Romans 4:17-25
“What Is This Thing Called Faith?”

Introduction
1. While at Ball State U. a psychology professor described Christianity “an unintelligent, blind
leap of faith.”
2. Is it? Does this describe your Christianity?
3. What is this thing called ‘faith’?
4. Romans 4:17-25 Abraham is still used as the Old Testament illustration of ‘faith’:

What is this thing called ‘faith’?
I. THE OBJECT OF FAITH 4:17
A. A Worthy Object 17a
Before Him Whom Abraham believed God.
1. When it comes to faith ask this question: Is It A Worthy Object? Faith in a
partner who promised to stay but left. Faith in a son who said he was clean and
would never use again. Faith in a boss who promised a promotion, but did come
through.
2. Faith…Absolute Surrender to whom? This is for keeps. This is for eternity! God
was the object of Abraham’s faith. So is He our Object! Abraham is the father of
all who believe. The amount of faith has nothing to do with it. Let’s say you take a
plane from the E coast to the W. You are apprehensive: kick the tires, look at the
seams, check the tail and landing gear, etc. You have little faith, but the right object.
You land safely on the W. coast. It is possible to have a ‘Big Faith’, but the wrong
object. It is not a question as to how little or big is our faith. It is a question of
how BIG is our God! What kind of God is He? On what are you resting your
weight to get you to heaven?
B. A Worthwhile Object 17b
Let’s talk about this God on whom our faith is fixed. Two things about this God
showing He’s a worthwhile Object…He is BIG!
1.He is a God who gives life to the dead. We don’t know that Abraham ever saw anyone brought to life. He is about to kill his son. If need be God would revive him! We know this is so: He raised the widow’s son…Jairus’ daughter…Lazarus.
He is a God who makes things live. He is the God who brings life again to things that were once alive. God can bring life to the dead and hopeless!
2.God who ‘calls things that are not as though they were.’ Look at the stars. (Genesis 15:5) He calls into existence things that did not exist. Look at Genesis 1 And God said…And it was so. This is the kind of God who had Abraham. The object of his faith was capable of doing what He said!

What is this thing called ‘faith’?
II. THE OBSTACLES TO FAITH 4:18-19
Abraham faced two obstacles:
A. Helpless 18
1. Hopeless Circumstances Against all hope Abraham believed…yet he did not
stagger through unbelief regarding the promise of God. It was all too to be true!
*Paul tells us there were to hopeless circumstances: Abraham’s body and Sarah’s
womb. Abraham was 100 and sexually dead, and Sarah’ womb was dead at 90.
*The promise of God hung on the fact that there must be a son born to Sarah and
Abraham. They had been trying for years and still no baby.
*Faith is based on divine revelation. God had told Abraham. Our faith is often
presumption (wanting something so badly we convince ourselves it is so): We have
‘faith’ that a mate will come back. We just know that someone will not die. We
believe a new job is just around the corner. ‘Faith’ is often nothing more than
wishful thinking.
2.Staggering Possibilities 20
*This is too good to be true. God would make him an heir of all the world and give him a standing before God that e did not deserve was too good to be true!
*That which stops us from coming to Christ: Hopeless Circumstances You don’t know my circumstances. I am too bad to save. and Staggering Possibilities…It can’t be that simple. It’s too good to be true. Jesus Christ will change your life!
B. Hopeful 19
1. Abraham faced the facts. Without weakening his faith, he faced the facts, there
was no change at all!
2. Abraham believed in hope (confidence) v. 20 but was strong in faith giving glory to
God. He rested on the Word of God which is Absolute Truth!
3.How? He had a God who raises the dead! Sarah’s barren womb…he remembered he had a God who calls into existence things that do not exist. It is unbelievable that all nations would be blessed through him. Once he fixed his focus on God and what God could do…he believed! His faith was made strong. (v. 20)

What is this thing called ‘faith’?
III. THE OBJECTIVES OF FAITH 4:20-22
Exercise your faith and it will grow…God receives all the glory!
A. Faith Grows 20a
1. Faith grows as you obey and act upon it!
2. As with Abraham your faith will grow…Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the
Word of God.
B. Faith Glorifies 20b
1. Faith never glorifies man.
2. It is God who acts. It is God who comes through. It is God who does it through
us, by us on behalf of His Word.
C. Faith Grounds 21
1. Faith grounds us on the truth and promises.
2. Persuaded…Promised…Performed God can, will and must do it…that’s
performance. What God promises He must perform.
D. Faith Grasps 22
1. Righteousness is put to his account.
2. Bank on God. God will come through!


What is this thing called ‘faith’?
IV. THE OBSERVATION FROM FAITH 4:23-25
What we learn isn’t just for Abraham...it is for you and me!
A. For the Same Purpose 23-24a
But for us also
1.God’s method of putting righteousness to Abraham’s account is God’s method of
saving us.
2.This method is believing God…taking God at His Word…Acting upon it and
Ordering your life by it!
B. By the Same Process 24b
1. Abraham was faced with the impossibility of death being transformed into life…but
believed God!
2. We are faced with basically the same impossibility. You are dead in trespasses and
sin. That if thou shalt confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead you will be saved. (Rom 10:9) It is more than head knowledge. Satan believes that Jesus died and rose from the grave.
Surrender your life absolutely and order your whole life by that commitment!
C. On the Same Principle 25
1. Our sin was put to His account.
2. Jesus became your substitute. He delivered. Jesus was delivered up by a holy God
to bear our sin with its guilt and the penalty.
3.Sin must be paid for! Raised for our justification. It shows that God accepted the
sacrifice. The debt has been paid!
4. Abraham looked to the cross by faith. We look back to the cross by faith.

Old Testament saints and New Testament saints were saved the same way: by faith!

IT’S NOT HOW BIG IS YOUR FAITH...HOW BIG IS GOD?