Romans
Chapter 4 Verse 1-3
What can we say about Abraham? If Abraham was made right in the eyes of God because of what Abraham did by himself—-then Abraham could be proud of himself—he could feel that he made himself good before God.
But the scriptures say that Abraham believed God and because of this belief/faith God accepted him. God said Abraham was righteous because he believed God.
Romans Chapter 4 Verse 4-5
If a person works to pay a debt (something he owes)—then God’s grace has nothing to do with it.
If a person has a debt and he does not work to pay it—-but he believes that another person will pay it for him—then “grace” can happen.
The person’s faith will make his debt paid.
Romans Chapter 4 Verse 6 -13
David, in the Old Testament, talked about the blessings man has because of the righteousness that God gives by His grace—with no working for it.
David said, ‘Blessed are they who sins are forgiven, who has his sin covered. Blessed is the man that God does not blame (hold responsible) for sin. Psalms 32: 1,2
Does this blessing come to only those who have been circumcised?
We read that Abraham was given righteousness because he believed—not because he was circumcised.
Abraham was given righteousness before he was circumcised.
Circumcision was what he did to show his faith. Because Abraham believed that God would keep the promise to make him a great family as big as a nation—-he circumcised the males to show he believed God.
Abraham is the father of all who believe—–not just the father of those who are circumcised. Abraham is not the father of just Jewish people—-he is the father of all who believe in God and trust God’s promise.
The promise God gave to Abraham did not happen because Abraham circumcised the males——the promise of God happened because Abraham believed God would keep his word to do what He said.
Circumcision became the law—–but that was not what made God keep His promise. It was not what the people did by cutting their bodies that made God keep his promise—–it was because they believed God would do what He said He would do. It was not the “work” of the people that gave them God’s promise—-it was their faith in God that made God keep His promise.
Romans 4 Verse 14 -16
If people can have God’s promise because of what they do—-there is no reason to have faith.
People can only know they have done wrong and sinned if there is a law or rule that says something is a sin. When people do not obey the rules/law they receive punishment.
God’s grace (a free gift) can only happen if it is given freely. You do not work for a gift.”
It is by our faith so grace can be given so that the promise can come to all Abraham’s family –even to those far into the future—so they too can have the promise of God.
Romans Chapter 4 Verse 17 -22
The scriptures say that Abraham was to be the father of many nations. Genesis 17:5
Abraham’s family was to grow so big as to become more than one nation.
Abraham believed that it would happen. At the time, Abraham had no children—not one. His wife had not been able to have a baby.
Verse 17 says that God “quickened the dead”. “Quickened” means “gave life”—-God gave life to someone who was dead.
Sarah’s body was dead as far as having babies. That mean Abraham was not able to have a son either.
We know that later, Sarah told Abraham to take her servant woman to have a baby with her. The servant woman, Hagar, did have a baby boy–named Ishmael. Sarah did not trust God to do things in His own time—she tried to help God. Later, Sarah came to hate Ishmael—and that became a problem.
Verse 17 goes on to say: that God called things that were not yet
so as though they were so. God called Abraham a father when he was not yet a father.
God lives in the “now”. God has no time. God is ever present.
Man lives in time. Man has a past, a present, a future.
When God said that Abraham was a father—God’s word was so sure —- it was a good as the thing being already done.
God’s word was just a good as the happening.
God said, “You are a father.” That word was a good as the thing being already done. Because God’s word cannot be void or empty.
Abraham believed God’s word.
Verse 18 Abraham hoped—what he saw in real life there was no hope. Abraham trusted God’s word so much that his hope was sure.
He believed that God would give him many sons.
Verse 19 So Abraham was not weak in his faith—he was strong in his faith—he did not think about his body or Sarah’s not being able to have a baby. He was 100. Sarah couldn’t have a baby when she was young. Now she was old.
He thought only about the word God gave him that he would have a family. If God said so—it would be.
Verse 20 Abraham did not “waver”–go back and forth—with his faith. He did not have faith one day and then the next day doubt and fear and worry or give up believing. His faith was sure and steady. He praised God and gave Him glory.
How many people are like Abraham in believing God? How many of us believe God steady and sure? Most of us get discouraged and feel that God is not going to answer. If we do not see God bring the promise soon, we doubt that God said it, or that we did not understand, or that God is unhappy with us and has changed His mind. We get angry with God for making us wait so long for the answer. Some give up believing completely.
Abraham waited 25 years for God to keep his promise about giving him a son. God waited until Abraham’s body and Sarah’s body was too old to have a baby themselves. They could not do it by their own strength and work. They had to believe in God’s gift of grace to them.
Verse 21 Abraham had full confidence that God would do what He said. He fully believed that God could make it happen.
Verse 22 Because of this believing God honored Abraham and gave him a son.
Romans Chapter 4 Verse 23-25
These things were not written in scriptures just for Abraham, but they were written for us, too. Believing to receiving God’s promise is for all of us.
Those who believe that Jesus died on the cross for their sins, and that He was raised up from the dead will be justified (made right with God).