireth; he rolleth and tumbleth himself, as it were, upon the all-sufficiency of God."

4. "I say, he must not only depend on God, but he must wait upon the holy one of Israel."

5. "This is the next step that Abraham went; and this you shall find when God put him upon the trial (Gen. 22). ...Methinks I see the saints there reaching after Christ with the arms of faith, and how when anything lay in their way, they were content to lose all, to part with all, to have Christ."

6. "The last step of all is this: when the soul is thus resolved not to dodge with God, but to part with anything for him, then in the last place there followeth a readiness of heart to address a man's self to the performance of whatsoever duty God requireth at his hands."

Summary: "Now gather up a little what I have delivered.  He that is resolved to stoop to the call of God; to prize the promises, and breathe after them; to rest upon the Lord, and to wait his time for bestowing mercy upon him; to break through all impediments and difficulties, and to count nothing too dear for God; to be content to perform ready and cheerful obedience; he that walketh thus, and treadeth in these steps, peace be upon him.  Heaven is hard by; he is as sure of salvation as the angels are.  It is as certain as the Lord liveth, that he shall be saved with faithful Abraham, for he walketh in the steps of Abraham, and therefore he is sure to be where he is."

Are you challenged?  I certainly am.  Thomas Hooker encouraged his hearers to examine themselves and exercise discernment.  He encouraged the faithful to remain steadfast, and he comforted the saints with the hope of reward in heaven.  My professor said, "Walking in the way of Abraham is very, very, very, very hard, but God is watching, and he is crying with you, and he is joyfully conspiring ways to reward you.  He is with you, and he is saying, 'Finish.  Finish.  Finish.  Finish.  Finish.'"

I will leave you with Hebrews 12:1-2, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Finish well, friends.