I. Core Tenets of Chinese Mingding Doctrine

Emphasizing the Practice of God's Word

1. A foundational tenet of Chinese Mingding Doctrine is "focusing on how to practice God's Word," with the aim of enabling individuals to receive more grace through obedience.
2. Integrating theology into daily life, rather than confining it to worship within the church, makes practicing God's Word the "main axis" of Chinese Mingding Doctrine.

Reshaping the Understanding of Faith and Salvation

1. The concept of "waiting to die and go to heaven" is not the fundamental purpose of believing; the emphasis is on "we believe in the God of the living."
2. Abraham's faith is the true foundation and pioneer of "justification by faith." The faith emphasized by Chinese Mingding Doctrine must return to the faith of Abraham.

II. Studying Genesis 12—Emulating Abraham's Path to Blessing

Basic Principles of Reading the Bible—No Criticism, Only Emulation

1. When studying Genesis 12, avoid criticizing Abraham, because God did not criticize him.
2. Criticizing those whom God favors may invite curses, as the scripture says, "I will curse those who curse you."
3. We should emulate Abraham. Emulating Abraham's faith is the faith that pleases God; learn from everything about him.

Specific Actions to Emulate Abraham

1. God's response is always based on man's proactive seeking. Emulate Abraham in actively seeking God.
2. When people live with great hope in the world, it is difficult to seek God. Abraham sought the meaning of life and his "Mingding."
3. God appeared to him and promised to make him a great nation, bless him, make his name great, make him a blessing to others, and promised, "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." This enabled Abraham to find the meaning of life.
4. Blessings and curses are two important things in life; living under a curse is a tragedy.

Emulating Abraham's Building of Altars and Offering Sacrifices

1. The Lord appeared to Abraham and promised to give the land to his descendants, so Abraham built an altar there to the Lord. The logic of building altars and offering sacrifices is: people live by God's blessing.
2. There are two ways for people to live: one is to live by their own hands, which is a curse; the other is to live by God, which is building altars and offering sacrifices.
3. Those who live by God will set aside time to worship and serve God, because God is everything to them.

Emulating Abraham's Thinking in Famine

1. When Abraham encountered famine in the land God promised, he did not consider it a bad thing, but instead thought, "Since God has promised me, it must be good." As a result, he prospered because of the famine.
2. When we encounter things, we should think like Abraham, believing that what God has promised must be good.

Emulating Abraham's Avoidance of Conflict

1. Abraham told Sarah in Egypt to call herself his sister to avoid being killed because of Sarah's beauty. This is wisdom, not a lack of faith.
2. Pharaoh took Sarah, and as a result, the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household, causing Pharaoh to return Sarah and bestow upon Abraham many sheep, cattle, camels, donkeys, and servants.

III. Conclusion

1. This chapter confirms the principle that "those who bless Abraham will be blessed, and those who curse Abraham will be cursed."
2. True faith is that God will protect, not relying on one's own tough attitude.
3. Never criticize Abraham, because God did not criticize him.

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