“Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God” (Romans 4:20).
So, despite the obvious challenges involved in accepting God’s promise from a human perspective, “[Abraham] believed the LORD, and the LORD considered his response of faith as proof of genuine loyalty” (Genesis 15:6 NET). In this, Abraham served as a model of true, God-honoring faith. However, he also served as a testament to God’s faithfulness as well.
The following portion of the Biblical book of James reinforces these ideas…
“But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all. But when you pray, you must believe and not doubt at all. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is driven and blown about by the wind. If you are like that, unable to make up your mind and undecided in all you do, you must not think that you will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:5-8 GNT).
Abraham never “wavered through unbelief” in the sense that he never abandoned his faith in the God who had given His word. Abraham thus stood in contrast to some of Jesus’ own first-century followers. When confronted with one of Jesus’ more difficult teachings, we’re told, “Many of his disciples said, ‘This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?'” (John 6:60 NLT). Jesus then replied with further clarification, and that’s when many of His listeners responded by making a pivotal decision…
“At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, ‘Are you also going to leave?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life'” (John 6:68-69 NLT).
We should note one area of commonality in these accounts: Abraham and Jesus’ twelve disciples focused on the Person behind the message rather than the challenging nature of what they had been asked to believe. In Abraham’s case, it was the natural impossibility of bearing a child. In the case of the twelve disciples, it was a difficult teaching that caused others to desert Jesus. Each placed their faith in a Person despite their limited ability to rationalize what they were asked to accept.
Nevertheless, those who abandoned Jesus also exhibited a type of faith. Their response reflected the true object of their faith, for they placed greater faith in their ability to grasp Jesus’ teachings than in Jesus Himself. That misguided trust led them to desert the One who had “…the words that give eternal life.”