Romans 4:20,21

No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 
Romans 4:20,21 ESV

In these two verses, Paul details three things about Abraham that I believe every child of God should take to heart, as we examine ourselves in our desire to draw closer to God - and glorify Him.
1. Complete Trust
2. Gave Glory to God
3. Believed in God's Ability

No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God

Abraham had complete trust in God's faithfulness to His promises. We know that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2) and that God has guaranteed His faithfulness to us (1 Cor. 1:9, 1 Cor. 10:13, 2 Cor. 1:18)

It's so important that we spend time in meditation about the perfection and goodness of our Father. The fact that He has promised He will be faithful to us as His children, when He knows we will stumble, and the fact that every single one of His promises laid out in His Word are absolutely guaranteed as perfect Truth - these things should drive us to a life of praise and worship for His glory.

If we know these awesome things about God, how can we waiver? I think the issue at times is that we know in our heart these things are true, but we struggle to wrap our mind around them - and mentally we waiver.

The trust fall game...
In Children's Church last Sunday, we played the trust fall game. In this game, a group of people surrounded an individual, and the person in the middle was told to lock their knees and let themselves fall in different directions - trusting that their friends would not let them fall down. It was interesting to watch, only one person in the group of 5 or 6 that I was overseeing was actually able to completely let go and trust her friends to catch her. The others would start to lean, then catch themselves before they lost their balance...they wanted to trust their friends, and if you asked them they would say the did, but they couldn't quite get there mentally.

I think this is a great example of our relationship with God. How much do we trust Him? Are we at the point that we can let go even with our mind, without allowing our trust to waiver? Or do are we attached to things in this life that "help" us "trust" Him.

I believe that we as God's children have excelled in creating things that help us find comfort apart from trusting God completely. When the children in the trust fall game got to the point that they felt themselves losing control of their balance, they would tighten their muscles or move their feet to regain their balance - to maintain control. We do the same thing when we tell God that we trust Him, and then implement things in our lives that we cling to in order to maintain some "control" in our lives.

There are so many things that we do in and out of church that we can begin to lean on when our trust in God and His faithfulness to His promises waiver - they can be things such as various denominational traditions, church functions, church attendance, self sacrifice, outreach programs, even things like devotion times, prayer, bible study- the list truly is endless. Obviously not all these things are bad, and some when done for the right purpose are crucial to our Christian walk. However, we must be careful that they do not become a crutch.

We cannot allow empty actions to cause us to feel strong when our faith and trust in God's promises are weak.

When we strip away all of the earthly things that we do, how does our trust in God's promises hold up? That's where we need to spend time, being aware of our trust in God and allowing our minds to completely let go of everything we hold on to and "fall" into God's arms with complete trust!

but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God

This explains how Abraham was able to have such great trust in God's promise. He gave glory to God. How do we give glory to God? We trust Him, we have faith in Him, we love Him, we obey Him. All of these things bring us closer to God, and He glorifies Himself in us. 

It's such a great relationship - as we draw close to God, He draws close to us...as we put more trust in Him, the more He is glorified in our lives. As He is glorified in our lives, we experience amazing peace and blessings, and our faith is strengthened...this awesome process does not end! There is no end to how much our lives will glorify, there is no end to how strong our faith can grow. Our God is infinite, He knows no boundaries! 

The point we need to learn here is that all of this begins with the right goal - to glorify God with our lives. The deadliest poison to this process...complacency - without a doubt. 

Failure to draw close to God denies us the blessing of experiencing the rest of the process that builds on that relationship, yet even more tragic is the fact that we rob God of His deserved glory in our lives...

this should bring us to our knees, asking for forgiveness and a renewed desire to draw close to Him. He will provide! 

fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

This last line is so important in order for us to have total trust in God...just like Abraham we must be fully convinced that God is actually able to keep the promises He has made.

Do we believe our God is able to do anything He pleases? Does our God depend on anything or anyone? Is He all-knowing, all-powerful, sovereign and eternal? These are the answers we must know about our God if we are to be fully convinced of His ability. 

The Bible says that He is able to do what He pleases, He does not depend on anything or anyone - He has a determinant plan that we are all a part of, He is all-powerful, He is all-knowing, He is Sovereign over His entire creation, and He absolutely is eternal!

This should build in us complete faith in God's ability to make and keep any promise He desires. 

I would like to end the study on these two verses with a quote from a commentary I read: 

"Let us also remember, that the condition of us all is the same with that of Abraham. All things around us are in opposition to the promises of God: He promises immortality; we are surrounded with mortality and corruption: He declares that he counts us just; we are covered with sins: He testifies that he is propitious and kind to us; outward judgments threaten his wrath. What then is to be done? We must with closed eyes pass by ourselves and all things connected with us, that nothing may hinder or prevent us from believing that God is true."

I encourage us all to "close our eyes" to the doubt that Satan uses to hinder us, and fall into the arms of God! 

Romans 4:18,19

In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be." He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.   Romans 4:18,19 ESV

Paul continues to describe the faith that Abraham had in God and His promise.


In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be."

We see here two types of hope...one displayed spiritually, through faith in God. This is the "hope" of eternal life. The other hope being earthly logic, what makes sense to us. Abraham believed God's promise that he would be a father of many nations with a spiritual hope, firmly rooted in true faith. This spiritual hope went against earthly logic, as he was very old at this time.

I think it's amazing how God works. Time and time again, in order to display Himself, His plan completely destroys our earthly understanding, leaving no room for logical explanations...I believe this is one way He "guards us" with faith, by creating situations that can only be explained by faith in Him.

God is most glorified when we are able to let go of our "logical" explanations and trust Him!

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;  1 Corinthians 1:27

God makes it impossible for the world to explain Him or His ways through worldly wisdom. The gospel is so free it is confusing, it is offered to people that despise Him, and the price was so high it cost Him His Son...the world cannot explain or understand any of this - it is considered foolishness among the "wise" of the world because it makes no earthly, logical sense.

This creates the absolute need to be like Abraham, to have spiritual hope, driven and solidified by the gift of true faith, that is powerful and able to destroy earthly logic and it's attempts to discredit the promises of our Almighty, All-powerful, eternal God!

If something in the Bible doesn't make sense to us, it's crucial that we take a step back and make absolutely sure that we are not attempting to explain something spiritual and eternal through the lens of our earthly, mortal understanding.




He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.

Even though Abraham was aware that both he and Sarah were not considered capable of bearing children, he knew the promise of God that he would be the father of a great nation surpassed all earthly boundaries...to the point that it did not weaken his faith.

How quick are we to doubt God's promise that He will provide for our every need, the moment things seem to take a turn away from what we "think" is right?

Thankfully, God loves us unconditionally...not based on whether or not we display the faith of Abraham at all times. Yet, we must learn from the "father of our faith," we ought to pursue the unwavering faith that he displayed in the same God that we serve today. Our God has not changed, nor has His faithfulness to His promises. 

How do we pursue this faith? Pursue God! The more we know Him, the more we fall in love with Him, the closer we draw to Him - the closer He will draw to us! God doesn't base His love for us on anything we do, but how we live greatly influences the strength of our relationship with Him. 

We need to be constantly asking God to reveal any areas of our life that are affecting our relationship with Him negatively...and then praying for strength to deal with these areas...in pursuit of a faith like Abraham's!

Sin that is not dealt with, complacency, refusing to forgive, allowing the busyness of this life to take precedence over time with our Father...all of these things greatly hinder our relationship with Him. As a result, our faith will be weak, we will be quick to doubt His promises, and we will not know the blessings that accompany the faith that creates a peace surpassing all understanding!

Pray that our Father would continue to strengthen the faith of all of His children...so that when trials and persecution come our way (as is sure to happen), we stand bold and strong...knowing that even though it may not seem logical from the world's perspective, we serve a God that holds the entire universe together by His power!

Romans 4:17

as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"--in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.   
Romans 4:17  ESV

Paul, having explained thoroughly that God's promise to Abraham was due to faith apart from works, now takes some time, in the next several verses, to detail this faith that Abraham had.

as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"--in the presence of the God in whom he believed

I think it's important to note that God promised Abraham "I have made you..." - indicating it had been done. God did not make His promise contingent on Abraham being the "perfect Christian" from this point forward. He states that Abraham had been declared righteous, and a covenant had been made. 

This promise was made to Abraham, by God - in whom he believed. This echoes John 3:16:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

God's promise to all people is eternal life, if we believe in Him. Unfortunately, this word "believe" has been so abused, that it's not uncommon for many people have a false sense of salvation because they have been taught to believe "about" not believe "in" God.

This is clarified in James 2:19,20:

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

True belief in God is saving faith in action.. This belief/saving faith is evident by the fruit in a person's life. Even the demons believe about God, but they are void of any good fruit.

An encounter with God that results in a heart conversion always leads to a changed life - where glorifying God becomes the one and only purpose!

This is visible in a persons life when they believe in God - by submitting to Him, following Him, and trusting Him - completely!

So, Paul writes that Abraham believed in God, and this was evident by the fruit his life displayed - the most important being his faith in God.

who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

These two truths about our God that should cause us to pause in wonder and praise!

Our God has the ability to, and does, give life to the dead. 

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- Eph 2:4,5

God doesn't wait for us to become alive before He saves us. By grace He makes us alive while we are still dead corpses, bound by sin. What an amazing God!

dead people...

We see clearly God breathing life into the dead when we look back at what we studied earlier in Romans. Starting in verse 18 of Chapter 1, Paul describes a bunch of spiritually dead people with corrupt hearts and depraved minds, whose only desire is to satisfy fleshly lusts. This is then reinforced in Chapter 3 verses 10-18, which are quoted from Old Testament writings. In these verses, a very corrupt people are described, who want nothing to do with God, refusing to seek Him out, spewing lies and bitterness from their mouths, quick to shed blood, and refusing to fear God. Paul says in verse 10 of chapter 3 that this description applies to all people who are under sin.

We are all spiritually DEAD. Our only hope is in a God who has the power and ability to give LIFE to the DEAD...and He does!

We also serve a God who is able to call into existence things that do not exist. I have very limited knowledge when it comes to physics - but if I remember correctly, we are taught that energy cannot be created or destroyed...it can only converted into different forms. My Bible tells me that there is a God who can create energy...from nothing, and did! 

 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.  Gen 1:3

I challenge us today to do two things. Search our hearts, look for areas of our lives where we have not displayed our belief in God - where have we refused or failed to submit, follow, and trust Him completely? 

Secondly, take some time to think about the awesomeness of our God - that He breathed life into us while we were spiritually dead corpses, wanting nothing to do with Him...what mercy! Also thinking about the fact that He can bring into existence things that do not exist...He really can, and does, provide for our every need - regardless of our situation! 

Fall more in love with God today!

Romans 4:16

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring--not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all  Romans 4:16

Earlier, in verse 13, Paul had spoken of the promise to Abraham and his offspring, that they would be heir of the world - ultimately referencing the eternal salvation of God's children. Paul then took a couple verses to explain that this promise is based on faith, not our efforts to obtain it.

Now, in verse 16, Paul explains further this promise of Abraham.

That is why it depends on faith

"That is why" indicates that Paul is continuing his explanation that salvation is not by works.

Important to note: God's promise of eternal life for His children depends on faith - meaning our salvation is contingent on, or cannot happen without, faith. Faith being reliance, or trustful dependance, upon Christ for our salvation - apart from works.

The promise of eternal salvation depends on our faith that Christ alone is sufficient. 

 in order that the promise may rest on grace

The reason the promise of salvation depends on faith, is so that it can rest on grace. How do these two work together? Ephesians 2:8,9 and 1 Peter 1:5 are two verses of many that reveal an amazing truth about this faith. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  Eph 2:8,9

Here, Paul explains that faith is not a result of anything we have done, rather it is the gift of God. He repeats the fact that it has nothing to do with us attempting to somehow work it up, or gain it by asserted effort in any way. Faith is given to us as God's gift, free from works, which makes it by grace! 

who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  1 Peter 1:5

In 1 Peter 1:5, Paul again explains how this faith is given to us by God - here to protect and guard us. We are guarded "through" faith, "through" meaning the channel of an act, or how something is done. God guards us for salvation (the promise), by giving us the faith that the promise depends on! 

This is the truth that Paul has just explained in great, amazing, deep detail:

The promise of salvation is completely free (grace without works) because it depends on a faith (reliance on Christ alone for salvation) that God gives us as His gift 

He places this faith (reliance on Christ for salvation) in us by revealing to us our sinfulness in light of His perfect character, as revealed through His laws and commands - and the wrath that awaits those who die in their transgression, void of a sufficient Sacrifice. 

and be guaranteed to all his offspring

Another point that I would like to focus on here is that the promise was guaranteed to the offspring of Abraham, which we will see refers to God's children. This is such an encouragement, and I believe we should spend time meditating on this promise from our Father. We, as children of an almighty, all powerful God, who cannot lie, are guaranteed eternal salvation. 

When the days get long, and the waves of life get tough, we may wonder sometimes what God is really up to, that He would allow things to happen. We can always be encouraged that, no matter the temporary, earthly situation, we have been guaranteed an eternal life spent with our God, in His presence!  

That kind of promise, from our God, has the power to lighten the darkest hours!

--not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

Here is where Paul again hits his proud Jewish audience with the fact that the promise to Abraham was actually God's promise to all of His children, throughout all of history, across the entire world.  Abraham, as amazing a man of faith as he was, was a vessel that God used to reveal His promise to a chosen nation. We then see the earthly shadow of this eternal promise play out through the Old Testament. 

God's promises, however, are so much bigger - they cannot be contained to an earthly shadow. God's promises are eternal, powerful, awesome, and true. They are not contingent on us, or our ability to satisfy any requirements. They are not bound to a certain nation, a certain race, or a certain church. 

This promise of salvation, given to all people, reveals God's love for His creation.

I would like to end this post with one of my favorite hymns speaking of this amazing Love:

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.