“And he [Abraham] believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness” (Gen 15:6).
What are the hundred most significant words in the Bible?i In my list, the first word alphabetically is Abraham. While teaching about him in Sunday school, I gave six proofs that Abraham believed in Jesus Christ for his salvation. These proofs require no knowledge of Greek or Hebrew, but many people are unaware of them.
Proof #1: Paul said Abraham believed in Jesus for his justification. In both Rom 4:1-5 and Gal 3:6-14, Paul cited Gen 15:6 as proof that justification by faith in Christ, apart from works, is true. If Abraham had only a generic faith in God’s existence, or even in God as his Savior, he would not be an example of justification by faith in Jesus Christ!
Proof #2: James affirmed that Abraham believed in Jesus for his justification. The Lord’s half-brother also cited Gen 15:6 to prove that Abraham believed in the Lord Jesus Christ for his justification: “And the Scripture was fulfilledii which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God” (Jas 2:23).
Proof #3: Jesus affirmed that Abraham believed in Him for his eternal destiny. The Lord had just led a small group of Jews to faith in Him (John 8:30-32). Then, the larger crowd began to argue with and mock Him, culminating in their taking up stones to kill Him (John 8:33-59). They claimed to be Abraham’s descendants (John 8:33). They said, “Abraham is our father” (John 8:39). The Lord Jesus then countered that Abraham believed in Him: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” When the Lord said, “Your father Abraham,” there was most likely sarcasm in His voice. If Abraham were their spiritual father, they would have rejoiced to see Jesus’ day.
The expression My day referred to Jesus’ Second Coming to establish His earthly kingdom. When we pray, “Thy kingdom come,” we are rejoicing to see His day as well.
Proof #4: The author of Hebrews indicated that Abraham believed in Jesus for his eternal home. Hebrews 11 is the “Hebrew Hall of Fame.” Concerning Abraham, the author wrote: “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 11:9-10). Abraham believed in the Messiah for his eternal destiny, including living with Him in the New Jerusalem.iii
Proof #5: Abraham met with Jesus Christ face-to-face on many occasions. Every time Abraham met with God, he was meeting specifically with the pre-incarnate Lord Jesus Christ. He spoke with Him in Gen 12:1-3 when he received the promise of justification by faith in Messiah (cf. Gal 3:8). Abraham spoke with Him again in Gen 15:1-6 when He promised that the Messiah would come from him and Sarah. The Lord Jesus met with Abraham in Genesis 17 when He gave him the sign of circumcision and the repeated promise that he and Sarah would have a son. Before He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord Jesus met and even ate with Abraham (Genesis 18). He met with Abraham after the birth of Isaac (Gen 21:12-13). When Isaac was around ten (old enough to carry the wood of the sacrifice), the Lord Jesus met with Abraham and commanded him to offer his son “as a burnt offering” (Gen 22:2). Abraham obeyed, and the Lord Jesus stopped his hand just before he “stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son” (Gen 22:10-11).
Proof #6: After he died, Abraham shared his faith in Jesus Christ with the rich man in Hades. Luke 16:19-31 is almost certainly not a parable since it mentions Abraham and Lazarus. No parable includes proper names. The Lord tells of Abraham interacting with the rich man who thought that repentance was the way to avoid torment in Hades. Abraham corrected him. The way to paradise was by believing in Jesus Christ, the One about whom Moses and the prophets wroteiv (Luke 16:31).v
Abraham was called the friend of God (Jas 2:23) because he was a friend of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We’ve not seen Jesus. Abraham did. Many times. He believed in Him for everlasting life.
Keep grace in focus.
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i. Of course, every word in Scripture is worthy of careful attention. But some stand out as having special significance.
ii. Hodges comments, “Abraham’s works filled this ancient text full of meaning, so to speak, by showing the extent to which the faith of Gen 15:6 could develop and undergird a life of obedience. Simple and uncomplicated though it was at first, Abraham’s justifying faith had potential ramifications which only his works, built on it, could disclose” (James, p. 69).
iii. Hebrews 12:1-2 ties in the faith of the OT overcomers with faith in Christ. He is not only the Author and Finisher of our faith. He was the Author and Finisher of their faith as well.
iv. Abraham died before Moses and the prophets wrote. While he was in paradise, he learned about what they had written and used that knowledge.
v. The Lord Jesus also said that Moses and the prophets testified concerning Him (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39, 46).
