The Father of Faith
By: Zach Collins
In Genesis 17:4-8, God changed a name. He changed Abram’s name, meaning “exalted father”, to Abraham, meaning, “father of a multitude” (c.f., Romans 4:17). This is why he is often referenced as, “The Father of Faith”, as the faithful of old and new would be made justified through His seed, Jesus Christ (c.f., Hebrews 9:15). In this article, I want to explore a statement, found in Romans 4, which speaks of Abraham’s faith and righteousness.
Paul wrote, “For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:4-5)
Many have taken this verse by lawless hands, ripped it from its context, and used it as a weapon against God’s plan of justification by asserting the “alien sinner” is saved by “faith alone”, apart from any acts of obedience on the part of man. However, to undergo such an application with this revelation is to misuse and abuse the text itself.
Consider the evidence. This citation of scripture, from Genesis 15:6, has nothing to do with the salvation of Abraham’s soul from sin, as he had been a faithful and obedient servant of God by the time of this writing. In fact, this same verse is also quoted in James 2:23, where James is discussing the obedience of Abraham in following the commands of God. On two occasions, in v. 21 and v. 24, James repeatedly states that Abraham was, and we are, justified by faithful obedience. I would invite you to consider the following truths regarding Abraham’s obedience.
1. In Genesis 12:1-3, God tells Abram that, to inherit the promise He has extended to him, he must “get out of your country… to a land that I will show you.” In v. 4, the Bible says, “Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him.” In Hebrews 11:8, when recalling this moment in history, the Hebrews writer says, “By faith, Abraham obeyed…”
2. In Genesis 12:6-7, as he obediently travelled to the promised land, Abram built an altar in Shechem, between Bethel and Ai, and worshipped God. In Genesis 13:5-6, after a brief sojourn to the land of Egypt because of famine, he returned to this same altar and obeyed God by worshipping Him again.
3. In Genesis 13:5-6, when the wealth and abundance of Abram and Lot could no longer dwell together, Abram entered Canaan, Lot into Sodom, and Abram built an altar to the Lord, obeying God by worshipping Him.
On, at least, three separate occasions in the life of Abraham in recorded scripture, before the declaration of Genesis 15:6, Abraham is recorded as obeying God. In truth, I believe Abraham sought to obey God every day, before and after, he was called. If Abraham was obedient to God, and his obedience worked toward justification (c.f., James 2:21), the works being referenced in Romans 4 cannot be a reference to works of obedience, or especially works of New Testament Christianity, but rather works of the Law of Moses. Paul is not introducing the idea that Abraham was justified apart from works of obedience, but that Abraham was justified apart from the works of the Law of Moses, i.e., circumcision (c.f., Romans 4:9-12). After all, Abraham could not have been justified by the Law of Moses, as he lived hundreds of years before the Law was delivered. Nor could Abraham have been justified by circumcision, as, at least, thirteen years had elapsed from Genesis 15:6, the declaration of his justification, and Genesis 17:23, the moment of his circumcision.
Abraham was the “Father of Faith”, yes, but not the “Father of Faith Only.” The faith of Father Abraham saved him, but only when his faith compelled him to obedience.