lter who knows himself, as a defaulter, under the divine wrath.
The true relationship leaves matters in the hands of God, who purely
promises of His good favour--man simply in faith receiving (vers.
13-16a). This resting everything on God's promise and man's faith
gives security for the fulfilment of the promise to 'all the seed.'
And the 'seed to whom the promise was made' includes, not only the race
chosen later to receive the law, but believers of all races; Abraham
being in this sense 'a father of many nations,' as he stands under the
eyes of God whom he believed in--God who had power to make His promise
good, even by recalling to life again the dead faculties of Abraham's
old age, and summoning children {160} which did not yet exist as if
they were already there. Here is the point: Abraham believed that God
had the power to be as good as His word, in spite of all obvious
reasons to the contrary. Therefore he looked the facts steadily in the
face--his own and Sarah's great age. But he did not suffer this to
weigh in the balance against God's promise. He made quite sure that
God would do as He promised, and glorified God by this strong act of
faith. This it is that was reckoned to him for righteousness, i.e.
this it is that enabled God to accept him as righteous without any
consideration of deeds done. And the record of this acceptance is made
for our sakes to-day. God is still taking men into the number of the
righteous, and He still does it on the same principle. He will reckon
us for righteous if we will take Him at His word, and believe in His
power to do as He has promised. And in our case He has given us fresh
ground for such confident belief; for Jesus, on whom as Lord our hopes
rest and who died to make atonement for our sins, He has by His power
raised up from the dead, that by faith in Him, dead and yet alive
again, we might be taken like Abraham without more ado into the number
of the righteous.

{161}

What then shall we say[5] that Abraham, our forefather according to the
flesh, hath found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath
whereof to glory; but not toward God. For what saith the scripture?
And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for
righteousness. Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as
of grace, but as of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth
on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for
righteousness. Even as David