Bill sent me a question about Heb 11:8 regarding when Abraham came to faith in the Messiah. Bill said, “Your interpretation doesn’t comment on the fact that Hebrews 11:8 speaks of Abraham’s faith way before Genesis 15.” He then went on to cite Heb 11:8-10. 

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God (Heb 11:8–10). 

Hebrews 11:8 could refer to Gen 11:31, when the family was still in Mesopotamia before leaving for Haran (cf. Acts 7:2-4). Alternately, it may refer to Gen 12:1-3, when Abram was in Haran after his father died. Either way, Heb 11:8 might indicate that Abram was born again before Gen 15:1-6, as Bill suggests.  

The question is whether obedience to God presupposes regeneration. Does the fact that Abram obeyed and left Haran prove that at the time he obeyed, he believed in the coming Messiah for everlasting life?  

Note that Heb 11:8-10 refers to two time periods. The first involves Abram’s obeying when God told him to leave his country. The second refers to when he was in the Promised Land, dwelling in tents with his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob. It was during this second time period that “he waited for the city that has foundations, whose builder and make is God.” This shows that during this later time, he was not only born again, but was also looking forward to eternal rewards. But that does not tell us when he first believed in the Messiah. 

Obeying a command of God is not the same as believing in the Messiah for everlasting life. The nation of Israel is a prime example. It obeyed God in many ways. Yet most in the nation did not believe in the coming Messiah. This was especially evident when He did, in fact, come to His people. Most in Israel rejected Him and His message of life (John 1:11). Yet the nation did keep many of the commands of the OT.  

The reason I think it is highly likely that Abraham was born again after he heard Gen 15:1-5 is that Paul repeatedly cites Gen 15:6 as proving justification by faith alone, apart from works (like leaving Haran). See, for example, Rom 4:3, 22 and Gal 3:6.  

Thanks for the excellent question, Bill.  

Keep grace in focus and you will be like the Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily to understand their meaning (Acts 17:11).