Well, we've been journeying as a church over the last number of weeks through the story
of Abraham, and we've been looking at it through the perspective of Moses back in the record
that we have in Genesis.
This morning, we're going to be looking at it from a different perspective.
We're going to be looking at it through the lens of the Apostle Paul as he wrote in his
letter to the church at Rome.
Now, some of you may be wondering, why are we jumping forward into the New Testament?
And so I just want to give a brief explanation as to why.
The best way to understand anything in the Bible, any passage, is to look at it and read
it within its literary context, to understand what's said there in that passage and in the
surrounding area.
But it's also important that we set things in the wider context of the whole Bible and
look at the story of Abraham in light of the whole.
How does his story fit into the larger story of what God is doing in our world?
And so we want to take some time in the next couple of weeks to jump back and forth a little
bit between the Old Testament account of Abraham and the New Testament to see what's said by
the New Testament authors about Abraham.
Abraham.
And why do we do this?
One of the things that is a burden on my heart or weighs heavily on my heart as someone who preaches
and teaches, there are passages in the Word of God that say that those who preach and teach will be judged
more strictly.
There are passages that encourage those of us who do to watch what we teach very closely.
Because if we veer off and begin teaching things that are not true or not accurate from the Word of God,
then we become dangerous to our hearers.
And so with that weight, as part of my process to prepare to preach or teach,
I have very intentionally included consulting with good commentaries on the passages that I look at.
So these commentaries, basically the guys who write these, they'll look at what all the other people
have said about that particular passage in all the other commentaries and bring all that together.
And I think of it as a safeguard.
It's a way to check for me, is what I'm seeing in this passage what you guys in the larger church community
around the world are seeing?
Because it's totally possible for me to, by myself, misinterpret or misimply or get the wrong idea from a passage.
And so I want to check and see, is the larger church community as a whole also seeing that here?
Now, as good as these books are, these commentaries are the writings of men about the Bible.
Sometimes, I wonder though, if we have failed to appreciate just what we have in the New Testament writings.
And here's where I'm going with this.
The writers of the New Testament and even Jesus himself have a lot to say about the Old Testament,
about what happened there, what was written there.
And so, the writings of the New Testament are not just like these books, the words of men.
They are the words of men, but they have their source in God
and come to us through his spirit as the inspired word of God.
They're authoritative.
And so, when we look at the New Testament and what it says about those old stories,
like the stories of Abraham,
it's like we are reading the ultimate commentary
on what happened back in the Old Testament.
And the one example that I'll point to
is with Jesus.
Jesus had many run-ins with the religious leaders of his day.
And on one of those encounters,
this is what he said to the religious leaders.
He said,
You guys study the scriptures diligently
because you think that in them you have eternal life.
These are the very scriptures that testify about me.
Yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
One of the things that I take from that
is that it is entirely possible for us
to diligently study the Old Testament scriptures
and yet come to wrong conclusions,
to get it wrong,
to miss the whole point of what they're saying.
And Jesus was known for being someone
who corrected people's wrong ideas about the Old Testament.
He talked about how their ideas
of who the Messiah would be were wrong
and what the Messiah would do were off.
He corrected people's view on the law
and how it applies to our lives
on things like marriage and divorce
and a number of other things to name a few.
And so,
and really this kind of makes sense, doesn't it?
I mean,
who better to tell us
how to interpret and apply the Old Testament
than the Son of God himself?
And so,
as we look back into the Old Testament,
we want to do so
with the lens,
with the comments,
with the teaching
that Jesus himself
gives us
about what happened back there.
He is the commentary,
the commentator
on those old writings
that never fails,
that gets it right every time.
Not only he,
but the apostles as well
who wrote under the inspiration of the Spirit
and what they said
about what was written in the Old Testament,
it too
has the same kind of weight.
It's part of the ultimate commentary
to give us confidence,
to point us in the right direction
so that when we look at these Old Testament scriptures,
we don't end up coming
to all these weird
and wonky ideas
and conclusions
of what it means
and how it applies to our lives.
And so,
that's why for the next number of weeks
we're going to be going back and forth a little
between the old and the new.
We want to understand the story
through the lens
that God has given us
in the New Testament
through his Son
and through the apostles.
So this morning,
we're in Romans chapter 4.
If you have your Bible with you,
please open it up
to Romans chapter 4.
Paul has a lot to say here
in Romans chapter 4
about the story of Abraham.
But before we get to that,
we first have to note
that what he says
comes in the context
of a larger message,
a larger point
that he's making.
And thank you, Charles,
for focusing our attention
on chapter 3
and some of what was there.
This is kind of the context
of what Paul is saying here
in chapter 4.
His whole aim in this letter
to the Romans
is to set forth
the gospel clearly
so that the people
that are in the church in Rome
would understand
the good news of Jesus.
This church is a mixed church.
It's got Jewish believers
and Gentile believers in it.
And so he's also
bringing everything together
in a way that
they would understand
how that applies to them
with their different backgrounds.
He spent the first
three chapters
as Charles
kind of led us
through a little bit,
focusing
and proclaiming
on the truth
that
the just wrath of God
is coming
upon our world
because of our sin.
As we heard this morning,
no one is righteous.
No one is exempt from this.
He takes great pains to say,
even if you're Jewish
and have observed the law
as best you can,
you are not exempt from this.
Jew and Gentile,
all of us,
the verse we've all heard,
for all have sinned
and fall short
of the glory of God,
says Paul.
And then as we heard,
read already,
he breaks in
with the good news.
But now,
there is a righteousness
from God
that can be given to us,
that we can receive
from God
by faith.
For all have sinned
and fall short
of the glory of God,
Romans 3.23,
and all are justified,
all are made right
with God
freely
by his grace
through the redemption
that came by Christ Jesus.
And we just
talked about
and reflected
on how Jesus
became that sacrifice
that we needed.
So that Paul can say
in verse 22
of chapter 3,
this righteousness,
this right standing
with God
is given through faith
in Jesus Christ
to all who believe,
whether Jew or Gentile.
There's no difference.
And so then he comes down
to verse 27
and he says,
where then is boasting?
It's excluded.
Verse 28,
for we maintain
that a person
is justified,
they're made right
with God
by faith,
apart from works
of the law.
Or is God
the God of Jews only?
Is he not
the God
of Gentiles too?
Yes,
of Gentiles too.
Since there is
only one God
who will justify,
who will make
right with himself
the circumcised
by faith
and the uncircumcised
through that same faith,
Jew and Gentile.
His main point here
is that there is
no ground
for bragging
or for boasting
to others
that you somehow
got a right standing
with God
through your own
good works,
through your own
observing of the law.
because a right standing
with God
is something
that God
gives as a gift
to those
who simply believe,
who have faith
in Jesus Christ,
his son.
And that's his main point
as we come into
chapter 4
that he is
trying to
make clear
drawing on the story
of Abraham.
Both Jew
and Gentile
are made right
with God
by faith,
by believing
the gospel
of Jesus
and not by works,
not by ritual,
not by anything else,
by faith alone.
So chapter 4
starting in verse 1.
What then shall we say
that Abraham,
our forefather,
discovered in this matter?
In this whole matter
of getting right with God,
what did Abraham discover?
Verse 2.
If in fact
Abraham was justified
by works,
he had something
to boast about,
but not before God.
What does scripture say?
Abraham believed God
and it was credited
to him
as righteousness.
And so even with Abraham,
our great forefather
of the faith,
he was not made right
with God
on the basis
of works.
He was made right
with God
on the basis
of faith.
And so he has
no reason to boast.
You remember
from the story,
Abraham blew it
many times.
He sinned.
He was a sinner
just like the rest of us.
He was a worshiper
of other gods
back in Ur
of the Chaldeans
when God called him.
That's not the basis
of why he's
in favor with God.
He came into this
right standing
with God
by faith.
And Paul,
he reminds us
of that place
in the Old Testament
in Genesis
where that's
stated very clearly.
What does the scripture say?
Abraham believed God
and it was credited
to him
as righteousness.
For those of you
who were here
on that Sunday,
God took Abraham
out
and pointed him
up to the sky.
He said,
look at the stars.
As innumerable
as the stars are,
if you could count them,
so shall your offspring
be beyond numbering.
And then right after that,
it says,
Abraham believed God
and it was credited
to him
as righteousness.
He took the Lord's word
at face value
and trusted
that God would
actually bring that about
for him
and his offspring.
and God credited it
to him
as righteousness.
He counted him
as having a right
standing with himself
even though in actuality
he didn't.
He was a sinner
just like the rest of us.
And so that's
Paul's main point here.
Abraham was
made right with God
on the basis
of his believing,
his faith.
Not on the basis
of what he did
and it's the same
for you and I.
We are made right
with God
on the basis
not of what we do
but on the basis
of our believing
the good news
of Jesus Christ.
Paul goes on
in verse 4
to help us
really understand
this
and clarify it.
Now to the one
who works,
wages are not credited
as a gift
but as an obligation.
However,
to the one
who does not work
but trusts God
who justifies
the ungodly,
their faith
is credited
as righteousness.
Paul says
you want to talk
about work?
This is how it works
with work.
When you go to work
you earn wages
and your wages
are given to you.
They're deposited
into your bank account
not as a gift
but as what
you are owed
from your employer
in return
for your work.
They're an obligation
but that's not
how it works
when it comes
to getting right
with God.
In fact,
it's almost
the opposite
says Paul.
When it comes
to getting right
with God
God gives
righteousness
a right standing
with himself
to those
who believe
and yet
do not work.
It's a gift.
However,
to the one
who does not work
but trusts God
their faith
is credited
as righteousness.
It's not something
you can earn.
You can't earn
a right standing
with God.
It's something
you receive
as a gift
on the basis
of belief
and faith.
Trust.
I love the way
that Paul describes
God here.
He is who trusts
but trusts God
who justifies
the ungodly.
He is the God
who is in the business
of making right
with himself
the ungodly.
Sinners
like you
like me
like Abraham.
This is the good news.
You don't have
to earn it.
In fact
it's those
who do not
try to earn it
but simply trust
that God
will give it
as a gift
who receive
this right standing
with God.
Paul goes on
to say that
David
King David
he saw
and recognized
that this is
how it was
with God.
He wrote
in the Psalms
blessed
are those
whose transgressions
are forgiven.
Blessed
is the one
whose sin
the Lord
will never
count against them.
This wasn't
just a thing
that God
did with Abraham.
This was something
that thousands
of years later
David recognized
too that God
was in the business
of blessing people
of forgiving them
of their sins
of not counting
against them
the wrong things
that they had
done.
Paul then
goes on
to ask
the question
when it
comes to
this wonderful
gift
of being
made right
with God
on the basis
of faith
who is this
gift for?
Verse 9
is this
blessedness
only
for the
circumcised
for the Jew
or also
for the
uncircumcised
for the Gentile?
We have
been saying
that Abraham's
faith was
credited to him
as righteousness.
Under what
circumstances
was it credited?
Paul's going
to make the
case here
that this
gift
of righteousness
of being
made right
with God
is for
both Jew
and Gentile
and how
is he going
to make
this case?
He's going
to make
it based
on the
story of
Abraham.
He says
look at
Abraham's
life.
At what
point,
in what
situation
did he
get a
right standing
with God?
Was it
after he
was circumcised
or was it
before?
It was
not after
but before.
says Paul
and he
received
circumcision
as a
sign,
a seal
of the
righteousness
that he
had by
faith
while he
was still
uncircumcised.
It wasn't
based on
the ritual
of circumcision
that Abraham
was made
right with
God
because
circumcision
hadn't even
entered the
picture yet.
It was
based on
faith
while he
was still
uncircumcised.
And so
what's
the
implications
of this?
Paul
actually
lays it
out for
us
in
verse
11.
So then
Abraham
is the
father
of all
who
believe
but have
not
been
circumcised
in order
that
righteousness
might be
credited
to them.
and he
is then
also
the
father
of
the
circumcised
who
not
only
are
circumcised
but who
also
follow
in the
footsteps
of the
faith
that our
father
Abraham
had
before
he
was
circumcised.
So
Abraham
came into
this right
standing
with God.
He got
right
with God
even
before
circumcision
this kind
of ritual
that God
gave
entered
the
picture.
His
faith
in the
promise
of God
was
credited
to him
as
righteousness
as a
right
standing
with
God
and in
the
same
way
those
of us
who
are
circumcised
or
uncircumcised
Jew
or Gentile
receive it
a right
standing
with God.
Let
these words
sink in.
Abraham
is the
father
of all
who
believe
but
have
not
been
circumcised.
And I
think the
way Paul
is using
circumcision
here is
to refer
to
who
are
not
Jewish.
Of
course
it was
practiced
in other
places
but this
is
primarily
what
he
means.
Abraham
is the
father
of all
who
believe
but
have
not
been
circumcised.
Do you
hear what
the Lord
is saying
there?
Maybe
a way
to say
it
differently.
All
who
believe
but have
not been
circumcised
are the
children
of Abraham.
He is
their
father.
But it's
not just
them
and Paul
is going
to go
on and
talk about
what this
means for
those of
us who
are
uncircumcised
Gentiles.
It's
not just
for them
it's
also
for the
Jewish
people
too.
Verse
12
He is
also
the
father
of
the
circumcised
but notice
the condition
that he
puts there
the
qualification.
He is
also
the
father
of
the
circumcised
who
not
only
are
circumcised
but
who
also
follow
in the
footsteps
of
the
faith
that
our
father
Abraham
had
before
he
was
circumcised.
So
circumcision
on its
own
is
not
enough.
They
have
to
have
that
if
they're
Jewish
they
will
and
they
have
to
have
the
faith
that
Abraham
had
just
as
he
did
to
be
considered
Abraham's
children
for him
to be
considered
their
father.
It's
for
both
Jew
and
Gentile
this
gift
of
being
made
right
with
God
and
it's
not
on
the
basis
of
this
ritual.
It's
not
on
the
basis
of
lineage
or
descent
or
race.
It's
on
the
basis
of
faith
for
Jew
or
Gentile.
Paul
goes
on
in
verse
13.
He
says
it
was
not
through
the
law
that
Abraham
and
his
offspring
received
the
promise
that
he
would
be
heir
of
the
world.
But
through
the
faith
for
if
those
who
depend
on
the
law
are
heirs
faith
means
nothing
and
the
promise
is
worthless
because
the
law
brings
wrath.
Here
again
Paul
makes
the
case
as
he
just
did.
It's
not
based
on
the
ritual.
It's
not
based
on
doing
certain
rituals.
It's
not
based
on
the
law.
It's
not
based
on
doing
good
works
or
not
doing
bad
things
that
we
get
a
right
standing
with
God
and
receive
what
he
has
promised.
The
law
had
not
even
been
given
yet
to
Abraham.
He
didn't
fully
understand
what
God's
standard
of
right
and
wrong
was.
And
yet
he
was
considered
righteous,
counted
righteous
by
God.
As
a
side
note,
Paul
says,
if
it
was
based
on
the
law,
it
would
be
hopeless.
He's
already
argued
that
in the
book.
We've
already
failed
to
live
up
to
God's
righteous
standard.
If it
was
based
on
that,
all
we'd
be
looking
forward
to
is
wrath.
God
the
law
brings
wrath.
We
wouldn't
receive
what
we've
been
promised
if
it
was
conditioned
upon
our
obedience
because
we
would
fail.
It's
not
through
the
law.
It's
not
through
works.
As we
noted
back in
Genesis
in the
story of
Abraham,
this
promise,
this
statement
that
Abraham
was
credited
righteousness
to him.
He
got a
right
standing
with
God.
That
came
before
he
was
ever
given
anything
to
do
by
God
in
connection
with
this
covenant.
Why?
God
did it
that way
on
purpose.
And
Paul
tells us
what that
purpose
is
in the
next
verse.
Therefore,
the
promise
comes
by
faith
so
that
it
may
be
by
grace
and
may
be
guaranteed
to
all
Abraham's
offspring.
The
promise
comes
by
faith
so
that
it
may
be
by
grace
and
may
be
guaranteed
to
all
Abraham's
offspring.
If
it
was
based
on
works,
we'd
be
in
trouble.
we
wouldn't
get
what
was
promised.
We
would
fail
the
test.
But
God
didn't
do it
that
way
and
he
didn't
do
it
on
purpose.
He
wanted
it
to
be
by
grace.
He
wanted
us
to
get
a
right
standing
with
him,
Abraham,
Isaac,
those
of us
who
later
will
believe
as
a
gift,
an
unearned,
undeserved
gift
of
grace.
And
he
did
it
that
way
also
so
that
it
would
be
guaranteed
because
if
we
had
to
continue
to
measure
up
and
somehow
earn
and
live
rightly
enough
to
get
what
was
promised,
there'd
be
no
guarantee,
there'd
be
no
certainty
that
we
would
actually
get
it
because
what
if
we
blow
it?
What
if
we
failed?
And
so
God
gave
the
promise
before
he
even
asked
Abraham
to
do
anything,
before
the
law
had
come
and
he
credited
righteousness
to
him
simply
on
the
basis
of
his
accepting
and
believing
what
the
Lord
said.
The
promise
comes
by
faith
so
that
it
may
be
by
grace
and
may
be
guaranteed
to
who?
To
all
Abraham's
offspring.
Who's
that?
Paul
tells us,
he goes
on to
say,
not only
to those
who are
of the
law,
but also
to those
who have
the faith
of
Abraham.
He
is the
father
of us
all.
Now we
have to
be careful
here because
there is a
wrong way
to read
this.
we
might
read
to
all
Abraham's
offspring,
not only
to those
who are
of the
law,
but also
to those
who have
the
faith,
to mean
that some
will get
a right
standing
with God
and inherit
all that's
been promised
on the
basis of
keeping
the law,
while others
will do
it by
faith.
That's not
what Paul
means.
He's already
spent this
whole letter
making it
clear.
That's not
the case.
you cannot
earn this
gift.
It's a
gift that
we don't
deserve.
And so
when he
says not
only to
those of
the law,
who is
he referring
to?
Those of
the law
refers to
the Jewish
people,
those who
received
the law.
Those who
are not
of the
law are
the Gentiles,
those who
didn't receive
that, who
aren't Jewish.
but in
both cases,
it's those
who have
the faith
of Abraham.
Do you
hear what
the Lord
is saying
here?
All
Abraham's
offspring,
not only
to those
of the
law,
but also
to those
who are
not of
the law,
but have
the faith
of Abraham.
Jew
and
Gentile.
Is this
what Paul
means?
That Jew
and Gentile
are Abraham's
children?
The context
seems to
say that it
is.
We saw
that back
in chapter
three already.
Is God
the God
of Jews
only?
Is he
not the
God of
Gentiles
too?
Yes,
of Gentiles
too.
He will
justify the
circumcised
by faith
and the
uncircumcised
through that
same faith.
Back in
verse
nine,
is the
blessing
is only
for the
circumcised
or is it
also for
the
uncircumcised?
It's for
both,
he said.
He is
the father
of all
who believe
but have
not been
circumcised
and also
the father
of those
who believe
and are
circumcised.
It's both
Jew and
Gentile.
And that's
what he's
saying here.
The promise
comes
by faith
to all
Abraham's
offspring,
those of
the law
and those
not of
the law
in both
cases
who have
faith
like
Abraham
did.
He is
the father
of us
all.
And here's
the big
confirmation
that we're
seeing that
right.
Jew and
Gentile,
verse 17,
as it is
written,
I have
made you
a father
of many
nations.
He is
our father
in the
sight of
God
in whom
he
believed.
You may
recall back
in the
story of
Abraham
as we
looked at
it earlier
that God
made a
promise that
Abraham
said,
I will
make you
the father
of a
multitude
of
nations.
Paul is
here saying
that's
fulfilled,
not in
the sense
that your
descendants will
branch off
into many
nations.
That's
fulfilled in
the sense
that all
who are
of the
faith that
you have
are counted
as your
offspring
from among
the nations
of the
world.
He is
our father
in the
sight of
God.
Just as
Abraham was
counted
righteous
though he
wasn't,
us
Gentiles
who believe
are counted
as Abraham's
children
or offspring
though we
aren't.
It's a
gift of
God.
The
promise
comes to
all
Abraham's
offspring
by faith
Jew
and
Gentile.
And what
is that
promise?
We've been
talking about
it.
The promise,
the promise,
the promise.
Well Paul
actually tells
us what the
promise is
in verse
13.
it was
not through
the law
that Abraham
and his
offspring
received the
promise that
what?
That he
would be
heir of
the world.
Do you
hear that?
The promise
that he
would be
heir of
the world.
And right
about now
we're wondering
is that a
translation
error?
it seems
as though
he's talking
about the
promise about
the land.
Did he
mean to
say land?
The original
word there is
the word for
world.
There's a
different word
for land
or earth.
What?
the promise
that he
would be
heir of
the world.
If you
remember
when Abraham
first came
into the
land
the Lord
said to
your
offspring
I will
give
this land.
He hadn't
even come
all the way
into the
land yet.
He hadn't
even seen
the whole
land yet.
This
land.
The land
where you're
standing
right now.
But then
the Lord
restated
that promise
again.
He said
as far
as your
eyes can
see.
From the
place where
you're
standing.
And the
promised
land
seems to
have
expanded
in its
scope.
And then
again the
Lord
tells him
I'm going
to give
this land
to your
offspring.
To you
and your
offspring.
And the
promise is
expanded again
back in
Genesis.
Not just
the land
that you
can see.
All the
way down
to the
river
of Egypt
and all
the way
over here
to the
Euphrates.
what Paul
is saying
here
by the
inspiration
of the
Holy
Spirit
is that
there's
a further
expansion
than that.
It's
the world.
That's
ultimately
what this
growing
promise
of
expanding
borders
of the
land
was pointing
to.
That
Abraham
would
inherit
the
world
to live
in.
To have
as his
home.
To be
his
everlasting
possession.
The
whole
world.
And if
we stop
and think
about this
it kind
of makes
sense.
What did
God
promise
to
Abraham?
He
said I
will make
you the
father of
a great
nation.
Then
when he
renewed
the
covenant
I
will
make
you
the
father
of
a
multitude
of
nations.
A
multitude
of
nations.
And
descendants
as
innumerable
as the
stars in
the sky
and the
dust of
the
earth.
How is
a multitude
of
nations?
All
these
people
going to
fit in
this
tiny
little
parcel
of
land?
In
the
boundaries
that are
given
there
in
Genesis?
This
expanding
promise
of the
land,
Paul is
under
the
inspiration
of the
Spirit
telling
us what
this was
pointing
to.
It
was
never
meant
to
be
just
this
little
piece
of
land.
It
was
always
intended
to
grow
and
expand
from
there
to
the
whole
world.
And
that's
precisely
what
Isaiah
declares
in his
prophecy.
I'm
going to
do
a
new
thing.
I'm
going to
make
a
new
heavens
and
a
new
earth
where
righteousness
dwells
and
it
will
be
the
home
for
you,
my
people.
And so
for those
of us
who are
still
looking
at those
borders
back in
Genesis
and
looking at
modern day
national
Israel
and waiting
for them
to somehow
get to
those
borders,
perhaps we've
locked our
sights on
something
far too
small.
the
Lord's
already
expanded
the
promise
way
beyond
that
to
the
world
that
his
people,
the
children
of
Abraham,
the
offspring
of
Abraham
would
inherit
the
world.
If
when
Jesus
returns,
he
gives
all the
children
of
Abraham,
Jew
and
Gentile,
all of
us who
believe
the
whole
world
to
live
in
as
our
everlasting
possession,
could it
not be
said that
he kept
his
promises
about
the
smaller
boundaries
here
and
there
and
there
in
the
Old
Testament?
Of
course.
Some
of those
who are
more
interested
in that
will
have
been
looking
into
was
there
a
point
in
time
where
Israel
actually
possessed
the
land
according
to
those
borders
that
were
given
and
our
best
guess
is
we're
not
sure.
It
looks
close
during
the
time
of
Solomon
when
he
reigned
as
king
but
it
depends
on
whether
the
river
of
Egypt
is
the
Nile
or
the
Wadi
of
Egypt.
We're
not
really
sure.
Did
they
ever
really
possess
it
in
that
fullest
sense?
Especially
when
they
had
in
that
time
Solomon's
kingdom
was
over
other
nations
and
peoples
all
around
them
that
also
shared
the
land
with
them
that
were
not
children
of
Abraham.
Perhaps
we're
looking
in the
wrong
place
for the
fulfillment
of
this.
Perhaps
this was
all along
intended
to be
fulfilled
when
Jesus
returns.
Paul
goes
on
to
explain
a little
bit
of
the
story
of
Abraham.
I'll
just
read it.
I'm
not
going
to
say
much
on
this
in
verse
18.
He
says
against
all
hope
Abraham
in
hope
believed
and
so
became
the
father
of
many
nations
just
as
it
has
been
said
to
him
so
shall
your
offspring
be
without
weakening
in
his
faith
he
faced
the
fact
that
his
body
was
as
good
as
dead
since
he
was
about
a hundred
years
old
and
that
Sarah's
womb
was
also
dead
yet
he
did
not
waver
through
unbelief
regarding
the
promise
of
God
but
was
strengthened
in
his
faith
and
gave
glory
to
God
being
fully
persuaded
that
God
had
power
to
do
what
he
had
promised
this
is
why
it
was
credited
to
him
as
righteousness
so
Paul
just
goes
back
and
reminds
us
of
the
story
that
we've
already
looked
at
and
we're
not
going
to
say
it
all
again
here
but
the
gist
of
it
is
that
God
promised
Abraham
that
he
would
receive
something
that
was
physically
impossible
he
was
old
Sarah's
womb
was
dead
menopause
has
already
said
in
this
is
not
possible
and
yet
the
Lord
said
I
it
for
you
Abraham
from
that
moment
on
from
the
time
he
was
100
on
even
though
he
had
wavered
in
his
faith
through
the
surrogate
motherhood
program
with
Hagar
and
through
his
sojournings
down
to
Egypt
from
this
point
on
he
believed
that
the
Lord
would
do
exactly
what
he
promised
give
him
a
son
by
Sarah
as
the
beginning
of
the
fulfilling
of
all
of
these
greater
promises
says
he
didn't
waver
through
unbelief
he
was
strengthened
in
his
faith
he
was
fully
persuaded
that
God
had
power
to
do
what
he
had
promised
and
this
is
why
it
was
credited
to
him
as
righteousness
this
is
the
kind
of
faith
moment
through
that
we
saw
throughout
Abraham's
life
as
we've
looked
in
Genesis
for
which
God
on
the
basis
of
that
faith
has
given
him
a
right
standing
with
himself
and
then
Paul
turns
and
applies
all
of
this
to
us
he
says
the
words
verse
23
the
words
it
was
credited
to
him
were
not
written
for
him
alone
but
also
for
us
to
whom
God
will
credit
righteousness
for
us
who
believe
in
him
who
raised
Jesus
our
Lord
from
the
dead
and
that's
the
whole
point
that
Paul
is
making
here
when
it
comes
to
Abraham's
life
it's
a
template
it's
an
example
he
got
a
right
standing
with
God
because
he
believed
period
and
it's
the
same
for
us
it's
the
same
for
us
we
too
can
receive
a
right
standing
with
God
on
the
basis
of
belief
faith
in
the
good
news
of
Jesus
period
and
this
is
good
news
for
us
there
are
many
in
our
world
today
who
are
saying
if
you
want
to
be
saved
if
you
want
to
get
right
with
God
you
need
to
do
this
you
need
to
do
that
you
need
to
observe
certain
rules
and
regulations
you
need
to
do
certain
feasts
and
festivals
rituals
dietary
restrictions
you
need
to
hold
a
membership
to
this
institution
you
need
to
give
X
amount
of
dollars
per
year
to
this
and
the
list
goes
on
you
need
to
have
had
certain
kinds
of
experiences
or
manifestations
of the
spirit
in your
life
Paul
says
you
don't
need
any
of
that
you
can
have
a
right
standing
with
God
just
like
Abraham
did
by
just
believing
in
the
good
news
of
Jesus
that
he
has
done
everything
that's
required
for
you
through
Christ
that's
the
good
news
of
the
gospel
Abraham
had
his
specific
promises
that he
believed
but Paul
points
our
attention
to
the
gospel
and
to
Jesus
as
the
place
where
our
faith
should
focus
primarily
he
ends
off
this
chapter
with
the
statement
for
us
who
believe
in
him
who
raised
Jesus
our
Lord
from
the
dead
Jesus
verse
25
was
delivered
over
to
death
for
our
sins
and
was
raised
to
life
for
our
justification
so
that
we
could
have
this
right
standing
with
God
that's
the
good
news
of
Jesus
and
the
wonderful
thing
about
it
is
all
we
need
to
do
is
believe
and
we
get
that
right
standing
with
God
it
doesn't
matter
how
bad
you've
been
the
wrong
things
that
you
have
done
you
have
not
blown
it
too
bad
God
is
the
God
who
justifies
the
ungodly
the
sinner
and
it's
by
faith
and
it
doesn't
matter
how
good
you
think
you've
been
Paul
says
you
you're
not
good
enough
in
either
case
a
right
standing
with
God
is
offered
as
a
gift
to
those
who
believe
Jew
or
Gentile
and
finally
to
those
of
us
who
are
Gentiles
if
all
we
got
out
of
all
of
this
was
a
right
standing
with
God
and
some
kind
of
eternal
life
that
would
be
wonderful
but
the
good
news
according
to
Paul
is
not
just
that
we
get
those
things
but
that
we
too
are
considered
through
Jesus
Christ
by
faith
to
be
children
of
Abraham
those
to
whom
the
promise
made
to
him
will
come
we
too
will
inherit
this
new
earth
the
world
as
our
home
as
our
everlasting
possession
when
Jesus
returns
along
with
those
who
are
Jewish
what
a
wonderful
God
we
have
that
he
is
going
to
just
pour
out
this
gift
of
grace
to
people
like
us
who
don't
deserve
it
let's
pray
Lord
Jesus
we
thank
you
that
you
came
that
you
bore
the
wrath
of
God
for
us
thanks
that
we
can
be
made
right
with
you
and
that
we
don't
have
to
do
anything
for
it
except
believe
we
ask
that
you
would
just
fill
our
hearts
with
joy
over
this
praise
and
worship
and
help
us
to
communicate
that
same
message
clearly
in
this
community
to
our
world
your
gift
to
us
by
grace
it's
in
Jesus
name
we
pray
amen
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