Rom 4:11-18, Gal 3:7-9 | Family | STEP | A seal of the righteousness of the faith ; a token, or visible sign, that by means of the faith which he exercised before he was circumcised, he was justified and accepted with God. The father ; the model or pattern as to the way of acceptance with God, for all who should believe, though not descendants of Abraham, and not circumcised: to encourage them to exercise such faith as he did, that they also might be justified, and through grace be delivered from the punishment of sin and rewarded with eternal bliss. It is dangerous to put the sign for the thing signified, or make the one a substitute for the other. Those who depend on the sign are destitute of the thing signified; and so long as they continue to do it will remain destitute. Glorying in the shadow, they lose the substance.

‏ Romans 4:11-18

A seal of the righteousness of the faith; a token, or visible sign, that by means of the faith which he exercised before he was circumcised, he was justified and accepted with God.

The father; the model or pattern as to the way of acceptance with God, for all who should believe, though not descendants of Abraham, and not circumcised: to encourage them to exercise such faith as he did, that they also might be justified, and through grace be delivered from the punishment of sin and rewarded with eternal bliss. It is dangerous to put the sign for the thing signified, or make the one a substitute for the other. Those who depend on the sign are destitute of the thing signified; and so long as they continue to do it will remain destitute. Glorying in the shadow, they lose the substance. The father of circumcision; of his natural descendants who were circumcised, provided they exercised faith in Christ. Heir of the world; Ge 12:2,3; 15:5,6; Ge 17:4-8; Ga 3:6-9,14,16-18,29.

Not--through the law; not on the ground of obedience to the law, or through the merit of human works, but through the righteousness bestowed upon him by God through faith. Verse Ro 4:3. The way of salvation through faith in Christ is suited to all classes and conditions of men. None are so good that they can be saved in any other way; and none are so bad that they cannot be saved in this. They which are of the law; those who seek justification by their own works.

Be heirs; if they are by their own merits entitled to the blessings which God promised to Abraham.

Faith is made void; is not needful.

The promise; which God made to faith.

Of none effect; useless. To connect this with the following verse, supply in thought, But the promise cannot be through the law; "because," etc. Because the law worketh wrath; that is, this is its effect upon fallen sinful men. It lays God's authority upon their consciences, without furnishing the grace needful to enable them to overcome their corrupt passions. Instead of making them holy, therefore, and fit for heaven, it works wrath in two ways: first, by laying duty upon them which they do not perform, it becomes the occasion of provoking against them the divine wrath; secondly, in the same way it fills their minds with a sense of guilt and fearful apprehension of wrath to come.

Where no law is, there is no transgression; were it possible that one should be absolutely without law, he could be guilty of no transgression; and the less clearly the divine law is revealed, the less does it operate to work wrath. Instead of saving those who have violated it, and yet seek to be justified by it, the law condemns them. As all men have violated it, none can be saved by it. If the promises were made only to those who should perfectly obey it, all would fail of the blessing. See note to chap Ro 5:20. Therefore it is of faith; the promise of justification and salvation made to Abraham and his seed, that Jehovah would be a God to him and his seed, Ge 17:2-7, and referred to in Ga 3:29, was not made on condition of perfect obedience to law, or on the ground of human merit, but of grace through Jesus Christ to all who should believe.

Sure to all the seed; that all who should in faith imitate Abraham, might obtain the blessing promised to him and his seed, of having Jehovah for their God and portion.

Not to that only which is of the law; not to Jews only, but to Gentiles also--to all who believe.

The father of us all; all of every nation who exercise faith in Christ. As it is written; Ge 17:5.

Before him; in his sight, and according to his promise.

Quickeneth; giveth life to.

Things which be not; which have not taken place. Though they may appear to men impossible, he speaks of them as if they were already accomplished, and thus shows their certainty. Against hope; against all human expectation, or apparent possibility,

In hope; that the things promised would certainly take place.

The father; an illustrious pattern of faith, for the imitation of all who should believe.

‏ Galatians 3:7-9

Children of Abraham; like him in spirit, and justified in the same way, not by works, but by faith. Foreseeing; the Holy Ghost foreseeing, and in the Scriptures foretelling, that God would justify Gentiles as he did Abraham.

In thee; as the spiritual father of all that believe. Ge 12:3; 18:18; Ge 22:18. Thus the glad tidings were announced to Abraham that God would bless and save the Gentiles through such faith as he exercised. The promises of God to Abraham and his seed were of spiritual blessings, justification by faith, and eternal life through Jesus Christ; not to believing Jews only, but to all who should believe, of all nations, in all ages. Blessed with faithful Abraham; accepted of God in the same way.