Romans 4:20

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; HE STAGGERED ('HESITATED') NOT, [ diekrithee (G1252). In the New Testament, diakrinoo (G1252), in middle, signifies 'to doubt,' 'hesitate,' and the same sense attaches, as here, to 1 aorist passive.] AT THE PROMISE OF GOD THROUGH UNBELIEF; BUT WAS STRONG, [ enedunamoothee (G1743), 'was strengthened,' 'showed himself strong'] IN FAITH, GIVING GLORY TO GOD - as able to make good His word against all obstacles;...

20._Nor did he through unbelief make an inquiry_, _etc. _Though I do not follow the old version, nor [Erasmus ], yet my rendering is not given without reason. The Apostle seems to have had this in view, — That Abraham did not try to find out, by weighing the matter in the balance of unbelief, whether the Lord was able to perform what he had promised. What is properly to inquire or to search into anything, is to examine it through diffidence or mistrust, and to be unwilling to admit what appears not credible, without thoroughly sifting it. (146) He indeed asked, how it could come to pass, but that was the asking of one astonished; as the case was with the virgin Mary, when she inquired of the angel how could that be which he had announced; and there are other similar instances. The saints then, when a message is brought them respecting the works of God, the greatness of which exceeds thei...

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...

HE STAGGERED NOT - He was not moved, or agitated; he steadily and firmly believed the promise. GIVING GLORY TO GOD - Giving honor to God by the firmness with which he believed his promises. His conduct was Such as to honor God; that is, to show Abraham’s conviction that he was worthy of implicit confidence and trust. In this way all who believe in the promises of God do honor to him. They bear testimony to him that he is worthy of confidence. They become so many witnesses in his favor; and furnish to their fellow-men evidence that God has a claim on the credence and trust of mankind....

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

HE STAGGERED NOT AT THE PROMISE OF GOD,.... There is no reason to stagger at, or hesitate about any of the promises of God, since they are made by him that cannot lie; his faithfulness is engaged to perform them; with him all things are possible; every promise is in Christ, yea and amen, and never did any fail; and yet so it is, that some of God's children, THROUGH UNBELIEF, do stagger at the promises of God; thinking either that they are too great for them, or demur upon them through difficulties which attend them: BUT so did not Abraham, he WAS STRONG IN FAITH; nothing moved him, no difficulties discouraged him, he made no demur upon the promise, nor had the least hesitation in his mind about the accomplishment of it; but was fully assured that so it would be, as God had said; and thus he was GIVING GLORY TO GOD; ascribing to him the glory of his veracity, faithfulness, power, grac...

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 4:17 _B_ - ROMANS 4:25. FAITH IN GOD THE LIFE-GIVER. Romans 4:17 associates with the _scope_ the _quality_ of Abraham's faith. The patriarch's world-fatherhood was his in the sight of God whom he believed: God acknowledged and made good that paternityHe who makes alive the dead and summons things non-existent as though in being! Romans 4:18. Abraham's trust in the power yoked to God's promise made his belief efficacious: against hope, he believed in hope; spiritual hope conquered natural despair. He accepted the assurance respecting Isaac's birth, though perfectly aware of its physical impossibility ...

THE FAITH WHICH TAKES GOD AT HIS WORD (Romans 4:1-8)...