The Faith of Abraham 

Scripture Reading: Romans 4:13-25.

Memory Verse: "For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise" (Galatians 3:18).

Introduction: "Abraham 'found' justification by faith. Let it be said once again that there is absolutely no virtue or merit in faith. Trust is man's answer to God's truth. Faith is the condition, not the ground of salvation. God is the One whom we trust, and it is His free grace that warrants and elicits our confidence.
  "More than a century ago Thomas Bradbury put together eight verses from the Bible which show the various phases of the doctrine of justification. First we may conclude that the believer is justified in the sovereignty of God, wholly because of His will. This is deduced from the statement: 'Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth' (Romans 8:33). In the second place, we are justified without a cause in us by His grace. This is set forth in the statement, 'Being justified freely [without a cause] by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus' (Romans 3:24). In the third place, we are justifed meritoriously by the virtue of the blood of . . . Christ. 'Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him' (Romans 5:9). Fourthly, we are justifed, imputatively, by Christ's obedience, as we read, 'By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous' (Romans 5:19). Fifthly, we are justified authoritatively by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; we read, 'Who was raised again for our justification' (Romans 4:25). In the sixth place, we are justified efficaciously by the work of the Holy Spirit, according to the Word, 'justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God' (1 Corinthians 6:11). In the seventh place, we are justified experimentally by the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, as it is written, 'Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ' (Galatians 2:16). And, finally, the evidence of our justification is to be found in our works, as we read, 'Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only' (James 2:24).
  "When all of these phases of the truth are seen, some of the greatness of our salvation can be comprehended. It was a magnificent task that confronted  our God, and He alone could have found the way whereby He could touch dirty sinners without Himself becoming contaminated."--The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible, Romans, Volume 7, p. 73.

Lesson Questions:

1. Who has any claim to the inheritance promised by God? Romans 4:13; 8:16,17; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Jeremiah 23:5; Matthew 5:5; Psalm 37:10,11,22; Isaiah 57:13.
The earth is not promised as an inheritance to those who have triumphed by conquest, but is given to the meek (Matthew 5:5) who, without ever lifting a spear or a dagger, have exercised faith in Christ. This life of trust in God to perform His word in due time shows a marvelous and powerful faith. Meekness is not weakness!

2. If men could earn God's inheritance by the works of the law, then what would happen to faith and the promise? Romans 4:14; 8:3; Galatians 2:19; Hebrews 7:19; 11:6.

3. Why can men never be saved by the keeping of the law? Romans 4:15,16; Genesis 3:10,19,24; Galatians 5:4; Romans 7:5; 3:20; 1 Timothy 1:9.
The word "grace" is the Greek word, "charis," which means "a favor done without expectation of return; absolute freeness of the loving-kindness of God to men, finding its only motive in the bounty . . . of the Giver; unearned and unmerited favor. Charis stands in direct antithesis to erga (works), the two being mutually exclusive."--Donald Grey Barnhouse, God's Remedy, (Romans 3:21-4:1-25), p. 212,213.

4. By whose witness and authority was Abraham made the father of many nations? Romans 4:17.

5. How strongly did Abraham believe God's Word? Romans 4:18; Revelation 3:8; Romans 8:24,25; 15:4.

6. Examine the strong quality of Abraham's faith. Romans 4:19-22; 2 Timothy 1:12; Genesis 12:1,4,5.
"When a person really believes that Jesus Christ is his Savior, God takes that person's faith and counts it for righteousness. The person is not righteous; he has no righteousness of his own. He is still imperfect, still sinful, still corruptible, still short of God's glory as a sinful human being. But he does believe that Jesus Christ is his Savior."--Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, #5485, Lexical Aids to the New Testament, p. 1768.

7. What are the purposes of recording Abraham's faith? Romans 4:23,24; John 20:31; Luke 1:3,4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Corinthians 10:11.

8. Why did Christ die on the cross, and why was He raised from the dead? Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 1:30,31; 15:3; John 10:11; Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 1:3; 3:18.