ROMANS 4: 16-18
FAITH IN GOD’S PROMISES
Paul continues his illustration of Abraham as the supreme Old Testament example of saving faith. He makes clear the fact that man’s faith and God’s grace are both involved in salvation. For the promise of God’s salvation belongs to the realm of grace and faith (CIT).
The exercising of faith is the prerequisite response of trusting God and His promises. Abraham’s faith in God’s promises is astounding to me. For when God spoke to Abraham, He responded in obedient faith. Because of his faith in the promises of God, he became the father of the faithful.
I. Universal Promise, 16.
II. Unwavering Faith, 17.
III. Uncommon Hope, 18.
After addressing law, wrath, and sin Paul now contrasts faith, grace, and promise in verse 16. "For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all."
The inheritance promised to Abraham and his seed or descendants (4:13) must be either because of law or faith. It cannot be by attempting to keep the law, for the law works or brings wrath (4:15) where ever it is broken, not salvation. All have broken God’s Law. Therefore salvation or justification must be of or "out of faith." For faith is the only response that is compatible [or in accordance] with God’s grace. The promise of justification, or salvation, rests upon the grace of God and can only be received through faith in God.
The Apostle says "the promise" of justification by faith is certain because of God’s grace. If salvation or justification be in any form or to any degree dependent upon the merit, the goodness, or the stability of man, it never could be sure, in fact it must be utterly unattainable. Unless we are saved by grace, we cannot be saved at all. To reject therefore, a gratuitous salvation, is to reject the only method of salvation available for sinners. Salvation being of grace, suspended on the simple condition of faith in God’s Word, without regard to parentage, national or church affilication, is therefore available to all classes or types of people.
[Salvation by character?] A minister was sitting in a railway coach BESIDE AN UNBELIEVER who said to him, "I differ with you. I don’t believe that anyone is admitted into heaven because of his faith. I believe that when God receives anyone into heaven, He inspects his character and good works rather than his faith." Presently the conductor came along and looked carefully at every ticket the passengers gave him. After he passed, the minister said, "Did you notice that the conductor looked carefully at every ticket the passengers gave him, and took no pains to inspect the passengers? A railway ticket entitled them to be transported to their destination. So faith in Christ brings saving grace. Now it also produces Christian character which is pleasing to God, but man is not saved by His character but by God’s grace. The Bible says, "‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: It is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.’"
This promise of salvation by faith is certain of fulfilment for one group only, the true seed. The true descendants are those who, though honoring God’s Law [as the Jews did], rest their faith in God and His promises as did Abraham. The statement that Abraham is the father of us all means that all believers are the spiritual children of Abraham. In God’s kingdom there is no room for racial prejudice. Because of their common faith, "all" believers constitute one family, the family of God.
II. UNWAVERING FAITH, 17.
Verse 17 adds evidence for the previous statement from the Old Testament by quoting Genesis 17:5. "As it is written, ‘A father of many nations have I made you’ in the sight of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist."
The father of physical nations, yes, but also of a spiritual nation. In God’s all knowing sight He saw Abraham as the father of many nations even though Abraham was without heir when the promise was given.
Paul further describes the object of Abraham’s faith as the God who imparts life to the dead. The reference is to the One who revived Abraham’s power to beget, and Sarah’s ability to bear. Abraham was as good as dead as far as his fathering a child was concerned. Their was no work he could do that would father a child.
Paul most likely was also referencing the resurrection of Jesus. For when he describes God as the One who imparts life to the dead, he is making a statement about what God did to him, when Paul made his profession of faith.
Can you also make that statement concerning new life? Did God raise you out of iniquity & sin into a new way of life also?
He who has the power to give life to the dead can also call "into being that which does not exist." The All powerfulness of God cannot be more forcefully expressed than by saying He "calls into being that which does not exist" or creating something out of nothing. All creation came out of what did not previously exist (Heb. 11:3).
So both giving life to the dead and creating out of nothing were experienced by Abraham. Impossibilities sprung into hope and life. Having such evidence Abraham placed his faith in God because was able to accomplish His Word (Heb. 11:1). Unwavering faith does not mean that Abraham did not struggle, but that he never stopped believing God.
The main thrust of Paul’s argument is this, that it was by faith in the Almighty and All-faithful God, and not by works, that Abraham received the fulfillment of the promise.
The promise (or covenant) God gave Abraham stated that Abraham would be "the father of many nations" (Genesis 17:2-4) and that the entire world would be blessed through him (Genesis 12:3). This promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus was from Abraham’s line, and truly the whole world was blessed through Him.
III. UNCOMMON HOPE, 18.
Faith in the God of the impossible gives birth to hope when it can be found no where else. Verse 18, "In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, ‘so shall your descendants be.’"
God had promised Abraham that he would "become the father of many nations" (Gen. 15:3ff, 17:1, 7). Yet at the time the promise was made, circumstances prevailed that made its fulfillment seem impossible. There was no human hope of ever having a child. Abraham found supernatural hope through his faith in God’s Word and God’s power.
Basically hope means the expectation of something desirable. Hope keeps us going. Hope in God deeps us believing. What kept Abraham going was the hope of God fulfilling the promise of a son in whom all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Humanly speaking there was no hope of realization of the promised child. Nevertheless, against hopeless odds Abraham hoped in God’s promise. God honored Abraham’s faith and the result of his hope of descendants is that he is the father of many nations.
You may feel like you will never lead any one to Christ, but hope in God and believe His Word. That one person you persevere to win may be the way God brings many to faith in Him.
We can learn something about Christian hope from FISHER MEN. In Pavlov’s Trout, Paul Quinnett writes:
Fishing is hope experienced. To be optimistic in a slow bite is to thrive on hope alone. When asked, "How can you fish all day without a hit?" the true fisherman replies, "Hold it. I think I felt something." If the line goes slack, he says, "He’ll be back!"
When it comes to the human spirit, hope is so important all. Without hope, there is no yearning, no desire for a better tomorrow, and no belief that the next cast will bring the big strike.
The Christian life is to be hope experienced. A hopeless Christian is a contradiction in terms.
CONCLUSION
What makes CHRISTIANITY DIFFERENT from all the other religions of the world? Years ago that very question was discussed at a conference. Some of the participants argued that Christianity is unique in teaching that God became man. But someone objected, saying that other religions teach similar doctrines. What about the resurrection? No, it was argued, other faiths believe that the dead rise again. The discussion grew heated.
C. S. Lewis, a strong defender of Christianity, came in late, sat down, and asked, "What’s the rumpus about?" When he learned that it was a debate about the uniqueness of Christianity, he immediately commented, "Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace."
How right he was! The very heart of the gospel is the supreme truth that God accepts us with no conditions whatever when we put our trust in the atoning sacrifice of His incarnate Son. Although we are helplessly sinful, God in grace forgives us completely. It’s by His grace that we are saved, not by moral character, works of righteousness, commandment-keeping, or churchgoing. We need do nothing else but accept God’s total pardon and receive the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ (Tit. 3:4-7).
That indeed is Good news. What a gospel! What a Savior! Do you remember the song "Grace Greater that Our Sin"?
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You who are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive? -Johnston
Grace is everything for nothing to those who don’t deserve anything. Place your faith in God and His promises and find hope in God’s grace.
