Abraham’s Obedience to God’s Commandments v Moses’ Law of Sin and Death
Minister Christopher Robert Holder
Testimony of God Ministries Inc.
November 19, 2025
1. Genesis 26:5
“Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”
- God Himself testifies that Abraham obeyed Him.
- Notice the plural terms: commandments, statutes, and laws — showing Abraham lived by God’s revealed will before Sinai.
- Abraham’s obedience was not rooted in written law but in faithful response to God’s voice.
2. Genesis 12:1–4 (Call of Abraham)
“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing… So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.”
- Abraham obeyed God’s command to leave his homeland without hesitation.
- His obedience was counted as faith in action.
3. Genesis 15:6
“And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”
- Here, obedience is tied to faith.
- Paul later emphasizes this verse in Romans 4:3 and Galatians 3:6, showing that righteousness comes by faith, not by works of the law.
4. Genesis 17:9–10 (Circumcision Covenant)
“And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.”
- Abraham obeyed this covenant sign immediately (Genesis 17:23).
- His obedience was again to a direct command of God.
5. Genesis 22:1–3, 12, 18 (The Test of Isaac)
“And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering… And Abraham rose up early in the morning…”
“…for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.”
“…And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”
- Abraham obeyed even the hardest test — to offer Isaac.
- God rewarded him with covenant blessing because of obedience to His voice.
Summary
- Genesis 12:1–4 → Obeyed God’s call to leave his homeland.
- Genesis 15:6 → Believed God’s promise, counted as righteousness.
- Genesis 17:9–10, 23 → Obeyed God’s covenant of circumcision.
- Genesis 22:1–3, 12, 18 → Obeyed in the test of Isaac.
- Genesis 26:5 → God’s testimony: Abraham kept His commandments, statutes, and laws.
Abraham’s obedience shows that God’s commandments existed before Moses, rooted not in written codes but in God’s spoken word to the heart of man.
Abraham’s Obedience vs. The Mosaic Law
Abraham’s Obedience (Before Sinai)
Genesis 12:1–4 – Abraham obeyed God’s call to leave his homeland and family, showing faith through action.
Genesis 15:6 – Abraham “believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Faith, not law, was the basis of righteousness.
Genesis 17:9–10, 23 – Abraham obeyed the covenant of circumcision immediately, showing submission to God’s instruction.
Genesis 22:1–3, 12, 18 – Abraham obeyed God’s command to offer Isaac, proving fear of God and trust in His promises.
Genesis 26:5 – God’s testimony: “Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”
Abraham’s obedience was based on faith, heart response, and direct communication from God’s Spirit.
Abraham’s Obedience (Before Sinai) Abraham received righteousness by faith (Romans 4:3).
Abraham obeyed before written law existed — proving God’s commandments are eternal and Spirit-to-heart.
The Mosaic Law (After Sinai)
Exodus 19–20 – Israel received the Ten Commandments at Sinai, written on stone tablets.
Romans 4:3 / Galatians 3:6 – Paul emphasizes Abraham’s faith as the model of righteousness, contrasting it with reliance on the Mosaic Law. ceremonial, sacrificial, and civil laws were later added for Israel’s national life.
Deuteronomy 28 – Israel’s blessing depended on law-keeping; curses followed disobedience, showing the law’s condemning power.
Romans 8:2 – Paul calls the Mosaic system “the law of sin and death,” because it exposed sin but could not give life. The Mosaic Law was given because of Israel’s hardened hearts (Matthew 19:8; Galatians 3:19), as a tutor until Christ came.
The Mosaic Law (After Sinai)
The Law revealed sin but could not justify (Romans 3:20).
The written Mosaic Law was temporary, pointing to Christ, fulfilled in the law of the Spirit of life (Romans 8:2).
Key Insights
- Abraham’s righteousness came by faith and obedience of the heart, not by codified law.
- The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) summarize God’s eternal moral law — the law of life.
- The 612 laws of Moses, added later, functioned as a law of sin and death — exposing sin, pointing to Christ, but powerless to give righteousness.
- Paul uses Abraham as the model believer because he obeyed God’s Spirit before the law was given, showing the timeless principle: “the just shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17).