Abraham Justified by Faith-Romans 4:1-25
What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. 5 But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. 6 So also David speaks of the blessedness of those to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
8 blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin.”
9 Is this blessedness, then, pronounced only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We say, “Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.”10 How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the ancestor of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them, 12 and likewise the ancestor of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also follow the example of the faith that our ancestor Abraham had before he was circumcised.
God’s Promise Realized through Faith
13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.
16 For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”)—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So numerous shall your descendants be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 Therefore his faith “was reckoned to him as righteousness.”23 Now the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone,24 but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.
What does the Passage Say?
V. 1-12 Paul uses Abraham as an example to explain that righteousness doesn’t come by the law. It was proven through the story of Abraham that he was called righteous before God gave the law the Moses.
It says, “Now think: Was that declaration made before or after he was marked by the covenant rite of circumcision? That’s right, before we was marked. That means that he underwent circumcision as evidence and confirmation of what God had embraced with his whole life” (v. 10-11 The Message)
V. 13-25 Then Paul says, “For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteous of faith” (v. 13 NIV). He also says that ‘anyone who has faith are descendants of Abraham’ (V. 16).
Abraham was a father of Faith, who held on to the promise, even though he didn’t see it being possible. The promise was only realized hundreds of years after Abraham was dead. God answers in God’s own time.
What does this mean to us?
“No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised” (v. 20-21 NIV).
When we look at the surroundings, it is hard to grow in our faith. However, when we fix our eyes onto our Lord, our creator and true hope, that is when we can grow strong in our faith. Abraham was a person, who modeled that way of life. God was always with Abraham. However, many of the promises God gave to Abraham were promises that will not be realized in Abraham’s age. God promised a ‘Legacy’ to Abraham, and even though it wasn’t realized in his lifetime, Abraham held onto the promise and ‘grew in faith.’
What are the prayer requests that you are praying over. Are you, by any chance, discouraged because God is not answering your prayers? God is a faithful God, and God’s words will be done. Hold onto God, as Abraham did, and you will see God’s glory revealed in your life. Remember one thing and turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Lord, help us to see you and your will, in the midst of chaos and confusion. Be with us today. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen
What are your thoughts?
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