THE study in Romans last week showed that God's promises are in harmony with God's law; they do not in any sense set aside the law of God; on the contrary, the promises of God are rendered all the more sure because the righteousness of the law of God can not by any means be abolished.
The law of God requires a perfect, righteous character on the part of the individual, and this law can not be changed or abrogated; hence it was necessary for a plan of salvation to be devised that would enable the sinner to be brought into harmony with the law. This could be done only by giving to the sin-defiled individual, as a free gift, the life and righteousness of the Christ of God. The Lord bestows the great gift of righteousness upon all those who will accept it by faith. This was true in the case of Abraham, and he is set before us in the word of God as an illustration of what every other individual may have and become if he will only avail himself of the active power of the law of faith. But upon this point let us proceed to consider the following verses in the apostle's Roman letter:
"And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not thru unbelief, but waxed strong thru faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform. Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned unto him; but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on Him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification." Rom. 4: 19-25.
It was the Lord's plan that Abraham should have a son to whom he could personally teach the great principles of righteousness that had been committed to him. And this son in turn should teach them to his children and thus they would be handed down from generation to generation as a blessing to mankind. But Abraham was already "about a hundred years old," and his wife, Sarah, had passed the time of life when, according to the due course of nature, it is possible for women to bear children. But the Father in heaven had given the promise to Abraham that he should have a son, and, "looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not thru unbelief, but waxed strong thru faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform."
Here is the secret of power in a godly life. Abraham kept "looking unto the promise of God." He did not consider his own age, neither did he consider the fact that Sarah was an old woman who had been childless all her life. If he had considered those things he never could have believed the promise of God, neither could he have had the great benefits that come from believing. But you are ready to say that this is "blind faith without evidence." There is right where you are mistaken. The best evidence any one can have is the promise of God. If God has given His promise, that is unmistakable evidence that we can have the thing promised. We highly regard the promises of capable, honest men; but the promises of God are beyond all comparison with any of the promises that men may give. Even an honest man may sometimes be placed in a position that renders it impossible for him to carry out promises that he has made in all good faith and with no other intention than to carry them out to the letter. But with God this can never be the case. He can not make a promise that He can not and will not fulfil. Therefore His promises are the strongest evidence that a person can possibly have.
When Abraham was asked to present the evidence that he was to have a son, he said nothing about his age, but pointed to the promise of God. He was ever looking at the promise. That promise was his constant joy. That promise was an ever-present reality to him. It was his never-failing evidence that he was to have a son to whom he could commit the promises of God as the priceless heritage that they are.
When we learn to regard the promises of God themselves as the strongest evidence that can be given, then are we learning to stand on those promises. Then are we learning to waver not thru unbelief, but to wax strong thru faith. And as we learn this lesson the text assures us that this faith is "reckoned" to us for righteousness.
We should learn to look at the promises of God as the most tangible and substantial thing in all the universe. Says the Master, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away." Matt. 24: 35. And we have also this divine statement, "For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but9watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Isa. 55: 10, 11. God is able to accomplish everything that He has ever promised in His word. And not only is He able to accomplish all that He has said, but He is fully determined to do it. His word shall not return to Him void; it is divinely decreed that it shall accomplish the thing whereunto the Lord hath sent it.
The heavens may be in commotion; the earth may be shaking, but God's word stands solidly secure. This is a truth that we may all depend upon. And since it is such a soul-comforting, and soul-satisfying truth, why is it that so few avail themselves of the blessing of an abiding trust in the promises of our divine Father?
The wonderful promises that blessed and purified Abraham, together with the record of the wonderful work that was accomplished for him, were not given and kept intact till the present day merely for the sake of the patriarch who lived so many centuries ago. For the apostle says, "Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned unto him; but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on Him that raised our Lord from the dead." Rom. 4: 23, 24.
We have frequently referred to the scriptures showing that God is no respecter of persons. If we exercise faith in the promises as did Abraham, God will work for us now just as mightily as He worked for Abraham then. Every promise is for us to-day.