The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 123

Vere. 9-22.-.AZZ things are of faith. The position is now est.ablished that righteousness is through faith. But, they might say, through the faith of a circumcised man; and the promise of the inheritance was through the Law; and surely the posterity of Abraham came according to the flesh. He e.nswers-Righteol18lless, heritage, posterity, by faith a.lone. I. RIGHTEOUSNESS. 1. The righteousness of faith wit!wu,t circwrncisim,,. In Gen. xv. we have the record of Abraham's justification; the institution of circumcision is narrated in Gen. xvii., fourteen years after. Abraham, therefore, wa.s justified "in bis Gentile• hood" (see Godet). Therefore, he is the father of Gentile believers; and in so far a.s he is the father of Jewish believers, it is because they are believers, not because they are Jews. 2. Circumcision a seal of the rightwus'MJJIJ of faith. God strengthens man's faith by visible signs and seals of the faith and of its results. So to Abraham circumcision was an abiding pledge that God accepted his faith for righteousness. And likewise the existence of a separated nation wa.s a testimony to the world. But it was the faith alone that wa.s effectual ; circumcision did but attest. II. HEmTAGE. The whole world is promised to the heirs of Abraham as a heritage ; this of itself might suffice to show that the heirs are not merely descendants accord• ing to the flesh. But the condition of such inheritance shall show the meaning. 1. If the heritage were through Law, then faith and the promise fail. (1) "Faith is me.de void;" for it cannot grasp an impossibility, nor can it rightly lay hold of that which must be worked for. (2) 11 And the promise is made of none effect ; " for an unfulfilled Law works God's wrath towards man, which is in utter contrariety to the fulfilment of a promise of love. 2. Therefore the heritage is of faith, that it may be according to grace, etc. (1) Faith the sole condition of promise, that while God's grace gives freely, me.n may freely receive. (2) Faith the sole characteristic of the heirs of the promise, that so the seed may be, not merely that which is of the Law (even combined with faith), but that which is of faith (apart from Law), comprising both Jews and Gentiles who are the spiritual children of the great believer. III. PosTERrrY. But it might be objected that an Israel according to the flesh wa.s necessary, in order that the spiritual Israel might be at last accomplished. Truly. But, to cut away the last ground of boasting, even the Israel according to the flesh was the gift of God through faith. 1. The obstacles to su.chfaith. 11 His own body," etc. And this all full in view: "he considered." 2. The waTTant of faith. While viewing the obstacles, he staggered not. (1) God's promise. "A father of many nations;" "So shall thy seed be." (2) God's power. "Able to perform;" 11 quickeneth the dead," etc. " Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness." As before, it was virtually the faith of his spiritue.l salvation; yes, the very faith which laid hold of the promise of posterity-a posterity that they deemed according to the flesh. Let us learn that by faith we may be righteous, by faith we may possess the earth, by faith we may impress for good the generations following. What an heirship is possible through the faith of one believer 1-T. F. L. Vere. 23-25.-0ur faith and rigliteousness. Abrnhrun's faith was virtually faith in the saving love of God; the special manifestation of that love to him was the rai:;ing up of e. holy seed. Onr faith is a faith in the ultimate Seed of Abraham which b~ been raised up as the supreme Manifest,\tion of God's love. I. Oun FAITH. Our faith and Abraham's are one in this-that they lay hold upon God, and God at work for us. 1. The one supreme Object of our faith. God I What- ever God may say to us, whatever he may do for us, the essential Object of our faith is himself. Yes, hims'llf in all his saving love. And though in succe:;sive ages be way ho.ve revealed moro and more of his purposes as men were able to bear it, yet ho himsd{ has been ever the earno, the Object of man's trust. And though now his purposes and past actions may be variously conceived by men, and though indeed they may be wure or lee■ misconceived, yet If he himself, as the Good One, tho saving God, be trusieo,  TllE EltIS':rL~ O'r J>AUL 'ro THi ·nbMA:NS. [tltt. tY. t.:..M,