The God Pause for Wednesday, 21 February 2018 - The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul Minnesota United States - Romans 4:13-25
Romans 4:
13 For the promise to Avraham and his seed[Romans 4:13 Genesis 15:3, 5] that he would inherit the world did not come through legalism but through the righteousness that trust produces. 14 For if the heirs are produced by legalism, then trust is pointless and the promise worthless. 15 For what law brings is punishment. But where there is no law, there is also no violation.
16 The reason the promise is based on trusting is so that it may come as God’s free gift, a promise that can be relied on by all the seed, not only those who live within the framework of the Torah, but also those with the kind of trust Avraham had — Avraham avinu for all of us. 17 This accords with the Tanakh, where it says, “I have appointed you to be a father to many nations.”[Romans 4:17 Genesis 17:5] Avraham is our father in God’s sight because he trusted God as the one who gives life to the dead and calls nonexistent things into existence. 18 For he was past hope, yet in hope he trusted that he would indeed become a father to many nations, in keeping with what he had been told, “So many will your seed be.”[Romans 4:18 Genesis 15:5] 19 His trust did not waver when he considered his own body — which was as good as dead, since he was about a hundred years old — or when he considered that Sarah’s womb was dead too. 20 He did not by lack of trust decide against God’s promises. On the contrary, by trust he was given power as he gave glory to God, 21 for he was fully convinced that what God had promised he could also accomplish. 22 This is why it was credited to his account as righteousness.[
Romans 4:22 Genesis 15:6
]
23 But the words, “it was credited to his account . . . ,” were not written for him only. 24 They were written also for us, who will certainly have our account credited too, because we have trusted in him who raised Yeshua our Lord from the dead — 25 Yeshua, who was delivered over to death because of our offences and raised to life in order to make us righteous.(Complete Jewish Bible.)
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When we say something is "too good to be true," we
are expressing skepticism about an offer. When I get
a postcard in the mail that promises that I "may have
already won" something big, I tell my children that it is
"too good to be true." No, we didn't win a cruise. No, we
didn't win a new car.
Paul writes about something that seems too good to
be true: the grace of God that justifies us through the
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And yet, miracle
of miracles, it is true! This is the God who promised a
son to Abraham and Sarah in their old age, when they
were "already as good as dead," the God "who gives life
to the dead and calls into existence the things that do
not exist." Abraham and Sarah trusted God, though the
promise seemed too good to be true, and they received
a son whom they named Laughter. We trust that same
God whose promise is good and true and we receive life
abundant in God's Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
God of life, we give thanks that your promises are trustworthy
and true. Give us the faith of Abraham and Sarah as we wait
and hope for the fulfillment of your promises. Amen.
Kathryn Schifferdecker
Associate Professor of Old Testament; Bible Division Chair Luther Seminary
Romans 4:13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
14 If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
15 For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.
16 For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us,
17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations")--in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
18 Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "So numerous shall your descendants be."
19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.
20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,
21 being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
22 Therefore his faith "was reckoned to him as righteousness."
23 Now the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone,
24 but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
25 who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification. (New Revised Standard Version)
When we say something is "too good to be true," we
are expressing skepticism about an offer. When I get
a postcard in the mail that promises that I "may have
already won" something big, I tell my children that it is
"too good to be true." No, we didn't win a cruise. No, we
didn't win a new car.
Paul writes about something that seems too good to
be true: the grace of God that justifies us through the
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And yet, miracle
of miracles, it is true! This is the God who promised a
son to Abraham and Sarah in their old age, when they
were "already as good as dead," the God "who gives life
to the dead and calls into existence the things that do
not exist." Abraham and Sarah trusted God, though the
promise seemed too good to be true, and they received
a son whom they named Laughter. We trust that same
God whose promise is good and true and we receive life
abundant in God's Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
God of life, we give thanks that your promises are trustworthy
and true. Give us the faith of Abraham and Sarah as we wait
and hope for the fulfillment of your promises. Amen.
Kathryn Schifferdecker
Associate Professor of Old Testament; Bible Division Chair Luther Seminary
Romans 4:13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
14 If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
15 For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.
16 For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us,
17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations")--in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
18 Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "So numerous shall your descendants be."
19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.
20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,
21 being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
22 Therefore his faith "was reckoned to him as righteousness."
23 Now the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone,
24 but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
25 who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification. (New Revised Standard Version)
***
The Luther Seminary
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