Romans 4:13-25

The Promise Comes through Faith

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13For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

14For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless,

15because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.

16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on 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.

17As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.

18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”

19Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb.

20Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

21being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.

22This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”

23Now the words “it was credited to him” were written not only for Abraham,

24but also for us, to whom righteousness will be credited—for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

25He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.

Berean Standard Bible

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God's promise to Abraham did not depend on his success in keeping the law. It came through the righteousness of faith. Paul explains why this matters: if inheritance rests on law-keeping, sinners face wrath rather than a secure promise. A command makes disobedience a transgression of what God has expressly said.

The promise comes by faith so that it rests on grace. Its certainty depends on the God who gives it, and it reaches those who share Abraham's faith, whether or not they have Israel's law. Abraham is the father of a family gathered by promise.

He trusted the God who gives life to the dead and brings into being what does not exist. Paul describes him facing the weakness of his aging body and Sarah's inability to bear a child. He did not need to deny those realities in order to believe. His confidence was that God could do what He had promised.

That is different from deciding that any outcome we want must happen if we believe strongly enough. Abraham's hope had a word from God to rest on. Giving glory to the promise-maker directed his attention beyond his own ability.

Paul says the words about credited righteousness were written for us too: for those who believe in the God who raised Jesus our Lord. Jesus was delivered over for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Our faith looks to the Savior who dealt with our sin and lives. The God who gave Abraham reason to trust has acted decisively in His Son.

Questions

1 How did Abraham receive the promise?

AnswerHe received it through the righteousness of faith, not through the law. The promise rests on grace rather than on a human achievement that can be measured and guarded.

2 Why must the promise depend on faith?

AnswerThe promise rests on God's grace rather than our success in keeping the law. Those who share Abraham's faith receive it by trusting the God who makes it.

3 What kind of God did Abraham trust?

AnswerHe trusted the God who gives life to the dead and calls into existence what does not exist. Abraham's faith depends on God's creative power, not on favorable evidence alone.

4 Who does Paul say shares Abraham's blessing?

AnswerThose who believe in the God who raised Jesus from the dead share it. The promise reaches people who trust God's action rather than relying on inherited status.

What This Means for Us

A difficult circumstance does not become smaller because we refuse to name it. Abraham faced his weakness while trusting God's promise. We can be honest about what troubles us and still hold to what God has said.

Distinguish a promise in Scripture from an outcome you dearly want. Ask for that outcome openly, but anchor your faith in the Lord who died for our trespasses and rose for our justification. His saving work remains true while we wait for answers about the particular need before us.

Prayer

God who gives life to the dead, thank You for raising Jesus our Lord. Help us face difficult realities without losing trust in Your promises. Keep our hope anchored in His death for our sins and His risen life. Amen.

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