SALVATION COMES BY A CERTAIN KIND OF FAITH (Ro. 4:18-22).
Paul describes the faith of Abraham that brings salvation. This is a very important passage, because “faith” has different meanings in different contexts, and only a certain kind of faith is saving faith. Many say, “I believe in Jesus,” but they don’t have the faith of Abraham. Jesus spoke of those who call Him Lord and even do wonderful works, but they are definitively lost (Mt. 7:21-23). The most important thing in life is to get saving faith right!
Abraham’s faith was based on the Word of God. “... according to that which was spoken ... the promise of God” (Ro. 4:18, 20). This is the fundamental truth about faith. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Ro. 10:17). Faith is not a feeling or a mystical experience “beyond language”. It is not based on miracles. Multitudes witnessed Christ’s miracles, but most of them did not believe. Faith cannot be “worked up” by human effort. Faith is not blind. The world says, “Keep the faith”, but it has no biblical basis for faith, so that is blind faith. Faith is not merely believing that things will somehow work out; it is not mere wishful thinking. It is not belief in belief. It is not a vague, ill-defined “belief in Jesus”. True faith is believing God’s Word, and it is believing exactly what God’s Word says. It is to obey from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Ro. 6:17). This doctrine is the doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is summarized in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 and is explained in detail in Romans 1-3. Faith is believing the sound teaching of God’s Word rightly divided. Saving faith is trusting God’s promises in Christ. It is trusting John 1:12 and John 3:16 and Romans 10:9-10 and 1 John 5:11-12. Studying God’s Word effectually and hearing God’s Word preached and taught in a right way and having fellowship with brethren who love God’s Word is what builds up faith.
Abraham’s faith persisted against all obstacles. “Who against hope believed in hope” (Ro. 4:18). Abraham believed God’s promise in spite of the fact that he could not see anything that would indicate that the promise would be fulfilled. To believe in hope against hope is to have hope in God and God’s Word in spite of whatever appears to be contrary to it. Faith is to believe God’s promises in spite of the circumstances that appear contrary to the promises. For 25 years, Abraham had nothing but the promise of God. It appeared all along that Sarah was barren. There was nothing they could do to assist in the fulfillment of the promise other than believe and wait. Finally, they came to the place where they were beyond child bearing age, so all natural hope was gone. But Abraham continued to believe in hope against hope. Faith is the opposite of sight.
“For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Ro. 8:24-25).
“For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Co. 5:7).
Saving faith believes God’s promises in Christ in spite of the fact the things promised cannot be seen. Saving faith is to believe God’s promises in Christ in spite of the fact that I don’t see Christ or forgiveness of sins or a heavenly home or eternal life or justification or adoption or the Holy Spirit, etc.
Abraham’s faith was not in any natural means; it had no confidence in man or man’s efforts or natural ability. “... he considered not his own body now dead ... neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Ro. 4:19). Saving faith does not trust in man or in anything man can do. Saving faith is to have no confidence in my goodness, my good will, my good deeds, my heritage, my religion, my philosophy. Faith is to believe that I am entirely unable to save myself. By nature, man is as dead spiritually as Sarah’s womb was when she conceived Isaac. By nature, man is as incapable of producing the righteousness that God demands as Abraham was incapable of producing a child. Saving faith is to believe that I am the sinner that God says I am, that I am not righteous and not good (Ro. 3:10-12). It is to trust in Christ 100% and to have zero confidence in myself. We are saved when we are “without strength” (Ro. 5:6). The same is true for the Christian life. The believer is unable to live the Christian life by his own strength and resources. The Christian life is not me living for Christ, it is Christ living in me. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Ga. 2:20).
Abraham’s faith did not stagger at God’s Word. “He staggered not ... through unbelief” (Ro. 4:20). “Stagger” is the Greek diakríno which is a combination of dia (separate, be against) and krino (judge, decide). It means to decide against, to make a judgment against, to separate from. Abraham did not ever diakríno God’s promise. He did not disbelieve. He never decided against it, never rejected it, never separated from it. There were many things in God’s Counsel that he did not understand, but he did not decide against it on that basis. There were times when he was puzzled about God’s promise. He thought perhaps Eliezer would be the fulfillment (Ge. 15:2-3) or Ishmael (Ge. 17:17-18). He even laughed when he was told that Sarah would bear a child at age 90 (Ge. 17:15-18). But each time he was doubtful or confused, God’s Word came to him anew and he believed and his faith was revived. We see this in Genesis 15. When Abraham thought that Eliezer would be the promised seed, God told him that the heir would come from his “own bowels” and his seed would be more than the stars of the heaven, and Abraham believed (Ge. 15:1-6). We see this in Genesis 17. God appeared to Abraham when he was 99 years old and told him that Sarah would bear him a son. Abraham’s first reaction was to laugh (Ge. 17:15-17). But God simply repeated and emphasized the promise, and Abraham believed (Ge. 17:19). This is how every true believer walks by faith. Though the believer might be puzzled or momentarily confused and temporarily doubtful, he never rejects or separates from God’s Word. His faith is continually renewed by God’s Word. True faith does not waver or ebb and flow like the waves of the sea (Jas. 1:6-7), believing today and not believing tomorrow. True faith keeps on keeping on regardless of the situation. It might be weak, but it is always present. The disciple might be following his Lord at a distance at times, but he is always following.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (Joh. 10:27).
“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Heb. 10:38).
We see this in Job. Through the dark and terrible trials, he was troubled and confused, but he never lost his faith in God, and as soon as God came to him in that trial and spoke to him, Job believed every word and was 100% revived. In contrast, multitudes stagger at God’s Word. They decide against it; they separate from it. We have seen many do this in our Christian walk through the decades. Staggering at God’s Word is described in 1 Peter 2:8,
“And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed” (1 Pet 2:8).
“Stone” is lithos, which means a small rock (Mt. 4:3), and “rock” is petra, which refers to “a projecting rock, cliff.” When someone rejects Christ, it appears to be of small consequence, like tripping over a little stone. The individual seems to go on as if nothing significant has happened, but in reality he has thereby determined that he will appear at the Great White Judgment and be crushed eternally by the rock of God’s perfect justice. The people of Jesus’ day staggered at the Word of God (Joh. 6:60, 66).
Abraham’s faith was “strong” (Ro. 4:20). Scripture emphasizes that saving faith is strong, sure, fully persuaded, confident, believing with all the heart.
Abraham’s faith gave glory to God. “... but was strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Ro. 4:20). This is the essence of saving faith. It believes God’s promise of salvation by grace because of Christ’s perfect atonement; therefore, it gives all glory to God. It doesn’t take any credit, doesn’t glorify itself in any way. This is the opposite of religion, which gives glory to man. “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are...” (Lu. 18:11).
Abraham’s faith was “fully persuaded” (Ro. 4:21). Again, Scripture emphasizes that saving faith is certain, sure, confident. “Full persuaded” is from plerophoréo, “contracted plerophoro, from pleres, full, and phoreo, to fill”. So the word is a doubling of “full.” It is the faith of Peter who said,
“We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (Joh. 6:69).
It is the faith of the Samaritans who said,
“[We] know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world” (Joh. 4:42).
It is the faith of Paul, who said,
“I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Ti. 1:12).
It is to believe “with all thine heart” (Ac. 8:37). It is “full assurance” (Col. 2:2). It is to “know that ye have eternal life” (1 Jo. 5:20). I once asked a man if he believed in Jesus as Saviour, and he replied, “I believe 99%.” I said, “That isn’t enough.”
Abraham’s faith was in God’s trustworthy character.
“... being fully persuaded that, what he has promised, he was able also to perform” (Ro. 4:21).
Abraham’s faith was in “him whom he believed” (Ro. 4:17). His faith was in a Person. He believed in a God who cannot lie and a God who can perform that which He has promised. We believe the Word of God because we believe the God of the Word. We believe that He is true to His Word, that He is a God who cannot lie (Tit. 1:2). We believe in His almighty, infinite, eternal, omniscient character. The better we know God, the better we can trust Him. To doubt the promises of God is to doubt His veracity and ability.
“... he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” (1 Jo. 5:10-11).
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