Abraham's Faith

Dr. Couch, what did Abraham put his faith in as mentioned in Genesis 15:6?

ANSWER: You mentioned several commentaries and Bible teachers who said they were not sure what Abraham's faith was pointing to. I think they are dead wrong, because the passage to me is clear.

Verse 5 makes the point: God told him he would have a great number of children. "And [God] said to him, 'So shall your descendants be.'" Abraham would be so blessed, then verse 6 adds: "Then he believed in the Lord and He reckoned (accounted, imputed) it to him (his faith) as righteousness." The belief is in what God had said to him about having a great number of children though he was impotent and Sarah was barren. The object for Abraham was God's promises. Now our object is in the Messiah, that He would come and that He died for us!

I don't see the problem the other Bible teachers are having. You should have read Unger who says:

"The condition was solely on the ground of faith in the divine promise of a son, an heir, ..." "Abram's faith rested in the naked word of God. He was 'fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform."

I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
--Dr. Mal Couch (4/12)

Jews Losing Their Salvation on the Day of Atonement

Dr. Couch, I have heard some say if the Jews do not pray for twenty-four hours on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26-32) they may lose their salvation. What do you say? ANSWER:  That is an extreme view and one that is out of order even in the OT. The way of salvation for the Jews is given in Genesis 15:6: "The [Abraham] believed in the Lord and He reckoned it to him as righteousness." The Bible is written from a common sense viewpoint. By believing all that the Lord had said to Abraham constituted salvation for him. That belief was "accounted, reckoned, applied" to him for righteousness. In other words, God saw him as Positionally righteousness. This is what happens to us with God seeing us as righteous as Himself, and as righteous as His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. "Common sense" is part of good hermeneutics and interpretation. The Bible is not wild and woolly in its approach to reality!    In Leviticus 23:27 this Day is called "the Day of atonement," or (Capher), the Day of Covering. The sins of the Jews were covered for another year. Christ does not atone for us. And where the KJV uses the word "atonement" it is wrong, and that is why I don't use that "old" version. Christ's death was a one-for-all act whereby God is finished with our sins. We read in Hebrews 9:12: "He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained ETERNAL REDEMPTION." And, Christ "is a mediator of a new covenant, ... by which we receive the promise of the ETERNAL INHERITANCE" (v. 15).    Back to the issue of the Jews and the OT: In Leviticus 23 the Jews were to humble themselves and do no work or they would be cut off from their people. This is not an issue of loss of salvation but they could die physically, for God "will destroy them from among [their] people" (v. 30).    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (Mar., 10)