Well, did Abraham laugh God off in unbelief?

It's a great question, and it comes to us from Jessica, who lives in the Netherlands.

Dear Pastor John, hello.

In Genesis, we read of Abraham going along with Sarah's plan with Hegar to make Ishmael

his heir, that's Genesis 16, verses 1 to 16, later when God tells him he and Sarah will

bear a child at 190 years old respectively.

He seems to laugh it off in unbelief, that's Genesis 17, 17.

Therefore, how is it that in Romans chapter 4, Paul celebrates Abraham's unwavering faith?

Does it tell us anything about how God views our own wavering faith in the end, Pastor

John?

What would you say to Jessica?

This is a good example of how careful we should be not to read into a text something from

our own experience that makes an interpretation seem likely, but rather let the context decide

whether it's likely or not.

So the question is, did Abraham's laughter in Genesis 17, 17 signify the kind of weakened

faith or unbelieving doubt wavering as she calls it?

Because that's where it's translated in Romans.

That Paul said, Abraham did not have, is Genesis 17, 17 in conflict with what Paul says.

So the Old Testament context goes like this, this is Genesis 17, 15 following, God said

to Abraham, ask for Sarah, your wife, you shall not call her name.

Is somebody chopping on a tree?

Yes, they're sawing somewhere.

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