The Faith of Abraham

Romans 4:1-12.

In a world that often values tangible achievements and visible results, the concept of faith can seem elusive.

Yet, as we examine the story of Abraham and the teachings of the Apostle Paul, we discover that faith is not just a religious concept—it's the very foundation of our relationship with God.

The Apostle Paul has, in the previous chapter, asserted that...

Romans 3:21 ESV

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—

Starting in Chapter 4, he now show believers in Rome, directly from OT Scripture, examples of HOW a person is justified by faith and not works.

And he starts with Abraham.

What we hope to be able to apply to our lives today is the fact that believers now should be encouraged to continue to trust in the promises of God, relying on faith and not any personal efforts to divert God’s wrath and receive His righteousness.

When we can embrace the fact that place in God’s presence is established by our faith in Him and not any good deeds, we find comfort and peace when confronted with moments of doubt, uncertainty or and feelings of inadequacy.

This knowledge should help us be less driven to seek perfection in our Spiritual walk.

Abraham's journey to the promised land illustrates profound faith. When God asked him to leave everything behind, Abraham obediently set out, not knowing the destination.

This act of faith is not merely a historical account; it challenges us to trust God in our own uncertainty. Just as Abraham took that first step into the unknown, we too are called to trust God, even when we can't see the whole path ahead.

Paul uses a mix of OT references that blend with the contemporary Jewish beliefs of that time period.

I would encourage a deeper personal study for more insight into some of the more nuanced points of Paul’s commentary that we do not have time for today.

As has been mentioned before, the best place to start a discussion is the at the beginning so....

Since Paul starts with Abraham, so shall we...

For our first section, we...

1- Start With Faith

Romans 4:1–5 ESV

What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

The journey of faith begins with a simple yet profound truth: our righteousness before God is not earned through our works, but granted through our faith.

This idea, revolutionary in its time and still challenging today, turns our human understanding of merit on its head.

We're accustomed to working for what we receive, but in God's economy, it's our belief that counts.

Apostle Paul starts with Abraham because, for Jewish readers of this letter-

Everything pertaining to the Israelite existence- The essence of being a Jew- Started with Abraham.

Paul connects with his readers by referring to Abraham as “Our Forefather”

But he doesnt stop there- Because Paul knows even his audience in Rome is much wider then the local Jewish community.

And this is how Paul begins to build on the idea that Abraham wasn’t just the forefather of Jews but of all believers, across time and all ethnic boundaries.

SO Paul begins his discourse with a question, “What did Abraham gain...?”

By referring to Abraham as, “Our forefather, ACCORDING TO THE FLESH...”

It is true that Abraham was the first Jew and the father of all Jews to come

BUT...

Jewish traditions held that Abraham was chosen by God because of his unique position of being the “Only Righteous man alive...”

This, however is not backed up by the text of Scripture-

It is another example of how family stories, “around the campfire” can be wrongly expanded over time- Much like a good fishing story.

It is more in line with the heart of God, to look into the heart and soul of Abraham and identify the potential that God saw in him, even when Abraham, himself could not see it.

Once again, pride gets in the way as the people took more pride in their family tree, then they gave honor to the God of Creation.

John the Baptist, in Luke 3:8, warned the people of this very thing

Luke 3:8 ESV

Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.

Jesus even takes it a step further, in His ministry John 8:39

John 8:39 ESV

They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did,

Which brings us back to the question of Paul, “What did Abraham gain...?”

God answered this question later in Genesis 26:5,

by blessing him...

Genesis 26:5 ESV

because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

Along the journey through life that Abraham walked with God, Abraham became a friend of God...

And God blessed him through promises kept and personal covenants.

Still, Paul’s point was what Abraham had really found in this covenant relationship, was that faith and righteousness are worth being pursued and found by everyone.

Abraham was the original recipient of Gods promise that “I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who curse you...”

This same promise later included in the Mosaic Law to the Israelites in the desert.

The world, today, struggles so much with the concept of having faith and believing in God, through faith.

It is so baked into our collective persona that if we dont work for it, if we can’t do something to earn it- We somehow dont deserve it.

Whether it is an honest and sincere misunderstanding or pride and arrogance that leads us to this wrong assumption...

The assumption is still wrong.

The idea of any person can do anything good enough to compel God to act fails on at least two points:

1- We fail or refuse to understand the depth and total depravity of the sinful nature of mankind.

2- We also fail or refuse to acknowledge the absolute Holiness and Majesty of God.

To be given what we truly deserve would have devastating consequences for us.

If Abraham had been able to curry Gods favor by deeds, then he would have something to brag about.

So how does Paul answer this long-standing belief among the Jews?

With Scripture, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

This is a direct quote from Genesis 15:6.

And this is always a good track to take-

As believers, something for all of us to consider:

If our defense of the faith relies too heavily on our own thinking, we will fail.

Too often we have our unanswered questions or doubts simply because we have failed to find out what God’s Word has to say.

For the believer, the Bible is the most immediate source of authority. We must realize that we have not honestly or carefully responded to a question or problem until we have asked, “What does the Scripture say?”

Scripture should always be our backstop.

And since we start with faith- It only makes sense that we are forgiven by faith

2- Forgiven by Faith

Romans 4:6–8 ESV

just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

In Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable of two men who prayed-

One a Pharisee, the other a tax collector

The Pharisee spent a good deal of time, and in a loud voice, expounding on his own good deeds and merits- The amount of time he spent in fasting and tithing.

The Tax Collector could only ask for mercy.

Jesus told His Disciples that the humble tax collector, only, “went home justified before God...”

BECAUSE OF HIS FAITH

Martin Luther is quoted as saying, “God does not accept the person on account of his works, but He accepts the works on account of the faith of the person.”

Apostle Paul, again reaches back into the OT, this time quoting Ps 32.

Written by King David

Paul is stating that the act of God forgiving our sins, by the overwhelming abundance of His grace is the same as blessing them with His own righteousness- Outside of anything good they may have done.

In verses 7 and 8, sins are forgiven, covered, and not counted against those that have faith and believe in God.

Totally removed from anything that could be done in our humanity, or any good that we may account for...

Our sins are removed, forgiven, forgotten and buried forever. Never to be held against us by our Holy Judge- God the Father.

What David is Fore-telling and Paul is confirming is the powerful completed work of Jesus Christ through His death, resurrection and ascension to His Heavenly throne.

Completing the Old Covenant- Started with Abraham, continued by the Law of Moses and Fulfilled by Christ in His sacrificial death for all mankind.

Which brings us to our final point-

3- Faith for All, for All Time

Romans 4:9–12 ESV

Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Several question that are still in play today, as the world struggles with the freedom of living in Faith, but still needing the guardrails that the discipline that the law and rituals provide.

The main issue with Living by Faith is- It takes SELF-DISCIPLINE to make it work, we have to consciencely focus on being grateful to God for the breath we inhale every day.

Perfecting our walk with God in Faith does not mean I WORK to become a better version of me, that might somehow find favor with God that the old version of me, could not find.

Our Faith and Gods righteousness work in tandem every day to, not make us better, but to TRANSFORM us into a new creation- renewing our very thought processes and our outlook on life.

Much like Abraham, who trusted God's promises despite uncertainty, you can choose to lean on your faith in your day to day life

Instead of succumbing to anxiety, take a moment each day to pray for guidance and to remind yourself that God has a plan.

Consider sharing your concerns with a trusted colleague or mentor, creating a support network that fosters trust and encourages spiritual discussions about faith and God’s provision in moments of stress.

In Genesis, God’s covenant with Abraham included the promise of descendants as numerous as the stars. At an advanced age, Abraham faced childlessness, but he still believed.

This Biblical narrative signifies more than just a promise; it exemplifies unwavering faith.

Abraham's story reminds adults today that faith sometimes requires us to hold onto hope in God’s timing, especially when visible evidence points to impossibility.

Abraham was asked to believe in the invisible, to have faith in God’s promises.

When he settled in Canaan, a land filled with challenges, his faith was tested continually. Yet, he remained steadfast, showing that faith isn't just about belief, but action.

For adults today, this story serves as a powerful reminder that true faith demands courage to confront obstacles head-on while trusting in God’s sovereignty.

Abraham’s faith was tested a number of times.

Each response was a step of faith.

Some of these steps were not what we would call big tests, but together they establish a picture of Abraham as a man of genuine faith.

One last thing to consider:

Everything God blessed the Jews with:

The Law, and The practices of the Sacrifices and feasts-

Were all meant to better inform them of their Faith.

But it never removed the personal obligation for find the faith that Abraham found in God.

Today, by responding to God in Faith and belief, all men are able to walk in Abrahams footsteps of Faith.

We all need to hold onto, now more than ever, that faith that goes beyond rituals and traditions...

And find our belief in God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, with faith believing that the God of Creation will see us through every situation

Trusting that, regardless of what we may see as hopeless, God sees the end result, and that everything that is good comes from our Heavenly Father.

So let us, like Abraham, step out in faith today. Let us trust in God's promises, even when circumstances seem to contradict them.

Let us rest in His forgiveness, freed from the burden of guilt and shame. And let us extend the invitation of faith to others, recognizing that God's family includes all who believe, regardless of their background or past.

In doing so, we'll discover the truth that has transformed lives for thousands of years:

Faith in God is not just a religious concept—

it's the key to a life of purpose, peace, and unshakeable hope.