“A SURVEY OF THE BOOK OF ROMANS” ROMANS 4:9-17 HEIRS OF GOD’S PROMISES

Paul discussed in the previous section (Romans 4:1-8) through the lives of two prominent Old Testament figures, Abraham and David, that a man is justified by God’s grace through faith apart from the law.   Paul will now return to Abraham’s life to prove that justification is universal and that Abraham was justified before the law was instituted and before he was actually circumcised (v. 9).  Abraham had received the promise from God in Genesis 12:1-3 and he believed God in Genesis 15:6 way before he had been circumcised.

In verse 10, Paul asked whether Abraham’s justification happened before or after he was circumcised.  Certainly, Abraham was not justified before God after he was circumcised, but before he was circumcised!  To further support his argument, Paul said that circumcision was a seal of Abraham’s being declared righteous because of his supreme faith, received while he was yet uncircumcised (v. 11-12).  Abraham, the progenitor of the Hebrew race, was given many promises by God.  However, these promises of God were made on the basis of “the righteousness of faith” (v. 13).

Some of these promises were made to Abraham’s physical progeny; however God also promised that Abraham would be a blessing to others, for the latter part of Genesis 12:3 states – “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”  The ultimate fulfillment of this promise came in the sending of God’s Son into the world.  In verses 14-15, those who were attempting to be justified by the law could not claim the promise of Abraham.  Abraham gained a righteous standing before God solely on the basis of his faith in God, not through the law.

Anyone who tried to approach God opposite of how Abraham approached God would be wrong, and his or her faith would be valueless and the promise would be of “none effect.”  According to verse 15, one of the purposes of the law was to punish lawbreakers; therefore, it would be absurd to think of the law as a means whereby salvation could be provided to sinners.

The promise of God’s blessing of the whole world through Abraham was made “to all the seed,” meaning the entire human race, not just those under the Mosaic law.  By faith in Abraham’s God, we are the spiritual offspring of Abraham.  Redemption is offered to all who have faith, namely, the kind of faith possessed by Abraham.  In that respect, Abraham is the father of us all (v. 16).  Both Jews and Gentiles can claim to be children of Abraham by faith (Galatians 3:26-29).  According to Genesis 17:5, Abraham was declared to be the “father of many nations” (v. 17).   And those of us who are saved by faith through grace, should be elated God has worked a miracle in our lives because we trust Him!

May God Bless!