“the father of all those who believe…who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised” (Romans 4:11-12).
Bible chronology is a challenging necessity. One proof of this in the book of Genesis is the fact that at least 2,000 years of human history are recorded in its first eleven chapters, but no more than 300 years are covered in the last thirty-nine. Why did the Holy Spirit move Moses (2 Peter 1:21) to do this?
Romans 4 is quite helping in pursuing an accurate answer to this question. From 2000 B. C. until the end of time, Abraham’s faith is the divinely chosen template for all who follow him onto the stage of human history. His towering faith in the power, trustworthiness, certainty, and faithfulness of God and His word (vv. 17-22) is the reason he is “the father of all those who believe”.
Though ignorant of the next 65 books of the Bible (and its revelation and realization of the mystery—i.e., the plan of salvation in Christ Jesus), Abraham’s trust in God and obedient walk with Him remain the gold standard. The just live by faith, but not just any faith. They live by walking in the steps of faith (the way of life) which Abraham took prior to and after being circumcised.
Just as God has one plan of salvation for all because all have the same unsolvable problem called sin, God has one template for faith—Abraham, the father of all who believe. Therefore, “if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).
