Romans 4:13-17
First a quick outline of Romans chapter
4. Verses1-6 deal with justification by faith without works, and
verses7-12 deal with justification by faith without circumcision. Now
Romans 4:13-17 deals with getting eternal life through faith, not the
law. Next, verses 18-25 give a great description of real faith. No
other book of the Bible gives as much detail about our justification.
Before Paul, God*s people in Israel*s program were
not saved by faith alone in Christ*s blood sacrifice. Even as late as Acts 15:5
many were still depending on circumcision and keeping the law. Acts 15 and
Galatians 2 describe the meeting when Paul explained to them what he is teaching
here in Romans 4, that the promise of eternal life is now by faith
only, without the deeds of the law, (Rom 3:28), to Jews and Gentile equally, (Gal 3:28). In Israel*s program, the Gentiles could become
Jews (Ex 12:48)
or come to God through the Jews,
(Gen 12:3; Zech
8:22-23). But now the Jews
need to emulate (become like) the Gentiles, (Rom 11:13,14).
Romans 4:13-17
13 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.
14 For if they which are of the law be heirs,
faith is made void, and the promise made of none
effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is,
there is no transgression.
16 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,
17(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.
(Vs 13.) Abraham was given this
promise 430 years before God*s law was given to the decedents of his grandson,
Jacob (Gal
3:17). So obviously Abraham didn*t
earn the promise by keeping the law. He was given the promise because he was
counted righteous because of his faith.
Remember that the underlying promise is resurrection
from the dead and eternal life, without which Abraham can never inherit the
world in the future. We know we have eternal life in Christ and that we will be
raised from the dead, (Rom 6:23; II Cor 5:1*5), but
do we inherit the world too? Heb 1:2 says Christ has been
"appointed heir of all things". Read Col 1:16 to see what "all things"
are. Romans 8:17 says if we are God*s "children, then heirs; heirs of God, and
joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be
also glorified together". So, in Christ, we inherit all things in heaven
and in earth with Him, but our home and workplace will be in the heavenlies,
(Eph 1:21-23 &
2:6).
(Vs 14.) If eternal life was
earned by keeping God*s law, then faith would be useless and the promise would
be cancelled. That*s impossible because nothing can cancel God*s promise! And
nobody can keep the law, (Gal 3:10; James 2:10).
(Vs 15.) Without any law, there
are no law-breakers, (Rom 5:13,14). "The law worketh wrath" because it
proves guilt and demands justice, (Heb 2:2&10:28). Israel was promised health and wealth for keeping the law, and God*s
wrath for breaking it, (Deut 28:1..,5..; Lev 26:3..,14-33) They were motivated by fear, (Deut 6:24).
Guilt and fear produce shame, avoidance and isolation. The way to forgiveness
and restored fellowship was to confess their sin and take a blood sacrifice
immediately. But they had no assurance that their sins would all be forgiven if
they died before doing this, because they had no knowledge of that
all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ. They were truly in bondage through fear
of death, (Heb
2:15). Does this remind you of some
religions today? Let*s always remember that we now are free from the law
and are totally forgiven through the blood of Christ, (Rom 6:22; Eph 1:7).
Read Galatians 4:21-31. Being under the law is
compared to the son of Agar the servant girl; and our freedom, to the son of
Sarah the wife. The son of the servant girl was the product of the flesh and
does not inherit, just like no one today inherits life by trying to keep their
flesh nature in line with the law.
(Vs 16.) Getting something by
grace is the opposite of earning it. We get eternal life by grace because of
our faith. It would be contradictory to try to earn it by keeping the
law.
A promise is as good as the One who promised. Because
we have eternal life by promise from God, we can be 100% sure
of it. Titus 1:2 says, "In the hope of eternal life, which God, that
cannot lie, promised before the world began;" Heb 6:16-18 says
that God so wants people to be sure that He confirmed the promise with an
oath. Our eternal life depends on the character of God, on His keeping His word,
not on our behavior.
Remember from last class that Abraham is father to 2
groups of believers. Only one group had the law. If eternal life came through
the law, the other group (us) couldn*t get it.
(Vs 17.) Abraham had many physical
Gentile decedents through Ishmael, the son of the servant girl, and through
Esau, the twin brother to Jacob, Abraham*s grandsons. But I don*t think that is
who the "many
nations" in this verse are. From vs
16, I think Paul is referring to Abraham*s spiritual Gentile children,
those of faith. All the Gentile nations that believe and serve Israel in the
future kingdom of heaven on earth, (Is 60:12; Mat 25:31-46), as well as the believers out of all the Gentile nations in our
present age, will be Abraham*s children with eternal life, along with
Jews of faith from the physical decedents of Israel.
The second part of this verse gives two things that
are only true of God. 1.) He quickens (gives life to) the dead. And, 2.) when
God says something will be, even though it isn*t now, it definitely will happen.
God told Abrahm that he would be the father of many nations when he was
childless and old, but it is now happening.
Let*s look at how God "quickeneth the dead". The only resurrection to happen so far is
Jesus*, (Col 1:18).
(Others were raised from the dead
before Him, but they were not raised in immortal bodies and so they died again.
Examples: II Kings 4:18-37; John 11:41-44.) After Jesus rose from the dead, He
could appear in locked rooms, He could ascend and descend to and from heaven,
and He will never die again. (John 20:17,19; Rom 6:9)
The next resurrection will be ours. All those in the
body of Christ, both those whose souls are already in heaven with Christ, and
those who are still on earth in mortal bodies, will be given new glorified
bodies in heaven. Read I Thes 4:13-18 and I Cor 15:35-57. These new
bodies will not have a sin nature and will never get old, hurt or die. They will
be like Christ*s (Phil
3:20,21).
The Old Testament saints will be resurrected on the
earth at Christ*s return when He sets up His kingdom, (Dan 12:13; Job 19:25-27; Mat
19:28,29).
M. Dent
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