Abraham’s faith in Genesis 15 shows that trusting God is a lifelong journey, not a single moment. Abraham had honest doubts about God’s promise of a son and a homeland, yet God answered with reassurance and a binding covenant. When Abraham believed, God credited it to him as righteousness. That same pattern still holds: God takes the initiative, secures his promises and invites us to keep trusting him.
God’s Story Takes Time to Unfold
Abraham (still called Abram here) had already left his homeland because God promised to make him into a great nation. But years later he still had no children. God hadn’t explained how or when things would happen, and Abraham’s faith started to waver. So he did something surprisingly healthy: he brought his questions straight to God.
Genesis 15:2-4 But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.”
God didn’t scold Abraham for asking. He responded with a fresh, more specific promise. That’s encouraging if you’re in a season where God’s plan feels unclear. His purposes usually become clearer over time, and along the way he welcomes honest questions from people who are still trusting him.
God Secures His Promises
Abraham’s relationship with God started at God’s initiative. God sought him first and started the conversation. When Abraham asked, “Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?” God answered by making a covenant, a binding agreement much like an ancient treaty. It was like turning a handshake promise into a signed contract.
The remarkable part is how God did it. In that culture, both parties would walk between the halves of sacrificed animals, pledging to keep their side of the deal. But God put Abraham into a deep sleep, and only a smoking firepot and blazing torch, symbols of God’s presence, passed between the pieces. God bound himself to the promise and asked nothing of Abraham in return. The New Testament points back to this kind of oath to show how secure God’s promises are.
Hebrews 6:17-18 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.
In the same way, God secures our place in his story through Jesus. The new covenant was initiated entirely by God and rests on what he has done for us, not on what we do for him.
Faith Credited as Righteousness
At the high point of the chapter, God took Abraham outside on a clear night and pointed him to the sky. The promise was bigger than Abraham could imagine, and his response became a model for everyone who would ever walk with God.
Genesis 15:5-6 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Abraham didn’t earn God’s approval by being perfect. In fact, he would stumble badly soon after this, taking matters into his own hands with Hagar. God declared him righteous because he trusted God’s word. That’s the heart of the gospel.
Faith for a Lifetime
The apostle Paul saw Abraham’s story as a picture of how anyone is made right with God. The same faith that God credited to Abraham is offered to us when we trust Jesus.
Romans 4:23-25 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
We receive forgiveness and a restored relationship with God not by obedience or worthiness but by trusting what God has done through Jesus’ death and resurrection. If you’d like to learn more about putting your faith in Jesus, check out How can I become a Christian? Once we’ve entered God’s story, our faith keeps growing through every twist and turn. In tough times, you may be tempted to give up on God, but deep faith takes a lifetime to develop. Keep trusting him.
The Takeaway
Abraham’s faith in Genesis 15 wasn’t flawless, but it was real, and God counted it as righteousness. God takes the initiative, secures his promises and invites us to trust him. Faith grows over a lifetime, so whatever season you’re in, don’t give up on God.
