How do Christians connect to Abraham?

Answer 1

Abraham is accepted in Christianity in the same way he is in Judaism - as the historic father of both the Jewish people and of faith. Christians accept the Old Testament scriptures which are also part of the Christian Bible. The New Testament affirms Abraham's importance. Another perspective: Paul explains the relationship between Abraham and Christians more than once. For example, there are enlightening passages in Romans 4, and this passage from the Galatian letter:

Galatians 3:5-9 - Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. [NKJV]

Answer 2

ANSWER:

Read Galatians chapter 3 especially verses 8-15. You may also wish to read Abram/Abraham's account in Genesis.

Additional thought:

Many believe that the history from Adam , through Noah, Abraham, Moses and all those loyal to our creator, is everyone's history, no matter where they are on earth, no matter whether it's believed or not, since, scripturally, we ALL come from one source (Acts 17:26)(Genesis 3:20). Abraham was a 'friend of God'(James 2:23)(Isaiah 41:8)and because of his loyalty and faith he became the father of the lineage that would produce the coming Messiah(Genesis 22:17+18), who would one day bring peace to the entire earth(Hebrews 11:8-10+13+39)(Genesis12:2)(Genesis 15:7+16)(Psalms 37:11+29/Matthew 5:5) The Scriptures say that the Law given to Moses(who was a descendant of Abraham through Levi) was a 'shadow of things to come'(Colossians 2:16+17), a 'tudor' leading to the Messiah(Galatians 3:23+24)and was fulfilled in Jesus (John 1:17)(Psalm 89:3+4; Matthew 1:1, Matthew 3:16, 17)(John 5:45-47). So Christians are connected to Abraham through the promise given at Genesis 12:1-3, where we are told that ALL people on earth have the opportunity to be blessed through this coming Messiah (Acts 3:25)(Galatians 3:8)(Acts 10:34-43)(1 Corinthians 12:13)(Galatians 3:28) by their obedience to him(Genesis 49:10)(Daniel 7:13+14)(James 1:22)

Answer 3

James 2:21-23New International Version (NIV)

21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"and he was called God's friend.

Answer 4

Literally speaking, Abraham is part of the Judaic epic of Israel. However, the early Christians sought to reinterpret the Hebrew scriptures to show that they were really allegories for the New Testament story.

To Paul, the "apostle to the gentiles", Christianity was still a sect of the Jewish faith. He preached that the gentiles could be become Christians, and therefore Jews, without the need to be circumcised. But then other apostles came to Galatia and said that he was wrong and that the Galatians must be circumcised.

Burton L Mack (Who Wrote the New Testament) says that Paul's Epistle to the Galatians is actually a lengthy, passionate, and convoluted argument in which Paul counter-claimed that the Christians were the real heirs to Abraham, and therefore they did not have to become Jews at all. The promise to Abraham 'and his seed' was reinterpreted as a promise to Abraham and the Christians.

Answer 5

According to tradition, Abraham founded Western Monotheism and the religion now called Judaism. Christianity is a daughter-religion of Judaism.

Answer 6

he was part of the linage of Christ....