In Genesis 22, God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only some, Isaac. However, Abraham was calm during this very trying request. It was an impossible task, to give up his most precious and only son, yet Abraham knew who God is and had faith. (Heb 11:6). His example of obedience gives us insight into true faith.
What faith isn’t?
Faith is not something you have ‘enough’ of. Faith does not have levels before becoming active. Faith is simply faith, not greater or lesser faith.
Faith is also not only praying and relying on faith alone, but also relying on the means God provided. In the same vein, assuming God will take care of everything is also not true faith. Faith is also not ignorance, but an observable trust in God’s will be done. Based on the numerous example and countless promises in God’s word, there is the most solid evidence for faith. There faith is not just a wishful belief, but a choice of God’s word. In contrast, faith is not merely knowledge, but knowledge must be turned into faith, lest that knowledge indict you.
Faith is something you have or you don’t (Mk 4:40;9:23-24;Lk 8:24-25;17:5-6). The question is not about the size of your faith, but where your faith is genuine.
What is genuine faith?
Genuine faith is determined by what we have faith in. For example, Muslim’s faith is in a false god who is not Trinitarian. In the Muslim faith, God is one but alone and Jesus is not fully God and fully man, who died on the cross and rose again. Therefore, while many people might have sincerity in their beliefs, their faith is not genuine.
Genuine faith isn’t concerned with faith itself but only looks to Jesus Christ as the object of faith (Heb 12:2) “The power of faith lies in its object; faith is only as valid as its object. The crucial thing is not faith, but the object of faith. You can believe with all your heart and soul and mind until you turn blue.—But if your faith is aimed at the wrong object, you are wasting your time. – Ron Dun”
Abraham went through his trial by faith in God who was the object of his faith (v19).
He trusted God’s promises
• Isaac was the promised son Gen 12:2-4, Gen 25:2-6
• God never betrays Num 23:19, Jer 25:11
• God is powerful Heb 11:11, 1 Sam 14:6
• God is Father 1 John 3:1, Rom 8:32
God will fulfill his promises to the end. We can trust Him, just as Abraham places his faith in God’s promise towards him. For us, while we may not have a direct verbal promise, all our promises of God can be summed up into Jesus Christ (2 Cor 1:20). In Jesus Christ, the object of our faith, we see the fulfillment of all of God’s promises in His word. There we must determine to partake in the suffering of Christ here on earth, so that we might obtain the promises of God and experience the power of resurrection (Phil 3:10-11)
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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