Family Ties

"...faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness...The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised" (Romans 4:9, 11-12).

In elementary school, backyard games of kickball or wiffle ball often stirred heated emotions, and verbal sparring would break out.  If things escalated, and the threat of a physical showdown was imminent, someone would claim superiority based on family heritage.  It wasn't superiority based on income or race or education; it was superiority based on sheer physical strength.  "My dad can beat up your dad!"

Looking to family heritage as a source of pride is nothing new.  In the first century, the Pharisees were appalled when Jesus said they needed to be set free from sin.  They told him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone...Abraham is our father." (Jn. 8:33, 39).

Jesus knew they were physical descendants of Abraham, as was He.  But Jesus also knew that genetics were not the determining factor in being a child of Abraham.  There's more to it.  "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did..." (Jn. 8:39).  And what did Abraham do that the Pharisees are not doing?  Abraham believed.

And Abraham is Paul's prime illustration in Romans 4, as he teaches what it means to be justified.  Declared "Not guilty!" by our divine Judge.  Declared righteous by our Righteous God.  How did Abraham attain such status?  What feat did he accomplish?  What work did he do?

Paul's answer is Genesis 15's answer: "And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness" (Gen. 15:6).  This is the same "work" Jesus calls everyone to do.  "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent" (Jn. 6:29).

Abraham was justified by faith.  He held a righteous status before God because he believed God.  In Genesis 15, it was faith in the promise that God would do what He said He would do (i.e., give Abraham descendants as numerous as the stars).

But make note.  Abraham didn't see having innumerable descendants as a reasonable thing.  He knew his body was "as good as dead" (Rom. 4:19).  So, his faith was based neither on his body's ability to produce children, nor on the fertility of his wife's womb (Rom. 4:19).  Human effort could not accomplish God's promised work.  No, Abraham's faith was based on the firm conviction that God is God.  God can do what God says He can do.  And God will do what God says He will do.  "...he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised" (Rom. 4:20-21).

Paul concludes by taking our mind's eye from Abraham to ourselves.  "It [i.e., righteousness] will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.  Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 4:24-5:1).

It is this spiritual reality - justification by faith - that connects us to Abraham.  Because of this, Paul says that Abraham is "the father of all who believe" (Rom. 4:11).  Elsewhere, he writes that "it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham" (Gal. 3:7).

Whether Jew or Gentile, the only ones who can truly say "Abraham is our father" are those who believe in Jesus Christ.  Abraham's children know their souls weren't just "as good as dead"...they were "dead" (Eph. 2:1).  Abraham's children believe that Jesus made the once-for-all atonement for our sin through His death on the cross.  Abraham's children believe that God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day, victorious over sin and death and hell.

Abraham's children believe that what God has done, in Christ, what He said He would do.  Abraham's children believe the gospel.  Do you believe?  Is Abraham your spiritual father?