Yesterday we finished with the example of the faith of Abraham, which went beyond the experience of the senses. Abraham did not wait until he saw evidence being worked out in his physical experience before he would accept God’s statement as true. On the contrary, he accepted God’s statement as true first, and later his physical experience was brought into line with what God had declared.
In the next verse Paul tells us that Abraham, “contrary to hope, in hope believed” (Rom. 4:18).
This phrase “in hope believed” tells us that at this time Abraham had both faith and hope – hope concerning the future and faith in the present – and that his hope concerning the future was the outcome of his faith in the present.
“[Abraham] did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.” (Rom. 4:19)
Abraham refused to accept the testimony of his senses. The testimony of his senses undoubtedly told him that it was no longer possible for him and Sarah to have a child. But Abraham did not accept this testimony because it did not agree with what God had said. Abraham turned a deaf ear to the testimony of his senses; he refused to consider it.
“He [Abraham] did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief... being fully convinced that what He [God] had promised He was also able to perform.” (Rom 4:20-21)
This shows clearly the object upon which Abraham’s faith was focused: God’s promise. Thus, faith is based on the promises and statements of God’s Word and accepts the testimony of the senses only insofar as they agree with the statements of God’s Word.
A little earlier in Romans 4 Paul calls Abraham “the father of all those who believe” (v. 11), and in the next verse he speaks of those “who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had” (v. 12).
This shows that scriptural faith consists in acting like Abraham and in following the steps of his faith. In analysing the nature of Abraham’s faith, we have seen that there were three successive steps or stages.
- Abraham accepted God’s promise as being true from the moment it was uttered.
- Abraham refused to accept the testimony of his senses as long as it did not agree with the statement of God.
- Because Abraham held fast to what God had promised, his physical experience and the testimony of his senses were brought into line with the statement of God.
Thus, the thing which he had first accepted in naked faith, contrary to the testimony of his senses, became reality in his own physical experience, confirmed by the testimony of his senses.
Lord, thank You that You also help me not to consider what I see, just like Abraham, but to keep holding on to Your promises in faith, until I see it become reality in my experience. I praise Your name, because You are always greater Lord! Amen.
