#20 HCBC 2-25-07 AM
“God’s Promise – Not by Law, but by Faith”
Romans 4:13-17
Did you ever make a promise that you didn’t keep?
Did you ever tell someone that you would do something and then not do it?
The Bible speaks often of the promise that God has given through the covenant of Abraham!
God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?
The Psalmist says that God he remembers his holy promise given to his servant
Abraham.
And again the Psalmist says: My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise
preserves my life.
When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, he proclaimed that the promise is for you
and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will
call."
Paul explained to the Galatians that the introduction of the law some 430 years later did
not do away with the promise given to Abraham.
And that if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to
the promise.
And the writer of Hebrews says that since the promise still stands, let us be careful that
none of you be found to have fallen short of it.
And Peter said: The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand
slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to
come to repentance.
So, as Paul speaks about the promise in Romans 4:13-17, he says that the promise is not
received by law but by the righteousness that comes by faith!
In chapter 4 of Romans, Paul uses Abraham as an example of one who has been credited with righteousness.
We have already seen that God’s promise is:
Not received by character!
Not received by ethnicity!
Not received by works!
Not received by ritual!
Now Paul makes it clear that God’s promise is not received by obedience to law!
By referring to Genesis 15:6, as he did in Rom 4:3, Paul makes it clear that Abraham did not
have righteousness, but, because he believed God, righteousness was given to him.
God’s Promise – Not by Law, But by Faith Romans 4:13-17
Introduction: vs 13
13 The Promise = heir of the world
To whom? Abraham and his offspring.
Gen 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
Gen 15:6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Gen 18:18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all
nations on earth will be blessed through him.
Gen 22:18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed,
because you have obeyed me."
1. the promise involved a land
Gen 15:18-21 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and
said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt
to the great river, the Euphrates-- 19 the land of the Kenites,
Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21
Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites."
2. the promise involved a people
Gen 13:16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if
anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.
Gen 15:5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count
the stars--if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So
shall your offspring be."
3. the promise involved a blessing
Gen 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will
curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
4. the fulfillment of the promise involved a Redeemer!
Gal 3:6-9 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to
him as righteousness." 7 Understand, then, that those who believe
are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would
justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to
Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9 So those who
have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Not by law
But
By righteousness
That comes by faith.
Heb 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a
sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice
his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, "It is
through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." 19 Abraham
reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he
did receive Isaac back from death.
The consequences of seeking the promise by law: vs 14-15
14 If heirs become heirs by living by law,
1. Faith has no value
faith and law are opposites!
Law focuses on man’s capacity to obey it!
Faith focuses on God’s accomplishments!
A person cannot be trusting both at the same time!
One is either trusting in doing something or trusting in what God has
done!
And
2. the promise is worthless
If one becomes an heir by observing some law,
Of what good is the promise?
If becoming an heir depended on the law,
no one would ever become an heir,
because no one can keep the law perfectly.
15 3. Law brings wrath
The effort to obey the law results in failure which means wrath!
In Rom 1 we saw that the wrath of God is being revealed against all
mankind because of this failure to obey the law.
We saw that mankind was breaking every rule that was given!
The law was given to show us that we cannot keep it!
And the result of trying to get right with God through the law is
God’s wrath!
The consequences of seeking the promise by faith: vs 16-17
16 The promise comes by faith
So that
1. It may be by grace (Faith establishes grace)
In Abraham’s case, when he believed God, righteousness was given
to him by grace!
In our case, when we come to God in faith, grace is extended to us!
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith –
and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God,
not by works, so that no one can boast.
Working for $40 versus receiving $40 as a gift
and
2. it may be guaranteed (Faith makes salvation certain)
If becoming an heir depended on keep the law,
How well would one have to keep it?
Could one become an heir if you was very good, though not perfect/
Could he become an heir if he was only moderately good?
But, on the other hand, if becoming and heir depends on God’s
promise and comes by trusting Him, it cannot fail,
for God is faithful!
3. to all of Abraham’s offspring (Faith opens the door of Salvation to all)
those of the law
and
those who are of the faith of Abraham
He (Abraham) is the father of us all!
17 Why?
It is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” (Gen 17:5)
He is our father in the sight of God
In whom he believed,
The God who
Gives life to the dead
And
Calls things that are not as though they were.
So what?
What difference should this make in your life and mine?