The late skilled golfer Tommy Armour noticed, “It isn’t solely the capability to make nice photographs that make champions, however the important high quality of creating only a few dangerous photographs.” In different phrases, good golfers make constant photographs. What’s true within the sport is true for all of life: consistency is the important thing to doing something nicely, whereas inconsistency brings with it nice peril.
Outdated Testomony tales usually level out each ideas to use and perils to keep away from.
In Genesis 20, we learn of a time when Abraham confronted the peril of inconsistency. The chapter chronicles the failure of a religious man—a person set aside by God. Seemingly out of concern and a want for self-preservation, Abraham advised Abimelech king of Gerar that his spouse Sarah was his sister. Importantly, he wasn’t at this level a novice within the religion, having walked the pathway of godliness for a while. That is the person who made it into the portrait gallery of God’s kingdom, remembered as one of many greats within the religion (Heb. 11:8–12). He’s held up as an Outdated Testomony perfect for true religion and faithfulness (Gal. 3:6). And but, he wasn’t with out his failures.
Outdated Testomony tales usually level out each ideas to use and perils to keep away from . Whereas we will be taught an incredible deal from Abraham’s triumphs elsewhere in Genesis, we will additionally glean knowledge from his detrimental instance in Genesis 20:1–18.
The Surroundings of Abraham’s Inconsistency
Because the opening verse of Genesis 20 signifies, Abraham was used to shifting from place to put: “Abraham journeyed towards the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar.” On this historic Judean metropolis—a brand new place with new alternatives—Abraham’s religion was examined. On this new chapter of life, would Abraham stroll the trail of religion or of concern?
Adjustments in circumstances usually current us with an analogous take a look at. Most of us lead pretty routine lives. By and huge, our frameworks change little. There isn’t a lot to batter us on the one hand or raise us to the mountaintop on the opposite—till a brand new set of circumstances arrive. Maybe it’s a prognosis, information of a job loss, or the complexities of parenting a wayward baby. These items place us in a brand new surroundings and current new challenges. Like Abraham, we’re pressed to decide on how we’ll reply.
Like many people, Abraham moved always between the paths of religion and concern.
Abraham failed on account of trying to previous schemes in new circumstances. “That is the kindness you have to do to me,” Abraham advised his spouse, “at each place to which we come, say of me, ‘He’s my brother’” (Gen. 20:13). He had employed the identical tactic in Genesis 12:13 to no avail. Regardless of the patriarch’s want to go ahead with God, he moved always between the paths of religion and concern. Inconsistency bedeviled him. It’s a reminder to us that the very best of males are males at greatest.
Abraham’s new surroundings, collectively together with his disturbing circumstances, revealed what was in his coronary heart in that occasion. It’s comparatively simple to belief God when all is nicely. However occasions of uncertainty reveal the contents of our hearts.
The Impact of Abraham’s Inconsistency
Inconsistency is rarely remoted. It at all times impacts others. The apostle Paul captured this reality nicely when he reminded the church in Rome, “None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself” (Rom. 14:7). No matter we do, for good or for ailing, will assist or hinder somebody on the pathway of religion.
Like a pebble tossed in a pond, Abraham’s inconsistency had ripples additional than he realized. His failure affected first his spouse. He was ready to jeopardize his spouse’s chastity to protect his personal pores and skin (Gen. 20:2). It’s usually the case that when a husband’s affections for Christ cool off, it is going to have an effect on his spouse. Whether or not the husband is taking severely his position to like and guard his household can simply be seen in whether or not his spouse is flourishing beneath his care. Abraham’s failure serves to warn us towards dismissing our inconsistencies as trivial or minor. They’re no such factor!
His inconsistency additionally impacted Abimelech. Though the pagan king was protected from adultery due to God’s intervention (v. 6), his household suffered. Verse 18 tells us that God had closed the wombs of Abimelech’s home due to Abraham’s deceit. Standing in judgment over Abraham, Abimelech calls out to him, “What have you ever accomplished to us? … You might have accomplished to me issues that ought to not be accomplished” (v. 9). Though Abimelech didn’t share in Abraham’s godly convictions, he nonetheless knew what must mark Abraham’s exercise.
We can’t love Christ with any authenticity and maintain it hidden.
It’s a tragedy when the non-Christian world seemingly can outline our ethics higher than we will. In reality, many professing believers have grown snug with sure inconsistencies, completely happy to stay in an ungodly manner. Modern believers should keep away from a type of “chameleon” Christianity, altering our convictions based mostly on our environments. In reality, the Bible is aware of nothing of a secret disciple. Both our secrecy will destroy our discipleship, or our discipleship will destroy our secrecy. There’s no center floor. We can’t love Christ with any authenticity and maintain it hidden.
The Clarification for Abraham’s Inconsistency
After Abimelech confronted him, Abraham responded together with his rationalization (Gen. 20:11–13). Moderately than seek the advice of steerage from a mess of counselors, during which there was knowledge (Prov. 11:14), Abraham as an alternative consulted with himself (v. 12). Every time we set ourselves up as an authority, dialoguing solely internally, we’re at a drawback.
Perceiving that there was “no concern of God” in Abimelech’s kingdom, he decided to deceive the king and put Sarah in peril (vv. 12–13). Abraham was responsible of flawed ideas. Defective considering results in defective doing. He was responsible on the identical time of an error in judgment. It’s a tragic irony that Abraham ought to say, “There isn’t any concern of God in any respect on this place,” in that to some extent, Abimelech on the time confirmed a higher concern of God than did Abraham!
His rationalization little question lacked substance. On the coronary heart of Abraham’s failure of nerve was a scarcity of religion. It didn’t happen to him that God would possibly had intervened on his behalf if he would have accomplished the correct factor. As an alternative, taking issues into his personal palms, Abraham fell to inconsistency.
Abraham’s Inconsistency and Our Personal
If we’re humble sufficient to see it, we will relate to Abraham’s failure. How usually have we stated, “I’m by no means going to do this once more,” after which went on to do the very factor we foreswore? Or in what senses have we settled with our sins, residing as if God grades on a curve and doesn’t have the ability to ship us from our inconsistencies?
God requires constant, full obedience to His instructions (1 Peter 1:16). That’s the usual. And the one manner an individual—whether or not Abraham within the Outdated Testomony or the up to date Christian—can meet that divine commonplace is by religion in and conformity to God’s Son, Jesus Christ. He was by no means inconsistent. No fault or failure was in Him. After we place our religion in Him, we’re counted as righteous. And thanks be to God that as we’re conformed to His picture, we’ll develop to share in His consistency too!
This text was tailored from the sermon “The Peril of Inconsistency” by Alistair Begg.
