God always keeps His promises, no matter how impossible they might seem. That’s what we learned yesterday, when the three strangers showed up to assure Abraham that God would indeed give him and Sarah a child, just as He had said He would do. Today’s passage repeats that promise in verse 18 – even though he and Sarah were well past childbearing age, Abraham would indeed have many descendants, as many as there are stars in the heavens or sand on the seashore (Genesis 13:16; 15:5).
And today’s passage also alludes to the reason that Abraham could have so many descendants – that somehow through Him all the nations of the earth would be blessed (verse 18), in some way thus becoming his spiritual children. Paul explains how this promise was eventually fulfilled in the coming of Christ – all who trust in Him, sharing the faith of Abraham, actually become sons of Abraham and thus share in the blessings God gave him (Galatians 3:7, 9). Yes, the good news is that God, by His free and sovereign grace alone, has chosen to save all who cling to Christ alone by faith alone.
But why has God revealed Himself in this way? Why has He made such gracious and merciful promises to Abraham and all who share his faith? Verse 19 tells us – it’s not so that we can go on living in the sort of sin that the people of Sodom were practicing. No, God has drawn a people to Himself from all tribes and tongues and nations so that we might keep the way of the Lord, living according to His perfect law of love, doing only what is righteous in God’s sight and seeking justice for everyone (v. 19).
In short, God has graciously saved all who trust in Christ just as we are, but not so that we could stay just as we are. Once we have accepted God’s gracious pardon, we must repent, turning away from our sin and self and living only for God’s glory and for the good of others. For, as we will see in the next chapter, God will one day bring judgment on all those who continue to reject God and His ways. Will we be found faithful on that day?
Genesis 18:16-22 (NAS)
16 Then the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off.
17 And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
18 since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed?
19 “For I have chosen him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice; in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”
20 And the LORD said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.
21 “I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”
22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the LORD.
