Who was Abraham in the Bible?

from the old testament

• The story of Abraham begins as a key turning point in humanity’s future. After listing the so-called “table of nations” (Genesis 10) and explaining the judgment at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9), Genesis introduces Abraham (Genesis 11:26–27). From there through the end of Genesis, Moses traces Israel's line through Abraham.
• Abraham was a pagan (cf. Joshua 24:2), not a God-fearer when God first called him (Genesis 12:1). In that call, he told Abraham, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2–3). Abraham left his land and went to the place God told him, demonstrating an early faith in God (Genesis 12:4–9).
• God would again reiterate his promise in Genesis 15. Abraham acknowledged that he had no children and wondered how God could bless him with many offspring (Genesis 15:1–3). We also later learn that he was far too old even to have children (Genesis 17:17), making his concern a genuine question. God reassured him, saying, “Your very own son shall be your heir” (Genesis 15:4). He then brought Abraham outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them… So shall your offspring be” (Genesis 15:5).
• The key statement on salvation through faith appears here: “And [Abraham]  believed the LORD, and [God] counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). See the New Testament section for Paul’s expansion on this statement. In summary, God justified Abraham by faith in God’s promise, even though it seemed impossible.
• God kept his promise, and Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 and his wife 90 (Genesis 21:1–7). Later, God tested Abraham’s faith. He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:2). Abraham unquestioningly obeyed, with the author of Hebrews explaining that Abraham so trusted God that even if he killed Isaac, because of God’s promise, God would raise him back to life (Hebrews 11:17–19). Just as he was about to kill Isaac, the Angel of the LORD stopped him (Genesis 22:10–12). Because of his faithfulness, God confirmed his earlier promise that all the nations would be blessed through Isaac (Genesis 22:16–18).

from the new testament

• Paul, in the context of defending salvation by faith against the Jews of his day who required Christians to obey the Mosaic Law and, in particular, circumcision, used Abraham as the ultimate example of salvation by faith. He explained that Abraham had been justified (saved) by faith when he believed God in the Genesis 15 account (Romans 4:1–3). Using that to exemplify all believers, he said, “to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (Romans 4:5), noting that Genesis 15 wasn’t written just for Abraham but for all believers (Romans 4:23–24).
• Paul explained salvation by faith alone by asking the rhetorical question: “How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised” (Romans 4:10–11a). Abraham was saved before circumcision, thus before works. Circumcision was merely an outward sign of that salvation.
• For this reason, Paul argued, “It is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham … if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:7, 29). Thus, believers are in Abraham's line, saved by believing God’s promises, now manifest in Jesus as Savior.

implications for today

Abraham had a unique place in God’s plan of redemption, but he was not unique in how he was declared righteous before God. That is exactly why Paul pointed to Abraham: to show that salvation has never been something we earn through our works. Abraham believed God, and God counted his faith as righteousness (Romans 4:3).

We naturally want to contribute something to our salvation. We want to believe that if we do enough, obey enough, or become good enough, we can somehow earn God’s acceptance. But salvation does not work that way. Paul makes clear that Abraham was counted righteous before he was circumcised, meaning his right standing with God did not come from a religious ritual or anything he had done (Romans 4:9–11). Salvation is God’s gift of grace, received through faith—not a reward we can earn (Ephesians 2:8–9).

That leaves no room for boasting. If you belong to Christ, you cannot point to anything you did as the reason God saved you. Your salvation is entirely God’s grace, from giving you a heart that turns to Him (2 Timothy 2:25) to giving you new life through His Spirit (Ezekiel 36:26–27). You did not earn your salvation, and you do not have to keep earning it. God gets the glory because He saves.

If you are struggling to earn God’s acceptance or wondering whether you have done enough to keep your salvation, look again at Abraham. He was not saved because he performed well enough; he believed God’s promise. The same is true for you: Jesus came to bear the penalty for sin so that you could be reconciled to God (1 Peter 2:24). You cannot pay for your sin yourself, and no amount of good works can make you righteous before God (Galatians 3:10). Stop trying to earn what God offers as a gift. Trust in Christ and His finished work, and, like Abraham, believe the promise of the God who justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:3–5).