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The promise, from the beginning, was made to faith

13-14 The ancient promise made to Abraham and his descendants, that they should eventually possess the world, was given not because of any achievements made through obedience to the Law, but because of the righteousness which had its root in faith. For if, after all, they who pin their faith to keeping the Law were to inherit God’s world, it would make nonsense of faith in God himself, and destroy the whole point of the promise.

15 For we have already noted that the Law can produce no promise, only the threat of wrath to come. And, indeed if there were no Law the question of sin would not arise.

16-17 The whole thing, then, is a matter of faith on man’s part and generosity on God’s. He gives the security of his own promise to all men who can be called “children of Abraham”, i.e. both those who have lived in faith by the Law, and those who have exhibited a faith like that of Abraham. To whichever group we belong, Abraham is in a real sense our father, as the scripture says: ‘I have made you a father of many nations’. This faith is valid because of the existence of God himself, who can make the dead live, and speak his Word to those who are yet unborn.

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14 For (A)if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because (B)the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be (C)according to grace, (D)so that the promise might be [a]sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, (E)who is the father of us all

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:16 certain