Here's the first part of our
text this morning, Romans 4.13, for the promise that he, that
is Abraham, should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham
or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness
of faith. For if they which are of the
law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none
effect. Because the law worketh wrath,
for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it
is of faith that it might be by grace, to the end the promise
might be sure, to all the seed, not to that only which is of
the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who
is the father of us all. As it is written, I have made
thee a father of many nations before him who he believed, even
God, who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which
be not as though they were, who against hope believed in hope
that he might become the father of many nations. According to
that which was spoken, so shall it be. And being not weak in
faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was
about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. He staggered not at the promise
of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory
to God, and being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he
was also able to perform. Now, I want to add two more verses
to that, not turning there, but in Titus 1 and verse 2, we had
it last Lord's Day, in hope of eternal life, which God, that
cannot lie, promised before the world began. One more, in 1 John
chapter 2 and verse 25, and this is the promise that He has promised
us, even eternal life. Now, I promise her the infallible
promises of God. There is one thing that is made
clear in the scripture and it has a threefold aspect onto it. Number one, eternal life is by
or according to the promise of God. Eternal life was promised
by God. Number two, the one who promised
it is God. It was God who promised eternal
life. and that before the world began. And number three, as in 1 Corinthians
1 and verse 20, all the promises of God are in him, yea, and amen. That is, they are sure, they
are steadfast, they are immutable, they are irrevocable. When the promise of God has passed
from his mind, then it is irrevocable. And we might add an additional
thing, that the fulfillment of the promise of eternal life is
both in and through the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We'll say more about that later. Now this is one of those subjects
that we could spend all of our time this morning simply reading
the Scripture that deal with this subject of the promises
of God. Now, what is a promise? What
is the cause of the making of a promise? And why do even people,
why do even humans deal with one another so often by the making
or the establishing of a promise? Saying one to another, I promise
you this, I promise you that, I promise you so and so. So what is a promise? What does it mean to promise? What does it mean when either
God or a creature makes a promise? Now, the word in the New Testament
is used in two ways. It is used both as a noun and
also as a verb. And the most common noun we remember
from English class, I guess, that a noun is a person, a place,
or a thing. And a verb expresses action. It is also in the New Testament,
in the singular, and also in the plural. It is singular promise,
it is plural, the promises of God. Now, the point is, not only
is eternal life from God by a promise, but nearly every spiritual benefit
is in some way a promise blessing unto the elect of God. For example,
we read of the promise of the Spirit in Galatians chapter 3
and verse 14, and Acts chapter 1 and verse 4. Now, the promise
of the Spirit does not refer to a promise that the Spirit
had made, but rather the promised Spirit that God would send. Again, in Hebrews 9 and verse
15, the promise of eternal inheritance, that is, the inheritance which
had been promised. promised to Abraham in time and
promised in reality and substance under the elect of God. And then
Peter speaks of the promise of his coming, that there is a promise
that the Lord will come again. And there are many other like
examples to be found throughout the scripture. Now some say that
the Greek word for promise is really a legal term, a term that
one might find in law. as well as undertaking to give
or to do a certain thing that has been promised. Think of it
as a pledge, a divine assurance of good, an announcement of something
that is to follow. And let's restate one of our
opening premises, please, that eternal life is by promise. We see that in Titus chapter
1, Verse 1 and 2, in hope of eternal life, which God, that
cannot lie, promised before the world began. Now, this is very
clear that eternal life is so because it was promised by God. And it rests upon that promise
and the one who has promise. Then the question becomes, to
whom then was the promise made? The promise of eternal life. Did God promise Himself? Did He promise the elect directly? Who did not then actually exist,
nor were they then in the being? Did He promise it to the holy
angels who are constantly surrounding the throne of God, but who had
no need of a promise of eternal life? Even then, a promise was
made, an expression was declared by God, and that promise concerned
eternal life. So the question keeps coming
around again, and it deserves an answer. To whom was this promise
of eternal life made? Is Thomas Goodwin and others
who are of the same opinion right in saying, and I quote, to whom
can we understand this promise to be made so long ago except
unto Christ." And it stood in conjunction with the everlasting
covenant. Hand in hand go the covenant
of God and the promises of God, the purpose of God according
to election. This promise was a part of the
covenant struck with Christ, of which he is surety, mediator,
testator, priest, the elect having been chosen in Christ and given
unto Him by way of charge and also reward. And here's what
Goodwin wrote, quote, as we were then looked upon by God as being
in Him, to whom therefore for us the promise to give eternal
life as the fruit of His death and suffering, unquote, and that
Christ would die. and that Christ dying for them,
God would bestow eternal and everlasting life upon those that
Christ had died for. In other words, the promise was
made in Christ to Christ with regard unto the elect in their
behalf. Such text, I think, as the 2nd
Psalm and verse 8. Ask of me and I will give you
the heathen for your inheritance. Some commentators have noted
these words were spoken to the one that is addressed as, you
are my son. And to him that is the son, ask
of me and I will give you the heathen for your inheritance. There's that great text in Psalm
110 and verse 3 that regards the priesthood of Christ. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of thy power. Isaiah chapter 8 and verse 18. I and the children whom thou
hast given me. This is quoted in Hebrews chapter
2 and verse 13 in regard to Christ. Now, there is a swerve, or this
is rather, sort of a swerve off of the initial subject, but as
Owen wrote on that section in Hebrews, the second chapter,
the purpose of these things, he said, is to establish the
close union that exists between the elect and the one called
the captain of our salvation. Now, the word captain is the
same word that is translated author later on in the book of
Hebrews. chapter 12, and verse 2, the
author and finisher of our salvation. There in Rome, or Hebrews chapter
2, the many sons brought to glory. And in Hebrews chapter 2, verse
10 through 16, there is the union between the elect and Christ. And we notice how they are called. Number one, they are called sons. Sons they are by and through
Christ in verse 10. In verse 11, they are called
the sanctified. And the sanctified are one with
the sanctifier. Thirdly, in verse 11 and 12,
they are called brethren, the brethren of the Lord Jesus Christ. Fourthly, they are called children
in verse 13 and verse 14. Then again, fifthly, in that
particular place, verse 16, they are called the seed of Abraham. This is important when we study
in Hebrews chapter 2, and in order to bring them to glory,
that is, the sons, the sanctified, the brethren, the children, the
seed of Abraham, it was necessary that the Lord take a special
kinship unto them, that He must take of flesh and blood which
Hebrews 2 said that he did, he must be made like his brethren
in verse 17 of that great chapter. Now notice the expression, the
children which God has given me. Now that brings to mind,
maybe, John 17 and verse 6 where the Lord praying said, yours
they were father and you gave them unto me." Even if you take
these words to refer or to be restricted only to the Apostle,
yet does the truth stand. There are those that were given
unto Christ. They are elect. They were given
to Him in a special and a unique way, both by charge to save and
also to keep as a reward of the fruit of His suffering and of
His death. The travail of His soul, Isaiah
calls it in chapter 53. So the promise of eternal life
for the elect was made in and through Christ, and that before
the world ever began. Now, one of the great examples
of the infallible promises of our God is seen in his dealing
with Father Abraham. And this is given a very prominent
place in the New Testament. The promise made to Abraham of
a seed and of an offspring. Now, scriptures such as Romans
that we read, chapter 4, verse 13 through verse 21. You'll find it again in Galatians
chapter 3 verse 14 through 21. You see it again in Hebrews 6
and verse 13, Hebrews 7 and verse 6, Hebrews 11 and verse 17, and even in Acts
7 and verse 17. All of these refer to the promise
made unto Abraham and how it spiritually corresponds to the
elect of God. Now though the promise of God
unto Abraham was extensive, extensive was the promise, yet it's centered
in the promise of the son Isaac. This is the heart and the core
of the promise made unto Abraham, that he would have a son. That
he would have a son, not by adopting one from a servant, and not by
the handmaid Hagar, but by his own beloved and lawful wife Sarah,
a special seed he was to be, and in him would the seed of
Abraham be called." Romans 9, 17, Genesis 21 and verse 12. Fear not to cast out Ishmael,
for in Isaac shall thy seed be called." Now, God would make
of Abraham a great nation. Genesis 12 and verse 2. He would make him the father
of many nations. Genesis 17 and verse 4. His offspring, would be as the
stars of the heaven and the sands of the sea. Genesis chapter 22
and verse 17. What's more, Abraham's seed would
live in a strange land in bondage and be afflicted 400 years. Genesis
15 and verse 13. Then they would
be brought out by a mighty deliverance from the hand of God, Genesis
15 and verse 16. Now this is what Stephen refers
to in Acts chapter 7 and verse 17 when he said, as the time
of the promise drew near which God had sworn unto Abraham. Meaning, the promise of deliverance
out of a bondage in a strange land. And he tells how it came
to pass and how it was developed. Now the short of it, or the gist
of these things is that all that Abraham had in the way of spiritual
blessing, he had by promise. And let's understand, it was
not a promise, it was not a pledge that was gained by negotiation,
but by the free unfettered promise of God. Nor was it a matter of
law. None of this came to Abraham
by or through the law, for the promise preceded the giving of
the law. Abraham had the promise before
the law was ever given. Nor did the coming of the law
alter or disannul the promise that had been made unto Abraham,
Galatians 3 and verse 17. Nor was it in any way tied unto
the right of circumcision. Since Galatians 3 and verse 18,
God gave it to Abraham by promise. Hebrews 6, Verse 13, when God
made promise to Abraham. Then again, in Hebrews 7 and
verse 6, Abraham had the promises, the promises given from God. And in Romans 4 and 13, The promise
to Abraham was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law,
but by the righteousness of faith. Now concerning the promise, the
promise of eternal life, which was promised in and to Christ
before the world. Adam having sinned and fallen,
the promise began then and there to be published among men of
a coming Redeemer who would bruise the head of the serpent, what
one called an obscure glimmerings of Christ the Redeemer." And
though they were obscure, yet they were in reality the promise
of a mighty and a special coming one. Now, the first such promise
of a Redeemer, and perhaps the most obscure, was made soon after
the occasion of the fall in Genesis 3. And that is that a seed of
the woman would bruise the head of the serpent. He would have
to be superior to the mighty one that he overcomes and that
he destroyed. But probably the most imminent
type of Christ as far as the human types go in the Old Testament
was Isaac. This is perhaps the most imminent
type of our blessed Lord. And that owns several accounts
that we might remember. The first being the promise of
their coming. The way their coming was promised
long before it came to pass. And the second being the unique,
wonderful manner of their birth. For you see, Isaac was not born
after the power or the energy of the flesh. Isaac was not born
until the bodies of both Abraham and Sarah were procreatively
dead. When they were procreatively
dead, then the promise came to fruition. How could this be? said Sarah, how in the world
can such a thing be? And the Christ was born of a
woman that was a virgin who had not known man. And she asked
also, how can these things be? Luke 1.34. Now there are other
typical likenesses between Isaac and Christ. Some of them are,
each of them was put to death by or at the hand of their father. Isaac carried the wood that would
stoke the fire. of the altar. Christ went forth
bearing the cross upon which he would be crucified, John 19
and 17. Isaac was taken there by Abraham,
his father, and was bound to the altar. And our blessed Lord
was nailed and fastened unto the cross. Abraham spared not
Isaac, his beloved son, and God did not spare his own son. Romans 8 and verse 32. But He delivered him up, and
that for us all. You have something wonderful
in Hebrews chapter 11, Verse 17 through verse 19, where there
the apostle, the author, makes Isaac to be a type of the death
and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In that, he was
delivered up. In a figure, of course, for Isaac
did not actually die on that altar, but He was raised up from
the dead in a figure, as the Hebrew author tells us. And there is not only the sentiment
and the feeling of Abraham, but a two-fold type of our blessed
Savior. A. Isaac was Abraham's, listen
to this, only begotten. Hebrews 11 and verse 17. We see the typology of that. Genesis 22, 22 calls him, Thine
only Isaac whom you love. Thine only Isaac whom you greatly
love. Genesis 22 and 12, thy son, thine
only, is how God expresses the relation of Isaac unto Abraham. Now all of this shows the uniqueness
of Isaac to Abraham and how dear was that son unto his father."
But then, B, we also notice that Isaac was the one in whom Abraham's
seed was to be called. Not Ishmael, but Isaac. Ishmael is cast out, but Isaac
is the one in whom the promise stand and in whom the seed would
be called. He was a son of the flesh. Ishmael
was a son of the flesh only. While Isaac was, we find in the
scripture, offered up. Ishmael was cast out of the family. Even though Isaac is a son of
promise, even though in him the seed of Abraham is to be called,
yet was he offered up." Hebrews 11, 17 and 18 puts upon it saying,
he, that is Abraham, that had received the promises, offered
up Isaac, his only begotten son, of whom it was said, In him shall
your seed be called. While it has no effect upon the
promise when or that Ishmael was cast out, was it otherwise
with Isaac the promised son? For the promise stands in him. The center of God's dealing with
Abraham stood in him. In him would the seed be called.
If he be cut off, will the promise be at an end and will the promise
be lost? Has the promise failed if Isaac
is bound upon an altar? Does it mean that the Word of
God has come to nothing that Abraham is demanded or commanded
to offer up Isaac. Will it be that Abraham have
no spiritual seed because God has commanded him to be offered
up? Now, it is amazing when we come
to the New Testament what faith scripture ascribes unto Abraham. especially in the offering up
of Isaac. He carried Isaac to that mount
exactly as God had commanded. He made an altar. He bound Isaac
upon that altar. He put the wood about the altar
for a fire and even raised the knife in his hand to smite Isaac. Now with this attitude, based
upon the promise, accounting, reasoning, reckoning, based upon
that promise, God is able to raise him up even from the dead. And not only raise him up from
the dead, but to accomplish all things contained in the promise
made unto him. Indeed, as God did according
to His promise. And here we transition now to
the matter of Christ and the promise of eternal life in and
through him, of which things Abraham and Isaac were but typical. They were typical of the father
authoring up his beloved son. and then raising him again from
the dead. That is the promise of an Abrahamic
seed rested in Isaac. who is yet commanded to be put
to death. Even so, the promise of everlasting
life stood in Christ, who was not only the seed of the woman,
Genesis 3 and 15, but also the seed of Abraham, Galatians 3,
16, Hebrews 2 and verse 16. Now, as we see how one is typical
of the other, in Romans 9 and verse 8, the children of the
flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of promise. are counted, or regarded, or
reckoned as the seed. That is, the children, or the
offspring of Abraham, are not all of his fleshly descendants,
but the promised one. Now, at the end of his great
allegory, in Galatians chapter 4, Paul says, Now we, brethren,
as Isaac was, are the children of promise. Listen to that. We, brethren, as Isaac was, are
the children of promise. In Galatians chapter 4, verse
31, So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman
Hagar, but of the free Sarah, which is typical of heaven above,
which is the mother of us all. These things are especially designed
for the instruction of the Jews in that particular day. Now the
promise of eternal life in Christ Jesus had a typical significance
in the promise unto Abraham. And as the old Puritan Thomas
Goodwin put it, the promise to Abraham and the salvation of
God's elect, quote, are transcripts of God's everlasting decree concerning
man's salvation, end quote. So that the promise of everlasting
life through Christ cannot be divorced from the election of
grace. The promise pertains only to
the elect, as the promise to Abraham pertained only to Isaac. The promises of eternal life
are what gives wings to election, that not only has He elected,
but has promised through Christ everlasting life. Because having pitched upon them
in election, His promise therefore stands immutably engaged to make
it good, as the promise is given to the elect in and through Christ. Paul says again, in 1 Corinthians
1 and verse 20. For all the promises of God in
Him are yea, and in Him, amen, unto the glory of God by us. Now, this verse does not stand
alone as seen by the word far at the beginning of the opening
of the verse. Paul saying to them that his
preaching was not yes and no, in verse 17 and 18, as some of
them have said, and that verse 19, their preaching of Christ
was not yes and no, no way, but in him was yes and amen, or yes
and yes. The reason is in verse 20. All
the promises of God are yea and amen. Some see it in the plural,
the many promises of God are in Him, yes and yes. So let's go back and grab those
words found in Galatians chapter 3, and verse 18, that God gave
it to Abraham by promise. Not through the law was the covenant
with him. It did not stand upon law in
any degree, but upon the promise of God, which means that it was
a matter of absolute free grace. That it was by promise means
that it was by grace. Not in any way was the promise
to Abraham contingent upon the law or even circumcision. For before either of them, Abraham
had received the promise from God, which means that the inheritance
is not, cannot be conveyed through law, for it was by promise. that it was given unto Abraham. So we repeat that God's election,
God's purpose, God's covenant, decrees and such like are sealed
with the immutable promise of God or the substance of the promises
or God's assurance that the good that He has purposed and decreed
will be bestowed at His good time. Or as a Puritan put it,
the promise of salvation, quote, are transcripts of God's everlasting
decree concerning salvation, God's counsels put into words,
unquote. The promises of God attached
to the purpose and the covenant. Now, we must be convinced as
was Abraham, Romans 4.21, that what God had promised, He was
able to perform. That God had not promised beyond
his ability or beyond his will and desire. Sometimes, you know,
we promise beyond our ability to perform such a thing. So we
better be careful. Parents, we've all learned this.
Be very careful what we promise unto our kids, because they will
bind you to it the rest of their life. And if something's changed,
they will squeal and holler, but you promised, you promised,
you promised. So, upon that promise, rest much. The realization of God's promises
to His people, to the elect, run upon two sure rails. One, the promises of God stand,
rather any promise, stands upon the honesty of the one promising. The one promising must be honest. For a promise is only as good
as the integrity of the one that makes the promise. There are
some who promise anything and they lie and they know they are
lying just to kick the can down the road, but they will promise
the moon to get out of a sticky situation. But in the case of
the promises of God, Hebrews 10 and 23, He is faithful that
promised. And by the way, this is appended
to an exhortation. It says there, let us hold fast
or unswervingly to our profession on the ground. He is faithful
that has promised. Because of that, the promise
of God, as the Puritan John Owen wrote, quote, are suited to encourage
all believers to persevere in the faith and to encourage them
to do so." As after Abraham patiently endured, my year after year went
by and the promise was not brought to pass or to fruition in the
life of Abraham, but he patiently endured He patiently persevered
before the Lord, and when or after he had done so for some
time. How he patiently endured. First there came the command,
cast out Ishmael. Then there came the command,
offer up Isaac. And then their bodies became
procreatively dead, as we said. But in God's time, Hebrews 6
and 15, he endured and he received the promise. Another example
of that is after many years in the wilderness, after journeying
and hunger and tribulation and trial and their enemy, But after
years of wandering about in the wilderness, Israel received,
or should I say obtained, the promise of Canaan. It was a long
time, but God's promises came to fruition. After centuries
of the promise, of a Messiah to be sent into the world did
not come in this century, or that, or the other, or the following. But after years or centuries
of promised Messiah, then Messiah appeared in the world. Even so,
God's promise will abide unto eternal life. Now, the second
rail that it runs upon, not only honesty and the integrity of
the promisor, but secondly, the sovereignty of his purpose and
the power of his will. All of these others are past
examples of God bringing His promises unto fruition. He promised that Abraham would
have a son, and all that was necessary to that end was done
or performed by God. All that required was done. He promised that Israel would
stand in the land of Canaan, And they did. He promised a Deliverer
that was to come. He has promised eternal life
to the elect of God. He is powerful enough to bring
it all to pass. to put away their sin, to raise
Christ again out of the dead and out from the grave, to quicken
the elect by His sovereign Spirit, to put His fear into their heart
that they might persevere, to make them willing in the day
of His power, and to preserve them for a heavenly kingdom and
coming glory. So let us say, the promise of
eternal life abides in and is made sure in Jesus Christ. Not in ourself alone, but in
Jesus Christ. In Him was the promise made.
To Him was the promise made. In Him the promise and the inheritance
passes upon the heir, so that the hope of the Christian is
sustained by the promise of God. Let us hold fast, says the Hebrew
author, for he is faithful that has promise. The great promise
is eternal life. Then the subsequent promises
that serve and bring that one to fruition. God has promised
never to leave us. and never to forsake us. Though
we might find that we think ourselves in the wilderness without purpose
and lost as it were, yet God's promise stands immutable and
sure. He is faithful that has promise. Thank God for that.