神在十五章一节向亚伯拉罕显现的时候，说，“不要惧怕。”神对亚伯拉罕这样说，指明亚伯拉罕惧怕他的敌人。神似乎告诉他：“亚伯拉罕，你不用惧怕，我是你的盾牌。放心罢！我也是你极大的赏赐。”亚伯拉罕那时仍在起初的阶段，他担心两件事：他的敌人会回来攻打他，以及他还没有自己的孩子。
在十五章二节亚伯拉罕说，“主耶和华阿，我既无子，你还赐我甚么呢？并且要承受我家业的，是大马色人以利以谢。”亚伯拉罕接下去对主说的话，就不太有礼貌了。他似乎说，“主阿，我没有孩子，因为你从来没有给我孩子。现在你来告诉我，你必大大的赏赐我。我若没有孩子，你赏赐我有甚么用？”
神对亚伯拉罕说，“这人必不成为你的后嗣，你本身所生的，才成为你的后嗣。”。神似乎对亚伯拉罕说，“我不要罗得，我也不要这个大马色人。你的家仆不是后裔，必须从你本身所生的才是。”然后神对他说，“你向天观看，数算众星，能数得过来么？又对他说，你的后裔将要如此。”。就在这时，亚伯拉罕相信神。六节说，“亚伯兰信耶和华，耶和华就以此为他的义。”亚伯拉罕的信，被神算为他的义，在那时，亚伯拉罕就被称义。这就是本于信得称义。
亚伯拉罕得着后裔，绝对不是外面的事，完全是里面的事。亚伯拉罕想使这事成为外面的事，因为以利以谢是在他的身外，不是出于他。我们需要看见这里的不同。今天，很少基督徒顾到里面的经历，多数基督徒顾到外面的经历。今天在基督徒中间所教导的，多半到创世记十四章末了为止。
亚伯拉罕在十四章相信神是至高的神，天地的主，并没有本于信得称义。神不把那样的信算为他的义。怎样的信才算为亚伯拉罕的义？就是相信神能将一些东西作到他里面，使他生出后裔的信。相信神要供应我们每天的需要和食物固然很好，但这不是在神眼中宝贵的信。怎样的信是神看为宝贵的？是相信祂能将自己作到我们里面，使我们生出基督的信。今天多数基督徒只注重一种信，就是相信神能为他们作外面的事，这样的信相信神能给他们健康、医治、好职业或升迁。这样的信虽然很好，但在神眼中，不是十分可爱宝贵的信。你有何种的信？
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Seed and Land (2) — Gen. 15:2
When God appeared to Abraham in 15:1, He said, “Do not fear.” God saying this to Abraham indicates that Abraham was afraid of his enemies. God seemed to be telling him: “Abraham, do not be afraid; I am your shield. Be at ease! I am also your exceedingly great reward.” Abraham was still in the initial stage at that time, and he was worried about two things: his enemies returning to attack him, and the fact that he did not yet have his own child.
In 15:2, Abraham said, “O Lord God, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” The words Abraham spoke next to the Lord were not very polite. He seemed to say, “Lord, I have no child because You have never given me one. Now You come and tell me that You will reward me greatly. If I have no child, what use is Your reward to me?”
God said to Abraham, “This man will not be your heir, but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” God seemed to say to Abraham, “I do not want Lot, nor do I want this man of Damascus. Your house-servant is not the seed; it must be one who comes out of your own body.” Then God said to him, “Look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Just then, Abraham believed God. Verse 6 says, “And he believed in the Lord; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness.” Abraham’s faith was reckoned by God as his righteousness; at that moment, Abraham was justified. This is justification by faith.
Abraham’s obtaining a seed was absolutely not an outward matter but entirely an inward matter. Abraham wanted to make this an outward matter because Eliezer was outside of him, not out of him. We need to see the difference here. Today, few Christians care for inward experiences; most care for outward experiences. Much of what is taught among Christians today only goes as far as the end of Genesis 14.
In chapter 14, Abraham believed God as the Most High God, Possessor of heaven and earth, but he was not justified by faith then. God did not account that kind of faith as his righteousness. What kind of faith is accounted as Abraham’s righteousness? It is the faith that believes God can work something into him to bring forth a seed. Believing that God will supply our daily needs and food is good, but it is not the precious faith in God’s eyes. What kind of faith does God consider precious? It is believing that He can work Himself into us so that we may bring forth Christ. Today, most Christians only focus on one kind of faith — believing God can do outward things for them, such as giving them health, healing, a good job or a promotion. While such faith is good, in God’s eyes, it is not particularly lovely or precious. What kind of faith do you have?