The Faith Of Abraham is a goal to which we should all aspire. “And he believed in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). This short statement figures prominently in scriptural exposition, particularly in regard to faith versus works of law.
A New Testament fundamental
With great skill Paul reasons this point in his letter to the Romans. There he explains that justification comes about through faith without the deeds of the law (Rom. 3:28). He proceeds to show that this has always been the case by referring to the revered ancestor of the Jews: “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:3).
The lesson reaches down the centuries to us: “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5). The words belief and faith come from the same Greek root. In effect, when Paul quoted Genesis 15:6, he was saying that Abraham had faith, “and God counted it to him for righteousness.” The writer to the Hebrews tells us that: “Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6). Faith, in the Biblical sense, is a conviction that God not only exists but that He can and will save us; it is a belief that He will keep His promise of salvation.
Struggling with faith
A consideration ofAbraham’s faith naturally leads us to compare our own. How do we fare? The reality is that most of us struggle with faith, finding that it ebbs and flows according to life’s stresses. The scriptures show that all men of faith had difficulties at one time or another, failing to live up to God’s standards. We know that Abraham’s faith was not perfect. He succumbed to Sarah’s scheme of fathering a child by Hagar; in Egypt and again in Gerar his faith failed him, so that he lied about Sarah, saying she was his sister instead of his wife. Sarah herself had serious doubts. Yet their doubts and struggles did not cause God to reject them. What a source of comfort this is to us when our faith wavers.
Faith, not works
It is interesting to compare the way two great apostles used the justification of Abraham: Paul used it to show Abraham was counted righteous by his faith. James used the same passage to show that Abraham was justified by works:
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (Jam. 2:21- 24).
Faith and works are inseparable. Paul was referring to the works required by the ritual of the law that could never bring salvation. James was speaking of the outworking of faith in action. Abraham demonstrated his faith by his willingness to sacrifice his only son in obedience to the Lord. He truly believed that God was able to raise him from the dead:
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure (Heb. 11 :17-19).
Faith through prayer
In the Gospel of Mark there is another incident of a child being rescued from impending death through his father’s faith. The disciples had failed to heal the epileptic child and the father, in desperation, sought help from the Lord Jesus:
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief (Mk. 9:23-24).
Here are the same Greek root words that we mentioned earlier in the case of Abraham: pisteuo — to have faith, apistia — lack of faith or unbelief. Thus the verse could also be translated: “Lord I have faith, help thou my lack of faith.” The conversation with Jesus prompted the father of the epileptic child to examine his faith and he realized that it was suspect. He desperately wanted the help that Jesus was offering him, but he now had insight into the fact he was struggling with his faith. So he appealed for faith, and his prayer was answered.
God strengthens faith. We understand this from the ensuing discourse Jesus had with his disciples: “And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting” (Mk. 9:29). God would give them faith, but the prerequisite was diligent, heartfelt prayer.
Justification by faith
An example of this kind of prayer was uttered by the contrite publican: “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Jesus said of that publican: “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified” (Lk. 18:13-14). The word “justify” is used in numerous New Testament chapters that center on Abraham: “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God…” (Rom. 4:2). “And the scripture,
eseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith…” (Gal. 3.8). “Was not Abraham our fatty
by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” (Jam. 2:21) We are not expected to offer up our only son. We need only to believe that God offered up His Son for our salvation, and ask for His mercy and help in the matter of faith.
Having received the promise of the land, Abraham seemed to require proof: “And he said ‘Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?'” (Gen. 15:8). God graciously entered into a covenant relationship with this faithful man and sealed the promise by passing through slain animals: “And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces” (Gen. 15:17).
The reassurance that we will receive the promises is found in the well-known passage: “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3:29). The superiority of the lamb which the Lord provided is clearly indicated in Hebrews:
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Heb. 9:13-14). The sacrifice represented on the communion table is a far better proof of the reliability of God’s promise to us, of which the animals slain by Abraham were but a type.
The Lord’s struggle
The supreme example of faith is found in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus asked that the trial be removed. Why would he pray for deliverance from crucifixion unless he actually thought there might be a chance of God finding another way? Perhaps he was thinking back to Abraham and his offering of Isaac. In that instance God was satisfied when Abraham had proved that he was willing to sacrifice Isaac. Would not Jesus also hope that God might spare him at the last moment?
He was in dreadful emotional agony:
Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Lk. 22:42-44).
Jesus recognized that he was the anti typical lamb caught in the thicket of sin and his whole being recoiled at the consequences. The earnest prayer and pleading brought the heavenly messenger to provide succor and strength to the struggling Savior.
The agonizing trial was at an end and the son of man, strong in faith, went forth to face the weakness of Pilate and the Jewish demands for his blood. Within a few hours, the Roman centurion recognized the awful truth: “Verily this was the Son of God!”
In faith, Abraham looked forward to the day of Jesus. In faith, we look back on his death and resurrection of which the emblems bear witness. Let us partake of them with gratitude in the knowledge that, although at times we struggle with a lack of faith, the Lord will strengthen us through prayer.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One