“Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,” Romans 4:16
It is of Faith that it might be by grace. The Hebrew word for Faith is “emunah,” which means to believe or to have faithfulness. It is a life full of reliance upon God, no matter what is happening around you at the present time. The apostle Paul states that the faith of Abraham is the father of us all; therefore, Abraham is our example. Was there a time that you had to leave behind what was familiar to you? God commanded Abraham to leave everything familiar behind. The Lord God told Abraham to get out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house [see Genesis 12:1]. Abraham did not know where he was going, for God said He would show him after he obeyed. This was the calling of God upon Abraham. It was his inheritance rights and the security of a familiar culture that he left behind. To depart from a place of comfort for an unfamiliar place that you have not known can be a challenge.
Abraham believed in God’s promises and journeyed to the promised land. He gathered up his belongings and family and traveled to the land of Canaan. My parents decided to leave the United States for Australia. I was fourteen years old when I had a dream of what would happen after we got settled in Western Australia. We were told that we could only take under 40 pounds with us on the airplane. I took my clarinet and clothing items. Leaving friends behind and my dog was painful. However, in my case, I was angry. The anger soon left me when I heard my father crying in the garage one night. I wondered if Abraham cried, but we are not told if He did; we are told that He staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God [Romans 4:20].
Can we be fully persuaded by God’s promises, like Abraham? I wandered around the city of Perth, lost for one day. And so is humanity, lost and in a moral dilemma, seeking to be justified by its own laws. It is easier to work out our own justification, rather than allow God to work through our hearts and change us into the image of Christ. What about Grace? Grace is God’s gift through His son, Jesus Christ. We were all bought with a prize for our sins. With the law, there is knowledge of sin. Destruction and misery follow men who are full of cursing and bitterness [Romans 3:12-16]. What did Paul say to the Romans?
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Romans 3:23-24
Grace is God’s unearned favor and blessing. Is this not what Abraham had received from God? Abraham did not work in his own flesh towards receiving God’s favor and blessing. Abraham received God’s favor and blessing through faith. Through believing and relying totally on what God told him. Grace is God’s love through his son to free us from all bondage. We may have forgotten why Jesus died on the cross. Jesus died and arose from the cross to free us from the power of sin and death. A man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law [see Romans 3:28]. A believing sinner is considered righteous because of Christ’s death on the cross. Christ, who knew no sin, bore sin on the cross that we might be made righteous. Christ fulfilled the law. It is the law of faith whereby believers receive salvation, healing, and the forgiveness of sins. It is the law of faith that believers can receive all the promises of God.
The seed of Abraham is fulfilled through Christ.
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.” Galatians 3:16
“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29
Isn’t it amazing that we, as believers in Christ, become Abraham’s seed and heirs to all the promises that God has made! Through faith, we receive favor and the blessings of God. We must be fully persuaded in God through Jesus Christ that all his promises will work his grace through our lives. Whatever journey you are on, remember God is with you and will guide you in the way you should go. Even if it means leaving your comfort zone and going somewhere else where God wants you to be.
