Romans 4:13-22

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Romans 4:13-22. For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith. Romans 4:14 For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect: Romans 4:15 for the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. Romans 4:16 For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all Romans 4:17 (as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were. Romans 4:18 Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be. Romans 4:19 And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb; Romans 4:20 yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, Romans 4:21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. Romans 4:22 Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.

79.

Why is the time of the justification of Abraham important?

80.

What relation did circumcision hold to justification?

81.

In what way is Abraham our father?

REALIZING ROMANS, Romans 4:13-22

150.

Circumcision has been dealt with, We are now introduced to a new refuge of the Jew. What is it?

151.

Did God promise Abraham that he would be heir of the world? Where? When? What does it mean?

152.

How is faith made void by law? Is this bad?

153.

What is the promise of Romans 4:14?

154.

Does law always work wrath?

155.

In what possible situation could there be no law? cf. Romans 4:15.

156.

Faith produces grace. In what way?

157.

If the promise is predicated on faith, all can enjoy it (?) How?

158.

Is Christ the promise of Romans 4:16?

159.

Is Abraham our father right now? Does it mean anything to you? It shouldit should be a wonderful blessing. Discover how.

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There are five or six characteristics of Abraham's faith given in Romans 4:17 b - Romans 4:21. See if you can list them.

161.

When and where did God give life from the dead?

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Isn-'t it wonderful to worship and serve a God who calleth things that are not as though they were? Why is it wonderful to you?

163.

Abraham held one hope against another. What were they?

164.

Why were not the physical circumstances a source of discouragement to Abraham?

165.

Abraham, instead of becoming weaker in faith, actually became stronger. How?

166.

How shall we reconcile this account of Paul with the account of Moses in the birth of Ishmael from Hagar?

167.

Name three promises God has made to you. Do you feel Romans 4:21 relates to these promises?

168.

What is the it of Romans 4:22?

169.

Define in one sentence the meaning of faith. Faith is _________ _________ _________ etc.

Paraphrase

Romans 4:13-22. Besides, from the scripture (Romans 4:3) it is evident, that not on account of a perfect obedience to any law whatever, the promise was made to Abraham, and to his seed, that he should inherit the world, but on account of a righteousness of faith. How then can the Jews expect to obtain the inheritance of heaven, on account of a righteousness of law?

Romans 4:14 For if they who are righteous by works of law are heirs of the world, their faith (Romans 4:11) is rendered useless, and the promise, by which they became heirs as a matter of favor, is made of no effect:It does not, in reality, convey that blessing.

Romans 4:15 Farther, instead of conferring a title to the inheritance, the law worketh out punishment, even to the heirs who, by receiving the inheritance as a free gift, are declared to be transgressors of the law written on their hearts; because where law is not, there no transgression is, nor treatment of persons as transgressors.

Romans 4:16 For this reason, the inheritance is bestowed on account of a righteousness of faith, and not of law, that it might be a free gift, in order that the promise made to Abraham concerning it might be sure to all his seed, not to that only which is his seed by the law of circumcision, but to that also which is his seed by possessing the faith of Abraham, who is the federal head of us all who believe, whether we be Jews or Gentiles; that is, persons not in the visible church of God.

Romans 4:17 (Agreeably to what is written, Genesis 17:5. Surely a father of many nations I have constituted thee); which honor of being the father of all believers, Abraham obtained when he stood in the presence of him whom he believed; even of God, who maketh alive the dead, and speaketh of things in the remotest futurity, which exist not, with as much certainty as if they existed.

Romans 4:18 Abraham, contrary to all the ordinary grounds on which men build their hope of offspring, believed with a strong hope, founded on the promise of God, that he should be the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, So shall thy seed be; namely, as the stars of heaven for multitude.

Romans 4:19 And not being weak, either in his conceptions or in his belief of the power and veracity of God, he did not consider his own body now dead, in respect of procreating children, being about a hundred years old, neither the deadness of Sarah's womb, as obstacles to his having a numerous progeny by her, though she was ninety years old.

Romans 4:20 Therefore against the promise of God he did not dispute through unbelief, by alleging that the thing was impossible; but having the firmest persuasion of the veracity of God, he gave the glory of that perfection to God, by waiting patiently for the performance of his promise.

Romans 4:21 And was fully persuaded, that what was promised, God was able even to perform; although the longer he waited, the accomplishment of the promise must have appeared, to an ordinary faith, the more difficult.

Romans 4:22 This strong faith, exercised by Abraham for so long a time, being highly pleasing to God, Therefore also it was counted to him for righteousness.

Summary

God promised to Abraham and his offspring that they should inherit the world. But the promise was in virtue of justification by belief, and not in virtue of law. If the inheritance depended on law, none could attain it. Therefore it is by belief that all may attain it. The power and influence of Abraham's belief is shown.

Comment

It might be well to put before us those historic events so precious to the Jew which are being discussed in these verses.

a.

God promised Abraham a son in his old age. Abraham, in spite of his age, believed God, and through this belief God constituted him just. cp. Genesis 15:1-6.

b.

God then made the promise to Abraham because of his faith that He would make him the father of many nations if he would continue in his faith and circumcise all the males. This Abraham did and thus received an inheritance of many peoples. cp. Gen. ch. 17.

The subject of justification and circumcision has already been settled. There yet remains the promise of God to Abraham as to his inheriting of the world. This Paul discusses beginning with Romans 4:13.

The plain statement is that the promise given to Abraham and his seed (Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, etc.) concerning the inheritance of the world was not given because these fathers were perfectly obedient to any law, but rather because of their faith, faith which prompted God to call them righteous. Reason is then given for the thought expressed. If the only persons who will enter into this promise are those who are obedient to law, of what use is the belief spoken of when both Moses and Paul by the Holy Spirit said, Abraham believed God and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness? What object would there be in extending to man grace and accepting him as righteous through his faith and imperfect obedience if it were possible for him to keep the law of God? Furthermore, the fulfillment of the promise could never have been realized on a basis of perfect obedience to law since all have sinned, and the only possible result is wrath. The law was not given so that man could receive the promise by fulfilling it. Yet if man had kept the law he would have inherited the world. Since, however, man did not keep the law we can see that the promise would have utterly failed on such a basis, Romans 4:13-15 a

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State the two historic events upon which this event is based.

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What new thought is introduced at Romans 4:13?

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Why couldn-'t the promise have been through law?

If perchance there should be some Jew audacious enough to suggest that he could inherit by law because he had never broken it, Paul places the following principle before him: When there is no law, there is no transgression. In other words, only when no law is present can there be freedom from sin. Since no one has ever lived in this state (either Jew or Gentile) no one can claim freedom from transgression. No one can inherit through the law, for all have law and all have transgressed it; thus all have sinned. Romans 4:15 b

This promise to Abraham was given on the basis of faith for the purpose of showing God's favor. If the promise had been on the basis of law, God would have owed man the promise. Then too, the promise would not have been sure, for if it had been of law it would have failed all. But being of faith it is obtainable by all. It could thus be obtained not only by the Jews under the law but also by those Gentiles who exercised the same kind of faith in God as Abraham, who was and is father of us all. cp. Romans 4:11 b ... as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee. Romans 4:16-17 a

The faith of Abraham is mentioned in Romans 4:16 b in connection with the type of faith man must have to please God. Abraham's faith in all its beauty and strength is then described from Romans 4:17 b through Romans 4:22. Abraham is spoken of as standing, not only before the Jews and all men but even before God, in whom he believes, in the position of the father of many nations. Then the power of Abraham's God is illustrated in the circumstances of Jehovah's dealing with Abraham. He gave life to the dead and called the things that are not as though they were. There follow then the details of this general statement of God's power and Abraham's faith. Romans 4:17 b

Who in hope believed against hope are the apostle's words which further describe the faith of Abraham. In Abraham's case there was absolutely no natural ground for hope. In spite of this fact, Abraham believed in hope. Furthermore, he exercised his hope through belief, against the adverse circumstances. He held this hope for the one purpose that he might indeed be a father of many nations, that the promise of making his seed as innumerable as the stars of the heaven might be fulfilled. The end in view and his faith actuated his hope. Paul then speaks of the discouraging prospects of the fulfillment of the promise, namely, the agedness of Abraham and his wife, which made it humanly impossible to carry out the promise, Then notice the great faith of Abraham: a, He considered his own body at the age of one hundred, yet in spite of this he lost no faith in Jehovah. b. Likewise, he realized the deadness of the womb of Sarah. c. He looked to the promise of God and did not waver through unbelief; he rather became strong. d. He gave God the glory. This bespeaks his humility for he, under the circumstances, could easily have gloried in his faith (even as Job). e. His faith is again described as full assurance in the ability of God to perform what he promised. (cp. Hebrews 11:1) Romans 4:18-21

85.

Why would the promise have failed through law?

86.

What is the meaning of Romans 4:15 b? What two reasons are given for the promise being of faith?

87.

What is described in Romans 4:17 b - Romans 4:22?

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What two thoughts are discussed in connection with each other in Romans 4:18-21?

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What is the meaning of in hope believed against hope?

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Give from memory three of the five points of Abraham's faith.

Let us sum up the matter. Have you seen the faith of Abraham? Have you beheld its beauty and strength? Have you noticed its separation from the law? Paul could then fittingly say: Well, my Jewish friend, THAT faith was reckoned unto our father Abraham for righteousness. Romans 4:22