Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Nibert. We are located at 4137 Todd's
Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are
at 10.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at
9.45 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services.
For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com. Now here's our pastor, Todd Nibert. I have entitled this message,
The Faith of Abraham. I'm going to be speaking from
Romans chapter four, and it would be helpful if you can get a Bible
and follow along with me because I'm going to look at this entire
chapter. That's a lot of ground to cover in this short time,
but I am going to try to do it. Abraham's faith, the faith of
Abraham. Now, Listen to this statement
carefully. I'm not saved by my faith. I'm saved by Christ. I'm saved
by grace. I believe that. I'm not saved
by my faith, but I am not saved without faith. By grace are you
saved through faith. Now, what is faith? Well, whatever faith is, it's
what Abraham believed. Abraham is called the father
of the faithful. In verse 16 of Romans chapter
4, Abraham is called the father of us all. Now, who is Paul referring
to when he's referring to all? He's not talking about all men
with that exception, but he is talking about all who believe.
all of the elect, all of those Christ died for, Abraham is the
father of us all. And he's not talking about being
our physical ancestor, he's talking about being our spiritual father. Believers are said to be the
seed of Abraham, and every believer is a spiritual son of Abraham,
they possess the same faith Abraham had. Now in verse 19 of chapter
4, Paul says, being not weak in faith, speaking of Abraham,
being not weak in faith. We read in verse 20, he was strong,
in faith. Now, this is very important.
When you think of weak faith and you think of strong faith,
you think of those words as being an adjective describing faith. Well, there's a faith that's
weak, and then there's a faith that's strong. Do you know those
words are not adjectives? They're verbs. Abraham being
not weakened in faith, Abraham was strengthened in faith. Abraham was enabled in faith. And if you and I are going to
possess the same faith Abraham had, we're going to have to be
enabled by the same grace that enabled Abraham to have this
faith that he has. Now, faith is the gift of God.
God doesn't give weak faith. God gives faith. Now, we through
our unbelief can affect the way we feel, but the word weak is
never used as an adjective to describe faith. And I hope that
becomes very understandable by the time this message has ended. Now, Romans chapter 3 is probably
a passage that I would select if I was called upon to preach
the gospel to somebody who was dying. I'd want to take them
to Romans chapter 3, because I think the gospel of God's grace
is so clearly set forth in this passage of scripture. This tells
how God can be just, absolutely just, and yet justify people
who are unjust, who are ungodly. He says in Romans chapter 3 verse
23, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That describes me, that describes
you. There's not much difference between
men. Well, he's a righteous man. He's
not so righteous. No, they're both sinners. One
may look a little better than the other, but God looks on the
heart. There is none righteous. No, not one. There is no difference. All have sinned and come short
of the glory of God being justified. And this is talking about that
one who sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified. freely by His grace. Now God's grace can take somebody
who is utterly wicked with nothing to bring to the table before
God and cause them to be absolutely just before God without sin,
sinless, standing before God without guilt. Does that sound
attractive to you? Let's go on reading. Being justified
freely. That means there's nothing you
do to earn this. It's his free gift. Being justified
freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus. You see, when Christ Jesus died
on Calvary Street, he redeemed. He didn't make redemption possible.
He redeemed. Now here's what happened as a
result of his redeeming work, whom God, verse 25, has set forth. to be a propitiation. Now, that
is not a word that's used quite a bit, but it's a very simple
word, a sin-removing sacrifice. You see, when Christ died, he
removed the sins of those he died for. He made them not to
be. whom God has set forth or foreordained
to be a propitiation, a sin-removing sacrifice through faith in His
blood. Now, it wasn't the faith that
made the sin go away. It was the blood of Christ. Faith
believes that. Through faith in His blood to
declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are
passed through the forbearance of God to declare, I say at this
time, His righteousness, not just His mercy, not just His
love, not just His forgiveness, but His righteousness, that He
might be just. and justifier of him that believeth
in Jesus." Now, my dear friends, that's how a sinner is saved.
It's wholly what God does for them. He puts their sin away. He gives them His righteousness.
He declares them just before Him. And if God declares you
to be just, that means you are absolutely just before Him. Now Paul had set forth this so
clearly, he says in verse 28, therefore we conclude that a
man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. That was Paul's conclusion. Now,
what does that mean? Paul is going to tell us in Romans
chapter 4. Now, he says in verse 1, what
shall we say then that Abraham our father is pertaining to the
flesh hath found? We're talking about justification
by faith. Where does Abraham fit in? Well,
he goes on to say, if Abraham were justified by works, he hath
whereof to glory. If God saved him because of something
he did, right down to an act of his free will, if that's what
made the difference, he would have something he could glory
in and take credit for. But Paul tells us, but not before
God. For what saith the Scripture, and this is the only appeal,
what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it
was counted to him for righteousness. Now that's referring to what
took place in Genesis chapter 15 when God said, can you count
the stars? Abraham said, no. He said, so
shall thy seed be. Abraham, as yet, had no children. But he didn't have any evidence
that that would take place other than the word of God. God said,
so shall thy seed be, and he believed God. He believed God
who cannot lie. Now, verse four, to him that
worketh. You think salvation is dependent
upon you in some way, something you must do. To him that worketh
is the reward, heavenly glory, not reckoned of grace, but of
debt. If you're saved in any way by
something you do, if something you do contributes to your salvation,
that means God is your debtor. And my dear friend, that shall
never be. But, verse five, to him that
worketh not, You know, as far as you are, there's no way you
can be saved by your works. You really believe that all you
are is sin in and of yourself. Even your best works before God
are filthy rags. That's what the scripture says.
Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. You see, you've seen who
God is. And because of seeing who he is, you see who you are. You know you can't be saved by
your works. To him that worketh not, but believeth. on Him that justifieth the ungodly."
Now here's what you believe. You believe that what Christ
did enabled God to actually justify and clear of all guilt ungodly
sinners so they stand before God without guilt, perfectly
righteous in his sight. Now that man who works not but
believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted
for righteousness. Now, look in verse 9 of this
same chapter. Paul asks this question, cometh
this blessedness, this blessedness of being justified, this blessedness
of having the righteousness of Christ as your personal righteousness
before God and your sin blotted out, cometh this blessedness
then upon the circumcision only or upon the uncircumcision also?
For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness,
how was it then reckoned? When he was in circumcision or
in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. God revealed himself to Genesis,
to Abraham in Genesis chapter 12. He was an uncircumcised man,
and he was not circumcised until Genesis chapter 17. All circumcision
is was a sign. It didn't really do anything
for Abraham. It didn't add to his salvation.
It didn't do anything for his salvation. It was just a sign. And he received, verse 11, the
sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith,
which he had, yet being uncircumcised." Nothing changed when he was physically
circumcised. When he was uncircumcised, he
believed the gospel. That he might be the father of
all them that believe, though they be not circumcised. That
righteousness might be imputed unto them also. And the father
of circumcision, to them which were not of the circumcision
only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father
Abraham, which he had yet being yet uncircumcised." Now, if you
and I have faith, we have the same faith Abraham had. We have the same faith Abel had. We had the same faith Moses had,
and Noah had, and Jacob and Isaac had, and all of the Old Testament
saints were saved the same way through faith in Christ. Abel,
when he came into God's presence with that blood of the sacrifice
of the Lamb, he knew it wasn't the Lamb's blood that saved him
as far as that physical Lamb, but what that Lamb pointed to,
the promised coming Messiah. Everyone who is saved is saved
the same way and believe the same thing. Now verse 13, for
the promise that he should be heir of the world, and that's
the promise, joint heirs with Christ, heir of the world, was
not to Abraham or to his seed, that's all who believe, through
the law. It was not dependent upon their
obedience to some law. It was not dependent upon some
action of theirs that caused God to respond to them. Not at
all. But through the righteousness
of faith. You see, the only righteousness
a believer has comes through faith. Not through works of personal
obedience, through faith. For if they which are of the
law be heirs, If I'm an heir because of some act of obedience
on my part, faith is made void. Throw faith out the window. It's
useless. And the promise made of none
effect. God might have promised something, but it was meaningless
if salvation is according to the law. I'm not saved because
of an act of my obedience. I'm saved because of the promise
of God. He promised salvation to everyone
His Son died for, to everyone who looks to His Son only. Faith is to look to Christ only. Verse 15, because the law worketh
wrath. That's all the law ever does.
It works wrath. It produces resentment. The strength
of sin is the law. You know, no one has ever been
made to love God through the law. It hadn't happened. For
where no law is, there's no transgression. Therefore it, righteousness,
a perfect standing before God, justification, is a faith, Not
by works, but faith. Those two things are contrary
to each other. They're opposed to each other.
Not by works, but faith. And here's why, that it might
be by grace. The only way salvation is by
grace is if it comes through faith and not of works. To the
end, for this purpose, that the promise might be sure, absolutely
sure, to all the seed. Not to that only which is of
the law, Jews, but to that also which is of the faith of our
father Abraham, who is the father of us all, every believer, as
it's written. I love the way Paul always refers
to as it's written. as it's written. What I'm teaching
is not something new or novel, Paul says. It's what's always
been taught in the Old Testament Scriptures. The Old Testament
Scriptures are just as inspired as the New Testament Scriptures
are. And if you don't have the Old Testament, you don't have
the New Testament. Thank God for the whole Bible. As it's
written, this is God speaking, I have made thee. Now, salvation
is what God does. It's not a cooperative effort
between God and men. I have made thee. Not I've offered
thee. I have made thee a father of
many nations. Now, when God said that to Abraham,
Abraham had not yet had Isaac. And yet God said, I've made thee
a father of many nations. He said it's accomplished before
it happened. You see, God's will. is so supreme
that when he wills it, it is in the past tense before it takes
place. Hebrews 4.3 says, all the works
were finished from the foundation of the world. God is eternal,
and everything he does is eternal. Known unto God are all his works
from the beginning. Now look what it says next. It
says, before him whom he believed, even God who quickens the dead,
and calleth those things which be not, as though they were."
Now here is the God that Abraham believed, the God who gives life
to the dead. That was seen in raising his
son from the dead. That's seen when he gives dead
sinners spiritual life in the new birth. It'll be seen that
that final resurrection, only God can give life to the dead. Man can't do that, but God can. That which is impossible with
men is possible with God. And He calls those things which
be not, as though they were. Now, I'm not holy in and of myself.
God says regarding me, He's holy. You know what? I'm holy. I'm
not just in and of myself, I'm unjust. But God calls me just. And you know what? What God says
is so. I am just. He calls those things that be
not as though they were. And the reason he does that is
because that's how it is. You see, when Christ put away
my sin, I have no sin. I'm holy before God. I am perfectly
righteous before God. This is not just changing ledger
sheets. I am because of the work of Christ in my behalf. Now he
goes on to speak of Abraham 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, here's what this means when it says, he against
hope believed in hope. When there was no hope, he had
full hope. How is that? And being not weakened
in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, nor when he
was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's
womb. Here's why he was not weakened
in faith. He didn't consider himself. Now, he was 100 years
old. He didn't consider Sarah. She
had already gone through the act of menopause, and it was
impossible for them to have children. He did not look within. Now, if you or I look within
to look for some evidence of spiritual life, we're looking
in the wrong place, and that is contrary to faith. Faith looks
to Christ. It looks to His glorious promise.
It looks to His achievements. It doesn't look within. If you
look within, if you find something that makes you think you're saved,
you've been deceived. Do not look within." Abraham didn't. He considered not his own body,
now dead when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness
of Sarah's womb. He staggered not at the promise
of God. You're going to be the father
of many nations. He staggered not at the promise
of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith. Now, that
word strong is a verb. And it's in the passive tense.
It means Abraham was acted on. The reason he wasn't weakened
in faith is because he was strengthened in faith. And God was the one
who did this to him. He was divinely enabled in faith. God did this for him. Being strong,
being strengthened in faith, he gave glory to God, being fully
persuaded. And the reason he was fully persuaded
is God persuaded him. Being fully persuaded that what
God had promised, he was able also to perform. Now, here's
what faith is. Faith is believing his ability. It's that simple. Now I'm not
asking you if you're a Christian. I'm not asking you if you're
saved. I'm not asking you if you've been born again. I'm not
asking you if you can look within and find evidences that make
you think God has done something for you. I'm asking you this. Are you like Abraham who believed
God was able to do whatever he said he would do? Here's how
it reads. He was fully persuaded that what
he had promised, he was able also to perform. Paul put it
this way in 2 Timothy 1.12, I know whom I have believed. And I am
persuaded that He is able. There's where faith is. I'm persuaded
that He is able to keep that which I've committed to Him against
that day. Now that word commit is only
found in 2 Timothy 1.12 and it's the word deposit. Like when you
go to the bank to deposit money. Now I realize in our day, my
daughter does this. She deposits checks through her
phone. And I'm sure it's because of
my backwardness or ignorance, but I just won't do that. I've
got to go in the bank. I've got to make sure they have
the money. I can't rest by doing it over the phone when I'm not
in the bank, I'm afraid. to get lost in cyberspace. I
know that's silly, but I'm just backwards in those kind of things.
I've got to go in the bank. And now once I've deposited that
money, my hands are off in the sense it's up to the bank to
take care of it. Not me. It's the bank's responsibility. Now, Paul is saying this, I know
whom I have believed, and I'm persuaded he's able to keep that
which I've committed to him, deposited to him. Now listen
to me. If Christ didn't do it all, I
won't be saved. I am relying completely on His
ability to save me without my works. I'm persuaded that He
is able to keep that which I've committed to Him against that
day. Jude put it this way in Jude
24, now unto him that is able, there's the emphasis, his ability,
now unto him that's able to keep you from falling. The only way
you and I will not fall is him keeping us from falling. But let's go on reading, and
to present you faultless. faultless before His presence
with exceeding joy. Do you believe that He is able
to present you faultless, perfectly conformed to the image of Christ,
having never sinned? You say, well, if I have sinned,
how can He present me before God, having never sinned? because
he is able to put that sin away, give you his perfect righteousness,
and you now have a new history. He said, behold, I make all things
new. Verse 22 says, and therefore
it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his
sake alone that it was imputed to him. This wasn't just for
Abraham, but for us also. for us also, to whom it shall
be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our
Lord from the dead." And we know why he did it. Here's why he
died. He was delivered for our offenses.
My sin and my iniquity became his. That's why God killed him. God wasn't killing the innocent
when Christ was dying on the cross. He was killing the guilty.
Christ became guilty of the commission of my sin. He bore them in his
own body on the tree. But he did something that no
man can ever do. He satisfied the justice of God. He put those sins away. They are gone. He was delivered
for our offenses and raised again for our justification. When Christ
was raised from the dead, every believer was justified before
God. Now, we have this message on
DVD and CD. If you call the church, if you
write or email or get it off our website, we will send you
this message. This is Todd Nyberg praying that
God will be pleased to make himself known to you. That's our prayer.
Amen. To receive a copy of the sermon you have just heard, send
a request to todd.nyberg at gmail.com. Or you may write or call the
church at the information provided on the screen. Mm.