Romans 4:16-25 – Faith Counted as Righteousness
Week 3 - March 9-15
“That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 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. 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.” 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. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
What is faith? Is it a blind leap that counters what we logically know to be true? Is it something purely internal or mystical? Romans 4:18 tells us that Abraham, the man of faith, “in hope he believed against hope.” That is, that Abraham placed his hope in the supernatural power of God to accomplish what he had no hope to accomplish on his own. As Abraham Lincoln said, “To believe in the things you can see and touch is no belief at all - but to believe in the unseen is a triumph and a blessing.”
Throughout the Bible, faith in God is more encompassing than just cognitive ascent, though it doesn’t go against what we know to be true either. I can remember one professor who urged us as his students that the heart can never rejoice in that which the mind rejects as false. Biblically, saving faith has three elements to it – mind, heart, and hands. To have faith like Abraham means that we believe God’s Word to be true, and believe that Jesus died, was raised, and ascended; that we love God with all that we are and that our hearts are tied to His goodness and grace; and that our lives reflect what we say that we believe. That faith alone in Christ alone will be counted to us as righteousness.
Questions to Ponder:
When have you seen God work in your life to provide for you in unexpected ways?
Which comes most easily for you – belief with mind, heart, or hands?
What is most challenging about faith?