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Romans 4:13-25; Hebrews 11:8-16

Paul has been driving home his argument to his Jewish listeners in Rome concerning justification by faith.
Through their religious indoctrination in Judaism, the Jews were inclined to think that they could only be
justified through their good works. In fact, even some of the Jewish believers in Rome would struggle with
the idea that they were made righteous solely on the basis of faith.
But Paul has been ascertaining exactly that even taking it further, and showing that faith must stand alone,
as the basis of justification. To attempt to add any work to faith is to fully negate the work of Christ, on
behalf of man.
Paul had drawn on two OT examples to make his case, which were considered exemplary by the Jews:
Abraham and David. In each case, Paul showing how they were justified; righteousness was accounted to
them, based on their faith.
Then Paul took the case of Abraham further, showing that he was made righteous before he was
circumcised. This proves that circumcision a ceremonial work cannot be a basis upon which men are
made righteous.
And since circumcision is not a means of justification, Paul shows that this opens up justification to the
uncircumcised Gentiles also for Abraham himself was uncircumcised when he was made righteous on the
basis of his faith in the Coming Christ.
Paul explains that circumcision, the sign of the covenant, was just a seal of Abrahams righteousness by
faith; it confirmed that he had believed God for His Christ, so many years before. And once Abraham
obeyed the truth that God was revealing to him, taking that sign of the eternal covenant into his flesh, God
then carried out His purposes through Abrahams consecrated body.
It was in this way that Abraham became the father of all who believe, as Paul states. In what way is this
true? When Abraham demonstrated his righteousness by faith through being circumcised, effectively
yielding his body to God as an instrument of righteousness, God could act to realize His promises, in
particular to bring forth the Seed Christ from Abrahams body.
Then, when we believe into Christ, we are born again, born of the incorruptible seed, the Word of God
Christ (1 Pet 1:23). So we are the seed of Christ; and Christ is the Seed of Abraham. That makes Abraham
our father; he is the father of all who believe, both uncircumcised the Gentiles, and circumcised the
Jews.
The Jews recognized Abraham as their father, according to the flesh; according to physical descent. But
Paul is enlightening his Jewish readers to the perspective of God, here. In Gods sight, physical descent is
insignificant; in Gods sight, those Jews who are the true sons of Abraham are those who walk in his steps
of faith faith he had while still uncircumcised; faith he had, in Christ alone.
Now Paul will continue with his example of Abraham, writing of the inheritance God had promised him. I
want you to have in mind the typical thinking of the religious Jews in that day, as we read this.
As mentioned, the Jews viewed Abraham as their father, according to the flesh. So as Abrahams sons, the
Jews considered themselves to be his heirs. Whatever God promised to Abraham, whatever inheritance
Abraham received from God, the Jews ultimately expected to receive, as Abrahams sons, his heirs.

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[Read Romans 4:13-25]

So what we see is that Paul first explains that inheritance of what is promised by God is not based on the
works of the Law, but comes through the righteousness of faith (vv. 13-15). This opens the inheritance up
to all the seed all who believe (v. 16).
Paul shows that this fulfills Gods words to Abraham, that he would be a father of many nations (v. 17),
which Abraham became, based on believing into the Seed Christ (v. 18).
Having shown the basis of Abrahams faith, Paul then puts the spotlight directly on the genuineness of
Abrahams faith, showing that true faith rests in the Promiser, God; faith does not work for the promise;
instead, true faith just keeps on believing; it perseveres (vv. 19-22). Finally, Paul shows that righteousness
is imputed in this same way to every man; on the basis of genuine faith, like Abrahams (v. 23-25).
Keep in mind that Pauls thought on Abraham goes all the way back to the beginning of chapter 4, to the
Jews claim of Abraham as their father, according to the flesh.
As mentioned, the Jews thought of themselves as Abrahams sons, and therefore, his heirs. What God had
promised Abraham, what Abraham would receive as an inheritance, the Jews expected to receive as an
inheritance, also. But Paul enlightens the Jews to the fact that this is not so.
Lets go back to verse 13 and read it again.
v. 13 Now, it is critical to the entire passage here to understand what Paul is saying in the beginning, here;
in verse 13. First of all, what is the promise?
The word promise is used four times in this passage; in this verse, in verse 14, and in verses 16 and 20.
The verb form promised is also found, in verse 21. Obviously, this is a meaningful word in Pauls
argument.
This is one promise that Paul is referring to; it is never in the plural, here. Verse 20 tells us that it is the
promise of God. And the first verse conveniently states what the promise is: that Abraham would be the
heir of the world. But what does that mean?
Never, in the many promises that God made to Abraham, does God directly say in the record that Abraham
will be the heir of the world. What the LORD God did show Abraham the One who would be Abrahams
heir, in the gospel in the stars Abrahams Seed and then showed him that Abraham would come into his
inheritance in the land, through His Seed, Christ.
But to be an heir of the world speaks of more than just the land promised to Abraham. The world here,
kosmos, is speaking of the universe; the heavens and the earth. In what way is Abraham an heir of these,
and when?
Remember that Abraham believed God in the revelation of the Seed Christ Abrahams heir. And through
Abrahams faith, the righteousness of Christ was accounted to Abraham; he became a son of God, an heir
of the righteousness which is according to faith (Heb 11:7).
It will be in the resurrection of Life, in a body of glory, that Abraham will come into his inheritance. This
will not only include the land that God had promised him, but the whole world because Abraham is
united to Christ, who is the heir of all things (Heb 1:2).

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Abraham, as a son of God, is an heir of God, through Christ (Gal 4:7). So what we see is that, in the
fullness and fruition of what God had promised to Abraham, believing Abraham is an heir of the world he
will inherit with Christ, in the resurrection of Life, in his glorified body an everlasting inheritance.
We can be certain that this is Pauls meaning here as we look at how he speaks of the promise in verse 16.
This promise of inheritance is not just to Abraham, but is to all the seed.
Now, Pauls use of seed here goes back to Genesis 17, where God was establishing His eternal covenant
with Abraham and his seed his descendants. But as we have seen, Paul says earlier in this chapter that
Abraham is the father of all who believe; believers are Abrahams true seed.
And that is Pauls meaning here. So the promise, to be the heir of the world, offered by the grace of God, is
secured not just for Abraham, but for all who believe into Christ our everlasting inheritance, as glorified,
righteous sons of God.
And that promise to believers is seen over and over again in the church letters heirs according to the
promise (Gal 3:29); heirs according to the hope of everlasting Life (Tit 3:7); heirs of salvation (Heb 1:14);
heirs together of the grace of Life (1 Pet 3:7); and the promise of the everlasting inheritance (Heb 9:15), to
name just some.
So back in verse 13, we see that this promise to Abraham and his seed was not through the Law, meaning
the Law of Moses, but through the righteousness of faith. Paul is making a particular point of this because
the religious Jew believed that he came into Gods covenant through his circumcision, and as long as he
was faithful to try to keep the Law, he would not be cut off from the covenant, and would therefore secure
its blessings the inheritance of a son of Abraham.
But Paul makes it clear to the religious Jew that this is not the way God works. The next verses show this.
v. 14-15 Once again, Paul is showing that faith and the works of the Law are mutually exclusive, this time,
as a means of obtaining the everlasting inheritance. Those who are of the Law refers to the religious
Jews, who are trying to establish their own righteousness through the works of the Law.
In the promises that God made to Abraham, God does all the work remember what we saw in Genesis
chapter 17 I will.I will.I will.. So Gods part was all the doing.
What was the part of Abraham, and his seed? To believe God, for what He was doing. This is what ties the
promises to faith and faith alone.
If a man were to work, to bring about the promises, then he would not be believing God, to do all the doing,
would he? No. So this is to say that mans work negates the unconditional promises of God.
In verse 14, Paul poses a premise. The premise is that if those who are of the Law are heirs. Paul is
suggesting, what if, instead of God making His promise unconditional, He made it conditional; that God
would fulfill His promise based on obedience to the Law. Specifically, Paul is pointing to the Jews here, to
whom the Law was given; what if they had to keep the Law, in order to receive the promised inheritance?
Now, thank God, God did not do that; but Paul is saying if, to make a point. Pauls point is, that would
make faith void.

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God can only offer His promises unconditionally, or conditionally; He cannot offer them both ways. Either
the promise is based on faith in Gods work for man, or mans work, for himself; it cannot be based on
both. So if the promised inheritance is to come through the works of the Law, then faith can have no part; it
is null and void.
But, Paul shows, this would make the promise of no effect; the promise could never be realized. Why?
Because the Law brings about wrath the wrath of God. The Law shows forth the man who is trying to
keep it as a lawbreaker; a transgressor of the commands of God. Such a man would not come into an
inheritance from God; he would come into judgment.
So if keeping the Law were the basis upon which man was to obtain the promise of Life everlasting his
inheritance that promise would never, never be realized for no man can keep the Law. The promise
would be of no effect; and then, God could never give what He promised to man, and Gods purposes for
mankind would never be realized to become His righteous sons.
Paul has shown through his premise that doing the deeds of the Law cannot be a way in which men can
obtain their everlasting inheritance, nor did God intend it to be a way. He has a way the only way He can
ensure His promise to men through faith in His righteous Son.
And so this is Pauls conclusion, which we read next. We will also read the first part of verse 17, which
provides a transition from Pauls conclusion of righteousness by faith, to his showcasing of Abrahams
personal faith. Because the transition in 17a applies both to what is said before and after it, we will read it
twice.
v. 16-17a Paul is saying, it is of faith; what is of faith? The promise for an everlasting inheritance.
The promise is secured by faith in the working of God, through Christ. That is the one and only way that
God has provided, to become a righteous son of God; and to the one who puts his faith in Christ, God
graciously accounts righteousness to him; not because he earned it, not because he worked for it, but
because he believed in God to do it, through Christ just as Abraham did.
In this way, the believing seed of Abraham, along with him, will come into the promised inheritance in the
resurrection of Life as heirs of the world, joint heirs with Christ (Rm 8:17).
As Paul had done in regard to circumcision, as he had done in regard to heritage, he has now done in regard
to the works of the Law; he has negated them as a means of justification, clearing the way for Gentiles to
be made righteous on the same basis as the Jews through faith in Christ, works apart.
These are the two groups that Paul is speaking of in verse 16 those who are of the Law refers to the
Jews; those who are of the faith of Abraham, who believed when uncircumcised, refers to the Gentiles.
Abraham is therefore the father of all who believe.
Paul indicates that this is actually a prophetic fulfillment of one of the promises that God made to Abraham:
I have made you a father of many nations. Abraham is the father of those of Israel who believe, and
those of the Gentile nations who believe many nations.
Paul uses this same verse to shed light on what he says next, as he begins to examine Abrahams faith.

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v. 17a-18 Let me mention first that in verse 18, the NKJV makes an unfortunate translation, descendants,
in its quotation of Genesis 15:5 which they did back there, as well. This word literally means seed. As
weve learned, the word can have either a singular or a plural connotation in both the Greek and the
Hebrew, just as it does in the English. Which is meant singular or plural is generally understood by the
context.
In our study of Genesis 15, we have understood that the LORD is revealing Himself to Abraham through the
gospel in the stars, and ends by saying, So shall your Seed be singular meaning Abrahams Seed,
Christ. Paul is certainly intending that meaning here it is the foundation of Abrahams faith, by which
righteousness was accounted to him (Rm 4:3; from Genesis 15:6).
As we saw, the quotation in verse 17 was used by Paul to support what he had said in verse 16. Paul is
drawing on the phrase father of many nations to confirm his statement about the believing seed of
Abraham.
But as Paul continues, he is leaning on a different part of this verse to make his next point; the phrase, I
have made you. In fact, it is the tense of the word made past tense that Paul is pointing to.
When did God utter these words to Abraham? Heres a hint: we looked at this last week, in Genesis chapter
17. It was after Abraham put his faith in God for the Seed, Christ; and after God cut a covenant with
Abraham for the land.
By the time God made this statement, Abrahams body no longer had living seed; yet the words were
spoken before Abraham had the son that God promised him; and God regarded Abrahams son according to
the flesh, Ishmael, as the son of the bondwoman, Hagar; not Abrahams son.
Yet God said, at that time, that He had made past tense Abraham the father of many nations; and
Abraham didnt even have the son God promised, yet.
And that is exactly Pauls point. In verse 17, the phrase in the presence of Him, can also be translated in
the sight of Him, or before Him, as in the KJV. What Paul is saying is that, in the sight of God,
Abraham was already the father of many nations; God had already done it. From Gods eternal perspective,
that which He promised was already fulfilled.
But Abrahams body could no longer reproduce. Surely, God had waited too long. Is anything too hard for
God? We are talking about God who gives life to the dead. The word life here means to make alive; to
vivify. Its used most of the in the NT of raising the dead to life. In this case, Paul is alluding to God
making the reproductive seed in Abrahams body alive; living seed. After all, what is Abrahams impotent
body, to the omnipotent God?
But Abraham doesnt even have the son God promised yet let alone the Seed, Christ, who will come from
him let alone the many nations, who will be the seed of Christ. What about human choice?
Circumstances? The schemes of the enemy? How can God say with certainty that He has already made
Abraham the father of many nations?
Because in His omniscience, God can see His plan through to its fruition; and through His foreknowledge,
God can look down through the corridors of history, and see the accomplishment of His plan. He knows;
His word is as good as done. So God can call those things which do not exist like the many nations,
through Abraham as though they did exist because they will. They absolutely will.

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Thats the surety of Gods promises; but they can only be made real to the person who believes in God, for
what He has promised. And thats what Abraham did. Paul writes of Abraham, who, contrary to hope, in
hope believed. So much in Abrahams life was contrary to the hope that God had given him; and over
time, the circumstances became even more contrary.
Yet despite the apparent obstacles to the hope that God had given him, Abraham succeeded in transcending
all the obstacles. How? Through his faith.
Because Abraham did this, God was able to fulfill His purposes through Abraham, from what Abraham had
originally and fundamentally believed God for so shall your Seed be the Seed, Christ to becoming the
father of many nations of those who also become the seed of Christ, through faith.
Paul then describes the quality of Abrahams faith; its character.
v. 19-22 Paul writes that Abraham was not weak in faith. The word for weak means to lack strength; to
be infirm or feeble. To be weak in faith means that ones faith is insufficient; one believes in part, but not
with the fullness of what must be believed, in order to be made righteous. A weak faith, then, is essentially
unbelief.
Now, what would cause one to be weak, and have insufficient faith? What Paul says next shows us. It says
that Abraham did not consider that gives us the key. The word for consider in the Greek is an
intensive of the word to think. It means to think on, and think on, and think on. The idea is reasoning in
ones mind, apart from God.
Without Gods light, mans reasoning is dark (Rm 1:21), and in that darkness, the eyes of mans
understanding cannot be enlightened to believe, and see. Reasoning on and on, apart from God can sap the
strength out of faith, so that it doesnt have the power to lay hold of the spiritual realities; to truly believe.
But that was not the quality of Abrahams faith. Abraham had fully believed God for the Christ, who was to
come from his own body. While there were occasional circumstances when Abraham did not believe God
for protection, for provision he learned from those occasions, and it served to empower his faith.
And once Abraham understood that he could not make the promises of God happen through his own flesh,
he stopped trying to reason it through, which further strengthened his faith.
This is what Paul is focusing on when he describes Abrahams faith after that period of thirteen years
following the birth of Ishmael, during which Abraham had learned to just wait on the LORD, and not try to
figure it out.
By that time, Abraham had learned not to consider; not to think on, and think on, and think on things. By
that time, Abraham did not consider his own body which Paul describes as already dead, speaking of its
reproductive ability. Abraham knew his body was dead but he didnt think on it.
And he didnt consider the deadness of Sarahs womb either Abraham knew it was dead, always had been
but he didnt think on it.
What did Abraham think on? He thought on what God had promised. And as he kept thinking on that, it
became more, and more, and more real to him.

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And Abraham didnt waver from what God promised him. To waver means to be in strife within yourself.
Its a battle, between your natural thinking, and Gods thinking. Instead of just taking Gods thinking
concerning Christ for your own, as the truth, you allow your thoughts to challenge Gods thinking as if
what He has revealed of Christ isnt true.
Wavering is doubting; and Paul correctly labels it as unbelief. True faith will rest in what God has
promised, without wavering. Doubting Gods word concerning Christ means you dont have faith in God.
But Abrahams faith was not characterized by doubt. When God told Abraham that the son He had
promised would come from, not only Abrahams 100-year old body, but Sarahs 99-year old, always barren
body, Abraham marveled, but he did not doubt.
And the evidence of Abrahams faith is seen in him taking the sign of the covenant into his flesh, the very
same day that he had been given that sign (Gen 17:23). Abrahams ready obedience to circumcise himself
and his household showed his unwavering belief in God.
Abraham was fully persuaded that God would do what He had said, because through His faith, Abraham
had come to know God. He was convinced that God absolutely was able to do this; and that God, the Lifegiver, would give life to his dead seed, to Sarahs dead womb, and bring forth the Seed, just as He
promised.
And God knew Abraham; He had always known him. God knew Abrahams faith in Christ was real, and
that Abraham would believe God for all that He promised, so that His purposes could be fulfilled, through
Abraham. So God accounted the righteousness of Christ to Abraham, based on his genuine belief.
Abrahams faith gave glory to God; through Abraham trusting God to do what He had said, God displayed
His glory, in giving the son of promise; His power and sovereignty, His wisdom and grace. And that would
be amplified many times over, through Abrahams Seed Christ. Through faith, the glory of God can be
seen.
Lastly, Paul indicates that righteousness through faith, as recorded through Abrahams example from the
OT record, did not pertain only to Abraham.
v. 23-25 So what Paul is doing here is applying this example of the faith of Abraham to all believers. And
Paul has laid it out so that those listening to his letter can clearly see the parallel.
Abraham believed God for His Christ; believed that God would create from his dead body living seed
giving life to the dead to reproduce the son of promise a new creation.
And that, in a sense, is our experience. Jesus was delivered up to death for our offenses He became sin
for us. Then God raised up Jesus from the dead, for our justification so that we might justified, might
become the righteousness of God; we receive His righteous Life.
And how it that done? Through the union of faith. In parallel to the experience of Abraham, God brings
life out of death first, the Son of promise, Jesus; then, those who are in Him, who share in His everlasting
Life a new creation, in Christ. This is the promise that is sure to all the seed to those who are sons,
through faith.
The writer to the Hebrews gives a striking description of the faith of Abraham. Turn to Hebrews chapter
11. We will be stopping short of the account where Isaac is offered up; well save that for another time.

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[Hebrews 11:8-16]
v. 8 Now, Abraham didnt even know it was to be his inheritance, at this point; but he obeyed Gods call,
separating himself from his former life, drawn by what God was promising him. I like the way the KJV
says it: he went out, not knowing whither he went.
v. 9 The word dwelt here means to sojourn; to dwell as a stranger, in a temporary manner. The tents
reflect the temporary quality of the life of Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob, with whom God also
established His covenant for Life Everlasting, through faith in Christ. Through their faith, Isaac and Jacob
would also inherit the promise made to Abraham, as joint heirs with Christ, in the resurrection of Life.
v. 10 Abraham waited for the city; waited here means to watch for expectantly. Abraham had been a citydweller, in Ur of the Chaldees. Further, he had been a part of the world system, which in the end will be
described under the metaphor of the city of Babylon; Babylon the Great (Rev 17:5).
But what city was Abraham expectantly watching for? Not that city; thats what Abraham left behind. He
was waiting for the city of whom God is the architect and the designer; the city on the earth, whose
foundation will be Christ; Gods capital city. What city will that be? Jerusalem below, representing the
rule and reign of Christ on the earth, the heir of all things. Abraham and his seed, the regenerate nation of
Israel, will reign with Christ on the earth, as heirs of the world.
v. 11-12 I have an alternate translation of this verse which Ive recorded in my Bible. I was unable to
recover the source of this translation, and since it differs significantly from our translations, I want you to
just consider it, rather than assume it is the right translation. But it certainly would make more sense in
context, and brings out the usual meaning of the word translated conceive.
First of all, who is verse 10 speaking of? Abraham. Who is verse 12 speaking of? Abraham. Who would
you expect, then, to be the subject of verse 11? Abraham. Yet our translations speak instead of Sarah. The
word conceive literally means to cast or lay down; in the context here, it is speaking in metaphor of
casting seed into the womb, which is something done by a man.
Greek pronouns do not indicate gender; for example, herself can actually be himself or itself,
depending on context.
Now that youve had your lesson in Greek, here is the alternate translation, which Ive put on the bottom of
your word sheet.
By faith he [speaking of Abraham] also received strength to cast seed, and Sarah bore a child when she
was past the age, because he [Abraham] judged Him faithful who had promised.
Then it goes on, in verse 12, Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the
stars of the sky in multitude speaking of the regenerate nation, Israel innumerable as the sand which
is by the seashore referring to the regenerate Gentile nations. This speaks of the regenerate seed of
Abraham.
You can see how well the alternate translation fits; but we cant be sure that it is whats meant. Just a
thought.

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The idea being brought out is that Gods city is built of inhabitants. We are the city of Escondido, you
might say. Thats the idea here. Jerusalem, representing the whole kingdom on earth, will be composed of
regenerate nations during the reign of Christ. His rule will be one of perfect righteousness and peace.
v. 13-16 They died, believing that God would give them what He promised. When? In the resurrection of
Life.
They received the promises, by faith; they were convinced of them. They dwelt in this world as strangers,
for they were from another place. They dwelt in this world as pilgrims, as foreigners; for they were just
temporary residents. They recognized that the world that is to come was their true home; and they never
looked back at what God had brought them out of.
Thats faith. It doesnt reason, apart from God, but thinks on Him, and His Word. It doesnt doubt, and
challenge what God has shown, but takes Gods thinking as its own.
The pattern is the same for us. We believe God, to be separated from this world system; and bit by bit, we
are set apart from it; and set apart to God, for His purposes.
We dwell here as strangers we get stranger every day, as we are transformed by the renewing of our mind
(Rm 12:2) for Gods thinking is very strange, to this world.
And we dwell here as foreigners; for our citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3:20) . And the more we take in of
God, and His Word, the more real that becomes to us.
God had indeed prepared for us a city in our case, the New Jerusalem; Jerusalem above. More and more,
that city is coming clearly into our sight. So we proceed, on our journey of faith, as God continues His
work of sanctification in our lives, so that we will be prepared for what God has already prepared for us.
And that is the direction in which Pauls letter to the Romans will go next: sanctification.
Read Romans 5 and 6, Ephesians 1.