Author: Ben Bourland

as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or  when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:17-22

This is a quote from Genesis 17:5. Here is some crazy awesome insight coming -> When Paul talks about giving live to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist, he is talking about justification again. God can declare believing sinners to be righteous even though they are not…by imputing His righteousness to them. Likewise, God made or declared Jesus to be “sin” and punished Him, even though He was not a sinner. Those whom He justifies, He will conform to the image of His Son (This again is a great way of stating these truths by the great John MacArthur).

Hope against hope is simply a reckoning of the human perspective that it seemed impossible to Abraham but he believed anyway. God promised Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation and this promise was given when Abraham was of great age (100 years old) and not only that, his wife Sarah was well beyond child bearing age as just 10 years younger than Abraham…meaning that Abraham believed what God had said even though it seemed impossible!

APPLICATION

Oh how I want the faith of Abraham! I can sometimes become weak…entertaining a doubt that erodes my confidence. BUT, through God’s power of sanctification, He has grown my faith in not only His presence but also in the promise He has given me that He is always working things out for His good, glory, and honor…when I believe that, then I also must believe that what God is doing is also for my good because I live IN His Son. When the pressures of life fall on me or the worldly culture and cursed earth sit present in front of me, I can rest in the faith that the Lord is in control. It does not mean He removes my suffering…not at all…in fact, it has been in that suffering that He grown my faith the most when I have leaned into Him for my strength that rests nestled in His promises. It is a freeing thing when you let go of the present and realize the good that God has planned beyond your suffering maybe something you don’t see in your lifetime.

The Promise Realized Through Faith
For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, Romans 4:13-16

As we’ve been reading, God’s promise to Abraham was not based on the law, but on the righteousness that comes through faith. What does this mean? It means that all who believe—by being united with Christ—become heirs of that promise.

I love how John MacArthur explains it:

“If only those who perfectly keep the law—an impossible standard—could receive the promise, then faith would be worthless and the promise meaningless. A promise that depends on an unattainable condition is no promise at all.”

Justification is through faith alone! BUT the power of justification is God’s great grace, not a person’s faith. The promise rests entirely on this Grace!

APPLICATION

I received justification by my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but the justification itself is a gift of grace from God bestowed through my belief. What is belief? It is not just knowing and agreeing that Jesus lived, died, and rose again…no, it is a belied AND trust in Jesus to be Lord of my life because it is now His. That belief is more of a continuous action demonstrated in how I live my life IN BELIEF IN JESUS. This is born out in fruit I produce out of my life…that fruit is an indicator and evidence of my Salvation. Saying some words as an insurance policy and then not living it out, is not a genuine belief in God.

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, Romans 4:1-3

Today is the day our nation moves into a place that will be different moving forward. The absolute heartbreak and loss of Charlie Kirk will be remembered for many years to come as a turning point in the culture and civic discourse. It feels as though the country is split between those of faith, truth, morals, justice, and responsibility, and those who seek to destroy any perspective that does not meet their own. The Bible tells us about how bad it will get before Christ returns and even (right here in Romans 1) talks about the depravity that the Lord will turn people over to, who choose to reject Him. I pray for the return of our Savior and also pray that the Lord would use me to further His Kingdom until then.

Turning to today’s reading, I start chapter 4 of this wonderful book of the Bible. There isn’t a lot new here in the first few verse, but Paul does start to harken back to Abraham as support for what it means to embrace the gift of the gospel rather than feel like works alone can earn you a place in heaven. In Abraham’s example, it wasn’t Abraham’s works that moved God to place His Righteousness on Abraham, no, it was Abraham’s faith in God that moved the Lord in this way.

I love how Paul talks about the fact that the work that we do here on earth, when it is *not* birthed from faith, produces earnings right here on earth that do not translate into heavenly outcomes. So the boasting that one can do relative to the works they do here on earth, only benefit them here on earth. It is only when we place our trust, gratitude, and acknowledgment of God’s gift being the only reason we have a place in eternity, that our works based in that acknowledgment produce Heavenly fruit.

APPLICATION

Being obedient to God’s Word and understanding what He has done for me, is better than any sacrifice I can make. It is kind of the same thing as works being birthed by faith…sacrifice becomes pleasing to God when it is birthed from reliance, belief, and obedience to what God has called us to do. Don’t get me wrong; doing the secular work we do on earth is how God made us…Adam tended the garden. However, Adam tended the garden while he maintained a fellowship with God. My work is a mission field and my placement at work in this foreign land puts me in the garden God has chosen for me. My goal each day is to glorify and honor Him in all that I do, so that all that work is clothed in a heavenly state of mind, looking for every opportunity to increase the members of home my home country…Heaven.

…since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. Romans 3:30&31

My primary takeaway in this passage is the concept that “works” matter…but not as a means to justification but as a fruit of faith and repentance. Genuine faith results in a transformation of the heart that produces the fruit of good works. James 2:14-26 goes into this in depth.

• (James 2:14)”So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
• (James 2:17)”You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works.”
• (James 2:22)”For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”
• (James 2:26)”What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?”

The outcome of our Salvation and expectations regarding the relationship between faith and works ,are clear.

One other interesting observation of this passage is this – “God is one-will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith”.

Although the terms ‘by’ and ‘through’ are interchangeable and complimentary, I think the intent is important. The Jews had grown up knowing who God is and they had been set apart (Circumcised) as God’s chosen people. So the evaluation is of their acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah (Life, death, and resurrection) and commitment to their God by Faith. For the Gentiles (Uncircumcised), their path is through a Faith in the God of Israel and the gift of redemption of sins through the death of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection.

APPLICATION

For where the Lord has brought me in my sanctification, I am committed to Jesus and obedience to Him in the terms of works…but I will admit that the condition of my heart and expectations in the striving to do good works is not always on the up and up. I can find myself in an incorrect mindset where I need to either check my intentions or anticipated outcomes. I am convicted that this is wrong…my focus alone should be to honor and glorify God in my works, loving on people, and selflessly serving the God Who gave ‘everything’ for me. My life is not my own, my life has been purchased, and my heart should always be inclined to the benefit of the Kingdom.

Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Romans 3:27&28

The work of the gospel has been completed.  When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He did the work that only He could do.  No amount of good works will satisfy/counter the penalty we have earned in our sin.  So, there is nothing we can boast about in our Salvation.  It is faith alone, not by any good works we can do, that we are imputed with the righteousness of Christ Jesus.

The recognition of this truth is necessary for every believer.  There is that realization that we are desperate for what only the Lord Jesus has to offer us.  This acknowledgment every morning we get up, sets our hearts in the place needed to see that we have no right to anything other than serving the One who secured our rescue from the pit.

It is also this realization that spurs us on to not only love others but to see them understand these truths so that they too accept, have faith, and live for King Jesus the rest of their life.  This time here on the earth is so short…our life really doesn’t begin until the Lord returns or calls us home.

APPLICATION

Just as I said above – I am driven to see that as many people as I can influence, understand the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It almost always starts with relationship and then capitalize on all openings I am given to share both my faith and what the Lord has done for me.  I can tell you how many times I have been asked things at work like -> “Why are you always so calm?”, “How is it that you don’t get all spun up when things get stressful?”, or “Why are you not concerned with potentially being laid off?”.  These openings are a gift from Lord as an opening and opportunity to share the impact He has had on my life.