The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 121

ness, 'l'hoy rested entirely in the sovereign grace and mercy of God. "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (ver. 8). So David also describes the blesseclness of those whose iniqnities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. of the man to whom the Lord doth not impute sin (vers. 6-8). No two caees mor~ appro- prin.te or more telling could the apostle have selected in illustration of man's universal need of n. Divine righteousness, Here were two saints of God, the one called the frieud of God, the otho,r the sweet singer of Israel, and yet they both rested, not on their own good works, but on the mercy and free grace of God. True, David had grievously sinned against God, but he did not trust for forgiveners to any penances or works oi merit which he might have done in atonement for his sin, but solely to the pardoning mercy of the Lord. Abraham's faith, however, is the main subject of the chapter. I. lTs BEABONABLENEBB. 'l'he subject of faith is not merely an abstract theoloqjcal question. Abraham's faith, in particular, is not something which concemedAbraha~ bu~ has no interest for us. We are told in the close of this chapter that "it was not written for his sake alone, that his faith was imputed to him for righteousne85; 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 raised again for our justification" (vers. 23-25). What, then, do we mean by faith ·t Faith is a ~rong inward persu.asi,,n manifesting itself in outward acts. We could have no better illustration of it than tbe life of Abraham. "Abraham believed God." His life was a life of faith in God. He trusted God's· }"Ord, and he took God's way. Here, then, we have a simple definition of what faith means-trusting God:s word and taking G~s way, ls not this ao. eminently reasonable course for a human being to take? So Abraham thought. He was a man of experience when we have the first record of God speaking to him. Be was seve[\ty-five years old when God's first command reached him-the command to leave his country and his father'~ house. It would appear as if .Abraham had begun before that time to look beyond the seen to the unseen. His spiritual instincts and 1n reason told him tha~ tb,ose idols which the people round him worshipped conld not. represent the great Creator of the world. He had already a conviction that there was a God-a reasonable conviction based on the evidence of natural laws. He knew some- thing of that almighty Being's power, and wisdom, and immortality, and unchangeable- ness. And so he reached the conclusion, which became an irresistible conviction, that "what God had promised he was able also to perform" (vers. lS--21). He was "fully persuaded." Upon this Abraham based his faith. For these reasons he trusted God'a word and took God's way. Is it not still more reasonable that we should have faith in God ? We too have had experience, and not merely our own experience, but the experience of thousands of others from Abraham's day till now, who have trusted God, and found that wha~ he hath promised he is able also to perform. The history of the ages teaches us that he11ven and earth may pass away, but that God's words do not pass a.way ; that men will change and die, and mighty empires crumble into dust, bu~ that the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him. It teaches us also this lesson, that God's way is always best, and that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Abrn.ham's faith was a reasonable faith. It is • reasonable thing that we also should trust God's word and take God's way. II. !Te RESULTS. 1. .A'IYr-aham'sfaith led him to unfaltering obedience. It was a strange and apparently a harsh command which God gave to him, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee" (Gen. xii, 1). But Abrl\ham did not hesitate. He knew whom he had believed. I\ was God, the living God, his hen.venly Father, who was speaking to him, and he felt he must obey. He knew that God would provide for him; he knew that <k'<l wouJ,d lcl\d him right, Bow mnny of us under similar circumstances would show such unhesi- tnting, unfaltering obedience to God's command? How many of us are willing to trust God to take co.re of ue when we are doing his will? Al118 I is it not true that we of\en hesitate to do hi~ will, just because we cannot trust him to take care of us, to bring us safely through the diffioulties and to crown our labours with success? But, the.n, .it must be admitted that th,ere is n real, practical difficulty l111re which sometimes pt>r- plexes QQd'u1eoplo. Somo one mn.y say," Well, l l\lll quite willing to do God's will, to follow tho pnth of duty, i.{ I coul~\ only tell what it w11s, Thero are so many cru;~:1 where I cnnnot eco my w111, .lf,l cioulu, ouly_.hoar God speokiug to wu ll1I ho di..d. LO  ll6 THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. [oa, nr, 1-lll,