On Romans 4:17-20
(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; 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." 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. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,—Romans 14:17-20
Studying these verses did my heart much good.
Abraham's faith did not weaken. He held fast to his faith, even long after the hope of having a natural-born son became impossible according to human experience. Paul writes in verse 20 that Abraham experienced no unbelief. He didn't waver in trusting God. Just the opposite: He grew stronger in his faith and continued to give glory to God. I want to be like Abraham and believe God moment by moment no matter my circumstances. I want my faith, my hope my peace and my rest to be in my Jesus.
Father, Help me to take my anxious and fearful thoughts captive by bringing them immediately to You in prayer. Keep my focus in the here and now of the moment...not the what ifs of tomorrow. Stay my heart on You and Your Word. Be the subject of all my thoughts.
Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For You have been a shelter for me,
A strong tower from the enemy.
I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;
I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.
Selah—Psalm 61:1-4
On 4:21-25…
and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness."
Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.—Romans 4:21-25
As I read and studied these verses from Romans 4 above, Romans 5:1-2 echoed in my heart and mind.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.—Romans 5:1-2
Our access to God is our faith...moment by moment...day by day. Faith has been described as a conduit of God’s grace. ❤️
Romans 4:21-25
Faith is being fully-convinced that God is able to do as He promised. God calls us to be "fully convinced" that, in Christ, our sins are forgiven and we are welcomed into God's family. It is this "trust" which saves us from our sins (Hebrews 12:1–2), not good works or legalism. Now Paul writes that this benefit was not just for Abraham alone. He is not the only one in human history who can become righteous in God's eyes by faith. The path is available to everyone who will believe in what God has done for us through Jesus. We, too, can be counted as righteous by faith in Jesus' death for our sins and God's resurrection of Him for our justification.—Bibleref site
This is central to Paul's main argument in this passage: that salvation is offered only to those who truly believe (John 3:16–18), and only on the basis of that belief.
16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.—John 3:16-18
The application here for me in these verses from Chapter 4 of Romans focused on this verse from Hebrews.
Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)
But without faith [it is] impossible to please [Him,] for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and [that] He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
This is how I must always...moment by moment...come to my Father in Heaven. First, I must believe that He is...that He is there and that He will make Himself known to me as I seek Him. I liked how Spurgeon describes faith. His explanation has really helped me understand that I can do nothing to obtain anything from God. My job is just to receive Him and all that He has for me in any given moment by and through faith.
Why Faith Is the Channel of Salvation - Spurgeon
Why is faith selected as the channel of salvation? “For by grace are ye saved through faith.”
It appears to me that faith has been selected as the channel of grace because there is a natural adaptation in faith to be used as the receiver. Faith is created on purpose to be a spiritual receiver. The faith that receives Christ is as simple an act as your child receiving an apple from you because you hold it out and promise to give the apple if the child comes for it. The belief and the receiving relate only to an apple, but they make up precisely the same act as the faith that deals with eternal salvation, and what the child’s hand is to the apple, your faith is to the perfect salvation of Christ. The child’s hand does not make or alter the apple; it only takes it. Faith is chosen by God to be the receiver of salvation because it does not pretend to make or help salvation, but it receives it. Faith is doubtless selected because it gives all the glory to God. It is of faith that it might be by grace, and it is of grace that there may be no boasting, for God cannot endure pride. Paul adds, “Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2: 9). The hand that receives charity does not say to the body, “Thank me, for I feed you.” It is a very simple thing that the hand does, though a very necessary thing, but it never arrogates glory to itself for what it does. God has selected faith to receive the unspeakable gift of His grace because it adores the gracious God who is the giver of all good. God also selects faith as the channel of salvation because it is a sure method, linking man with God. When man confides in God, there is a point of union between them that guarantees blessing. Faith saves us because it makes us cling to God.
