Marks of Justifying Faith (Romans 4:17-25, Genesis 17:15-27)
Rev. David Huffman, November 10, 2024Part of the Series On Romans series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 provides a good definition. Faith is anchored in the words of God; it is reliance on what God says and does.
The words of God are steady and dependable and not sentimental; based on knowledge of divinely revealed truth. Abraham models faith for us. He trusted in what God says. This is not a matter of opinion. What God says demands a response. What made Abram obey what God told him while living in Ur? It is grace that is not humanly explicable. For us the response is, "I know I am a sinner and must believe what I have heard (from the words of God). Faith and belief are intertwined. Abraham did not weaken in faith despite his circumstances. Having a son at his age was impossible for man; bringing forth life where there is no life. Yet it is possible with God's creative power. In Genesis we read of God speaking creation into existence, making something out of nothing. He has the power to reverse what is dead. Abraham had persevering faith, that God would do what he had promised. Abraham, however, demonstrated some inconsistencies, such as deceiving the Egyptians about Sarah, and taking Hagar to remedy Sarah's barrenness. These instances were not how God ordained to keep His promises. We are commanded to trust and not to doubt. We learn to trust more in God's word as we mature, exercising the means of grace. Paul's and Abraham's faith was real and active. What will others say about our faith at the end of our lives? Will we consistently trust in the promises of God? Abraham's justification was written for us as well. He believed that Jesus was what was promised about Abraham's seed, confirmed by Jesus' own words. We must confess the risen Jesus; in this belief is promised salvation.
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
|---|---|---|
| « A Promise Resting on Grace | None | Gloryfing God-Romans 5:1,2 » |
Romans 4:17–25 (Listen)
17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
(ESV)
Genesis 17:15–27 (Listen)
15 And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” 17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” 19 God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”
22 When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. 23 Then Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. 27 And all the men of his house, those born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
(ESV)