The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 117

HOMILETICS. Ver. 11.-The fatherhoorl of .Abraham. It is remarkable that the whole of this chapter deals with Abraham-a proof, not only of the greatneas of Abraham's character, the conspicuousness of his position in the history of mankind, and the hold the grand figure of the patriarch possessed of the imagination of the apostle, but al.so of Abraham's real importance in the development of the leading ideas of true religion. We are 'reminded that Abraham was the father of many nations-the father of the chosen people Israel, the ancestor of the Messiah, the promised Seed. But especially is it brought before us here that Abraham is the father of the faithful, inasmuch as he afforded an early and illustrious example of the virtue upon which St. Paul dilates at length in this Epistle to the Romans-the virtue of faith. I. ABRABAlll IS THE FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL IN THAT HE IS Ali EXA..l!PLE 01" FAITH IN ITS SUPEBIOBITY TO SENSE il'D TO HUMAN JUDGHEFi'. The ancestor of the Hebrew nation received repeated assurances of the purpose of the Eternal with regard to himself and his posterity. There was no human likelihood of the fulfilment of these assurances; in themselves they were opposed to all reasonable probability, and there were special circumstances which increased a hundredfold their inherent unlikelihood. But they were, in Abraham's belief, the assurances of God himself, and that was sufficient to command his immediate and unquestioning acceptance. The Divine is the proper object of human, faith. Let a declaration be from God; then it should be received with an absolute and unhesitatiag trust. II. AnRAHAlll IS THE FATHER OF THE FAITfill'UL IN THAT HIS FAITH WAS n"l>El'E:S'• DENT OF EXTERNAL BITES AND PRIVILEGES. St. Paul lays great stress upon the historical fact that the exercise of Abraham's faith in God preceded the institution of the sym- bolic rite of circumcision. This may seem to us an i=aterial consideration; but from the point of view of the apostle it has great importance. He is arguing against an external, ceremonial view of religion, such as was too customary among the Jews, and indeed is too customary among nil people through all time. And he made a "poiat" when he brought forward the fact that Abraham exercised faith in God whilAt still uncircumcised; for this is a proof that the essence of religion does not depend upon external privileges, even though they be of Divine apr.>intment. A. lesson which we need to. learn to-dn.y, even as did the contemporaries of St. Paul. III. ABRAHAM IS THE FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL INASMUCH AB HE BXHillITED THE POWEB OF FAITH TO POSSESS THE MORAL NATURE AND TO CO.TIROL THE LIFE. The pntrinrch wns not a rnn.n to yield the assent of the lips, and to withhold the practical acltnowledgment which is the best proof of sincere profession. It is enough, in support of this, to remark that his whole subsequent life was affected and governed by his belief of God's promise. He confessed himself a pilgrim in the land, but whilst for himself he sought a heavenly inheritBOce, he lived as one persuaded that CMBILil was the destined property of his postrrity. Faith without w~ks is dead; Abraham's faith Wl\s living. As Christians, we nre cnlled upon, not only to believe, but to livti by faith, to show our faith by our works, null, if we believe God's promises, to give tb,em n plnco so prominent in 01ir hcnrt thnt they may sway our conduct and govern our nctionR. 'l'ho lifo which wo livo in tho flesh is to be h~· the faith of the Son of God. Ouly thus cnu we 11rovo ourselves to U, truo children of faithful Abraham. 112 THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. [cH. 1v, 1-25.