“FULLY CONVINCED!”

Romans 4:16-25                                      (ESV)

“16 That is why it depends on FAITH, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring-not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,

17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"-in the presence of the GOD in WHOM he believed, WHO gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

18 In HOPE he believed against HOPE, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be."

19 He did not weaken IN FAITH when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.

20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of GOD, but he grew strong in his FAITH as he gave glory to GOD,

21 “FULLY CONVINCED” that GOD was able to do what HE had promised.

22 That is why HIS FAITH was "counted to him as righteousness."

23 But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone,

24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in HIM WHO raised from the dead JESUS our LORD,

25 WHO was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”

When someone mentions the name Abraham, they usually aren’t discussing the book of Romans in the Bible.  As a matter of fact, Genesis 15:6 says “And he (Abram) BELIEVED the LORD, and HE COUNTED IT TO him AS RIGHTEOUSNESS” is the verse that I believe Scripture points to as the transformation of mankind.  The Jews claim Abraham as their Father.  But so do the children of Ishmael.  The thing about Isaac is that he was the PROMISE OF GOD fulfilled, and Ishmael was the result of man (Abram & Sarai) trying to help GOD!  

Now my bloodlines cannot be traced to Isaac nor Ishmael (to the best of my knowledge), but the FAITH that Abraham was in the same GOD that I place my FAITH in.  Isaac was PROMISED to Abraham and Sarah, not Abraham and Hagar.  GOD had to supernaturally cause Sarah to become pregnant, because she was past her childbearing years!  True, Ishmael was born before Isaac, but just because Abraham listened to Sarai and tried to do what only GOD was able to accomplish.  But I do the same thing sometimes.  I try to help GOD pit by “making” things happen instead of waiting for GOD to orchestrate events.  In that way, I am tremendously similar to Abraham!

No matter what Isaac did that seemed “wrong”, the fact remains that Isaac was still CHOSEN.  He was CHOSEN before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:4), just like HE CHOSE me to be a follower of JESUS.  No matter what I do wrong and how much I miss the mark, I am still CHOSEN!  

Abraham understood that GOD was, and is, able to perform whatever HE said, and HE was “FULLY CONVINCED” that GOD would fulfill HIS PROMISE!  My FAITH is not in my abilities to follow the Ten Commandments, nor obey the Golden Rule!  However, the GOD I serve has me “FULLY CONVINCED” that HE will accomplish HIS PLAN, in spite of my weaknesses and failures.  It’s not about how closely I follow HIS PLAN, it’s about me being CHOSEN to live for HIM!!!