“What do you mean?” they replied. “Abraham is our father!” Jesus said, “If you are really Abraham’s sons, then you would follow in the steps of Abraham.
The promise depends on faith so that it can be experienced as a grace-gift, and now it extends to all the descendants of Abraham. This promise is not only meant for those who obey the law, but also to those who enter into the faith of Abraham, the father of us all.
But someone might object and say, “One person has faith and another person has works.” Go ahead then and prove to me that you have faith without works and I will show you faith by my works as proof that I believe.
Yes, Abraham is obviously the true father of faith for the Jewish people who are not only circumcised but who walk in the way of faith that our father Abraham displayed before his circumcision.
Let me use Abraham as an example. It is clear that humanly speaking, he was the founder of Judaism. What was his experience of being made right with God?
For by the merit of observing the law no one earns the status of being declared righteous before God, for it is the law that fully exposes and unmasks the reality of sin.
Stephen replied, “My fellow Jews and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our ancestor Abraham while he was living in Iraq and before he moved to Haran in Syria.
Do you think you’re greater than our father Abraham and all the prophets? You are so delusional about yourself that you make yourself greater than you are!”
The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham! Father Abraham! Have mercy on me. Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and come to cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames of fire!’
He has rescued us from the power of our enemies, fulfilling the sacred oath he made with our father Abraham. Now we can boldly worship God with holy lives, living in purity as priests in his presence every day!
And don’t presume you can get away with merely saying to yourselves, ‘But we’re Abraham’s descendants!’ For I tell you, God can awaken these stones to become sons of Abraham!
Yes, look to Abraham your father and to Sarah, who bore you. For when I called Abraham, he was but one person, but I blessed him greatly so that one became many.”
I took your father Abraham from that land and led him through all the land of Canaan. I gave him a son, Isaac, and through Isaac I multiplied his descendants.
Faith operated powerfully in Abraham for when he was put to the test he offered up Isaac. Even though he received God’s promises of descendants, he was willing to offer up his only son!