Please turn with me in your Bible this morning for our study to Romans chapter 4, Romans chapter 4, verse 16, and let's read this verse together. Romans 4, 16. Therefore, it is of faith, that is salvation, being justified before God is all of faith, that it might be by grace, sovereign grace, to this end, to this purpose, that the promise of God, that the promise might be sure to all the elect of God. Not only to that which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham. Salvation is certain and sure to all who believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now we find here in Romans chapter 4, in these concluding verses in chapter 4, we see a good description of God-given faith. How do I know that my faith is true saving faith, like that of Abraham, that faith that justifies before God? good description of God-given faith. God has so designed and designated faith as the only means to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our salvation, as our righteousness. Saving faith looks exclusively to the Lord Jesus Christ, and we know that this faith of God's elect, this faith of God is the gift of God. We read in Ephesians chapter 2, for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. So we see the importance of faith. It says Abraham believed God, it was counted to him for righteousness.

Now how do I know? Here's why I want to I asked this morning, and I want you to consider, how do I know my faith is true, saving faith like that of Abraham that justifies? Well, in the conclusion of Romans chapter 4, verse 17, down through verse 25, I believe God gives us a description of true, saving faith. True, saving faith, verse 17 we read, believes God. Abraham, as it is written, God said, I've made thee a father of many nations before him, before God, whom he believed, even God, who quickens the dead and calls those things that be not as though they were. Saving faith believes God. Without faith, it is impossible to believe God. Saving faith believes God as he's revealed in the word of God. Two things are given here in verse 17. This saving faith believes God who gives life to the dead. That is, he is the almighty God. You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sin. Our Lord Jesus Christ is described in John 17 as the sovereign Lord who gives life to as many as a father hath given him. So saving faith looks to not just a God, but the living true God. This is eternal life, that we might know thee, the only true God who gives life to dead sinners, who declares, it says in verse 17, declares the end from the beginning. Saving faith believes God as he's revealed in the word, who declares the end from the beginning. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning.

Now read on here. We're talking about and describing true saving faith. And asking ourselves this question this morning, is my faith that faith of God's elect, this true saving faith. Secondly, true saving faith's foundation is the word of God alone. Notice verse 17, this phrase in verse 18, rather, who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many nations. At this time when God made this promise to Abraham, he was fatherless. But he says, according to that which was spoken. His hope was based upon and his faith was based upon the word of God. According to that which was spoken. There is no hope apart from the true hope revealed in the word of God, the promise of God of salvation in Christ. We have a good hope through grace, says in 2 Thessalonians 2, 16. Now read on in verse 19, truth, saving, faith, looks beyond the difficulties. to the author of faith, our Lord Jesus Christ.

It says in verse 19 of Romans 4, again another description of truth-saving faith, and being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead. Truth-saving faith looks beyond the difficulties. Abraham considered not his own body dead. Naturally speaking, as far as conceiving and bearing children, giving children, Sarah and Abraham, Sarah was 90 years old. Abraham was 100 years old. When he was about 100 years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb.

True saving faith looks beyond the difficulties. He considered not his own situation, his own body. He reasoned not of his own personal difficulties. Abraham was 100 years old. Sarah was 90 years old. Reason and nature would say, well, it's impossible to have a child, but not with God. Saving faith looks to the promise, looks to God who promised and does not see the difficulties. With God, all things are possible. Impossibilities are for men. Nothing is impossible with God.

Something else we see in verse 20, Romans 4 verse 20, another description of true saving faith. Abraham staggered not at the promise of God to unbelief that was strong in faith giving glory to God. True saving faith glorifies God in salvation. True faith does not waver, does not stagger, does not doubt the promise or purpose of God. We have no reason not to believe God. We read in 2 Corinthians 1 20, all the promises of God are in him, yea, Yes and amen. The word of God declares that salvation is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Neither is there salvation in any other. No other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Acts 4.12.

True saving faith glorifies God, believes God, and finds no reason not to trust Christ for all of salvation. God has declared that salvation is in Christ. This salvation in Christ glorifies God in all of his attributes of holiness, justice, love, truth, and mercy. Galatians 6.14 declares, God forbid I should glory save in Jesus Christ crucified. True saving faith does not stagger at the promise of God. Through unbelief, but strong in faith, giving glory to God. Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ gives all the glory to God alone.

Furthermore, verse 21, another description of true saving faith, being fully persuaded that what God had promised, God was able to perform. True saving faith is fully persuaded and assured, totally confident, Fully and strongly convinced that God is able, that God is able to do all He promised. Of all that He has promised, there has not one promise of God failed. He is able to bring to pass all He promised. We read in Hebrews 7, 25, He's able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by Him. Saving faith, trust God who is able. Again, we read in Jude 1, 24, he's able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before the presence of God's glory with exceeding joy.

True saving faith is fully persuaded that God is able to save me for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake. Furthermore, we read in verse 22 another description of true saving faith, and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. True saving faith receives Christ, who is the Lord, our righteousness. Not because we have strong faith, but rather because we have right, true faith, the faith of God's elect, the faith that's a gift of God. We receive Christ who justifies us by God-given faith. God will bless and trust those who believe Christ. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. True saving faith receives Christ alone as the sole cause, reason, and ground in hope of our justification before God.

Again, we read another description in Romans chapter 4, verse 23, 24, and 25. True saving faith has but one object, one foundation, the promise of God, which is the Word of God. Now it says, look at verse 23 of Romans 4, now it was not written for his sake alone, This was all not written just to tell us about historical Abraham, that it was imputed to him. God holds forth Abraham as a pattern of justification, a pattern of how God saves sinners.

But this is written for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, that is, salvation reckoned and given. to us seeing that we do believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Old Testament believers and New Testament believers are all justified the same way by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that God will save sinners, Acts 15, 11.

It describes this one who is our Savior The Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. And faith looks to the risen, exalted Lord of glory. It says in verse 25, who was delivered, delivered for our offenses, delivered because of our sin. and was raised again because he justified us. True saving faith has but one object, one foundation, one ground. That is the Lord Jesus Christ who was delivered for us.

We know that Judas betrayed him and delivered him into the hands of the Pharisees, and the Pharisees sold him out to Pilate, and Pilate delivered him to be crucified. But, my friend, it was God who determined from all eternity, God, according to His determinate counsel and foreknowledge, He delivered him up. to be crucified. Our Lord said, no man takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own power.

True saving faith looks to this one who is delivered by the determinate counsel of God to die as a sinner's substitute to make satisfaction unto God. He was delivered for our offenses, our sins. Now, he had no sin of his own. He did no sin. He knew no sin. He was a sinless man. But there at Calvary, God made him to be sin for us, the just for the unjust, that we might be brought unto God justly. Only the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ could take away our sin. We're justified by his blood. by his sacrifice.

Now notice this, true saving faith looks to Christ alone, the one who was delivered by the determinate counsel of God, the one who was delivered for our sins, the sin of God's people. Christ died for the church, he saved his church from their sin, but my friend, he didn't stay there, he was raised again because he justified us. Raised again. because he justified us at Calvary, because Christ made full satisfaction for the sins of God's people for his church. When he by himself purged our sin, he sat down at the right hand of God, fully paid our debt, death has no claim on him nor on any believer. Sin demands death, the wages of sin is death, but righteousness being established demands life, his and all those for whom he died.

So then, true, saving faith looks to the glorious, victorious, living, risen Lord. Does this describe your faith? This is the faith of God's elect. Well, I pray the Lord will give you grace to see how important and how necessary God-given faith is. Let's look to the Lord Jesus Christ from Romans chapter 4.