Theology for Everybody: Romansنموونە

Start Here: Faith Comes First for Abraham

When inventors and engineers want to repeat something, they create a prototype that can be copied as a pattern and precedent. Examples include the Wright Flyer (the prototype for airplanes), the Ford Model T (the prototype for mass-produced automobiles), and the Lisa (the prototype for personal computers).

When it comes to faith, our prototype is Abraham. In Jesus’ day, the people of Israel said, “Abraham is our father” (John 8:39). The three major world religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, all point to him as the father of their faith traditions. Even with all the changes in our world today, if you were to take a poll, the number one person who would be chosen as the prototype or father of faith would be Abraham.

Abraham’s name is interesting—it means “father of a multitude.” As an elderly man who first met God at the age of 75, he had no children. How can someone be a father when he has no kids and the father of a multitude when he doesn’t have even one child? The only possible answer is God.

Abraham is also called a friend of God. When my children were young, I would take them by the hand. They didn’t know everywhere we were going or everything we were doing, but they had faith that their father was in relationship with them, and they had faith in me to lead them. Our faith walk with God is like that—we are His children, He is our Father, and we trust Him. That’s the language of faith and friendship.

Abraham is the father of our faith, and his family follows him in his faith. If you are a father, then you are to be the leader of faith in your family. Faith is not just for you; it’s also for you to lead your family to the purposes of God.

Today’s Reflection

If you are a father, how can you lead your family for God's purposes? If you are not a father, how can you support the fathers in your life?