Faith of Our Father
ROMANS: THE ROAD NOW TAKEN • Sermon • Submitted
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· 10 viewsSermon 11 in Book of Romans series.
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What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?
“Father Abraham...” [Familiar song from our days as children in church (for many of us). This song, specifically the refrain—clearly contextualized, fittingly portrays the chapter on which we’re focusing today…]
Who are a few examples of your spiritual fathers or mothers? Drop their names in the live-stream chat or FB comments or IGTV comments.
Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Statement made in the context of the restatement of the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 15.1-6 ff; Genesis 12.1 ff)
So, Abraham is a worthy and significant example of a righteous person for the following reasons Paul states in Romans 4...
[Romans 4.1-8] ABRAHAM’S RIGHTEOUSNESS: CREDITED
<How he came to be righteous>
Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
…4.3...
“Credited” = (λογίζομαι/חשׁב) …placed in one’s account; imputed [ascribe to someone based on the quality or action of another]
How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How joyful is a person whom the Lord does not charge with iniquity and in whose spirit is no deceit!
[Romans 4.9-15] ABRAHAM’S RIGHTEOUSNESS: UNCIRCUMCISED
<When he was commended for being righteous>
…restate Genesis 15.6 in 4.9...
So, when was Abraham circumcised (given the sign of the covenant?)
This is my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you, which you are to keep: Every one of your males must be circumcised. You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and you.
…also 4.11...
So Abraham took his son Ishmael and those born in his household or purchased—every male among the members of Abraham’s household—and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very day, just as God had said to him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised, and his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised. On that same day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. And all the men of his household—whether born in his household or purchased from a foreigner—were circumcised with him.
When did the promise of God to Abraham come?
“As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations. Your name will no longer be Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you.
…4.13 (also Gen 12; 15)...
Therefore, the promise is to those (ALL those) responding to God by faith…accepting the gift of accredited righteousness—not self-righteousness (as the Jews ‘we’re first & only,’ or Gentile ‘we’re here despite your best efforts.’).
[Romans 4.16-22] ABRAHAM’S RIGHTEOUSNESS: GRACE
<Why his righteousness could only be this way>
…restate Genesis 15.6 in 4.22...
[Abraham’s story… Genesis 17.5 (4.17); Genesis 17.5 (4.18a); Genesis 15.5 (4.18b); Genesis 17.17; 18.11 (4.19); Genesis 18.14 (4.21)]
As we read this, is anyone uncomfortable with Paul’s descriptions of Abraham— “believed,” “not weaken in faith,” “not waver in unbelief,” and “was fully convinced”—regarding God’s promise? Let’s look...
First, he never doubted God’s plan (through you, your descendants, all the nations of the earth be blessed). He may have gotten off-track on how God would do so, but he never wavered (passed final judgment against) on God’s plan.
Second, when it came to definitive inclusion of Sarah (Gen. 18), Abraham was all in…even in spite of her very same initial reaction to the news.
You might be saying, ‘but his faith surely was imperfect!’ To that I say, ‘You’re right.’ …And this is why a wonderful little word in the beginning of this set of verses is so very important— GRACE!
For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.
They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, attested by the Law and the Prophets. The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.
[Romans 4.23-25] ABRAHAM’S RIGHTEOUSNESS: US
<Who?...The ones eligible for this righteousness>
…restate Genesis 15.6 in 4.23...
Not written for Abraham alone—but also for US!
but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him.
“…Father Abraham (Reprise)”
…had many sons, and many sons had Father Abraham. I am one of them, and so are you. So, let’s just praise the LORD!
Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone, but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.