The Promise To Abraham

Romans 4:1-12

The Jews were some of the most religious people of their day. Their claims as God’s chosen people were widely known, because the Jews were scattered throughout the known world. Many of the early Christians, even in the church at Rome were of Jewish extraction, and references to Abraham would be easily understood, even by non-Jewish believers. Abraham was the progenitor of the Jewish Race.

When Abram, later known as Abraham, was seventy five years old. God sent him on a journey, not knowing where he was going. Several years later, having obeyed in going, and having trusted God to give victory refusing worldly rewards offered by the King of Sodom, God spoke to Abram in Genesis 15:4-6. “And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness."

Over eighty, and with his wife over seventy, it was an incredible promise, but Abraham believed it. Because of their advanced age, they tried to make it happen in a natural fashion, but their faith was real. God counted his belief as righteousness.

“What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. Ro 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:1-3)

When a man agrees to work for a certain wage, his wage is owed to him. The one he worked for is in debt to him until he is paid. The payment is not a gift, but a debt. When something is given that has not been earned, it is grace, a gift. God credited Abraham with righteousness jus because he believed on him.

“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” (Romans 4:4-8)

Righteousness means that there is no sin for which a penalty is due. The books are even. God credited Abraham with righteousness because he believed God, even though he had sinned in lying to Pharaoh. God would not hold him accountable for the lying, nor for any sinful attitude of his heart. About fifteen years later, Abraham was instructed to begin circumcising his heirs as a sign of their faith in God, and was circumcised himself. It was the faith, not the circumcision, that resulted in his being declared righteous.

“Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.” (Romans 4:9-12)

Once a contract is agreed upon, neither side has authority to change the requirements. When God accepted faith as Abraham’s righteousness he could not then change the rules, demanding circumcision. The Old testament Law was given more than 430 years later. It was not part of the contract either. The covenant was to Abraham and his descendents by a promise that did not include the Law.

“Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.” (Galatians 3:15-18)

Any agreement involving the Law is a separate agreement, and in fact the Law was part of an agreement with Israel relating to physical blessings on earth. Deuteronomy 11, 15, and 28 all describe the earthly benefits of keeping the Law, and the earthly consequences of disobedience. Nothing is said relating to being righteous, as was promised to Abraham. The promise to Abraham was a better promise than the one to Moses.