"The Security of Faith" (Genesis 12-15)

Welcome to the Reformed University Fellowship at UNCW Podcast! Each week, we will post the messages from our RUF Large Group meetings at UNCW. This semester, we are looking at the big storyline of redemption that is laid out for us in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. In this week's message from Genesis 12 & 15, we see how God further defines His relationship to us as one based on a covenant of grace, rooted in his faithfulness. “We know little about Abram's life when he takes center stage in the biblical drama. The clearest indication is given at the end of the book of Joshua, when Joshua tells the people of Israel that Abraham's family "served other gods" (Josh 24: 2). Like Noah, then, it does not seem that Abram had any extraordinary gifts or virtues to distinguish him from anyone else living beyond the Euphrates at that time. God chose him because he is the one God chose. This makes what happens at the beginning of chapter 12 all the more remarkable. . . . Abram does not seek it, and God does not ask Abram's permission before making grand promises. Out of nowhere . . . God decisively intervenes in the story of Abram and in the story of the human race, and he does so by sheer grace.— Chris Watkin “In Deuteronomy 7, God says to the children of Israel, " I didn't love you because you were the greatest of the nations (you were actually a small nation).I didn't love you because you were the richest of nations (you were actually a pretty poor nation). I didn't love you because you were a powerful nation (you were actually pretty weak). I loved you because I set my love on you. And that's the reason I love you. . . . Do you realize what God is saying? He's saying, "let me tell you the reason I love you. I love you just because I love you. I don't love you because you're better, or because you've done this or you've done that, I just love you because I love you. See, that's grace." — Tim Keller