Romans: Faith of Abraham

This chapter is a discussion by Paul that centers around the subject of salvation by faith and not of works of the law.

I have divided it into four paragraphs/subjects. We will look at the first two this month and then look at the last two next month. The four subjects are:

The Faith of Abraham: vs 1-8
Faith for Both the Jew and the Gentile: vs 9-16
Faith Yet Unseen: vs 17-22
Faith for You and Me: vs 23-25

The Faith of Abraham

First, Paul will examine Abraham as a model of salvation by faith:

Romans 4:1-8 (bold added):

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Paul wishes to point to an indisputable example of what he has been saying in the last few chapters and, thus, points to Abraham the first “faith” person in the Bible, the father of faith so to speak.

I have added this quote from Isaiah because it sets the stage for looking at the statement in Romans 4:7 regarding righteousness and forgiven sin.

Isaiah 45:22-25: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.”

Verse 1-3 Notes: “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

The connection of this verse with the preceding train of reasoning in Chapter 3 is obvious. Paul had taught that we are justified by faith. As a confirmation of this doctrine, whilst anticipating an objection from the Jews, he refers to the case of Abraham, our example of salvation by faith without the Law of Moses (which came hundreds of years later).

All admitted that Abraham was justified. The only question was, how? The law did not exist, and yet Abraham did obey God (by faith!). Let’s look at the times he obeyed God:

Genesis 12:1-4: “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 show thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.”

Genesis 22:2: “And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountians which I will tell thee of.”

Genesis 13:14-18:

And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

Dividing of the night sacrifice and God’s giving him a promise via a covenant: Genesis 15:7-21

Abraham circumcised all males in his camp as per God’s direction as a sign for the covenant: Genesis 17:1-27

Cast out Hagar and Ishmael as Sarah requested and God directed: Genesis 21:12-14

Abraham obeys the call to sacrifice Isaac: Genesis 22:1-19 (perhaps his biggest test . . .)

However, it was not his obedience, per se, that caused him to be counted as righteous. But his faith in the promises that God gave him. Obedience was the results of faith, not obedience gave him faith.

Genesis 15:1-6:

After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Hebrews 11:8-12 (bold added):

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

Hebrews 11:17-19 (bold added): “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.”

We today must learn to believe God by faith and, as a result, step out in obedience.

Verse 4-5 Notes: “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

A person working for their salvation (presumably under the law or by whatever set of rules and morals he/she lives under) is immediately placed under debt to that set of laws the moment even one of them is violated. Any reward obtained would not then be a reward of grace (a free gift) but one earned by the worker. Yet because of the numerous failures that will and do occur under such a system, all the reward such a person can expect is that of great debt.

A person who does not live under a system of works but believes God’s promises by faith and, specifically, that of redemption in Jesus Christ because of His work on the Cross, has no debt, has been justified by his/her faith although they themselves are ungodly and are, therefore, counted as righteous before a Holy God.

Verse 6-8 Notes: “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”

David understood this principle, and we find it scattered throughout the Psalms. Let’s look specifically at the psalm that Paul is quoting:

- Psalm 32:1-11:

A Psalm of David, Maschil, Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Many sorrow shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Faith for Both Jew and Gentile

Now Paul will extend the Abraham-saved-by-faith argument to include not just Jews but Gentiles. He points out that Abraham did not have the Law of Moses available to him, yet he was deemed justified by God by his faith. What worked for Abraham is available to us as well.

Romans 4:9-16:

Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might 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,

Paul is writing to the church at Rome. An established church believed to be around twenty-eight or so years old at the time of this letter.

The Christians in Rome were established for a few years by this time having most likely had Jewish believers who traveled to Jerusalem for various feast days and carried the gospel back with them.¹ Romans 15:23: “But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;”

This is some twenty-eight years from the first Pentecost and would have been plenty of time for a strong church to be established.

Paul considered them as a well-established congregation. Consider that he did not call them recent converts . . .

They seemed to have been an organized and well-grounded congregation: Romans 15:14: “And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.“

They were well known throughout the Roman empire . . . Romans 1:8: “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”

Read Romans 4:1-16

This blessedness mentioned by David in Psalm 32 is what Paul is referring to.

Abraham is the undisputed patriarch of the Jewish people.

There are a few names that the Jews of Jesus’ time refer to: Abraham, Moses, and King David are at the top.

Abraham was before the law and obeyed God by faith.

Moses was called and served God by faith before God gave him the law.

David was a law breaker but trusted in God’s promises and, therefore, lived primarily by faith.

Faith came before obedience for all three of these examples.

Verse 9 Notes: “Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.”

So how then did Abraham get such a blessing – one that washed away his sins and iniquities? Because of circumcision. In other words, his entry unto a covenant relationship with God.

Genesis 17:1-14 (bold added):

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

Born or bought, they were to be circumcised as a token of the covenant. Did this guarantee salvation? What if a man who was bought, for instance, was an idol worshipper before becoming a servant of Abraham and remained an idol worshipper? Was he saved?

What of the Pharisees and Sadducees who Jesus called sons of the devil? Were they saved? Yet they were undoubtedly circumcised and, therefore, part of the covenant.

This leads us to verse 10 . . .

Verse 10 Notes: “How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.”

Paul here states the obvious: Abraham was counted faithful before circumcision and not after. The law isn’t part of this conversation because any faithful Jew would know that the law won’t be for another five hundred years.

Circumcision is a token of a covenant, not the covenant itself.

Verse 11-12 Notes: “And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.”

Abraham had been walking according to God’s commands since a relatively young man. He was not circumcised until he was ninety year old. By this time he has had several conversations with God and has obeyed every one of them. He believed God then obeyed.

Note Paul’s observation: Circumcision was a seal or token of not a just a covenant, but also of his faith which he had years before God commanded circumcision.

Result: Abraham is now not only the undisputed father of the Jewish people, but a father of all those who believe by faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul repeats the point twice in verses 11 and 12: We who believe without the covenant of circumcision may also count Abraham as our spiritual father and example of walking by faith.

Remember Romans 1:16-17: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written. The just shall live by faith.”

Verse 13 Notes: “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.”

Genesis 12:1-4: God called him out of the land he was in, and Abram obeyed.

Genesis 13:14-18: The LORD told Abram to walk the land for God had given it to him, and Abram believed and obeyed.

Genesis 15:1-6:

After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Genesis 15:7-21: Dividing of the night sacrifice and God’s giving him a promise via a one-sided covenant, and Abram obeyed.

Genesis 17:1-27: Abraham circumcised all males in his camp as per God’s direction as a sign for the covenant.

However, it was not his obedience, per se, that caused him to be counted as righteous. But by his faith in the promises that God gave him. Obedience was the result of faith, not obedience gave him faith.

Verse 14-15 Notes: “For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.”

Paul’s reference back to the law brings his Jewish audience in Rome back into focus. To the observant Jew, the law and circumcision are inseparable. The Judaizers had tried to reintroduce the Jewish law to the Gentile converts and make them become subject to the law.

But Paul reminds them that the law brings wrath as a schoolmaster. The law teaches us that we can’t keep the law and that we are all sinners.

So if the law is what you trust in, then the promise by faith is null and void to you. Works never achieve salvation. Faith is pushed aside by those who are determined to earn their way into heaven and God’s grace.

On the flip side, where no law is, there is no transgression. In other words, saved by faith eliminates our transgressions because we are saved by faith. Our sins are washed away by the blood of Christ. The writ against us has tetelestai written across it: “it is finished” – “paid in full.”

Verse 16 Notes: “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might 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,”

Closing Thoughts for Believers

Paul has now used an indisputable example for Jewish hold-outs for the law over faith by referring to Abraham. No law existed in Abraham’s time roughly five hundred years before God gave Moses the law. Abraham was not even justified by his obedience but by faith, and his obedience followed his faith. This example, the most revered patriarch of the Jewish faith, ought to put to rest any argument for salvation under the law.

Paul has now used an example for Jewish believers showing it is faith by God’s grace that makes God’s promise of salvation through Christ sure (firm, steadfast, stable, made by force).

No on can be saved by works. It is a debtor’s prison that no one can escape by themselves. The Bible clearly teaches, both in the Old and New Testaments, that the just shall live by faith. This applies today to you and me as well. The old hymn says, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way / To the happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” That could easily read, “believe and obey” or “have faith and obey”. Faith first, then obedience because having faith gives us the power to obey, not the other way around.

To all seed: that is both Jew and Gentile who believe.

Maranatha!

Bro. Joe

References

¹ Refer to article “Romans: Introduction to Great Teaching” for information about the beginning of the church in Rome.

Sammis, John H. “Trust and Obey.” (1887).

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