Romans 4:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

NIV: being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

NASB: and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

CSB: because he was fully convinced that what God had promised, he was also able to do.

NLT: He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.

KJV: And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

NKJV: and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

Paul defines Abraham's faith in a very helpful way in this verse. Abraham was "fully convinced" God was able to do as He promised. He remained fully convinced even as the years passed without the promise being fulfilled. Abraham never doubted God could keep His word even through his own "as good as dead" (Romans 4:19) body. In fact, the more time that passed, the stronger Abraham's faith became. This, of course, was based on Abraham's experiences with God, which proved that God was trustworthy.

Paul has shown that all of us come to God—that we are declared righteous by Him—only through this very same faith that Abraham had. God calls us to be "fully convinced" that, in Christ, our sins are forgiven and we are welcomed into God's family. It is this "trust" which saves us from our sins (Hebrews 12:1–2), not good works or legalism.

Romans 4:13–25 continues to focus on the faith of Abraham. God made promises to Abraham and his descendants, promises which Abraham believed. Those promises can't be received by keeping the law, but only by faith. God promised Abraham a son with Sarah, and Abraham continued to believe that promise would be kept even as it became less and less likely in human terms. We, too, can be counted as righteous by faith in Jesus' death for our sins and God's resurrection of Him for our justification.

Romans 4 is all about the faith of Abraham. God declared Abraham righteous because of his faith, not because of his works. A declaration of righteousness was God's gift, not a payment. This righteousness is available to everyone, circumcised or not. God declared Abraham righteous many years before he was circumcised, making him the spiritual father of all who believe, whether circumcised or not, whether Jew or Gentile. God's promises to Abraham and his offspring can't be received by keeping the law, only by faith. Abraham's faith in God's promise of a son with Sarah did not waver even as he grew older. God will declare us righteous, as well, if by faith we believe in the God who delivered Jesus to die for our sins and raised Him back to life for our justification.

So far, this letter has established that every single person is guilty of sin and does not deserve God's forgiveness. Whether we know God's law explicitly, or not, we still fail to obey. Only faith in Christ can rescue us from the penalty we deserve for that sin. Romans 4 explores the example of Abraham, and God's amazing gift of declaring Abraham righteous solely on the basis of his faith. This declaration was given many years before Abraham was circumcised, causing Abraham to become the father of all who believe God by faith. Abraham's continued faith in God is a model for us. Romans will continue by exploring how Christ brings us peace with God.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.

Accessed 4/29/2024 1:09:59 PM