Romans 4:13-25 Christian Standard Bible
The Promise Granted through Faith
13 For the promise to Abraham(A) or to his descendants that he would inherit the world(B) was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 If those who are of the law are heirs,(C) faith is made empty and the promise nullified, 15 because the law produces wrath.(D) And where there is no law,(E) there is no transgression.
16 This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace,(F) to guarantee it to all the descendants(G)—not only to the one who is of the law[a] but also to the one who is of Abraham’s faith. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations[b](H)—in the presence of the God in whom he believed,the one who gives life to the dead(I) and calls(J) things into existence that do not exist.(K) 18 He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations[c](L) according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be.[d](M) 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered[e] his own body to be already dead(N) (since he was about a hundred years old)(O) and also the deadness of Sarah’s womb.(P) 20 He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,(Q) 21 because he was fully convinced(R) that what God had promised, he was also able to do.(S) 22 Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness.[f](T) 23 Now it was credited to him[g] was not written for Abraham alone,(U) 24 but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in him(V) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.(W) 25 He was delivered up for[h] our trespasses(X) and raised for our justification.(Y)
The Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Faith should be spelled R-I-S-K, For a Risk-Free Life is a Faithless Life.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4102/kjv/tr/0-1
True or False: It is likely that God wants to stretch your faith today.
Consider the following when it comes to the ways God may want to stretch you:
God may want you to DO something.
God may want you to STOP DOING something.
God may want you to GIVE something.
God may want you to SAY something.
God may want you to STOP SAYING something.
God may want you to SELL something.
God may want you to BUY something. (presumably for a person or ministry in need)
God may want you to START something.
God may want you to END something.
God may want you to LOVE someone.
So, Fact or Fiction; True or False, Believe it or Not …..
The chances are great that God likely wants to stretch you today!
A single traveler… had hiked for many miles … across the desert … His water supply was gone, …and he knew …. if he did not find water soon… he would surely die.
In the distance … he saw what looked like … an abandoned cabin, … and when he arrived … he noticed an old rusty pump … near the back door.
Then he discovered a tin can … tied to the pump, …with a note inside … the can.
The note had the following inscription: …Dear Stranger: …The well has never gone dry, …but the pump needs to be primed … in order to bring up …the water.
Under the white rock, … I buried a jar of water, …away from the sun.
There is just enough water in the jar…. to prime the pump.
Pour half of it into the pump … to wet the leather.
Wait, …. then pour in the rest of the water … and begin to pump.
When you are finished, … please fill the jar … and put it back as you found it … to quench the thirst of the next traveler … who may come this way.
The note ended with these words: ……. Have faith, … and believe. (Long Pause)
Beloved … If you were a desperate traveler in the desert …, what would you do?
Would you dig the water jar from the sand … and drink it?
Or will you … faith and believe … and in believing … follow the directions … and pour …. Every last drop of water, … into pump?
Will you take the risk, … both for yourself … and for the next weary traveler … that may pass that way?
What … would you … do? (Pause)
That story possesses an interesting question … for each of us.
Do you believe … Do you trust … do you have faith … faith to act … on that … which is written? (Pause)
In much the same way …… God has laid before us…… a written note … A note that we call … the Holy Scriptures.
They are our words … words of salvation … words of life…. Words of living water.
Words … to quench the thirst … of our souls … in this desert … called life.
They are … the source of life, … they point to eternal life …. Eternal life found only…. Only … in Christ Jesus.
And Jesus is the Living water … from which we will thirst … no more. (Pause)
Beloved … in our short text from Romans today … it states the word Faith four times:
(Open Bible) For the Promise to Abraham comes through the Righteousness of … (1 Finger) Faith. If our salvation comes through adherents of the law … then faith is null … and the promise is void. That is why …the promise of God depends on Faith … and to one who shares the Faith of Abraham. (Romans 4:13-18)
Beloved … Do you have faith … in God’s Word?
Are you ready to act on … and obey … His Word?
Do you have faith … to follow in his steps … in the way of … eternal life?
We are called to have Faith … and to live beyond our feelings and emotions.
Jesus is the Way … the Truth and the Life. (John 14:6)
He is the source of life … on both sides … of eternity.
We are called to have Faith and believe.
Be assured … each of us…… expresses faith daily …. in something.
No one can live … a single day … without exercising faith.
When you rise in the morning … and go into the bathroom … you flip a light switch … and … have faith …… that it will work.
When you enter your car…… you turn the key …and have faith … that it will start.
When you mail a letter …you have faith …… that the postal system … will deliver it … to the right address. …… Someday!
Every time you walk into a building … you are expressing faith … faith in the architect … faith in the workmen.
In each instance … there was an action …To substantiate … your faith.
You flip a switch … you turn a key, … you mail a letter… you walk into a building. (Pause)
The measure of our faith … is Not … our “talk”.
It is not what we say… we will do!
Beloved … the measure of faith … Is… our “walk”.
Faith is … what we do.
It is not … what we say …we … will do.
I believe those Chairs illustrated above … will definitely hold my weight.
(Taking that step up on the chair) but this is Faith … Faith that it… will indeed … not collapse … under my weight.
Assumption: Just based on what I observe in the illustration, not actually seeing the actual chairs, I will trust that the craftsman was an expert furniture maker.
When actually looking at the current condition of those chairs as they sit there in the Antique store or someone’s hallway in some dusty old abandoned home?
Would my faith be so certain to actually stand my full weight upon those chairs?
You see, … faith is never something … to just proclaim.
It is something that must actually be … authentically demonstrated.
Demonstrated …in the way … that we act … In the way we live … our life. (Pause)
The great radio commentator Paul Harvey once said … “If you do not live it … you do not really…… believe it.”
And …There is a Biblical basis… for that statement.
Hear God’s word from James BIBLE” Show me your faith apart from your works, … and I will show you my faith … by … my works.” END (James 2:18).
Believing is one thing … but do you have Faith, do you have an action filled … apostolic faith.
Now maybe … Instead of calling it Faith … we should call it … Faithing.
The word translated Faith in the Greek …. Is a verb, …that requires …… action.
It is Faith … in action.
And this Faithing … is also expressed … in the spiritual realm.
The difference … between the Faithing we exercise in our daily routine in the world … and spiritual Faithing … is the object … of that faith.
Everyone places their faith in something …or someone.
And the truth is …Your faith… is only as good … as the object …. the person … the Ideal …. in which… you place your faith.
The Scriptures are crystal clear … we as believers ……should place our faith … our fullest trust … in the Spiritual Ideal … In the eternal Ideal … of our Savior Jesus.
Hear Gods word from Acts
“Nor is there salvation in any other, … for there is no other name under heaven…….by which …we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
The writer of Hebrews also portrays what real biblical faith looks like.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, …the evidence of things … not seen. Hebrews 11:1
True faith ……brings forth … a confident obedience … to God’s word … in God’s word despite our own life’s circumstances … despite life’s consequences.
Faith is described …in a two-fold way.
It is the … “substance of things hoped for,” ….and … “the evidence …of things … not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
Faith is the acting foundation … which gives a believer … the confidence … to stand firm … stand steadfast, in the Faith.
Confidence to stand firm …in their Faithing.
Brothers and Sisters, … the Holy Spirit is the wind in our sails; … The indwelling presence of God … which is always enabling us …… to live a life …of Faithing.
If we make any amount of effort to proceed under our own strength …. under our own wind … under our own stubbornness, … in the end…… we will all fail.
Yet, …there is a transforming power available to us ….and to all …who call freely choose to refer to themselves ……followers of the Christ.
And it is Faith……Action Faith … that is the key …to unlocking … this spiritual power.
And to receive this transforming power … we must open ourselves…. to the guidance … of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit … works in … and through… acting faith.
If we are to succeed … we must learn … to walk in Faith.
And for a follower of Savior Christ, ……faith is not spelled “F-A-I-T-H” ……it is spelled “R-I-S-K.”
For … If something in and of the Kingdom requires us to not take a significant Risk for the sake of a soul … Then it really does not require ……Faith. (REPEAT).
And the Scriptures are so clear: “Without faith….it is impossible to what? ….to please God”. (Hebrews 11:6).
Beloved… A risk-free life … is a Faith Less life.
A risk-free life … is a victory free…. life.
It means a lifelong surrender …to the mediocre, which in a way ….is the worst …of all possible defeats.
You may be asking … “Where does this faith come from?”
First and foremost … this Faith cannot be earned … it is a gift … of God alone!
Paul clarifies how faith comes to us…. in his letter to the believers … yes to the believers … gathered in Rome; hear Gods promise:
“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
This truth, … this promise is Crystal Clear.
“This Faith … This God given faith … comes by hearing, … and hearing by the … word of God.
Let’s RISK venturing a little deeper.
There are two Greek words translated … “word” in the Scriptures.
The two Greek words are “logos” … and “rhema”.
Our Lord and Savior … Jesus Christ … encompasses both Logos and Rhema.
Though at times … the two Greek words are interchanged, … generally Logos is described as the general word, …. the general knowledge of God.
Through the Scriptures we can receive all the knowledge we need … concerning God and his promises; ….
Scriptures, … the written word, … is absolutely important in our lives.
And we are called to read, learn, and inwardly digest the written word … of God.
In the passage … “Faith Comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” …. The Greek “word” is not logos, … but rhema.
Faith … Faith specifically comes by hearing the … rhema of God.
Logos has often been defined as “the written or said word of God,” … and rhema as “the saying, … the action word of God.”
Rhema in a way … is the Faithing word … of God!
God giving a specific word … to a specific person … for a specific situation.
Faith comes by rhema.
And the writer of Hebrews informs us …. that without …… faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6)
Faith comes by hearing … and hearing by the word, …. the rhema … of God.
And without rhema … it is impossible … to please Him.
Peter never walked on the water because of logos, because of a general knowledge of God.
No, … Peter required that Christ give him a specific word:
Peter asked, “”Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” And Jesus replied with rhema, … “Come.”
The word Christ gave to Peter was … rhema.
The word Christ gave brought forth … action faith.
The word Christ gave … brought forth …. Faithing.
Peter walked on the water because he had received rhema.
He received a specific word … from the Lord.
In the Gospel Text … Matthew was sitting at his tax booth and Jesus passed by and said only two words. “Follow Me”
Mathew revived a specific word from the Lord.
Mathew received Rhema, … his heart was immediately quickened … and He rose … and followed Jesus. (Matthew 9:9)
And that is how rhema … often happens … to many Christians today.
The Holy Spirit moves in a believer’s life and Rhema comes forth.
Yet … there is another way that many experience rhema.
Beloved … the Scriptures are the living word of God.
The Scriptures are alive.
Have you ever read the Scriptures, … and a passage or word … jumped off the page … and into your spirit.
The words you were reading …. were quickened into your heart.
Have you ever read the Scriptures … and been enlightened and said … I have never seen that before.
That is when the Holy Spirit comes … and quickens the Scriptures in your heart … and Logos … becomes rhema.
Beloved … If you are not meditating on God’s word, …. if you never have time to wait upon the Lord,
Then how can the Lord speak to you … or come and quicken His written word … into your heart?
It is through action faith, …. through Faithing that we mature and grow.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
And without faith it is what … It is impossible to please him.
It is time for those who call themselves Christ followers … to break free ……of being significantly mediocre……. Of being stationary.
Of Being content … rowing in their comfortable little boat …. And not growing …. in the faith.
Brothers and Sisters … we cannot walk on the water … if we … don’t get out of the boat.
Satan and his army… are a present reality in our lives … whether you accept it …or not.
We are engaged in a spiritual war……. A serious battle.
Paul told young Timothy … “fight the good fight of faith … lay hold of … eternal life.” 1 Timothy 6:12
The spiritual war … we are involved in……. Is that good fight.
Are you prepared … for the battle?
There is no time … for idol sideline watching.
Satan and his army are scattering … and destroying … Jesus Christ… is gathering his own … for the battle.
Are we covered with our spiritual armor?
Are we involved …in building … the kingdom?
Are we sharing unexpected grace … with the lost?
It is impossible …to be neutral… in this spiritual war.
Brothers and Sisters…Faith requires us …to trust… to Trust in Jesus …. And to trust in … His Holy Word.
Faith requires us… to take Action… To… R-I-S-K.!
If we do not trust God … Well … It is ….as if we did not prime the pump … and instead drank …. the jar of water.
Brothers and Sisters … we are travelers … A traveler…upon this chaotic island somewhere in the universe … we call earth.
2 Timothy 2:14-17 Christian Standard Bible
An Approved Worker
14 Remind them of these things, and charge them before God[a] not to fight about words.(A) This is useless and leads to the ruin of those who listen. 15 Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.(B) 16 Avoid irreverent and empty speech, since those who engage in it will produce even more godlessness,(C) 17 and their teaching will spread like gangrene. Hymenaeus(D) and Philetus are among them.
2 Timothy 3:10-17 Christian Standard Bible
Struggles in the Christian Life
10 But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose,(T) faith, patience, love,(U) and endurance, 11 along with the persecutions and sufferings(V) that came to me in Antioch,(W) Iconium,(X) and Lystra.(Y) What persecutions I endured—and yet the Lord rescued me from them all. 12 In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.(Z) 13 Evil people and impostors will become much worse, deceiving(AA) and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you,(AB) 15 and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,(AC) which are able to give you wisdom for salvation(AD) through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God[a](AE) and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.(AF)
We come across an old book, …a dusty book with 66 other books within it.
As we read it … We see the spiritual truths that lie within.
God gives us… the assurance, … the strength…. the conviction ….to live life ….to live life …to the fullest.
Yet the Words also asks us… to surrender ourselves ……to Jesus.
Jesus … The author and finisher…of our … faith.
Each of us……daily expresses faith…. in something.
We flip a switch … we turn a key, … we mail a letter… we walk into a building.
In each instance … there was an action…. To substantiate ……our faith.
Everyone places their faith in something …or someone.
So……What will we do?
The Scriptures proclaim……Today … This Day is the acceptable day of Salvation.
As a pastor for many years … I have found many people seek a savior, … yet they want no one including Jesus … to be their Lord.
Yet the Scriptures are so clear.
“If you confess with your mouth Jesus is: (Open Hands) … Lord … and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be …… SAVED!” (Romans 10:9)
Beloved … It’s time.
It is time to be … mature in the Faith.
To be men and women … faithing for the Lord.
Showering unexpected grace on those whom God places in our life.
And when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior well: ….
You are a new creation.
You have a new destiny.
You have a new identity.
And Praise God … You have a new eternity.
If we have not accepted Jesus as our Savior and our Lord… Then Step out in Faith… In Faithing…. And receive him … this day.
If you have received Jesus … he is your Lord and Savior … then I ask you … to empty yourself …of self … yield … to the guidance and care … of the Holy Spirit.
To get out of the boat … and walk on the water.
Before we come to the Lords table.
We will each have the opportunity … to confess before God what we believe as a people … in the words of the Apostle’s Creed.
It is my prayer, … that you will not just repeat these words … but in your faithing … confess them …boldly.
Amen and Amen!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit ….
Praying …. Psalm 42
0) For the leader. A maskil of the descendants of Korach:
2 (1) Just as a deer longs for running streams,
God, I long for you.
3 (2) I am thirsty for God, for the living God!
When can I come and appear before God?
4 (3) My tears are my food, day and night,
while all day people ask me, “Where is your God?”
5 (4) I recall, as my feelings well up within me,
how I’d go with the crowd to the house of God,
with sounds of joy and praise from the throngs
observing the festival.
6 (5) My soul, why are you so downcast?
Why are you groaning inside me?
Hope in God, since I will praise him again
for the salvation that comes from his presence.
7 (6) My God, when I feel so downcast,
I remind myself of you
from the land of Yarden, from the peaks of Hermon,
from the hill Mizar.
8 (7) Deep is calling to deep
at the thunder of your waterfalls;
all your surging rapids and waves
are sweeping over me.
9 (8) By day Adonai commands his grace,
and at night his song is with me
as a prayer to the God of my life.
10 (9) I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
under pressure by the enemy?
11 (10) My adversaries’ taunts make me feel
as if my bones were crushed,
as they ask me all day long,
‘Where is your God?’ ”
12 (11) My soul, why are you so downcast?
Why are you groaning inside me?
Hope in God, since I will praise him again
for being my Savior and God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
