Today let’s look at Abraham’s faith.  Up until now Paul has talked about the sin of the Gentiles and of the Jews and that all people are sinners before God and “fall short of the glory of God.” (3:23) before God there is no one who can be proud.  People try all sorts of things to save themselves, but nothing is able to solve the problem of sin。 By the strength of man you are never able to come before God. As a result mankind is left with only discouragement and depression.  However, God by His abundant grace prepared a way for man to be saved. “But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.” (3:21)       God promised that by believing in the cross of Jesus Christ that man can be saved.

              To be made righteous by faith is called justification by faith.  In other words, by faith a person is made righteous, and he is saved.  However, mankind says that they can’t understand that and doesn’t seem to be able to believe.  It seems like it isn’t right for a person to be saved for free. Man isn’t used to things being for free.  Man feels more comfortable working hard for something.

              However, the Bible teaches that it is only by the grace of God, only by faith that a person is saved.  An example of this is Abraham.  When Paul said that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (23, 24) some of the Jews said that he was wrong and that Abraham was justified by his works.  Therefore, Paul gives the example of Abraham and shows that salvation is just by 1 means, in other words, it is only by faith in Jesus Christ. Today let’s look at 3 aspects of this.

I.             Abraham who believed in God (vs. 1-16)

First of all, Abraham was considered righteous because he believed in God, not because of works. First let’s look at the first 3 verses. 

Here Paul is telling us about how our forefather, Abraham was.   That is because Abraham was considered to be the originator of the Jewish people.  The question is when was Abraham considered to be righteous.  That is because “If in fact, Abraham was justified in works, he has something to boast about.”(2)  However, that is not so. The Bible says,” “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (3)  These words are recorded in Genesis 15:6.  At this time Abraham had lived in Canaan for 15 years are was 90 years old, but he still had no children.  God had promised in 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  But still he had no children.  His wife Sarah had already turned 80 so he must have wondered what that promise meant.   One night when Abraham was discouraged, God took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the starts…so shall your offspring be.” (Genesis 15:5)   No matter how you think about it, humanly speaking that was impossible.  Even so Abraham believed these words.  “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)   In other words, Abraham’s faith moved God’s heart, and by that faith, Abraham was considered by God to be righteous. 

The Jews when they heard that salvation was by faith became very objective.  That was because they thought that Abraham was considered to be righteous because of his works.  When God said to be circumcised, he was circumcised.  When God said to take Isaac to Mt. Moab and sacrifice him, Abraham seriously was going to slaughter him. Therefore, the Jews thought that since he did these things, God considered him as righteous.  They believed that Abraham was considered righteous because of his obedience.  Towards such thinking, Paul says, “But what does the Scripture say?” (3)  Paul said to look at the order in the Bible.  Abraham was circumcised in Genesis chapter 17 and sacrificed Isaac in chapter 22.  In other words, this was after he was credited as righteous. “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6) The proof of this is that he was circumcised and that he sacrificed Isaac.  Therefore, Abraham was not saved by works, but was saved by faith.  As a result the works of faith were born.  This order is very important.  In both the Old Testament and the New Testament, the basis of salvation is the same. That is that you are saved by faith.

The example of David you can say the same thing.  Let’s look at verses 6 to 8.  “David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.’” (6, 7) King David was representative of the Old Testament, who it was prophesized would be the ancestor of the Messiah so he was an extremely important figure.  This David here is confessing the blessedness of having his sin forgiven.   This is referring to the sin that he committed with Bathsheba that he struggled with and he realized that he could not hide his sin from God.    This passage shares what he experienced when he confessed his sin before God. His sin was forgiven not because he did something good or did something in compensation for what he had done wrong, but because he realized and confessed his sin before God. Then God forgave his sin, and considered him righteous.   Just repent, and depend on the grace of God.  In other words, David also “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (3)

The conclusion is verse 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 are of the faith of Abraham.  He is the father of us all.” In other words, it is guaranteed for not only those who are under the law, but for those who have faith like Abraham. “As it is written: ‘I have made you a father of many nations.’” (17) Abraham is the father of all. Therefore, we are his offspring by faith.  This is by faith that is guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring. 

We need to only believe and we will be saved.  That is because salvation is from the one way grace of God.  Any one can receive it. When Israel was in the desert they complained.  God became angry and sent poisonous snakes that bit them.  Many people were bitten by the snakes and died.  God told them to only put up a snake on a pole. They need to look only at the snake and they are healed.  This was something that anyone can do. And whoever has faith and looks at the snake was saved. This is faith. It is by this faith people are recognized as righteous.  Only believe in God.  There is no other way.

II.           The faith of Abraham (vs.17-22)

Next let’s look at what kind of faith Abram had.  Here Abraham’s faith is described. The God that Abraham believed in “gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” (17)  Abraham believed that God can do anything, that He is all powerful.

Our faith depends upon what we believe about God.  Those who believe in a dead god, their faith is also dead.  Those who believe in a living God, see the work of the living God.  If you believe that God can do anything, then you have no reason to be depressed.  If God is with you, then anything is possible.  We tend to make God smaller than He is.  We put God into our little boxes of thinking.  This comes from not recognizing God as all powerful.

Sometimes we think that something this too difficult for God. However, nothing is impossible for God. 

Col. 1:16

There is nothing that Christ can’t do.

Therefore, we need to believe that there is nothing that God can’t do.  It is necessary that we always boldly move forward.  We need to believe in the all powerful God and move forward. In verse 18 it says, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed.” He was 100 years old and “his body was as good as dead” (19) and “Sarah’s womb was also dead.”(19), but his faith was not weakened.  “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” (20, 21)

In Luke 5 Peter who had fished all night and hadn’t caught even one fish, was told by Jesus to go out into deeper waters and put down his nets.  Jesus’ words didn’t make sense by human common sense. First of all this wasn’t time for putting out the nets.  Secondly, that was the wrong place to put out the nets.  Fish were usually in the shallow water not the deep.  Thirdly, this is the time that they should be putting away their nets.  Fourthly he was not in the position to take advice from Jesus.  Peter was a professional fisherman.  Why should he take advice from a carpenter like Jesus? However, Peter did what Jesus said, and the nets became so full that they started to break.

This is faith. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)  It is to believe that what God says will surely happen.  Abraham believed. He believed with certainty that what God promised would happen.  Even when it did not agree with his emotions or thinking, he still believed.  Even though he had become 100 years old and “his body was as good as dead” (19) and “Sarah’s womb was also dead.”(19), but his faith wasn’t weakened. This kind of faith is necessary. Abraham “did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” (20, 21)

We need to just believe and follow. Even if it doesn’t agree with our thinking or not we should follow. We need to a people that believe in God and follow Him.  Abraham had such a faith.

III.         A faith that believes in Jesus Christ.  (vs. 23-25)

Thirdly, Abraham’s faith was a faith that believes in Jesus Christ.  Let’s look at verses 23 to 25.  Abraham’s faith was a faith that God would fulfill what he promised.  At the same time it was a faith that believed in the promises of Jesus Christ.  “The words “it was credited to him as righteousness” were written not for him alone but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness.”(23,24)  We are saved by having a faith that believes in God in “the God who gives life to the dead.” (17). In other words he believed in Christ, the risen Lord. A faith in the cross and resurrection.  This means to be considered as righteous, we need such a consistent faith.

I Cor. 15:1-5

The Gospel by which we are saved is the cross and resurrection.  With out the cross and resurrection, it would be impossible to be saved.  We are saved through the Gospel.  There is no other way.  That is because Christ died on the cross for our sins; Abraham had this kind of faith.  Abraham was before Jesus was born. Therefore the teaching that we are saved by Christ, existed from the beginning when man fell into sin. It became clear when Jesus was born.

Romans 3:23, 24

Jesus Christ is salvation.  There is no other name by which we can be saved. We believe that God raised Jesus from the dead.  By believing in him, we are saved.  And we are designated as righteous.  This is Abraham’s faith. This is Paul’s faith. This is the faith that we need to be saved.  We need to believe in Jesus Christ who loves us and saves and by the grace of God live in faithfulness and thankfulness. You are saved by grace, by faith.