Genesis 17:10 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.

Exodus 4:25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.

Zipporah, Moses’ wife, was a Midianite. Midian was a son of Abraham by his second wife after Sarah died. Circumcision was not a custom passed down to Midian from Abraham as far as I can tell from my readings.

Why did Abraham stop obeying God?

I occasionally have these conversations with my brothers and sisters in Christ about failing to keep covenant with God. The most common response is “Why would they do that?” It is not within their hearts to even understand how such a thing might happen.

There is however something within me that says that if I cannot understand how such a thing can happen, then I too might be in danger. Not that I would, could or desire to stop obeying, but that if there were a warning sign, perhaps I could avoid failure.

Because I do not see anything in scriptures, I am led to believe that the answer lies within the hearts of men. Is there anything in my heart that could lead me to this?

Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Why Abraham, why?

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Here are the biblical usages of the word adokimos.

Not standing the test, not approved; properly used of metals and coins

That which does not prove itself such as it ought; unfit for, unproved, spurious, reprobate

Another word for reprobate might be counterfeit. This idea comes from the issue of money. The issuing authority stamps the coin in such a way as to allow any who use the coin to trust that coin is backed 100% by its maker.

The testing of a coin is done by putting it into use. The testing of your faith is by putting it into use. It is only by putting your faith into use that you will be found faithful. Now comes the hard part, and this by no means says anything about the measure of your faith.

Not all coins are accepted by all vendors. It is no different than dropping a quarter into a vending machine and having the coin fall to the return tray. There is nothing wrong with the coin, it just wasn’t accepted by that machine.

Go to another machine.

Do not give up on your faith because of rejection. Rejection does not prove the value of your faith.

Luke 17:25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

Rejection did not stop Jesus nor should it stop you. If Christ be in you, He will prove Himself to you. Do not let the world define your faith. That gift of God is back 100% by its maker.