Romans 4:13-15

13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For 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, there is no transgression.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:14

Hello, this is doctor Bill Branks, author of Love the Word. Let me read today's text. Romans four verses thirteen to fifteen. For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law, there is no transgression. It is very telling that we refer to unkept promises as broken promises. It signifies that they were something secure and trustworthy. Promises are complex. They seem to mean something different between the promise giver and the promise receiver. The receiver hears this is a guarantee, while the promise giver means, I'll do my best. Vague promises leave much for both parties to interpret in many ways. In December 2023, my wife and I promised to repay the bank for the money they had loaned us to buy a home. It was not a single sheet of paper with the scribbled words, I promise to pay it back, and my signature. The promissory note was a 65-page document that clarified every possible detail. God's promises are like that. If there is any confusion about their meaning, it is on our part. We want to negotiate the terms, but God doesn't negotiate. Abraham received a promise from God that became woefully misconstrued. Some believe the promise was only for Abraham's descendants. Then it was expanded to any adherence to the law. They believe the promise will be fulfilled through the law, and only the most pious could receive it. Abraham had his issues, but he was highly revered by the Jews and still is today. He is the embodiment of faith and righteousness and the spiritual father of believing Jews. He is also the spiritual father of all other believers. To a large degree, non-Jews have lost some of their esteem for Abraham. He remains a rich example to all believers, but our attention has turned to our Messiah, as it should. Christ is our example, figurehead, and focus. So convoluted was the understanding of this truth that many New Testament churches were plagued by erroneous applications, guilt, false belief, and poor understanding of the purpose law and God's promises. Paul was desperate to clear the air, and many of his epistles address the clarity of salvation by faith alone. Paul writes candidly, if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null, and the promise is void. The fact that the law was given only to expose the epidemic of sin in mankind was a thorn in the flesh for Jews who believe they were blessed to have it, adhere to it, and be seen as righteous for it, but the law brings wrath, verses 15, not salvation. Without the law, sin would never be revealed. No law means no transgressions because lawlessness would prevail, and God will never allow this. We need early detection in every disease, most of all our sin disease. The law is a test that exposes disease, not cures it. Keeping the law as a way of salvation is as ridiculous as thinking a blood test alone will cure you. The treatment for our sin and condemnation is the gospel, which is null and void if we reject that promise. God always keeps his promises, and he has made many. Here just a few. Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah forty one verse ten. And my God shall supply all your need according to his riches and glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians four verse nineteen. You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah twenty six verse three. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. Romans eight verse twenty eight. For our purpose in today's study, this next promise is key. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1 9. We must remember that the Lord keeps his promises on his terms. They are not flexible, negotiable, or confusing. We have a responsibility and a great privilege to accept the Lord entirely on his terms, not ours.