“16 This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace, to guarantee it to all the descendants — not only to the one who is of the law but also to the one who is of Abraham’s faith. He 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, the one who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.”
These verses give a bit of an explanation as to why it is important that righteousness comes through faith, and not through the works of the law.
- It’s important that we obtain righteousness through faith so that we have nothing whatsoever to boast about, other than Jesus. It is by God’s grace alone that we are found righteous.
“Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law of faith. For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! On the contrary, we uphold the law.” — Romans 3:27-31
- It’s important that we obtain righteousness through faith because that does not require one to have a specific knowledge of the Law in order to be saved. Both the Jews and the Gentiles are able to have faith in Christ, and therefore both have access to salvation in His name if they are among God’s elect.
It is by grace, through faith, that God calls His people to Himself. Because of this, He is able to call not just Israel His people, but all who have faith.
“That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring.” — Romans 9:8
The covenant between God and Abraham is not just for his physical descendants, but all those who would have faith in Christ. Abraham was to be the father of many nations, the father of all who believe. This includes many Gentile nations also.
“As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations…” (v. 17a) This quote comes from Genesis:
“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, ‘I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and be blameless. I will set up my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.’ Then Abram fell facedown and God spoke with him: ‘As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations. Your name will no longer be Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you. I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring after you.’” — Genesis 17:1-7
Now, to be clear, it is true that God brought about exactly what He promised, Abraham was the Father of many nations. God greatly multiplied Abraham and provided him with many physical offspring to propagate his name. It is also true that God’s covenant with Abraham is not just to his physical descendants, but also to his descendants by faith. Thus, Abraham is the father of us all (v. 16b), all of us who have believed in Jesus by faith.
Verse 17b speaks of God giving life to the dead and calling into existence things that do not exist. Is this an acknowledgment of God’s power as Creator and Sustainer as well as Savior? Could be, and certainly we would do well to bow before our great God and praise Him for these attributes. However, this is also a picture of what God is doing in the sinner when He makes their heart new and gives them a repentant spirit, therefore producing faith, bringing about salvation, and clothing the sinner in Christ’s righteousness. God is making alive the dead heart of the sinner. Jesus tells us that He has been given this power by God the Father.
“‘And just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom he wants.’” — John 5:21
God is bringing about a righteousness that is completely foreign to the transgressor, something completely outside of the sinner’s mind, bringing something into existence that did not previously exist. God is creating a new thing: A fallen, sinful creature that has been redeemed by grace through faith.
“God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world — what is viewed as nothing — to bring to nothing what is viewed as something,…” — 1 Corinthians 1:28