Romans 4:18
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be."
Against all hope
This phrase captures the seemingly impossible situation Abraham faced. The Greek word for "hope" here is "ἐλπίς" (elpis), which denotes a confident expectation. Abraham's circumstances were dire; he was old, and Sarah was barren. Yet, against all human reasoning and expectation, he maintained a divine hope. This highlights the Christian belief that faith often transcends human logic and understanding, relying instead on God's promises.

Abraham in hope believed
The phrase emphasizes Abraham's unwavering faith. The Greek word for "believed" is "ἐπίστευσεν" (episteusen), which means to have faith or trust. Abraham's faith was not passive; it was an active trust in God's promise. This serves as a model for believers, illustrating that true faith involves trusting God even when circumstances seem impossible.

and so became the father of many nations
This fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham is rooted in Genesis 17:5, where God changes Abram's name to Abraham, meaning "father of a multitude." Historically, this promise was fulfilled as Abraham became the patriarch of the Israelites, Ishmaelites, Edomites, and others. Spiritually, it points to the multitude of believers who are considered Abraham's descendants through faith (Galatians 3:7).

just as he had been told
This phrase underscores the reliability of God's word. The Greek "κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον" (kata to eirēmenon) means "according to what was spoken." It emphasizes that God's promises are sure and trustworthy. For believers, this is a reminder that God's word is unchanging and dependable, providing a foundation for faith.

'So shall your offspring be.'
This direct quotation from Genesis 15:5 is a pivotal promise in the Abrahamic covenant. The Hebrew root for "offspring" is "זֶרַע" (zera), meaning seed or descendants. This promise not only referred to Abraham's physical descendants but also to his spiritual descendants—those who would come to faith in Christ. It highlights the expansive nature of God's promise, extending beyond ethnic Israel to include all who believe.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Abraham
The central figure in this verse, Abraham is a patriarch in the Bible, known for his faith and obedience to God. He is considered the father of many nations and a key figure in the covenant between God and His people.

2. God's Promise
The promise made by God to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, despite his old age and the barrenness of his wife, Sarah.

3. Hope and Belief
The verse highlights the contrast between human hope and divine promise, emphasizing Abraham's faith in God's word against all odds.
Teaching Points
Faith Beyond Circumstances
Abraham's faith was not based on visible circumstances but on the promise of God. Believers are encouraged to trust in God's promises even when situations seem impossible.

The Nature of Hope
Biblical hope is not wishful thinking but a confident expectation based on God's faithfulness. Christians are called to maintain hope in God's promises.

The Power of God's Word
Just as God's word to Abraham was fulfilled, believers can trust that God's word will come to pass in their lives.

Legacy of Faith
Abraham's faith had generational impact, reminding believers that their faith can influence future generations.

Righteousness Through Faith
Abraham's belief was credited as righteousness, illustrating the principle that faith, not works, is the basis of righteousness before God.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Abraham's example of faith challenge you in your current circumstances?

2. In what ways can you cultivate a hope that is rooted in God's promises rather than in your own understanding?

3. How does the account of Abraham and Sarah encourage you to trust in God's timing and plan for your life?

4. What are some promises from God’s Word that you can hold onto in times of doubt or difficulty?

5. How can you share the legacy of faith with others, as Abraham did with his descendants?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 15:5-6
This passage recounts God's promise to Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars, which Abraham believed, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Hebrews 11:11-12
This passage speaks of Sarah's faith and the fulfillment of God's promise, highlighting the miraculous birth of Isaac despite their old age.

Galatians 3:6-9
Paul uses Abraham's faith as an example of justification by faith, showing that those who believe are children of Abraham and heirs to the promise.
A Crucial CaseJ. Oswald Dykes, D. D.Romans 4:1-25
Abraham Justified by Faith AloneR.M. Edgar Romans 4:1-25
Abraham, the Model of FaithR. Newton, D. D.Romans 4:1-25
Abraham's FaithJ. Browne, D. D.Romans 4:1-25
Abraham's FaithH. F. Adeney, M. A.Romans 4:1-25
Abraham's FaithC.h Irwin Romans 4:1-25
Believing GodChristian World PulpitRomans 4:1-25
Difficulties Overcome by FaithRomans 4:1-25
Folly of Self-RighteousnessC. H. Spurgeon.Romans 4:1-25
Lessons from the Case of AbrahamT. Chalmers, D. D.Romans 4:1-25
No Room for GloryingJ. Spencer.Romans 4:1-25
The Bible AloneR. W. Dibdin, M. A.Romans 4:1-25
The Christian OraclesF. Perry, M. A.Romans 4:1-25
The Faith of AbrahamT. Robinson, of Cambridge.Romans 4:1-25
The Faith of AbrahamProf. Jowett.Romans 4:1-25
The Nature of Faith as Illustrated in the Case of AbrahamBp. Lightfoot.Romans 4:1-25
What Saith the ScriptureBp. Williers.Romans 4:1-25
What Saith the ScriptureJ. W. Burn.Romans 4:1-25
All Things are of FaithT.F. Lockyer Romans 4:9-22
Abraham's FaithJ. Lyth, D. D.Romans 4:17-18
Abraham's FaithRomans 4:17-18
God's Promise to AbrahamJ. Lyth, D. D.Romans 4:17-18
Hope Built on FaithWeekly Baptist.Romans 4:17-18
The Divine Conception of Uncreated ThingsC. Neil, M. A.Romans 4:17-18
Undeterred by DifficultiesA. McKenzie.Romans 4:17-18
Who, Against Hope, Believed in HopeJohn Gilpin, M. A.Romans 4:17-18
People
David, Paul, Romans, Sarah
Places
Rome
Topics
Agreement, Becoming, Believe, Believed, Circumstances, Descendants, Equally, Faith, Forefather, Hope, Hopefully, Hopeless, Hoping, Nations, Numerous, Offspring, Posterity, Reason, Seed, Spoken, Utterly
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Romans 4:18

     1348   covenant, with Abraham
     5763   attitudes, positive to God
     9612   hope, in God
     9614   hope, results of absence

Romans 4:1-22

     6678   justification, Christ's work

Romans 4:1-24

     6674   imputation

Romans 4:1-25

     5078   Abraham, significance

Romans 4:9-24

     8020   faith

Romans 4:13-21

     5724   offspring

Romans 4:16-18

     7142   people of God, NT

Romans 4:18-21

     8026   faith, growth in
     8428   example

Romans 4:18-22

     5077   Abraham, character

Romans 4:18-25

     1680   types
     8157   righteousness, as faith

Library
September 24. "He Calleth Things that are not as Though they Were" (Rom. Iv. 17).
"He calleth things that are not as though they were" (Rom. iv. 17). The Word of God creates what it commands. When Christ says to any of us "Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken unto you," We are clean. When He says "no condemnation" there is none, though there has been a lifetime of sin before. And when He says, "mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds," then the weak are strong. This is the part of faith, to take God at His Word, and then expect Him to make it real.
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

October 17. "Abraham Believed God" (Rom. Iv. 3).
"Abraham believed God" (Rom. iv. 3). Abraham's faith reposed on God Himself. He knew the God he was dealing with. It was a personal confidence in one whom he could utterly trust. The real secret of Abraham's whole life was that he was the friend of God, and knew God to be his great, good and faithful Friend, and, taking Him at His word, he had stepped out from all that he knew and loved, and gone forth upon an unknown pathway with none but God. Beloved, are we trusting not only in the word of God,
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Waiting Faith Rewarded and Strengthened by New Revelations
'And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect. And I will make My covenant between Me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for Me, behold, My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Free Grace
To The Reader: Nothing but the strongest conviction, not only that what is here advanced is "the truth as it is in Jesus," but also that I am indispensably obliged to declare this truth to all the world, could have induced me openly to oppose the sentiments of those whom I esteem for their work's sake: At whose feet may I be found in the day of the Lord Jesus! Should any believe it his duty to reply hereto, I have only one request to make, -- Let whatsoever you do, be done inherently, in love, and
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

Justification by Faith
"To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Romans 4:5. 1. How a sinner may be justified before God, the Lord and Judge of all, is a question of no common importance to every child of man. It contains the foundation of all our hope, inasmuch as while we are at enmity with God, there can be no true peace, no solid joy, either in time or in eternity. What peace can there be, while our own heart condemns us; and much more, He that
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

Hooker -- the Activity of Faith; Or, Abraham's Imitators
Thomas Hooker, graduate and fellow of Cambridge, England, and practically founder of Connecticut, was born in 1586. He was dedicated to the ministry, and began his activities in 1620 by taking a small parish in Surrey. He did not, however, attract much notice for his powerful advocacy of reformed doctrine, until 1629, when he was cited to appear before Laud, the Bishop of London, whose threats induced him to leave England for Holland, whence he sailed with John Cotton, in 1633, for New England, and
Various—The World's Great Sermons, Vol. 2

Of Self-Surrender
Of Self-Surrender We should now begin to abandon and give up our whole existence unto God, from the strong and positive conviction, that the occurrence of every moment is agreeable to His immediate will and permission, and just such as our state requires. This conviction will make us resigned in all things; and accept of all that happens, not as from the creature, but as from God Himself. But I conjure you, my dearly beloved, who sincerely wish to give up yourselves to God, that after you have made
Madame Guyon—A Short and Easy Method of Prayer

Abandonment to God --Its Fruit and Its Irrevocability --In what it Consists --God Exhorts us to It.
It is here that true abandonment and consecration to God should commence, by our being deeply convinced that all which happens to us moment by moment is the will of God, and therefore all that is necessary to us. This conviction will render us contented with everything, and will make us see the commonest events in God, and not in the creature. I beg of you, whoever you may be, who are desirous of giving yourselves to God, not to take yourselves back when once you are given to Him, and to remember
Jeanne Marie Bouvières—A Short Method Of Prayer And Spiritual Torrents

God's Way of Peace
GOD'S WAY OF PEACE A BOOK FOR THE ANXIOUS BY: HORATIUS BONAR, D.D. "To him that worketh not, but believeth." Rom. iv.5 PRESBYTERIAN PUBLICATION COMMITTEE 1334 CHESTNUT STREET PHILADELPHIA, PA. This volume is stereotyped and perpetuated by a donation from the late Mrs. E. K. Smith, of St. Louis, Missouri as a tribute of respect and affection to the memory of her mother, Mrs. Matthew Kerr.
Horatius Bangs, D.D.—God's Way of Peace

Moreover He Fulfilled the Promise Made to Abraham, which God had Promised Him...
Moreover He fulfilled the promise made to Abraham, which God had promised him, to make his seed as the stars of heaven. For this Christ did, who was born of the Virgin who was of Abraham's seed, and constituted those who have faith in Him lights in the world , [149] and by the same faith with Abraham justified the Gentiles. For Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (cf. Rom. iv. 3) In like manner we also are justified by faith in God: for the just shall live by faith.
Irenæus—The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching

Its Nature
Justification, strictly speaking, consists in God's imputing to His elect the righteousness of Christ, that alone being the meritorious cause or formal ground on which He pronounces them righteous: the righteousness of Christ is that to which God has respect when He pardons and accepts the sinner. By the nature of justification we have reference to the constituent elements of the same, which are enjoyed by the believer. These are, the non-imputation of guilt or the remission of sins, and second,
Arthur W. Pink—The Doctrine of Justification

Its Instrument
"Being justified freely by His grace" (Rom. 3:24); "being now justified by His blood" (Rom. 5:9); "being now justified by faith" (Rom. 5:1). A full exposition of the doctrine of justification requires that each of these propositions should be interpreted in their Scriptural sense, and that they be combined together in their true relations as to form one harmonious whole. Unless these three propositions be carefully distinguished there is sure to be confusion; unless all the three are steadily borne
Arthur W. Pink—The Doctrine of Justification

Its Basis
In our last chapter we contemplated the problem which is presented in the justifying or pronouncing righteous one who is a flagrant violater of the Law of God. Some may have been surprised at the introduction of such a term as "problem": as there are many in the ranks of the ungodly who feel that the world owes them a living, so there are not a few Pharisees in Christendom who suppose it is due them that at death their Creator should take them to Heaven. But different far is it with one who has been
Arthur W. Pink—The Doctrine of Justification

Faith the Sole Saving Act.
JOHN vi. 28, 29.--"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." In asking their question, the Jews intended to inquire of Christ what particular things they must do, before all others, in order to please God. The "works of God," as they denominate them, were not any and every duty, but those more special and important acts, by which the creature might secure
William G.T. Shedd—Sermons to the Natural Man

"But if the Spirit of Him that Raised up Jesus from the Dead Dwell in You, He that Raised up Christ from the Dead, Shall Also
Rom. viii. 11.--"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." As there is a twofold death,--the death of the soul, and the death of the body--so there is a double resurrection, the resurrection of the soul from the power of sin, and the resurrection of the body from the grave. As the first death is that which is spiritual, then that which is bodily, so
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Now this Election the Apostle Demonstrating to Be...
17. Now this election the Apostle demonstrating to be, not of merits going before in good works, but election of grace, saith thus: "And in this time a remnant by election of grace is saved. But if by grace, then is it no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace." [2672] This is election of grace; that is, election in which through the grace of God men are elected: this, I say, is election of grace which goes before all good merits of men. For if it be to any good merits that it is given,
St. Augustine—On Patience

Justification.
Christ is represented in the gospel as sustaining to men three classes of relations. 1. Those which are purely governmental. 2. Those which are purely spiritual. 3. Those which unite both these. We shall at present consider him as Christ our justification. I shall show,-- I. What gospel justification is not. There is scarcely any question in theology that has been encumbered with more injurious and technical mysticism than that of justification. Justification is the pronouncing of one just. It may
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

In Process of Tithe, that is to Say, in the Tenth Generation after the Flood...
In process of tithe, that is to say, in the tenth generation after the Flood, Abraham appeared, [120] seeking for the God who by the blessing of his ancestor was due and proper to him. [121] And when, urged by the eagerness of his spirit, he went all about the world, searching where God is, and failed to find out; God took pity on him who alone was silently seeking Him; and He appeared unto Abraham, making Himself known by the Word, as by a beam of light. For He spake with him from heaven, and said
Irenæus—The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching

Our Status.
"And he believed in the Lord: and he counted it to him for righteousness." --Gen. xv. 6. The right touches a man's status. So long as the law has not proven him guilty, has not convicted and sentenced him, his legal status is that of a free and law-abiding citizen. But as soon as his guilt is proven in court and the jury has convicted him, he passes from that into the status of the bound and law-breaking citizen. The same applies to our relation to God. Our status before God is that either of the
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Its Objects
We have now reached a point in our discussion of this mighty theme where it is timely for us to ask the question, Who are the ones that God justifies? The answer to that question will necessarily vary according to the mental position we occupy. From the standpoint of God's eternal decrees the reply must be, God's elect: Romans 8:33. From the standpoint of the effects produced by quickening operations of the Holy Spirit the reply must be, those who believe: Acts 13:39. But from the standpoint of what
Arthur W. Pink—The Doctrine of Justification

Introductory Note to the Epistle of Barnabas
[a.d. 100.] The writer of this Epistle is supposed to have been an Alexandrian Jew of the times of Trajan and Hadrian. He was a layman; but possibly he bore the name of "Barnabas," and so has been confounded with his holy and apostolic name-sire. It is more probable that the Epistle, being anonymous, was attributed to St. Barnabas, by those who supposed that apostle to be the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, and who discovered similarities in the plan and purpose of the two works. It is with
Barnabas—The Epistle of Barnabas

The Doctrine
OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED; OR, A DISCOURSE TOUCHING THE LAW AND GRACE; THE NATURE OF THE ONE, AND THE NATURE OF THE OTHER; SHOWING WHAT THEY ARE, AS THEY ARE THE TWO COVENANTS; AND LIKEWISE, WHO THEY BE, AND WHAT THEIR CONDITIONS ARE, THAT BE UNDER EITHER OF THESE TWO COVENANTS: Wherein, for the better understanding of the reader, there are several questions answered touching the law and grace, very easy to be read, and as easy to be understood, by those that are the sons of wisdom, the children
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Justification by Faith --Illustrated by Abram's Righteousness
Referring to the chapter before us for a preface to our subject, note that after Abram's calling his faith proved to be of the most practical kind. Being called to separate himself from his kindred and from his country, he did not therefore become a recluse, a man of ascetic habits, or a sentimentalist, unfit for the battles of ordinary life--no; but in the noblest style of true manliness he showed himself able to endure the household trouble and the public trial which awaited him. Lot's herdsmen
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 14: 1868

"Who Walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. "
Rom. viii. 1.--"Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Christ is made to us of God both righteousness and sanctification; and therefore, those who are in Christ do not only escape condemnation, but they walk according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh. These two are the sum of the gospel. There is not a greater argument to holy walking than this,--there is no condemnation for you, neither is there a greater evidence of a soul having escaped condemnation, than walking according
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

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