In our series on Abraham’s faith, we examined scriptural texts to help us understand what Abraham believed and how those beliefs affected his life. We had a goal front the beginning to explore the what and the how of Abraham’s belief system. We considered, for example, that he believed in the resurrection of the dead, and acted upon that belief when he offered Isaac on Mt. Moriah. We reviewed that he believed in an eternal inheritance upon the earth; he manifested this belief in the offering of the land to Lot. We learned he served God as a prophet in Ur, and left according to the Lord’s will when he found no audience there. We also learned many ways in which the Lord God taught Abraham these truths concerning His being, His plan, and His activity on Abraham’s behalf.
Now we face the critical question of Bible study: “To what end do we learn?” To answer this question, we look to Scripture itself; and also consider the nature of biblical biography.
Wise unto salvation?
Often we hear, typically in prayers before or after a Bible class, brothers offering thanks to God for giving us His word which can make us “wise unto salvation.” This misquote of the sense of II Timothy 3:14-15 stems from the Christadelphian academic approach to religion. Paul did not write that the Scriptures could make us wise unto salvation. The complete quote reads, “The holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
This passage tells us the purpose of Bible study. Salvation comes through faith, not knowledge. Careful Bible study would give this teaching its correct emphasis!
Faith, not knowledge
Two other passages treat explicitly our knowledge of Abraham’s life. They address the issue: “What do we do with what we know about Abraham?”
The introduction to this series of articles started with one of them, a quote from Romans:
“The words ‘it was credited to him [Abraham]’ were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Rom. 4:23,24).
We find a similar teaching in Galatians: “So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith” (Gal. 3:9 NIV).
Both passages teach us that our faith will give us standing alongside Abraham. God will account our faith as righteousness. Paul emphasizes faith, not knowledge. We attempt to call our knowledge faith, but Paul won’t let us. Our identification with the Abrahamic promises depends not on our academic knowledge of Abraham, but on our faith. Clearly, the development of our faith must take the highest priority in our lives.
We hope that these articles have proved edifying. We know that they have presented many ideas. You may, as a reader, feel you have gained a deeper insight into the life of this great man. You may feel you know Abraham better. However, Jesus will not question us at the judgment concerning details of Abraham’s life. He will not ask to inspect our Bibles to see how many notes we crammed into the margins. We can know all about the life of Abraham but fail to emulate his faith. The critical point to remember concerns the use of knowledge. Knowledge is a means to an end; it is not in itself a laudable accomplishment. We desire faith as an outcome of our knowledge. If we apprehend the nature of biblical biography, we can make a big step toward properly utilizing the fruits of our Bible study.
Moreover, no brother can claim to be “knowledgeable” or to be “an authority” on the life of Abraham, since we contact Abraham merely through a text. The only “authority” on the life of Abraham is Abraham himself!
Abraham a person, not a character
Abraham lived 175 years of real human life. We have recorded for us a sampling of a long life of faith. The “academic” approach treats Abraham as a text character whose life story we learn, analyze, and comment on. The way of faith treats Abraham as a person whose life we attempt to emulate. We have the privilege of looking into a biography written by God of one who lived a real human life of suffering and joy, pain and elation, despair and triumph, humbling and exaltation, weakness and worship. If we desire to pattern our life after his, we need to see and feel and think about the person behind the text. We have a choice of perspective: is Abraham a person or text? This choice will frame our reading and study, and will determine whether we use his life story to build faith or merely build knowledge that “puffs up.”
To drive this point to a conclusion, consider the risen Abraham, after the resurrection which we know assuredly will bring him to eternal life (Matt. 8:11). What would we do upon meeting Abraham, should we be accounted worthy to sit with him at the table of our Lord in the Kingdom? Would we begin to even feel the slightest pride in our knowledge of his life? Would we not instead cower with shame at our feeble attempts at faith, and wonder how he could deign to sit at table with us? Wouldn’t we, who sometimes forward our knowledge to the point of argument, seem rather silly in maintaining assertions about him when he sits there, alive? What will he think of these articles? Do we dare use our knowledge as leverage for contention when we know the Lord will set us straight on these matters?
Considerations of this sort should help us use our study of Abraham’s life wisely. We desire to cling to the value of exploring his life, and yet retain the timidity to realize that we really know little about Abraham the person.
Obviously, all we have said about studying the life Abraham applies to anybody in scripture whom we study. We only read a record of select events of their lives and attempt to use the information we have to nourish our faith. With respect to Abraham, Scripture emphasizes the emulation of his faith. Let us always read and study to that end.
We conclude by asking of ourselves specific questions, comparing our learning to the development of our faith. We know Abraham forsook his comfortable lifestyle and settled existence for the sake of the Truth. Are we willing to do the same? We know Abraham trusted God even when it seemed certain God had forgotten him. Do we do the same? We know Abraham trusted God even when it appeared God didn’t answer his prayers. Do we do the same? We know Abraham willingly offered his whole future to God. Are we willing to do the same?
Jesus said, “If you were Abraham’s children, then you would do the things Abraham did” (John 8:39).
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