Romans 4:16

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, 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. We have here a general summary of the foregoing reasoning: q.d., 'Thus justification is by faith, in order that its purely gracious character may be seen, and that all who follow in the steps of Abraham's faith-whether of his natural seed or no-may be assured of the like justification with the parent-believer.'...

16._It is therefore of faith, etc. _This is the winding up of the argument; and you may summarily include the whole of it in this statement, — “If the heirship of salvation comes to us by works, then faith in it vanishes, the promise of it is abolished; but it is necessary that both these should be sure and certain; hence it comes to us by faith, so that its stability being based on the goodness of God alone, may be secured.” See how the Apostle, regarding faith as a thing firm and certain, considers hesitancy and doubt as unbelief, by which faith is abolished, and the promise abrogated. And yet this doubting is what the schoolmen call a moral conjecture, and which, alas! they substitute for faith. _That it might be by grace_, _etc. _Here, in the first place, the Apostle shows, that nothing is set before faith but mere grace; and this, as they commonly say, is its object: for were it to...

13-22 The promise was made to Abraham long before the law. It points at Christ, and it refers to the promise, Genesis 12:3. In Thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. The law worketh wrath, by showing that every transgressor is exposed to the Divine displeasure. As God intended to give men a title to the promised blessings, so he appointed it to be by faith, that it might be wholly of grace, to make it sure to all who were of the like precious faith with Abraham, whether Jews or Gentiles, in all ages. The justification and salvation of sinners, the taking to himself the Gentiles who had not been a people, were a gracious calling of things which are not, as though they were; and this giving a being to things that were not, proves the almighty power of God. The nature and power of Abraham's faith are shown. He believed God's testimony, and looked for the performance of his promis...

Verse Romans 4:16. _THEREFORE IT IS OF FAITH, THAT_ IT MIGHT BE _BY GRACE_] On this account the promise is mercifully grounded, not on _obedience_ to a law, but on the infinite goodness of God: and thus the _promise is sure to all the seed_ - to all, both _Jews_ and _Gentiles_, who, _believing_ in Christ Jesus, have a right to all the blessings contained in the Abrahamic covenant. _All the seed_ necessarily comprehends all mankind. Of the Gentiles there can be no doubt, for the promise was given to Abraham while he was a _Gentile_; and the salvation of the _Jews_ may be inferred, because they all sprang from him _after_ he became an heir of the righteousness or justification which is received by faith; for _he_ _is the father of us all_, both _Jews_ and _Gentiles_. Dr. Taylor has an excellent note on th...

THEREFORE - In view of the course of reasoning which has been pursued. We have come to this conclusion. IT IS OF FAITH - Justification is by faith; or the plan which God has devised of saving people is by faith, Romans 3:26. THAT IT MIGHT BE BY GRACE - As a matter of mere undeserved mercy. If people were justified by law, it would be by their own merits; now it is of mere unmerited favor. TO THE END - For the purpose, or design. THE PROMISE ... - Romans 4:13. MIGHT BE SURE - Might be firm, or established. On any other ground, it could not be established. If it had dep

EXPOSITION ROMANS 4:1 (5) _Abraham himself shown to have been justified by faith, and not by works, believers being his true heirs._ The main points of the argument may be summarized thus: When Abraham obtained a blessing to himself and to his seed for ever, it was by faith, and not by works, that he is declared to have been justified so as to obtain it. Thus the promise to his seed, as well as to himself, rested on the principle of justification by faith only. The Law, of which the principle was essentially different, could not, and did not, in itself fulfil that promise; and that its fulfilment was not dependent on circumcision, or confined to the circumcised, is further shown by the fact that it was before his own circumcision that he received the blessing and the promise, Hence the seed intended in the promise was his spiritual seed, who a

THEREFORE IT IS OF FAITH THAT IT MIGHT BE BY GRACE,.... Meaning either the promise of being heir of the world, or the inheritance itself, or adoption which gives heirship, or remission of Sin, or the blessing of justification, either and all of these are of faith; not as the cause or condition of them, but as the means of God's fixing and appointing to be the recipient of all and each of them: which is done, "that it might be by grace"; appear to be of the free grace and favour of God, as each of these blessings are: forasmuch as every blessing is received by faith, it is manifest it must be by grace; since faith itself is a gift of God's grace, and lies purely in receiving favours at the hand of God, to whom it gives all the glory of them: and this is done with a further view, TO THE END THE PROMISE MIGHT BE SURE TO ALL THE SEED. The promise of the above blessings, particularly of the...

Romans 4:1. _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. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness._ He stands as the great Father of believers, and this is the charter given to him, and given to all believers in him. «Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.» Romans 4:4. _Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt._ That is to say, to him who hopes to be saved by his works, to whom salvation is of merit. He has worked for the reward. He has earned it. Do not talk about grace in that case....

CHAPTER 4 _ 1. The Witness of Abraham to Justification. (Romans 4:1 .)_ 2. As Confirmed also by David. (Romans 4:6 .) 3. Circumcision the Sign of the Covenant. (Romans 4:9 .) 4. Faith in Him Who Raiseth the Dead. (Romans 4:13 .) Romans 4:1 Two witnesses are summoned next in whose lives the truth of justification by faith is illustrated. The Jews boasted of Abraham as the father of their nation. “Abraham our father” is still the common phrase used by all orthodox Jews as it was in the days of John the Baptist, as he declared, “Sa

ROMANS 4:11 _B -_ ROMANS 4:17_ A._ ABRAHAM'S RELATION TO MANKIND. With Abraham's faith a great prospect opened for humanity. ROMANS 4:11_ B_, ROMANS 4:12. According to Genesis 17 the patriarch received the Covenant-sign to the end he might be father of all that believe while in uncircumcision like himself,. and father, to be sure, of circumcision in the case of those who do not rely upon the fleshly token (_cf._ Romans 2:26), but who keep in the track of our father Abraham's pre-circumcision faith....