Faith doesn't hide you from reality, it strengthens you as you face it.
Romans 4:18-25 (NIV)
CONTEXT: We've been reading Romans 4 this week:
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Canons of Dordt
Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election
Index for Articles 1-7
Article 8 - A Single Decree of Election
This election is not of many kinds, but one and the same for all who were to be saved in the Old and the New Testament.
For Scripture declares that there is a single good pleasure, purpose, and plan of God’s will,
by which he chose us from eternity
both to grace and to glory,
both to salvation and to the way of salvation,
which God prepared in advance for us to walk in.
Summary
Faith is often mistakenly thought of as a vague optimism, but Paul shows us in today’s passage that true faith is something far more profound—it is unwavering trust in God’s promise, even when every visible aspect of reality suggests otherwise.
Abraham had every earthly reason to doubt. He was nearly a hundred years old, and Sarah had been barren for decades. Humanly speaking, God’s promise that they would have a child was impossible. And yet, as Paul writes, against all hope, Abraham in hope believed. He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body or Sarah’s age, nor did he waver through unbelief. Instead, he was fully persuaded that God had the power to do what He had promised.
That’s what made Abraham’s faith remarkable—not that he had some inherent ability to trust, but that he simply took God at His word. He didn't use faith to hide from reality; Paul writes that he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead. But it was through his faith that he was strengthened and gave glory to God.
Paul makes it clear that this wasn’t just Abraham’s story—it’s ours too. The words it was credited to him weren’t written for his sake alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. Just as Abraham trusted that God would bring life from Sarah’s barren womb, we trust that God has brought life from the grave through Christ’s resurrection.
Dig Deeper
Faith is not about denying reality—it’s about trusting in a greater reality. Abraham was fully aware of the impossibility of his situation, yet he did not waver through unbelief. Likewise, God calls you to face the facts regarding your sinfulness, your inability to save yourself, and then to trust completely in His provision.
Paul reminds you that Jesus was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Christ's resurrection is the proof that the righteousness we so desperately need has been secured. Just as Abraham believed in God’s ability to give life where none existed, when you believe in the risen Christ, you are made right with God.
Praise God today that your standing before Him is not based on what you can do, but on what Christ has already done!
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the God of Abraham and the God of the Church;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be strengthened through your faith as you face the facts of this sinful world;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 20
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