The faith of Abraham was God's demonstration of taking wishful thinking hope or earthly hope and changing it into a confident expectation based upon the character of God hope. Changing the impossible into the certain expectation that all things are possible with God. Justified exclusively by faith in Jesus Christ.
Romans 4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found 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 accounted to him for righteousness."
The truth of grace is what separates us from all other religions. All false religions have man being made right before God based upon the doing of the man or you could say man’s works. However, true salvation is being justified by faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Abraham was not justified by works. Remember last week we defined justified as “just as if we never sinned”. Innocence restored. If it is by works we have gone back to live by the tree of “the knowledge of good and evil”. God’s desire is for us to live from the tree of life. That life is found exclusively in Jesus Christ alone. Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Accounted is a interesting word. Abraham believed the word of God and then there was an accounting. God seen Abraham’s faith toward the word and God counted him as righteous. When the object of your faith is the word of God it will be counted to you!
Romans 4:4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
If you work for it the wages are not grace but of debt. If you believe for it through divine influence it is not of work but grace. The scripture is so clear here. Righteousness of God comes to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly. His faith is accounted for righteousness. God imputes righteousness apart from works and there is no other righteousness that takes away the sin. All righteousness derived from works or human effort cannot impute righteousness from God. The man who is working for it loses the ability to receive God’s defined righteousness.
Romans 4:7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin."
This faith journey is awesome. It was prophetically spoken by the prophets of old. The covenant brought by the blood of Jesus is the covenant where sin are not imputed; those who come into covenant by faith in Jesus Christ are the blessed ones to whom the LORD is not imputing sin.
Romans 4:9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised.
Circumcision was the physical mark made upon the foreskin of every male in Israel saying they belonged to God. Even under the law it was not a trumpet blown, saying I belong to God. It was a personal reminder to the individual that they belonged to God. So today it is the inward work of God made in the heart of man; faith in Jesus’ atoning work allows one to confess “I now belong to God”. It is truly a circumcision of the heart by placing faith in Jesus Christ the Messiah; look what God has done. The blessedness of the promise was made before Abraham was ever circumcised. Righteousness must be exclusively found in faith toward Jesus Christ!
Romans 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.
It is the walk of faith that imputes righteousness to the believer. It is of the covenant of the blood of the Lamb where men can be made justified. The circumcision came after faith had already come.
Romans 4:13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
The promise that God made to Abraham was not through the law; the promise to Abraham that he would be the heir of the world was exclusively through the righteousness of faith. The just shall live by faith and there is no other way to live in victory.
Romans 4:14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.
The law and faith cannot be mixed. If it is of law then faith is made void and the promise made of no effect. Hear the words of covenant. It can’t be of law because law brings about wrath; where there is no law there is no transgression.
Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, 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 Holy Spirit does not want us to miss it! Being made right with God is exclusively through faith and there is no other way. If it is of law then many are excluded. If it is of faith all who will call upon Jesus can be justified before God. It is to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
Romans 4:17 (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed; God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."
This promise is based upon the greatness of who God is. God is the one who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did. Although earthy hope had no chance the hope coming from the word of God brought hope to believe the impossible.
Romans 4:19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
When receiving the promise of God there are things to consider and, just as important, things not to consider. Abraham did not consider the deadness of his own body nor that of Sarah womb. He did not waver at the promise. He kept the promise in the forefront considering what God has spoken was true and God could and would perform His word to him. To consider the weakness of his or his wife’ body would be the faith killer. However, he considered the promise of God and was strengthened in faith. Abraham gave glory to God, and being fully convince that what He had promised He was able to perform. Abraham was giving the glory to God before the manifestation of the promise.
Romans 4:22 And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
Abraham’s life of faith is written down for us! There can be an accounting of righteousness for you! Only by faith in the living word of God. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Jesus was delivered up because of our offenses,30?0000000000000000000……..our justification! FAITH ALONE!
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