412. Monday after Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity.
Lord, increase our faith. Amen.
Romans 4, 18-25. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him: but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
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When we believe that which God has done for us in Christ, it is imputed to us for righteousness, as though we had done it ourselves. “If we believe,” says the apostle. Therefore the statement that the world has been made righteous in Christ needs explanation. To be sure, the sins of the whole world were imputed to Christ, and all men are redeemed by his blood. Thus righteousness is granted and offered all men; but it becomes the possession of them only that believe. Your sin is imputed to Christ, whether you be a Jew or gentile, whether you be a believer or one of the wicked; but his merit is not received by you for righteousness, except you believe. The believer is, then, in truth righteous before God. The purpose of Paul here is to prove that faith alone justifies. Not circumcision, not birth, not works; but faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousness. It is, therefore, of the very highest importance that we believe; and it is this to which all scripture urges us.
Abraham and Sarah were old and decrepit, and could have no hope of issue. But God had spoken a promise; and to Abraham this was of greater force than were nature and reason. Giving glory to God, he became more strong and more sure in faith; and then he “saw the day of Christ.” Abraham believed in Christ; therefore he was justified through his faith. Christ, not the virtue of his own faith, was his comfort and hope. Notice, that to Paul it is one and the same thing which is reckoned for righteousness to Abraham and to us, namely that which God has promised, that is Christ. — We have nothing but sin, and are decaying in death; and when we consider this, it is against all hope to expect eternal life. Yet, even as through the word Abraham was enabled to believe, so Christ is with us in the word; and thus we also are able to believe. Is it not true that Christ died and rose again for us? Is it not he who has given us the gospel, and baptism, and the Lord’s supper? Is not he himself present in these means of grace as the Savior who died and rose again for us? And is not the promise of God more to be trusted than are your eyes; blind as they are in matters divine? Give glory to God, then; let him be true. “Against hope believe in hope”; and you shall be strengthened in your faith, and have the assurance beyond a doubt that he is able to do that which he has promised. How foolish is unbelief after all! Shall not God be able to perform what he has promised? Was he not able to give us his Son? Shall he not, then, be true to his promise, and through him make us righteous? Have compassion, merciful God, and create true faith in our hearts. Amen.*
Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood
Shall never lose its power,
Till all the ransomed church of God
Be saved, to sin no more.
E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.
[TLH 157a, ELH 301 (listen here); or TLH 157b (listen below)]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.