Walking in the Steps of Faithful Abraham
APPLICATION ARTICLE
Shane Carrington | Sulphur Springs, Texas
The richness and depth of Romans 4 takes us through the sweeping ages from Abraham’s faith to our own. As we encounter the patriarch we learn more about the portrait faith God intends our lives to reflect. Consider some practical teaching God wants us to produce in daily life.
Reflecting on Abraham’s Faith
When we reflect upon this patriarch, there are two things about his faith and three promises that stand out. These things serve as a backdrop to his honored place in Romans 4. As to his faith, he left his home for God. Period. No looking back. Lot, his nephew, made a poor choice of homes and lost much as a result. Lot looked to his own convenience and earthly prosperity in choosing a home. Abraham left a familiar place, moved hundreds of miles away from comfortable surroundings and family because he trusted God. Lot’s choice, like many modern Americans, was driven by worldly comfort and potential earthly success. Abraham’s choice, our model for faithfulness, was driven by trust in God’s unseen promises. May we emulate Abraham.
Also concerning his faith, Abraham was also willing to sacrifice his promised son to God. Can you imagine? Many today struggle to say “no” to their children concerning anything they desire. Abraham trusted God’s instructions, taking Isaac to the altar, considering “that God is able to raise people even from the dead” (Hebrews 11:19). The blissful eternity is by putting Him above them. May we emulate Abraham.
As to the three promises God made to Abraham (promise of a great nation, a land, and the Seed [Jesus], Genesis 12:1-3), these promises are connected to his faith and our’s. He received these promises because of his faith (Romans 4:13-22). We receive the blessing of salvation, which these promises helped accomplish, through faith in Jesus (Romans 4:23-25).
God chose Abraham due to his faith. We receive God’s blessing in Jesus through faith as well, for Abraham is “the father of circumcision to those who not only are the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised” (Romans 4:12). May we emulate Abraham.
God’s Glorious Grace
“For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace” (Romans 4:16a).
God manifested His glorious grace to, and through, father Abraham, blessing the patriarch, his family, and us. God promised Abraham his descendants would become a great nation (Romans 4:18) and inherit Canaan land. He anticipated the fulfillment of the promises; ancient Israel rejoiced in them. Those promises would lead to the promise of Christ and humanity’s hope in Him. Therefore, Abraham is the “heir of the world” (Romans 4:13) and “the father of us all” (Romans 4:16), whether Jew or Gentile. Our opportunity to be included in God’s ancient promise of Messiah is a gracious blessing God worked centuries to bring to fruition.
The promise of Jesus’ coming finds expression in a particular phrase concerning Abraham: “that he might be the father of all who believe…” (Romans 4:11). Abraham’s true family consists not just of some physically circumcised people (that is, physical Israelites), but “all who believe without being circumcised”: all people with true faith in Christ, whether Israelite or Gentile. Abraham is “the father of us all” (Romans 4:16) – “a father of many nations” (Romans 4:17). What a gracious blessing to be among that number!
God provided His glorious grace through Abraham’s Seed, Jesus. Abraham’s faith was “credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:22). Yet, through Jesus we are given access to the following:
"Now not for his [Abraham's, sc] sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification," (Romans 4:23-25).
Since Abraham’s faith was “credited to him as righteousness,” our’s will be as well. Why? Because Jesus fulfilled the promise God made Abraham (“In your Seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,” Genesis 22:18) – both, dying to deal with our transgressions and arising to make possible our justification – He allows us access to this life-changing and eternity-altering faith.
God’s glorious grace has appeared providing salvation from sin, transformation into the image of Christ, and ultimate hope. What a blessed gift God supplied in His Son. What a blessing to participate in God’s magnificent grace! Abraham cleaved to God’s glorious grace. May we emulate Abraham.
Walking, Growing, Glorifying
Abraham “walked with God” (Romans 4:12), “did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith” (Romans 4:20), “giving glory to God” (Romans 4:20).
His walking, growing and glorifying models faith’s true nature. Abraham’s lifestyle of loyalty – faith/faithfulness – affected his attitude, strengthened him as God’s servant, and led him to great hope. Mere mental assent has no such results. God spoke to him, he listened, left, learned, and increased in faith. Abraham glorified God through loyalty to Him.
Of what did Abraham’s walk consist? Taking one step at a time. We want to cross all our bridges before arriving at them; we foster frustration and despair at potential obstacles while still at great distance. Abraham trusted God and walked, not knowing where God was leading. He walked because he trusted the One who led him. Thus, Abraham progressed, glorifying God along the way.
Many of us struggle, attempting to walk by sight rather than faith. Abraham glorified God, walking by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). He was “fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform” (Romans 4:21). Our assurance and ability to glorify God does not come through understanding exactly how God will work through every detail of our lives. Like Abraham, our assurance and ability to glorify Him comes through confidence in Him, heeding His instructions, and submission to His holy will. He will lead us through ups and downs, but He will lead us where He wants us, eventually leading us home. Abraham trusted this, walked, grew, and glorified God. May we emulate Abraham.
Conclusion
God called Abraham to leave his home and gave him promises. A few hundred years later, God fulfilled the great nation and land promises to his posterity, Israel. Two thousand years after God made the Seed promise Jesus finally arrived. God did not reveal His timetable to Abraham; God does not reveal His timetable to us.
May we emulate Abraham. Trust in God, put one foot in front of the other, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus, glorifying God through godly living, and anticipate with joy the hope of going home. Abraham “was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10), “fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform” (Romans 4:21). So are we. Find assurance in Him and be strengthened, knowing God’s work in father Abraham.
* All passages quoted from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted.
17.10.03 | GROW magazine
