Abraham.Religion Essay, Research Paper

Dan LeechEnduring StoriesNancy’s SeminarThe God of Abraham – The True GodA long, long time ago in land far, far away, there was a Prophet. Abraham. To this day, his story lives on in every major monotheistic religion. Although everyone can agree that he was a religious man, none can fully agree on exactly what religion he practiced. Since Abraham was a central figure in the matter of God’s revelation of his truth to the believers in each of the monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam.). We can assume that the Religion of Abraham was the true Religion. Further, we could therefore say, that all of the monotheistic religions (even though they might deny this) are based on and worship the same God. For if you were to ask a Jew what faith Abraham was of, he would tell you of Abraham’s covenant with the lord, and how it is recorded in the Jewish Scriptures that God said to 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”. Genesis 12.2 and that on two other occasions God renewed this promise, adding that he would be the father of a great multitude whom no man could number:”I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your descendants also can be counted”. Genesis 13.16 “I have made you the father of a multitude of nations”. Genesis 17.5 Next, you would find out that God later confirmed that his covenant would be made, not through his son Ishmael who was born of a slave woman, Hagar, but through Isaac who was born of his wife Sarah (Genesis 17.19). As a result the Jews, who were all descended from Abraham through Isaac, looked on him as the father of their nation and regarded themselves as his true offspring and the nation that had been promised to him. Furthermore, because they also considered themselves the only nation on earth who were the true people of God, they accordingly saw him also as the father of all true believers. This demonstrates that Jews worship the same god as Abraham did.If you were to ask a Christian : “Of what faith was Abraham?”, He would tell you that Christians likewise regard Abraham as the father of all true believers, but do not believe that the covenant made with him referred ultimately to his physical offspring(the Jews). Rather, the covenant obviously refers to his spiritual offspring, that is, all those who have the same kind of faith that Abraham had. Indeed, in the Christian view, the very choice of Isaac as the son through whom the covenant God had made with Abraham was to be fulfilled, shows that God was not thinking of his physical offspring. If he had, he would have chosen Ishmael, the first son born to Abraham, but Ishmael was unfit

“He shall be a wild ass of a man with his hand against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; and he shall live at odds with all his kin.”So instead he chose Isaac to show that he intended the blessings of the covenant to become effective for those who were spiritual and true in faith towards him. This allows Christians to sort of slide by on the premise that the reference to his children should not be taken literally, but figuratively as believers in his god, which clearly proves that Abraham was a devout Christian. We can plainly see that Christians also worship the same god as Abraham.If you were to ask a Muslim he would tell you that by his people, Abraham is thought of as a leader of all true believers on earth. ‘I have appointed you a leader for mankind’. Qu’ran 2.124And also later in the Qu’ran this is re-affirmed”We have revealed to you this Book so that, by their lords will, you may lead mankind from darkness to the light; to the path of the mighty, The Glorious One: The path of God to whom belongs all that the heavens and earth contain.” Qu’ran:14:1Notice how Islam follows Christianity in regarding him, not as leader of one particular nation, but as the leader of all true believers. Also notice how Islam credits him for his belief in the oneness of God against the polytheism of his day ‘Indeed’ he answered, ‘your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. It was he that made them: to this I bear witness. By the lord I will overthrow your idols as soon as you have turned your backs.’ He broke them all in pieces, except their supreme god, so that they might return to him. Qu’ran: 21.66-67and for his submission to the will of God When his lord said to him: ‘Submit,’ He answered;’I have submitted to the Lord of the Universe.’Qu’Ran:2:131 This makes Abraham “an upright Muslim” or, more literally, one who was righteous and submissive. Thus Muslims also worshipped the same god as Abraham. We can plainly see that all of the above religions are based on worship of Abraham’s god, so the logical question now, is which religion is the true religion, or is any of them a true religion? Was Abraham a Christian, a Muslim, or a Jew? Who can say? One thing that may be said is this: Since Abraham was shown to worship the true god in each of the monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam.). We can assume that the Religion of Abraham was the true Religion. Further, we could therefore say, that all of the monotheistic religions (even though they might deny this) are based on and worship the same God. The God of Abraham.