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Preaching the Living WORD through the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4:2 - |
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THE ABRAHAMIC
PROMISE BY FAITH (Rom 4:13-18) 5/27/07 Pastor I. THE PROMISE WAS THROUGH
FAITH (13-16) A. The Promise was Not
Through the Law (13) 1. Paul
empathically begins and declares in the Greek that the promise is, “not
through the Law” (oú diá nómou – not by
means of the Law) but by means of (diá)
the righteousness of faith. 2. The promise (epaggelía
– legal pledge primarily used of God) is identified
as Abraham becoming the “heir of the world.” The promise refers to the
Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 12:1-3). 3. The Abrahamic Covenant contains several
aspects: a) Geographic
Aspect (Gen 12:1 - “to the land” cp. 15:7, 18; 17:8) b) Personal Aspect (Gen 12:2 - “bless you,”
“great name”) c) National Aspect (Gen 12:2 - “great
nation,” “bless those who bless you etc.”; including the inheritance of the
“land” - Gen 15:18; 17:8) d) Universal Aspect (Gen 12:3 - “families of
earth will be blessed”; spiritual aspect). (1) It is
reiterated in Gen 17:5 cp. Rom 4:17-18 (2) It is reiterated in Gen 18:18 (3) It is reiterated in Gen 22:18 cp. Gal
3:8,16 (4) It was also reiterated to Isaac (Gen 26:4)
and Jacob (Gen 28:14) 4. This
Universal Aspect relates to the promise of justification to the Gentiles by
faith as a result of Abraham’s seed, i.e. Christ’s
Person and Work (Gal 3:8; 16). B. The Law Would Nullify the
Promise (14) 1. Paul
uses a first class condition (“if” ei -
with the indicative) to consider the Jewish reasoning and carry it to its
erroneous conclusion. 2. Some Jews claimed that they were heirs by
obeying the Law. If the inheritance comes through the Law, then Abraham’s
faith would be and continue to be void (perfect tense from kenóō – empty and meaningless). 3. Furthermore, God’s promise would be and
continue to be nullified (perfect tense from katargéō
– rendered inoperative – Heb 2:14; 2Co 3:14). C. The Law Brings Wrath (15) 1. When the
Jews base their recompense on the Law, their recompense can only be wrath (orgế – unrestrained righteous
indignation – Rom 1:18) because the Law reveals the knowledge of sin (Rom
3:20, 23) and violation of one point brings wrath (Jam 2:10; Rom 2:5). 2. But the Law had nothing to do with God’s promise to Abraham because it
would come some 430 years after the promise (Exo 12:40 cp. Gal 3:17).
Therefore, Abraham was not susceptible to violation (parábasis
- step over the line - Rom 2:23) of the Law’s system and the promise by
faith had ample opportunity to function. 3. Furthermore, Abraham’s covenant was
unconditional (Gen 15:9-17) unlike the Mosaic Law, which was conditional. D. The Promise is Guaranteed
by Grace (16) 1. The
explanation why it is by faith is because justification can only come from
God’s grace. Man is unable to merit righteousness; therefore, justification
must be in accordance with God’s grace (cháris
– unmerited favor). 2. Grace is only received
by faith while works only recompenses wrath. Grace and faith are in opposition
to works (Rom 4:4; 11:6). 3. The promise is by grace so that it can be accomplished by God. Because it is accomplished
by God, it is “guaranteed” (bébaios – secure)
to all who believe. 4. Paul
refers to the Gentiles when he uses the phrase, “father of us all.” He makes
his intention known in vs. 17 when he quotes the Universal Aspect (a
father of many nations have I made you) of the
Abrahamic Covenant in Gen 17:5. II. FACETS OF ABRAHAM’S FAITH
(17-21) A. It was Trust in God’s
Power (17) 1. The
terms “faith” (pístis - noun)
or believe” (pisteúō - verb -
to be firmly persuaded and rely upon; here an initial act - aorist) are
mentioned in verses 17, 18, 19, 20, 24. Paul gives detailed descriptions of
Abraham’s faith in order to demonstrate justification by faith as God’s sole
means of salvation. 2. Abraham’s faith was
exercised “in the presence” of God and with reliance upon God, his
promise, and his power (Gen 15:6 cp. Rom 4:3). 3. Specifically, Abraham’s faith relied upon
the God who was able to “give life” to Abraham’s dead body, which was past
its biological procreative years (cp. 19). 4. In addition, Abraham’s faith relied upon
the God who was able to bring descendants into existence (ónta
- being; ex nihilo “out of nothing” cp. Isa 48:13;
Heb 11:3; Gen 1:1) when there was none in existence. (mề
ónta - not being) B. It was Hope in God’s
Promise (18) 1. Paul
uses another word play (par’ elpída ep’ elpídi - lit. “against hope in hope”) to demonstrate Abraham’s faith
in God was against all human odds. 2. Paul draws a parallel between the phrase,
“many nations (Gentiles)” (Gen 17:5) and descendants” (Gen
15:5). Gen 17:5 is a reiteration of the promise in Gen 15:5. 3. God was demonstrating that he alone can fulfill the promise in spite of impossibility and
apart from man’s works. 4. Therefore the promise must be by faith and not the Law. III. PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS A. Believers
are Partakers of the Promise (Eph 2:12-13; 3:6) 1. Gentiles
were outside God’s promises and covenants. If a Gentile wanted a relationship
with God, he had to become a Proselyte (a Gentile following Judaism). 2. However, the Gentile who trusts in Christ
has been brought near to God. The believer is brought into a relationship with God thus fulfilling
the promise to bless all nations. B. Believer’s
Have God’s Promises as an Anchor for the Soul (Heb 6:18-19) 1. God has
made promises to 2. Therefore, those who have taken refuge in
Christ have God’s promises as an anchor for their soul. C. Believers
Are to Walk in the Promises by Faith (Gal 5:1, 16, 25) 1. As the
believer has received Christ by faith, he is to continue to walk in Him by
faith ( 2. Rather the believer is spiritual if he
walks in the Spirit by faith (Gal 5:25), then he will not be walking in
legalism (Gal 5:1) or the flesh (Gal 5:16). |
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