LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Hearing Like Abraham
"He then who supplies the Spirit to you, and works wonders among you, does He do it by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? So Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness" (Gal. 3:5-6).
In this passage, Paul presents the example of Abraham. Example in faith, but more strictly, and before that, example in hearing God. Romans 10:17 tells us that "faith comes by hearing", so Abraham's faith -and that of all believers- comes from hearing, from hearing the word of God.
"Thus Abraham believed God", says Galatians. How "thus"? To understand, we must join this phrase with the last one in the previous verse: "by hearing with faith". So how did Abraham believe? The Scripture itself gives us the answer: "By hearing with faith".
If we review the passage referred to by Paul, found in Genesis 15, we realize that God spoke to Abraham concerning his descendants when he had no children. He took him to look at the stars and said to him: "So shall your descendants be". And the account adds: "And he believed the Lord, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:6).
Some Bibles translate here "and he believed in the LORD", as if the matter were about believing in the existence of God, rather than in his word. But here it is a matter of believing what God said. God's existence is not at issue here. Is God credible?
At this point, Abraham knew God, and he believed the promise - even though his wife was barren. He believed that he would come to have offspring numberless as the stars in the sky. That's amazing faith, no doubt! But how did he come to have it? Paul tells us: "By hearing in faith".
This kind of "hearing" is not attributable to man, however. Scripture tells us that hearing is by the word of God (Rom. 10:17). That is to say, God's speaking has such force, and produces such an impact on man, that he cannot but hear, and consequently, believe. Everything ultimately depends on, and is generated by, the speaking of God.
In the passage of Galatians 3, Paul reminds us of Abraham, to confirm that Abraham's faith was reckoned to him for righteousness, and that in the gospel, we receive all things by faith. We are Abraham's children of faith. Therefore, we need to believe.
But the problem is: How can we come to have the faith of Abraham, to claim the promises of God, and receive them? To have the faith of Abraham we need to hear like Abraham. How do we hear God?
God's words are in the Bible, and many times he has spoken to us through it. However, we can hear with the heart, as well as simply with the mind. Exposure -that is, "readiness"- to God's words is absolutely necessary to come to hear and believe in Abraham's way. Let the words of God surround us, permeate us, saturate us; let them break the deafness of our heart like a hammer, and then we will be true children of Abraham.