“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;” —Romans 4:20

Last time, we examined what it means to be “Strong in Faith.” In this lesson we will examine how we are strengthened in faith.

As a quick reminder, being strong faith means this: stepping out appropriately based upon what God has said, what God has declared, and what God has promised in His holy Word. Yet the term here, if I’ve read it correctly in Greek, also conveys that Abraham not only was strong in faith and staggered not at the promises of God, but the term also expresses that it was God’s Word and promise that enabled Abraham and empowered him to respond; in other words, Abraham was strengthened in faith.

How we are strengthened in faith is not the general answer to how strong faith is defined. To be strengthened in faith provides some more specific principles, especially since the fullness of time has revealed the New Testament promises; and those specifics are addressed in these last verses of Romans 4.

“Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him” (Romans 4:23). Scripture is clear here that the imputation of righteousness for Abraham’s faith was not an instance that would fall upon Abraham alone; his was the divine model that God had given to men through this prophet God called out from Ur of the Chaldees. Through Abraham, God had established a precedent in faith that far exceeded the life and faith of Abraham. It was not only for him…

“But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:24-25). It was for everyone who would be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead following His penal substitutionary sacrifice for the sins.

Abraham believed that God would raise his dead loins and Sarah’s dead womb to manifest God’s declared promise by bringing forth a son. How much more will God impute righteousness unto those who believe on Jesus Christ in trusting faith; standing in faithful allegiance to Christ Jesus, as the one and only, very Son of God, who was turned over to be crucified for our offenses; who received the punishment of God’s wrath in holy justice as the sufficient and satisfying Substitute;whose blood was shed for the forgiveness of sins; and who was raised from the dead in power and glory? How much more will God impute righteousness unto the soul who believes the crucifixion of Christ as the most infinitely holy and eternally glorious manifestation and demonstration of God’s grace that the universe has ever seen or ever will witness? God has promised LIFE to those who believe this truth.

Strong Christian faith is stepping out appropriately based upon what God has said, what God has declared, and what God has promised in the death, burial, resurrection, ascension and return of Jesus Christ according to Scripture.

So how are we strengthened in faith? First, we must remember that faith is imparted as a gift of God:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” —Ephesians 2:8

Because it is a gift, when it is received by the person God is saving, that faith becomes his; it becomes hers. (Remember, Adam’s sin of disobedience, at its base, was faithlessness and its origin, covetousness; he failed to step out appropriately upon what God has said, what God has declared, and what God had promised.) Therefore, just because we have received this gift, we should not think that every decision we make is full of faith. We have not been made righteous, we have Christ’s righteousness imputed to us; we are counted as having Christ’s righteousness.

Therefore, faith is strengthened because it is the work of God and flourishes because it is the fruit of God. Faith is the work of God:

“Then said they unto [Jesus], What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” —John 6:28-29

Faith is also the fruit of God:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love: joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,” —Galatians 5:22

Many of us are all too familiar with these scripture references, yet what does it mean that faith is strengthened as God’s work and flourishes (or grows) as the fruit of God?

First, as our divine Sovereign, God places every circumstance in order He wisely wills so that we may be conformed to the image of Christ:

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” —Romans 8:28-29

Yet, one of the things that it means when it says that “all things work together for good” is that God is providentially providing for His children every opportunity for faith to work through love:

“For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.” —Galatians 5:5-6, NASB

Since the crucifixion of Christ is the most infinitely holy manifestation of God’s grace, and that it is the most eternally glorious demonstration of God’s love the universe has ever seen, or will see, then faith is strengthened by seeing the Cross of Christ through spiritual eyes from the hearing of God’s Word. As a result, we step out appropriately by faith in God’s truth of Calvary’s Cross, by faith in God’s declarations by the atoning death of Christ, and by faith in God’s promises in His Son’s atoning death, because God has sealed it with the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

If it is true Biblical saving faith, then our actions, by faith, must be based upon our minds being renewed by the truth of God’s Word, and most specifically, the truth of the death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and return of Christ; else it is not faith at all…

“…without faith it is impossible to please God.“
—Hebrews 11:6

“…whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
—Romans 14:23

LEAVE YOUR COMMENT. Let us know your thoughts.

Listen to the sermon preached on this text, Romans 4:19-25, “Strong in Faith,” on October 4, 2009 at Sovereign Grace Baptist Church.

Read the previous article in this series, “Strong in Faith” (Romans 4:19-22).

“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 Sarah’s womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;” —Romans 4:19-20

The points made in this lesson, and the next, will be very helpful when we examine the blessings of justification by grace through faith in Romans 5.

“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 Sarah’s womb” (Romans 4:19). “…being not weak in faith…” You may recall the apostle’s words in Romans 1:16, when he said that he was “not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” That was a figure of speech used for emphasis by denying its opposite. It’s called a “litotes;” yet, here it expresses, I believe, not merely Abraham’s strength of faith to move forward in response to God’s Word, but it also expresses his lack of hesitation. Abraham did not fluctuate or think twice upon hearing the promise from God.

Additionally, when we read that Abraham “considered not his own body now dead… neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb,” we realize from scripture that Abraham would live another 75 years after Sarah gave birth to their son, Isaac. The scripture gives us an interesting insight:

“Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.” —Genesis 18:11

Sarah had reached menopause. She was physically incapable of getting pregnant (in the natural realm). Yet, another insight we have here is that Abraham’s loins were also dead by this time, thirteen years after Ishmael’s birth. This required the miracle of God. For this promise to come to pass, it required the same resurrection power of God to raise the dead. Yet, because God said a son would be born, Abraham did not falter or slide.

“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Romans 4:20). Abraham “staggered not at the promise…” Abraham did not waiver or withdraw in unbelief “but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.” More literally it says, “but was strengthened in faith…” or “but grew strong in faith.” In other words, Abraham grew stronger in his faith when he did not waiver in unbelief. Abraham was not “driven of the wind and tossed” in unbelief (James 1:6), and therefore, he grew stronger in faith; and as Abraham grew stronger in faith, each moment in faith glorified God.

“And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform” (Romans 4:21). The decree of God in His promise is certain. God says,

“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.” —Isaiah 46:9-10

Approximately 1,300 years before Isaiah proclaimed it, Abraham was “fully persuaded,” completely assured, and absolutely certain.

“And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:22). “…it was imputed to him for righteousness” are the same exact words in the original Greek text as Romans 4:3. There are three very important things that this text tells us as it relates to the preceding verses.

1. Justification is a one-time declaration of God, as we have already studied in the scriptures from Romans 3:26-31, and was reinforced from Romans 4:1-8; that justification comes by God’s grace through faith; and by that faith, God counts such a person righteous. Paul proved it through the scriptures when he used Abraham’s life prior to the covenant of circumcision, quoting Genesis 15:6, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3). Yet, Paul uses the circumstances surrounding the covenant of circumcision (Genesis 17) to say the exact same thing about God imputing righteousness unto Abraham for his strong, unwavering faith with regard to the announcement of Isaac’s birth. So what is that saying? It tells us that when a man is truly saved by God, justified by grace through faith, that although justification happens once at conversion, it continues to be realized and manifested through faith as faith grows stronger.

2. Furthermore, this verse tells us that the imputed righteousness of justification is by God’s grace alone since, in this instance with Abraham and Sarah’s bodies both being “dead” requiring resurrection power to fulfill God’s promise, unless God made it to be so, nothing they could do would produce a child in Sarah’s womb and bring it to term. They could have persevered and applied themselves practically for the rest of their natural lives, but unless God brought it to pass, it wasn’t going to happen.

3. Finally, this verse tells us that what James says in his epistle concerning faith is true; that “faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:17). Because God declared that Sarah would bear a son, they did not sit still and do nothing. They were responsible to the revelation truth of God’s promise, and in faith, must act according to faith, despite the fact that it was physically impossible for Abraham to sire a seed at 99 years of age and for Sarah to conceive after menopause. Many Christians believe that faith means doing nothing but waiting for God to act. It is not. This is what strong faith is: it is stepping out appropriately based upon what God has said, what God has declared, and what God has promised in His holy Word.

LEAVE A COMMENT. Let us know your thoughts.

Listen to the sermon preached on this text, Romans 4:19-25, “Strong in Faith,” on October 4, 2009 at Sovereign Grace Baptist Church.

Read the previous article in this series, “Faith Alone – Part 2” (Romans 4:9-17).

“Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before Him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” —Romans 4:16-17

From our last doctrinal thought in Romans, having seen a New Testament perspective of circumcision from the Old Testament Scriptures (understanding that it was a type, shadow, and similitude of the new covenant that would be made by Christ through the shedding of blood in His own body), we can look at Romans 4:9-17 while keeping that perspective in mind.

“Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness” (Romans 4:9). Did the blessedness of God’s reckoned righteousness and forgiveness of sins come to just the Jews; or is it unto Jews and Gentiles without partiality? This question is posed by Paul as if her were saying, “I know what you’re thinking: since Abraham was reckoned righteous through faith (Romans 4:3), some of you Jews might think that this blessed salvation is only for the Jews. But wait…”

“How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision” (Romans 4:10). Abraham was counted righteous by God (Genesis 15:6) many years before he was circumcised. God imputed righteousness by faith before Ishmael was born (Ishmael was born when Abraham was 86 years old, Genesis 16:16). Circumcision did not come along until Abraham was 99 years old (Genesis 17:1).

“And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also” (Romans 4:11). The ancient Syriac and Alexandrian manuscripts read, “And he received the sign circumcision,” meaning that Abraham received the commandment to circumcise by the hand of God. Now, here is where we receive a little better insight into that two-fold meaning that comes with this covenant: first, circumcision was not by grace, but given as a special covenant sign to Abraham and his descendents that distinguished them as a people. This separated them from the other nations (later the Law of Moses would further separate them as a distinct people unto God); and, secondly, because circumcision was a seal of Abraham’s righteousness through faith, the seal was that it was a certainty that God DID count Abraham righteous… yet, interestingly, it is the Law of Moses that would clarify what this seal meant as a promise:

“And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.” —Deuteronomy 30:6

(Ephesians 1:12-13 also gives us insights into this, because the sign and seal of believers is the inward work of the Holy Spirit. There has been no one in history who has ever been saved apart from grace through faith in God’s promise to save.)

“And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised” (Romans 4:12). Therefore, imputed righteousness through faith alone would ultimately come to those who were not circumcised because it came to Abraham while he was still an uncircumcised Gentile.

“For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith” (Romans 4:13). Even the promise to Abraham concerning the inheritance of his descendents to inhabit the land (Genesis 17:4-6) came as a result of imputed righteousness by faith, and not because Abraham kept the Law: because the Law didn’t come until 430 years after Abraham received the covenant of circumcision, according to Galatians 3:16-17,

“Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.”

“For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect” (Romans 4:14). If righteousness came by keeping the law, then what good would it be for God to make a promise; or what good would it be for men to believe? No good at all. Faith believes and trusts upon what God has said, and specifically, what God has promised.

“Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression” (Romans 4:15). Every human being since Adam is so very far from perfectly fulfilling the Law of Moses that nothing but the wrath of God would come forth to sinful man, and deservedly so. If the Law is not known, there would be no transgression against it. Now, that doesn’t mean there wouldn’t be sin: yes, that still exists; but the transgression against the Law can only be manifested if there is a Law to transgress.

“Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all” (Romans 4:16). It must be by God’s grace through faith that the promises of God are established; and that is not only to the Jew, who until Christ was under the Law, but also to the Gentiles by faith, which fulfills God’s promise to Abraham in making him the father of many nations (Genesis 17:4).

“(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before Him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were” (Romans 4:17). Paul quotes the last part of Genesis 17:5. Though God pronounces this promise to Abraham while Abraham was alive, the spoken promise carries with it an eternal decree, as God said, “I have made thee a father of many nations,” using the past tense, before ever a child sprang forth from father Abraham’s loins; for its ultimate fulfillment is found by grace through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, since we realize the eternal truth that Jesus Christ is the Lamb slain, “foreordained before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:20).

Saving faith needs nothing added to it. A saved soul is justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ; that is, saving faith trusts implicitly in who Christ is, viz., the eternal Son of God, and what He has done, viz., shed His blood, suffered God’s wrath, and died upon Calvary’s tree. There is nothing we can add to it, and since Christ’s death and resurrection, the truth of His atoning death is sufficient and powerful to save.

LEAVE A COMMENT. Let us know your thoughts.

Listen to the sermon preached on this text, Romans 4:3, “Faith Alone,” on October 4, 2009 at Sovereign Grace Baptist Church.

Read the previous article in this series, “Faith Alone, Part 1” (Romans 4:1-8).