The Father of our Faith - Part 2
What’s Your Next Step?
Adrian Thornton

Abraham is called the father of our faith, and we’re called to live in that same faith today. But what does it mean to have faith?

The Greek word Paul uses for faith is pistis. It’s got a whole range of meanings, but I want to focus on two. First, it’s the content of what we believe. We are people of faith, people who identify as Christians. In other words, faith is a noun.

The other meaning of the word faith is the state of believing. It’s not just what we believe but how we live that belief out. In this sense, faith is a verb.

Abraham was commended for his faith because he trusted God and acted on God’s promises. So, let me ask you: is your faith just a noun, or is it also a verb?

James puts it bluntly, saying “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (Jm. 2:17). Abraham’s faith was made complete by what he did. He believed God, he acted on that belief, and scripture says it was credited to him as righteousness. He was even called God’s friend. 

Here are four lessons you can learn from Abraham to encourage you to live a life of faith:

First, he left the security of his home. In Genesis 12, God told him to leave his country, his people, and his father’s household. That was a big risk in a patriarchal society. Your inheritance, security, support network, and even your healthcare were tied to your family household. Abraham walked away from it all.

Second, Abraham trusted in God’s promises. God said, “I will make you a great nation… I will bless you… I will make your name great.” Over and over again, God said I will. But Abraham didn’t have any children yet. He didn’t own the land yet. His name wasn’t great yet. He was living in the “not yet,” but he held onto God’s “I will.”

Third, Abraham began walking towards the promise. Genesis 12:4 simply says, “So Abram went.” He didn’t know exactly where he was going, but he went. All he knew was that the promised land wasn’t going to come to him, he had to walk to it.

And finally, Abraham made his home in a foreign country. It says he pitched his tent there, living like a stranger, and totally dependent on God. He was willing to adjust his lifestyle to fit around the promise of God.

Remember, faith is not just a noun, it’s a verb. What’s your next step of faith? Could it be to reach out and get help, having a faith conversation with a friend who is yet to discover Jesus, making an ethical decision over an unethical lucrative one, to start studying, change careers, or to respond generously to a situation?

Whatever it is, faith only works when you are following the call of God. Abraham heard the voice of God and simply obeyed. What is the Spirit saying to you? What is your next step?