Abraham, Father Of Us All By Grace
Passage: Romans 4:13-17
Paul is continuing to build his case that we are justified and saved only by grace through faith and this is a gift from God. Paul brought two expert witnesses to the stand, Abraham and David, and then he brought Abraham back and made clear circumcision and uncircumcision were nothing. It had nothing to do with Abraham’s justification by faith.
Now having dealt with that one aspect of the law, Paul now takes on the whole law. It was not through any of the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise he would be heir of the world.
Abraham received the promise 430 years before the law was given to Moses, so the promise is not conditioned on obedience to the law.
God made a promise.
Abraham believed the promise.
God fulfilled the promise based on Abraham’s faith, by grace, not by his law keeping.
We will consider this morning the content of the promise, how the promise is received, and who the recipients of the promise are.