Abraham's Sacrifice of Issac and Ethics.

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oldhermit

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2012
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#1
This topic is a widely debated favorite among atheist and Christians alike. Where is the ethic in Abraham's willingness to kill his own son?
 
Dec 18, 2013
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#2
This topic is a widely debated favorite among atheist and Christians alike. Where is the ethic in Abraham's willingness to kill his own son?
I was actually reading over this part last night before I went to sleep.

I suppose the answer is right there in the chapter.

Genesis 22:15-18

[SUP]15 [/SUP]And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,

[SUP]16 [/SUP]And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
[SUP]17 [/SUP]That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
[SUP]18 [/SUP]And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
 
M

MadParrotWoman

Guest
#3
This topic is a widely debated favorite among atheist and Christians alike. Where is the ethic in Abraham's willingness to kill his own son?
We are called to love Him more than our own family. Issac was Abraham's most loved son, his prized possession but he was willing to sacrifice him to the Lord. Abraham passed the test. I have heard other Christians struggle with this - loving God more than their own family and I admit I did at first but now I don't. God comes first, He must come first because as Jesus He gave up his life for us while we were (and are) still sinners. There is no greater love which deserves the same in return.
 
Dec 18, 2013
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#4
Also, the first thing this remind me of is how God also did not withhold his only son, Jesus, and thus is he a blessing.
 
Dec 1, 2014
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#5
Abraham is called "THE FATHER OF FAITH", for a reason. He had been promised a son in his old age that would produce generations of people as the sand on the shore. That was a God given promise that was fulfilled. Now, Abraham is told to sacrifice that son...WOW! Even in human understanding, I'm sure that Abraham had to think that GOD was either testing him or that something would occur along the way because GOD doest not back out on His promises. Abraham was, in the past, ordered to uproot from his hometown and country, and he did. Abraham had come back to GOD several times, trying to spare Lot and his family from being destroyed in Sodom and Gomorrah, which GOD honored. IT is all too easy for us to speculate and ponder the ethic when we were never in Abraham's shoes...but rest assured, Abraham had inside info that you and I are not privy to.
 

oldhermit

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2012
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#6
So how does one answer someone who challenges the ethical validity of this action?
 
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MadParrotWoman

Guest
#7
Also, the first thing this remind me of is how God also did not withhold his only son, Jesus, and thus is he a blessing.
Yes the Abraham/Issac story is the OT prequel to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
 
Apr 9, 2015
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#8
We are called to love Him more than our own family. Issac was Abraham's most loved son, his prized possession but he was willing to sacrifice him to the Lord. Abraham passed the test. I have heard other Christians struggle with this - loving God more than their own family and I admit I did at first but now I don't. God comes first, He must come first because as Jesus He gave up his life for us while we were (and are) still sinners. There is no greater love which deserves the same in return.

Wise Discernment! indeed!
 
M

MadParrotWoman

Guest
#9
So how does one answer someone who challenges the ethical validity of this action?
Abraham had to prove he was worthy of what God had in store for him. God was about to make him the father of Israel - God's people, he had to prove his love for God would not waver when put to the test.
 

oldhermit

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2012
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#10
Abraham had to prove he was worthy of what God had in store for him. God was about to make him the father of Israel - God's people, he had to prove his love for God would not waver when put to the test.
Very true, but how does this address the question of ethics?
 
M

MadParrotWoman

Guest
#13
Hmmm well God blessed Abraham with a son he and his wife were really too old to bear, Abraham was willing to sacrifice Issac to He who blessed him with a son in the first place - a return to The Father if you will. Wasn't the sacrifice of Jesus unethical also? He was an innocent man.
 

oldhermit

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2012
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#14
Good question. There are two fundamental questions that are generally raised to challenge the ethic related to this action.
1. Does God have the right to ask such a thing of Abraham?

2. Was Abraham's first obligation to his son or to God? Did Abraham have the right or a moral obligation to refuse such a request?
 
Dec 26, 2014
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#15
in the bible, and amongst the bible believers in truth,

there's no debate. no ethic , per se, to consider. obedience or disobedience. faith, or no faith.

yahweh calls abraham righteous, and abraham trusted yahweh even to raise his son from the dead.

abraham obeyed unhesitatingly, as the followers of yahshua do when their faith is perfected in him.



the crucifixion of yahshua was completely layed out and planned in total harmony and joy by yahweh and yahshua before anything had even been created through yahshua.

whether it was ethical or not is of no consideration, humanly speaking. yahweh is perfect. talk with him about it .
 
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MadParrotWoman

Guest
#16
Good question. There are two fundamental questions that are generally raised to challenge the ethic related to this action.
1. Does God have the right to ask such a thing of Abraham?

2. Was Abraham's first obligation to his son or to God? Did Abraham have the right or a moral obligation to refuse such a request?
1. Yes God gives life and takes it away. He had a right to know Abraham's heart because ultimately he was to become father to a nation. God had to know he would put Him before all else including his beloved son. there had to be no doubt. Don't forget that Abraham loved and trusted God so much that he trusted God would never ask what was not necessary and in the end God did come through and provided the sacrifice.
2. Yes Abraham had the right to refuse, who knows where God would have gone with that which opens up a whole new "ballgame", a different set of circumstances. With the same outcome in the end or not. this is a whole new debate. Regardless of all this Abraham's first obligation was to God as with all of us as I previously posted.
 
K

kaylagrl

Guest
#17
Good question. There are two fundamental questions that are generally raised to challenge the ethic related to this action.
1. Does God have the right to ask such a thing of Abraham?

2. Was Abraham's first obligation to his son or to God? Did Abraham have the right or a moral obligation to refuse such a request?

I have always taken it as the foreshadowing of Christ. Issac was never in danger. The lamb was provided,Christ of course. Its no more unethical then the abortions of babies in this country. Abe's first obligation was to God who loved Issac more than is humanly possible.Im sure Abe trusted God with his own life and his childs life.
 

oldhermit

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2012
9,144
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#18
Let's deal with just the first question of now.
Does God have the right to ask such a thing of Abraham? The skeptic would say God does not have the right to ask such a thing, so what is this type of question designed to do?
1. To establish permissible parameters for divine action. Did God cross the line here? Did God go too far?
2. It is an attempt to render God accountable to humanly derived standards of
ethics. What this presumes is that man is wiser that God and God must bow to our standard of morality.
3. It attempts to limit the sovereignty of God. How much control will we allow God to assume over our lives? If God is permitted to require this of anyone, what then will he not be able to require of me?

 

oldhermit

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2012
9,144
613
113
70
Alabama
#19
I have always taken it as the foreshadowing of Christ. Issac was never in danger.
Yes, but Abraham did not know that.

The lamb was provided, Christ of course. Its no more unethical then the abortions of babies in this country. Abe's first obligation was to God who loved Issac more than is humanly possible. I'm sure Abe trusted God with his own life and his child's life.
Very true.
 
Dec 26, 2014
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#20
I have always taken it as the foreshadowing of Christ. Issac was never in danger. The lamb was provided,Christ of course. Its no more unethical then the abortions of babies in this country. Abe's first obligation was to God who loved Issac more than is humanly possible.Im sure Abe trusted God with his own life and his childs life.
yes, it is written that abraham believed yahweh would raise issac from the dead to fulfill yahweh's promise.

abraham is the father of faith and lived a life of faith and is called righteous by yahweh HIMSELF.

however, as for danger, (or ethics, which really is not even supposed to be thought about, being sin)


many of yahweh's children in yahshua are in danger every day. (of their life/breath/ on earth).

many believer's as well as unbelievers are slaughtered every day as we post safely from wherever we

have internet access..... as we are posting, they are being tortured and dying at the hands and under the authority
of
the rcc and as it is written in GOD'S WORD......

many this year have seen their family tortured in front of their own eyes, and then their eyes gouged out, for their faith in JESUS. yes, even as we post right not today 04/25/2015.....