Promise of the Abrahamic Covenant

Lesson 17 - Romans 4:12-25

Sunday, April 28, 2019

6:49 AM

Last time we studied verses 1-11 how Abraham was made righteous by faith not by circumcision -

Just to give us a picture of the importance of this statement by the Apostle Paul I want to look at some Jewish tradition -

Most Jews in New Testament times were thoroughly convinced that circumcision was not only the unique mark that set them apart from all other men as God's chosen people but was also the means by which they became acceptable to God.

The Jewish apocryphal Book of Jubilees declares:

This law is for all generations for ever, and there is no circumcision of the time, and no passing over one day out of the eight days; for it is an eternal ordinance, ordained and written on the heavenly tables. And every one that is born, the flesh of whose foreskin is not circumcised on the eighth day belongs not to the children of the covenant which the Lord made with Abraham, for he belongs to the children of destruction; nor is there moreover any sign on him that he is the Lord's but (he is destined) to be destroyed and slain from the earth. (15:25ff.)

Many Jews believed that salvation was based on their obedience to God in being circumcised, and that, therefore, their eternal security rested in that rite. In his commentary on the Book of Moses, Rabbi Menachem wrote, "Our Rabbins [rabbis] have said that no circumcised man will ever see hell" (fol. 43, col. 3). Circumcision was considered such a mark of God's favor that it was taught that if a Jew had practiced idolatry his circumcision must first be removed before he could go down to hell. Since it is humanly impossible to remove circumcision, presumably that would be accomplished by a direct act of God. The Jalkut Rubem taught that "Circumcision saves from hell" (num. 1), and the Midrash Millim that "God swore to Abraham that no one who was circumcised should be sent to hell" (fol. 7, col. 2). The book Akedath Jizehak taught that "Abraham sits before the gate of hell, and does not allow that any circumcised Israelite should enter there" (fol. 54, col. 2).

Such beliefs were so strong in Judaism that many of them were carried over into Christianity by Jewish converts in the early church.

Circumcision and following the law of Moses became such issues that a special council of the apostles and elders was called in Jerusalem to settle the matter. The unanimous decision, expressed in a letter sent to all the churches, was that obedience to Mosaic ritual, including circumcision, was not necessary for salvation (see Acts 15:19-29).

Paul had come out of a strongly legalistic Jewish background, being "circumcised the eighth day,... a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee" (Phil. 3:5). Yet the Holy Spirit had revealed to him, and the Jerusalem council had acknowledged, that neither circumcision nor any other ceremony or human act, no matter how divinely ordained, could bring salvation.

Circumcision had never saved a Jew and it could never save a Gentile (Rom. 2:25-29).

Romans 2:25-29 (KJV)

25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Paul therefore warned his fellow Christians, especially Jewish believers, to "beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh"

John MacArthur, MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Romans 1-8, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 247-248.

Paul reminds us in verse 11 that circumcision was for a sign was a covenantal seal - not salvation

A note of trivia - probably drawing off verse 11-16 some writer had the idea of a song pop into their heads and to the chagrin of many and the happiness of others - "Father Abraham" was birthed to bless the lives of everyone …

But really this is the concept - Father Abraham had many sons - while we don't know for sure how many biological sons he had - he is the father of many nations (verse 17 from Genesis

Verse 13 makes this even clearer - "The promise of Abraham being the heir of the world was not through the law, but through the Righteousness of faith"

He argues this in verse 14 by saying - if heirs were made by the law - faith is made void - the entire promise is useless

Verse 13

There fore, the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law but through the righteousness of faith.

The promise to Abraham was embodied in God's covenant with Abraham, in which the patriarch was told that his descendants would be heirs of the world (Gen. 12:3; 15:6; 18:18; 22:18). In analyzing God's promise to Abraham, four significant factors emerge.

First, the promise involved a land (see Gen. 15:18-21) in which Abraham would live but that would not be possessed until some five centuries later, when Joshua led the Israelites in their conquest of Canaan.

Second, the promise also involved a people, who would be so numerous that they could not be numbered, like the dust of the earth and the stars in the sky (Gen. 13:16; 15:5). Eventually, Abraham would become the "father of many nations" (Gen. 17:5; cf. Rom. 4:17).

Third, the promise involved a blessing of the entire world through Abraham's descendants (Gen. 12:3).

Fourth, the promise would be fulfilled in the giving of a Redeemer, who would be a descendant of Abraham through whom the whole world would be blessed by the provision of salvation. That promise to Abraham was, in essence, a preaching to him of the gospel (Gal. 3:8).

Galatians 3:8 (KJV)

8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

Abraham believed that gospel, and even when Isaac, the sole divinely-promised heir, was about to be offered as a sacrifice, Abraham trusted that somehow God would "provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering" (Gen. 22:8).

Through the writer of Hebrews, the Lord gives a beautiful revelation of the extent of Abraham's understanding and faith. "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, 'In Isaac your descendants shall be called.' He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead; from which he also received him back as a type" (Heb. 11:17-19).

Jesus told the unbelieving Jewish religious leaders, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad" (John 8:56). In a way that is not explained, Abraham foresaw the coming of the Messiah, who would be born as one of his promised descendants. It was through that descended Messiah, the Christ, that Abraham would bless the entire world and be heir of the world.

John MacArthur, MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Romans 1-8, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 255.

Romans 4:18-22 (KJV)

18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Romans 4:23-25 (KJV)

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

God will credit righteousness … for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead (4:24; see 8:11; Acts 3:15; 4:10; 13:30). There is a precise correspondence between Abraham’s faith in God and the faith of Christians. Abraham believed in “the God who gives life to the dead” (Rom 4:17); Christians believe in the God who raised Jesus from the dead.

■ 25 Here, Paul holds, is where Abraham’s faith is the example and type of all who believe in Christ. When we believe in Jesus as delivered over to death for our sins, and … raised to life for our justification (v 25), we believe in the “God who gives life to the dead” (v 17).

Greathouse, W. M., & Lyons, G. (2008). Romans 1-8: A commentary in the Wesleyan tradition (147). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City.