Faith Like Father Abraham
Faith Like Father Abraham: A Reflection on Romans 4
If you grew up in church, chances are you’ve heard the song Father Abraham. Maybe you sang it without fully understanding what it meant. But today’s message reminds us just how powerful Abraham’s faith really was—not just for him, but for all of us who follow in his footsteps.
Faith First, Not Works
Paul makes it clear in Romans 4 that Abraham was not justified by works but by faith. Before he did anything—before he left his homeland, before he was circumcised, before he followed any religious law—he believed God. And that was credited to him as righteousness.
Faith came before action. His obedience and works were a response to his faith, not a prerequisite for it.
Faith is Trust
At its core, faith is trusting that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He promises. For Abraham, this meant trusting in a promise that seemed impossible—that he, an old man with no children, would be the father of many nations. He believed before he could see, and God honored that trust.
Faith is Obedience
Abraham didn’t just believe; he acted on that belief. When God told him to go, he went. Even when the path was unclear. Even when it was difficult. Faith calls us to step forward in obedience, trusting that God is leading the way.
Faith is Perseverance
God’s promise to Abraham didn’t happen overnight. It took decades. There were moments of doubt, impatience, and even mistakes (see the story of Hagar and Ishmael). But Abraham held on. Faith isn’t just believing once—it’s continuing to trust even when the journey is long.
Faith for Us Today
Romans 4 reminds us that the same faith credited to Abraham is now extended to us. Through faith in Jesus, we are justified—not by our good deeds, but by trusting in His grace. We are spiritual descendants of Abraham, called to walk in faith just as he did.
So what does faith look like for us today? It looks like trusting in God’s promises, stepping out in obedience, and persevering even when things don’t go as planned. It means living out what we believe—loving our neighbor, serving the least, and being agents of grace in a broken world.
Faith is more than just belief. It’s a way of life.
Like Abraham, we are called to trust, obey, and persevere.
Like Abraham, we are called to faith.
“Father Abraham had many sons, and many sons had Father Abraham. I am one of them, and so are you. So let’s all praise the Lord.”