There are so many things the faithful can learn from the father of faith. Abraham, a man who once did not believe God, became the father of all who believe simply because he believed God. What can we learn from him?
A faith that started many things
Abraham's faith is remarkable. He believed God at a time when there was no one to preach the Gospel to him, when there was no one to look up to in matters of the faith, when there was nobody else who believed. He simply believed God, and that's very extraordinary, especially to many of us who just can't believe unless we see proof.
His faith started so many things, and I pray that when we look at him, his faith will also encourage the beginnings of many great things in us. Here are a few important things we can learn from Abraham's faith.
1) By faith, Abraham became the father of many nations
"who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."" (Romans 4:18)
God told Abraham that He would make him the father of many nations. Although he did not have any child yet and his wife Sarah was barren (see Genesis 11:30), Abraham believed God. He took Him at His word, though he had no proof presented in front of him except the stars in the sky:
"And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir." Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."" (Genesis 15:)
2) By faith, Abraham was credited with righteousness
"And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness." (Genesis 15:6)
The Bible tells us that God "made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Through Christ we are made righteous.
If we want to be righteous in Christ, however, we need to believe in Him. Abraham, who was born long before Christ had His earthly ministry, was made righteous also be faith in God. In fact, Abraham's faith allowed him to be the father of Israel, from whom the Saviour of the world would be born.
This simply means that we need to have faith as well. We need to believe God. Abraham believed God's words. We need to believe God's word, too.
3) By faith, Abraham received God's promises to Him
When God called Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3, it meant Abraham (then named Abram) would be leaving everything comfortable to him. Did Abraham refuse God for fear of the unknown? No. Genesis 12:4 tells us,
"So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him ... Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran."
Hebrews 11:8 also tells us,
"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going."
Furthermore, Hebrews 11:13 tells us that Abraham, like other faithful men,
"...died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
Although Abraham didn't live long enough to see many of his descendants, we ourselves know that God did fulfill His promise to him. We are here today, a people who believe in the Messiah, and we are proof that God did what He told Abraham that He will make him: a father of many nations.
What this means for us today
Friends, Abraham's faith speaks so many things to us. We can believe God simply for what He says, with no need for a sign. We can believe God even when the circumstances around us scream and shout "no." And we are assured that when we believe God, we will receive all the promises that He has for us.
