Covenant or Faith?

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Covenant or Faith?

Many ideas and theologies have grown up around Abraham and his relationship with God. The ‘restating’ of the covenant three times in this parasha culminating in the command for circumcision is what sets the Hebrew people apart from all the other nations of the world. I am going to look at this story as it unfolds a little “differently” because it shows us what is best in our relationship with God and what is second best. God first appears to Abraham in Ch. 12 and tells him to go forth from his native land and he will make him into a great nation and bless him. So Abraham went. Simple promise, simple obedience. Once he got to the land, God appeared again and promised him the land for his offspring. Abraham built an altar in thanksgiving. So far they have a very simple and good relationship, a relationship based on friendship and trust. In Ch. 13, God again tells him of the great blessing he is going to give him and he listens and trusts. No covenant, just promise and friendship. Now we move to chapter 15.

God tells Abraham his reward is great. It’s been a while, so perhaps Abraham is starting to question how God is going to accomplish this and God promises that he will have a son to inherit. Still Abraham trusted God, or was shown trustworthy, and God was pleased. Then an interesting thing follows. Just after it says that Abraham believed God, he asks for proof. So in asking for proof that God is going to keep his word, he asks God to enter covenant. This covenant is in response to Abraham’s request and God acquiesces. Up until this time they had a relationship based on friendship. Chapter sixteen shows that Abraham did not believe even the covenant God sealed with him. Instead of trusting and waiting, he had a child by Hagar the Egyptian. This put a wrench in the whole works, even to this day. In chapter fifteen Abraham asked for proof that God was going to keep his word and he still didn’t believe him. Now God is going to demand proof from Abraham. He and all his progeny will shed their own blood to enforce the covenant. Circumcision is a reminder, a sign, of Abraham’s lack of faith and a warning to all his offspring not to show the same deficiency. What we have here is a contrast between a covenant of faith and a covenant of law. Abraham originally operated according to a covenant of faith.

God and Abraham trusted each other, a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ . This is when Torah comes from the inside of you. Torah imposed from the outside with the promise of positive or negative consequences is a covenant of law, a formal lease agreement enforced by the law and courts. This is second best and in reality we will not keep it because it comes from the outside. This is what the Jerusalem council was talking about when they spoke of the ‘yoke they nor their fathers could bear’ and Paul described in Romans seven. Torah and covenant, while related, are separate things. Abraham had his relationship with God because he kept Torah, it was a natural expression of who he was and his relationship with God. That is how God wants us to relate, as mature adults, friends. “Covenant” is Torah imposed from the outside with the carrot and stick approach. The hope is that the children under the covenant will eventually mature and become the adults who don’t need the carrot and stick any more. God wants his people to be mature, he doesn't want to have to threaten or bribe or cajole us. We need to all grow up and learn to do Torah not because the covenant threatens us but because we love God.