The Sabbath-School

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 14, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 19.

The Sabbath-School.

LESSON FOR THE PACIFIC COAST—JUNE 6.

Inheritance of the Saints.

(Continued.)

CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM.

1. When the Lord made certain promises to Abraham, who was invariably included? His seed; see references in previous lessons.

2. Through which of his sons was this seed to be reckoned? See Gen. 21:12.

3. Did this insure that all of his descendants through Isaac would be heirs of the promised inheritance?

“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance; and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father; for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” Matt. 3:7-9.

4. What have we already learned was the condition on which the promise was based? See Gen. 26:5.

5. To what righteousness (or obedience) does the promise have reference?

“For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” Rom. 4:13.

6. Was Abraham’s righteousness of this character?

“Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Gal. 3:6.

7. Then who only are the children of Abraham, in the sense in which the term is used in the promise?

“Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” Gal. 3:7.

8. If only those who have faith are the children of Abraham, how could it be said that “in Isaac shall thy seed be called”? Ans. Isaac was the child of faith (Gen. 15:4-6). He himself possessed the same faith that his father Abraham had (Heb. 11:13), and therefore only those who have that faith are counted as his seed.

9. How is true faith invariably manifested? “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:17, 26.

10. How did Jesus prove to some of the Jews that they were not the children of Abraham?

“They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God; this did not Abraham.” John 8:39, 40.

11. What were the works of Abraham? “Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” Gen. 26:5.

12. Did the Jews, as a nation, keep these commandments?

“But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God; this did not Abraham.” John 8:40.

“But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother; and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.” Matt. 15:3-6.

13. Whose children did they thus become?

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do; he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it.” John 8:44.

14. Then if one is not a child of Abraham, whose child will he be?