The faith of our father Abraham

'The faith of our father Abraham'

— Romans 4:12

1. The faith of Abraham leaves home at God’s command (Gen. 12:1-4). God called Abraham out of his idolatrous, unbelieving family. If he believed God, he had to forsake his family. He had to forsake their religion, their customs, their principles, their wealth and their company. God said, ‘Get thee out... So Abram departed.’ God’s call to Abraham was most gracious, but most demanding. It involved total surrender to the sovereign Lord.

2. The faith of Abraham denies self (Gen. 13:5-9,14-15). In giving Lot his way and his choice, Abraham found God’s will and walked in God’s way. True faith waits on God. Abraham did not seek after the goods of this world, but the glory of his God (Rom. 12:10; Phil. 2:2-7).

3. The faith of Abraham looks to the Lord alone for all things (Gen. 14:17-23). ‘The just shall live by faith.’ As Abraham refused to receive anything from the wicked king of Sodom, faith refuses to live by the principles of the world. God’s people live upon faith (Matt. 6:23-34; Mark 4:18-19; 1 Tim. 6:6-10).

4. The faith of Abraham denies and excludes works (Gen. 21:8-14). It was no easy thing for Abraham to throw Ishmael and Hagar out of his house. But God commanded it and it must be done. Ishmael represented the works of the flesh. Isaac represented the promise of God. Ishmael stood for the works of the law. Isaac stood for the grace of God. The two could not dwell together. Works and grace cannot be mixed. True faith says, ‘Good-bye’ to all fleshly works and clings to Christ alone.

5. The faith of Abraham lays the most precious possession on the altar and rests in the Lord (Gen. 22:1-14). God graciously taught Abraham the gospel of substitution, and thereby revealed the glory of his grace to him. And Abraham, in true faith towards God, submitted everything to the will of God. Because he believed God, he took his most precious possession, his son Isaac whom he dearly loved, and sacrificed him upon the altar to the Lord. When the trial was over, Abraham knew the Lord to be Jehovah-jireh, ‘the Lord who provides’.