In my last blog, I emphasized being justified by faith.  This is the theme of Paul’s epistle to the saints at Rome (Romans 1:16-17).  Not only is faith a requirement to attain justification, but those who are justified by faith must continue to live lives of faith.

Galatians 2:20 (ESV)
²⁰  I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

While faith is a critical part of our salvation, we must realize that there are different kinds of faith and they do not all save us.  The Bible speaks of strong and weak faith, little and great faith, and even dead faith.  So, do all these kinds or degrees of faith save?  Of course not.  We need to have the right kind of faith if we are going to be saved, and Paull tells us what kind that is.

Romans 4:11-12 (ESV)
¹¹  He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, ¹²  and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

To have saving faith, we must walk in the steps of Abraham.  His faith was identifiable, demonstrated by His willingness to obey God in all things.

James 2:21-22 (ESV)
²¹  Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²²  You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

Abraham’s faith was active.  He proved to God that he was willing to obey all that He commanded him to do.  When he showed that he was willing to sacrifice his son, the angel of the Lord said to him, “…now I know that you fear God” (Genesis 22:12).  If we are to have the saving faith possessed by Abraham, we must prove it, not by our discourse, but by our deeds.

Abraham had more than just an active faith.  He had a faith that was unwavering.  Whatever life threw at Him, it never caused Him to stop trusting God.

Romans 4:20-21 (ESV)
²⁰  No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, ²¹  fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

The command to offer Isaac was a test given by God to Abraham (Genesis 22:1).  This test involved more than his love for his son, it was to see if he would continue to trust in God’s word.  On the surface, the command appeared to contradict the promise of God.  Isaac was the son of promise (Hebrews 11:18).  Abraham’s offspring would come through him.  But how would that be possible if Abraham sacrificed him?  It would present an unsolvable puzzle, except for one thing—Abraham believed in the power and faithfulness of God, concluding that if he killed Isaac, God would raise him from the dead (Hebrews 11:19).  That is unwavering faith.  Paul said about Abraham, “In hope, he believed in hope” (Romans 4:18). 

Do you have the faith of Abraham?  Just believing that God exists, and Jesus is His Son is not enough.  We must have an obedient faith, fulfilling God’s will at all costs.  Furthermore, our faith must remain intact through all the hurdles that life throws at us.  That was the kind of unwavering faith that Abraham had, and we are called to walk in the steps of his faith.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things