Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, April 21, 2024.
Sermon text: Romans 4:13-25
Abraham was not justified by works
Abraham was not justified through the law
Justification comes through faith alone
—by faith we are forgiven of sin
—by faith we are credited righteousness
—by faith we are Abraham’s offspring
Galatians 3:29
And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
The faith of Father Abraham…
—is trusting God no matter how things appear
“Paul next goes on to remind us of the way Abraham believed the promise of God even when all the tangible evidence seemed to point in the other direction. In brief, as Paul succinctly summarizes the matter in verse 18, Abraham believed “against all hope” yet “in hope.” Specifically, he did not allow all the many reasons to distrust God’s promise to weaken his conviction that God would do just what he had promised.”
—Douglas J. Moo, Encountering the Book of Romans
—is being convinced of God’s power
—is taking God at His word
—is unwavering, even when we fail
“Abraham did not always live out his faith, his obedience was not perfect, his trust fluctuated; but his faith was never extinguished. He hung on to God’s promises even in his own flaws and failings—and as he did so, he “was strengthened in his faith.” He was able to look at a mistake and say: This has reminded me that my only hope is to trust in God’s promise, and trust in God to fulfill that promise.”
—Tim Keller, Romans 1-7 For You
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