A message I prepared to give on September 8, 2024.
What do you think about the title? What do you have to say? For most people, saying Abraham is righteous is no problem. But here’s a catch Lot was righteous too. Read Genesis chapters 12, 13, and 19 to get the context of the story of Abraham and Lot.
2 Peter 2:1-8; (main verse: 7-8). The Bible calls Lot righteous. Romans 4:3. The Bible calls Abraham righteous. When God looks at a 90-year-old Christian who is saved, and a day old Christian, there is no difference. Or we look at two Christians who got saved at a similar time and one appears to us to be ‘doing well’ in faith while the other is ‘getting by’ — God sees two righteous people regardless.
I’m not the only one who thinks this way. Peter and Abraham said it themselves in 2 Peter 2:7-8 and Genesis 18:23-26. For Abraham’s sake: what was his advocacy for? The answer? That the righteous be saved. God, Abraham, Peter and I agree that Lot is a righteous man. If you have been with me for a while, you’ll often hear me say: “What I’m sharing will not necessarily put you higher, but there are two kinds of believers — Righteous Abraham and Righteous Lot.”
Both people are saved, so this is not a salvation message to say that Abraham will be saved and Lot will not be. No, no, no… In fact, you can choose not to be Righteous Abraham and you will still find grace, mercy, favour, be blessed and saved as a Righteous Lot. Those who want to be righteous Abraham can take notes, listen, and later meditate on what will be shared.
There are two types of believers: Righteous Abraham and Righteous Lot.
Now, what then is the difference? Knowledge. Abraham knew the person of God, Lot knew about God. This question for us is: Do you know the person of God, or you know about God? The difference in knowledge is captured in their revelation and actions.
Genesis 18:1-3. Abraham saw 3 men and addressed them as ‘My Lord (singular)’. Genesis 18:5. Genesis 18:33; Genesis 19:1-2. Lot saw them and said, ‘My Lords (plural)’. He had no revelation.
The Lord can only address you on the level of your revelation. When the story of Abraham was being told, the Bible said the Lord appeared. On Lot’s part, He said, ‘two angels came to him’. We see that knowledge affects the revelation and the revelation brings forth different experiences of God. Abraham is not greater than Lot in the sense of what we term as ‘greatness’. Neither is Lot greater than Abraham. They are all righteous before God. So also, I am not greater than you; neither are you greater than me; we are all righteous before God. What changes is our experience of Him.
The Lord can only address you on the level of your revelation. The knowledge of God affects our revelation of God and the consequence is a different experience of God.
Now, what will you do? We can remain as we are and receive all the blessings of God; we can know about God and believe in Him because we trust that He is God. Or 2 Peter 3:18 — Grow in grace, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ; where you don’t just believe, but you know whom you have believed; where your faith is not based on ‘I hope it happens’ or a wish that God will do something for you, but you understand that the quality of faith is based on knowledge. Faith is not a feeling, but is very logical. It is based on facts — you know why you believe what you believe; you understand the will of God, you walk in the Lord and are able to share that with others.
The quality of faith is based on knowledge — the knowledge of the person of God.
We see God intervene for Abraham’s sake. But we don’t see God intervene for Lot’s sake. (I am talking of the one taking the initiative). Here is another question to ask yourself: “Can your faith extend beyond what benefits you to go and benefit others?” Are you willing to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus? Righteous Abraham and Righteous Lot — whom will you become?
Can your faith extend beyond what benefits you to go and benefit others?
Why is this all important? There are 3 levels of the will of God. Romans 12:2:
- Good,
- acceptable,
- and perfect.
Let me give you an example to grasp this: In regards to our body, this is God’s will:
- Going to the doctor — acceptable.
- Receiving healing — good.
- Being in health — perfect.
Notice how all the levels of God’s will results in you being well, but the experience of it differs.
Here is another example: Marriage:
- To get married to have sex — acceptable.
- To get married for companionship — good.
- To get married to serve God together — perfect.
All these will result to good, but the experience of it is different. I can marry to serve God with a woman, in the midst of it, we will have sex, we will have companionship. The perfect will of God is all-encompassing. The perfect will of God is not necessarily above His good and acceptable will — all is God’s will, but the experience of it is different.
There are 3 levels of the will of God: acceptable, good and perfect. The perfect will of God is all-encompassing, not necessarily above His good and acceptable will — all is God’s will. The difference is the experience.
Let me give you another example you may be more familiar with as believers. When we got saved, our lives fulfill the Law, right? Our lives compared to a man who keeps the law is not any different.
- The Law says, “Do not commit adultery”.
- Grace says, “Love your wife”.
Both husbands above will not commit adultery; but one is doing it because of the Law (the scripture says the Law brings one under bondage). I can choose to not commit adultery because the Law says so, but that does not mean I will love my wife. It doesn’t mean I will show her grace in her shortcomings.
For the one who chose the love their wife — I love my wife and because I love my wife, I do not want to commit adultery. Both husbands fulfilled the Law, but the experiences are different. This example reminds me of 2 Corinthians 5:14. It says, “The Love of Christ constraints us”. As Jesus said, “I came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it” [Matthew 5:17]. He left us will a new commandment, “Love one another” [John 15:12]. Why? Because “Love is the fulfillment of the Law” [Romans 13:10].
Love is the fulfillment of the law.
Building on the example of marriage, I can pray hoping that God answers and another prays knowing that God answers because the Bible Says, “if we pray according to His will, He hears us” [1 John 5:14-15]. When God answers both, one will be in uncertainty and what ifs, while the other is sure and certain. What is the difference: knowing who God is. That is why this message is so significant.
How can we bring this word to life? Do I just believe I am Righteous Abraham and hope to change? No, no, no. Take the word of God and get to know Jesus. For those of us who do not know how to draw Jesus out of scriptures or even in our everyday life by ourselves, do not worry. You can take sermons that talk about Jesus, take notes, write down the references, then meditate on the word. Through meditation, the Holy Spirit will clarify things to you — follow His leading till it is no longer the revelation of this man of God or that man of God or even what just the Bible says; it becomes your revelation.
Through meditation, the Holy Spirit will clarify God’s word to you — follow His leading till it is no longer the revelation of this man of God or that man of God or even what just the Bible says; it becomes your revelation.
I love Paul. He said, “My Gospel” [Romans 16:25]. He owned it. Own the revelation of Jesus Christ. That cannot happen without knowledge. Get to know the scriptures, memorise them, apply them, meditate — it starts from there. Continue in it will you are able to look at anything and bring Jesus accurately out of it.
Now, you have received an amazing message and as the wonderful person as you are, you want to share it with someone else. At least, you now have this in writing so you can simply share the link. What I am trying to say is, Acts 1:1. The Bible says, “What Jesus did do and teach”. See the fruits in your life, then teach. The idea of the Holy Spirit regarding this: Teach from a place of certainty, not a wish.
Do, and then teach.
That is where I’ll end today. God bless you for your time and for listening.
