The father of faith – Gen 12:1-3

The original Korean text: http://blog.naver.com/stevision/50025358632

 

Americans claim that their forefathers are Puritans who arrived at America on the Mayflower because the Puritan spirit is the basic law of their lives. If a casino owner should be elected president in the next U.S. presidential election, the U.S. might claim that its forefather is the first casino owner to come to America.

 

Christians call Abraham the forefather of faith because all people that are saved by faith think that Abraham's life was the beginning of their salvation. Therefore black, white and yellow people are all saved if they have faith in Jesus, and will go to heaven like Abraham. Abraham's faith is the basis of the faith of all saints.

 

Abraham had to have much suffering to be called the father of faith. Abraham had to take the responsibility upon himself for all the sins of his ancestors, including his parents. So, he had to live as a stranger in a foreign land. Living as a stranger in the world of lawlessness is too harsh. one day Abraham could not help but tell the man who showed interest in his wife that she was his sister. He felt the threat of taking life from them. So he suffered the disgrace for his wife to be in another's house for a while. Had God not intervened, he would have suffered his wife's shame and at last been robbed of his wife. Abraham was the one who lived as a weak stranger in others' domains until his death.

 

The reason for such suffering was that God ordered Abraham to leave his homeland where his forefathers had served idols. He who is to become the father of faith may suffer the pain of giving up the secular blessings he has. He must observe the Lord's Day, tithe what he has earned, avoid adultery, etc. The fathers of faith cut themselves off from the various past lives and live a new life as a stranger (a sojourner).

 

 

The first person in the family to believe in God is an Abraham, the father of faith of the family, today. The suffering he suffers when he first believes in God will be rewarded with the title 'the father of faith of the family'. In his suffering, he bears also the responsibility for the sins his house, not knowing God, has committed so far. At first he is greatly persecuted by his family who are unbelievers. However, when he has completed his suffering for the sins of his house, and when all his family believe in Jesus and are saved, the contempt and suffering he received from them before will be rewarded with their praise: "You are the father of faith in our house."