Abraham: The Friend of God

Abraham a man that we can relate to is know in James 2:23 as being a friend of God. Abraham was a man after God’s own heart. It was his desire to follow God. He left us an example that we should follow to also be known as a friend of God. It was counted to Abraham because of his righteousness.


We may ask ourselves “how we can be known as a friend of God?” All we have to do is look at the example of Abraham. Abraham was a man who lived under the law but it was not the law that justified Abraham as being a friend of God it was his righteousness (Galatians 3:1-9). He was a man who desired to follow what God commanded.

Notice in James 2:14-25 leading up to Abraham being called a friend of God. James is pointing out the need for faith and works both needed together to be pleasing in the eyes of God. Without faith we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6). Without works how can faith be justified James 2?

Abraham was a man after God’s own heart. It was his desire to trust God in helping him through all things.

He left his home land not knowing where he was going (Hebrews 11:8-12). How many of us would do this? Leaving our home and packing up what we could and leaving not knowing the direction. This is what Abraham did. Why? Because God told him to do so (Genesis 12:1-4)! Abraham placed his faith (trust) in God and proved it through his works, by doing what God commanded of him.

This is not all that Abraham did, he also offered his son Isaac, the son of promise as a sacrifice (Hebrews 11:17-19). Abraham was told that through Isaac the inheritance would come (Genesis 18:1-15). Then God commanded Abraham to offer his son as a burnt sacrifice (Genesis 22:1-2). How can any of this make sense? Offer the son of promise yet he was the chosen one of Abrahams seed.

How would we respond? Would we be willing? This is a great question and a very hard question. It is difficult to answer! Is there anything that we would put ahead of Christ?

How did Abraham respond? Isaac asked where the sacrifice was and Abraham responded “The Lord will provide” (Genesis 22:8). Abraham knew in his heart that God would take care of him as long as he heeded God’s word. This says a lot about the character of Abraham. There was nothing that he would put in front of him and his devotion to obeying God’s will in all things.

Abraham justified his faith and works together by obeying God. In all this he was known as a friend of God. He devoted his life to obeying God and it was actions like this that we see God took care of Abraham and his family.

Abraham was a man that put God first in his life (Genesis 22:12). He is a man after God’s own heart. It was his desire to put God first in all things. Why we may ask? The reason is that God will provide take care and Abraham trusted God, for this he in return was remembered by all as a faithful man. He as we should fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). This is our whole duty. This was Abraham’s duty in life. This is how he was recognized as being a friend of God.

We have the same opportunity to be counted as a friend of God and receive blessings just as Abraham. We have to obey God and his will and we now can do this through baptism (Galatians 3:26-29). We then can be counted as a friend of God and receive an inheritance just as Abraham received his inheritance. Are we desiring to obey God’s will?

Daniel Sanders