Romans 4
4 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[a]
4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”[b]
9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believebut have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[c] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and callsinto being things that were not.
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[d] 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in himwho raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Romans 4:18-25 is one of my favourite passages in the Bible. I want to work through it today verse by verse.
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[d]
Abraham was called by God to leave his home and was promised that if he would trust in him that God would give him seed and soil. He would have descendants like the stars and the land of Israel for him and his children. That was the last that Abraham heard from God for 13 years. He left his home and moved in search of the promise. Think about how much has happened in your life in thirteen years. He got older and older.
19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20
There came a point where Sarah, his wife, came to the age when child-bearing would no longer be possible for her. She was too old and so the dream of a child became hopeless.
I would have cried out to God in this time, ‘Where are you? Where am I going? Why have you abandoned me?’ Abraham was not in denial of the situation, he could see the problems. But against all hope, in hope, Abraham believed.
Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Even when it all looked hopeless and there was nothing else that he could do, Abraham still believed that God would fulfil his promise.
22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
This verse is Paul’s reference to Genesis 15:6, which states: “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” It was not Abraham’s bloodline or his background that brought God’s favour on his life but it was his faith that made him a child of God.
23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Paul then wraps up the section by saying that this applies to us as well. He is saying that however hopeless life may seem, that we can be confident that Jesus is working on our behalf through all things (Romans 8:28). There may be times when life feels dark and heavy. There may be times when it feels impossible. But against all hope, in hope we can still believe because Jesus is with us and is for us. If Christ is for us then we have an anchor of hope that will carry us through every hardship.
Where does this passage resonate with your life at the moment?
Where do you need to hold onto hope, trusting in God despite adversity?
