Why did God tell Abraham to leave his kindred and father's house?
God told Abraham to leave his kindred and father's house in order to make the break with idolatry, because Abraham's family and the pagan city of Ur were steeped in idolatry. God called him to a land He would show him, and Abraham responded in faith and obeyed.
Les explains that the whole world was steeped in idolatry, including Abraham's family. That is why God had to say in Genesis chapter 12, “leave your family, leave your city, and go to a land that I will show you.” God was reaching into an idolatrous home and the idolatrous pagan city of Ur, and in His grace He reached down to one man, Abraham, much like He did with Saul on the road to Damascus. The command was to get out of his country, from his kindred, and from his father's house in order to make the break with idolatry. Abraham did what God said, and he did it in response to faith. Les then connects this to Romans chapter 4, noting that salvation is profound and complex, yet simple when we first enter in; a child can understand it, though as believers grow in faith they realize how complex it all is and will never plumb its depths.
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
More Questions
Where in Genesis did God first tell Abram to leave his country and kindred?
God's command for Abram to leave his country, his kindred, and his father's house for a land God would show him was given back in Genesis chapter 11.
What did God tell Abram to leave and where was he to go?
The Lord told Abram to get out of his country, away from his kindred, and from his father's house, to a land God would show him.