Walking In The Steps Of Abraham - Romans 4
The Bible says that Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. It will also be counted unto those who walk in the steps of Abraham (Rom. 4:12). To 'walk' is a way of speaking of one's life or lifestyle. Abraham's faith was not a moment of believing a particular statement or promise that God made, it was a life spent trusting God. Jesus told some of the Jewish leaders: "If you were the children of Abraham you would do the works of Abraham" (John 8:39).
Abraham believed in the existence of God. [Hebrews 11:6 - seen in the very life of Abraham]
Abraham, of course, believed that what God said was true. BELIEVING in God - believing that God is a God of truth and what God says is trustworthy. God is FAITHFUL - Abraham TRUSTED that.
Abraham worshiped God. He built altars unto the LORD (Gen. 12:7, 8; 13:18); he called upon the name of the LORD (12:8; 13:4; 21:33) and he prayed unto the LORD (15:2-3; 20:17).
Abraham made an oath unto the LORD that he would not take any material reward from Melchizedek (Gen. 14:22-23).
Abraham obeyed God – immediately and to the best of his ability. When told to leave his homeland, 'by faith he obeyed… and he went out, not knowing where he was going" (Heb. 11:8). "So Abram went, as the LORD had told him…" (Gen. 12:4).
At this point in Abram's life, it is recorded that 'he believed the LORD, and He counted it to him as righteousness' (Gen. 15:6). This is NOT when Abraham began to believe in God or to trust God.
When Abram turned 99, the LORD appeared unto him and said: "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly" (Gen. 17:1-2). Abraham HAD been walking with God and is now instructed to keep on walking with God. Again, this is NOT the beginning of Abraham's walk with God, but another episode in a life of faith.
When told to be circumcised – he immediately did as God said (17:22-23). "That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised" (Gen. 17:26). Even when told to sacrifice his only son, without hesitating or arguing, he did as God said. It involved taking his son, going to the place that God directed, preparing the altar, and taking the very life of his son with a knife (cp. Gen. 22:2). Abraham trusted God – 'in hope he believed against hope' – no unbelief made him waver. The Hebrew writer states: "by faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac…" Heb. 11:17). The Genesis account simply says "So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him" (Gen. 22:3).
It is THIS faith that Abraham had in God. This was an ongoing, continual, completely trusting, day-in and day-out lifelong trust in God. It was a faith that immediately obeyed whatever God told him to do.
He believed, trusted, obeyed, worshiped, and called upon the LORD for many years before he was told to be circumcised. One can be right with God apart from circumcision; BUT, when commanded to be circumcised, if he would have refused he would have, according to the promise of God, been cut off from the people because such would be to break covenant with God (Gen. 17:14).
So, we are instructed to 'walk in the steps of Abraham'. When God says go – we go. As we go we worship the LORD and call upon His name. When God commands the 'unreasonable', we TRUST God without wavering in unbelief and disobedience. When God promises the seemingly impossible, 'in hope we believe against hope', we do not 'weaken in faith', we do not 'waver concerning the promise of God' but are to be 'fully convinced that God is "able to do what He had promised" (see Romans 4:18, 19, 20, and 21). "This is why his faith was counted to him as righteousness" says Paul, and 'it will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord…" (Rom. 4:24).
Are YOU walking in the steps of Abraham?
Hugh DeLong
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