Tag: nations

Romans 4:18 – Faithful Expectation

Posted on by Will

who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."

Truth to Learn

Abraham’s faith was an unwavering, fully-expectant faith.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “hope” is the Greek word elpis, which means “hope” or “anticipation.” In English when we think of “hope,” we think of desiring something but not really expecting it to happen, or at best, thinking that there is a chance of it happening. This Greek word, however, means, “the desire of something with the expectation that it will happen.” It is more than just “simple hope,” it is “expectant hope.” For this reason, this word is often translated as “faith.”

“Believed” is translated from the Greek word pisteuō, which means “to believe in something to the point of having complete trust in it.” Again, the concept is not “yeah, I suppose I believe,” but “I know because I absolutely believe!”

The word “nations” is translated from the Greek word ethnos, which means “a race, a nation, or a group of people belonging and living together.” When contrasted to Jews, it is often translated as “Gentiles.” Here it is appropriately translated “nations.”

 

Meaning Explained

Paul now makes a reference again to the events surrounding Abraham’s moment of salvation, the point in time when God declared him as righteous. Here’s how Moses recorded it back in the book of Genesis:

Then He brought him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens, and count the stars if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. (Genesis 15:5-6)

Today’s verse is a dramatic statement of the type of faith that Abraham showed when he believed God’s promise that he would be the father of many nations. It says, “Who, contrary to hope …” meaning that it was beyond reason for him to expect it. And yet he, “… in hope believed …” That is, Abraham had complete trust in the fact that this thing would happen without a doubt!

The thing that he believed was that he would be the father of many nations just as God had told him. So why should this be considered beyond expectation? Because Abraham was about 80 years old and Sarah, his wife, was about 70 when the promise was made. They were both beyond child producing years, and yet Abraham fully believed that not only was God capable of doing it, he believed without a doubt that God would do it. Now that’s faith!

What we sometimes overlook here is that Sarah lived thirty-seven years after Isaac was born. And, after Sarah’s death Abraham remarried (at the age of about 140) and had six more sons by his second wife, Keturah (See Genesis 23:1; 25:1,2).

 

Application

Is the faith of Abraham the kind of faith that you had when you believed that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for your sins, thus saving you for all eternity?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 1:6 – God’s Saving Call

Posted on by Will

among whom are you also the called ones of Jesus Christ;

Truth to Learn

Every Christian is one of God’s special called ones.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “nations” in the previous verse is ethnos, (from which we get the English word ethnic) meaning “a race of people,” and in the New Testament it implies a “non-Jewish people.” Hence, it is sometimes translated as “gentiles.”

“Among” is translated from the Greek word en, which denotes “a fixed position in place, time, or state.” It implies a condition at rest, not changing or moving.

The words “the called ones” are translated from the Greek word klētos, meaning “those who have been called.”

 

Meaning Explained

The “among whom” in this verse refers to “all nations” from the previous verse. Paul is making a subtle, but very profound, statement about the Roman Christians in this verse. They were Roman citizens, which means that they were among the most powerful and dominant people of their time. The Roman people of that day knew this to be true and were likely to be arrogant about it, just as Americans have been for the past 100 years of so.

Spiritually, however, Paul tells them they were simply “among” the other nations. He is telling these people that politically they may have been the elite, but in terms of spirituality, they were not of the chosen tribe of Israel; therefore, they were no better off spiritually than any of the other gentiles. But he immediately makes a different distinction about them spiritually. He refers to them as “the called ones.”

When we think of calling someone today we simply think of calling out their name without any implication as to their response or lack thereof. This Greek word, however, has a different meaning. It carries with it the notion of a command with the implication that there has been a positive response. Paul explains this calling later in this letter. In Romans 8:28-30 he says:

And we know that all things work together for good to those loving God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Because whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be the firstborn among many brothers. And whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

It is very clear from this passage that those who have been called by God (the called of Jesus Christ) have already been justified (saved) as well. Hence, we see that Paul is telling these particular Roman citizens that although they are no better spiritually than any other nation due to their heritage; they are very special to God because they are among his “chosen” ones.

 

Application

Anyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is one of God’s chosen ones. Rather than making us lazy in our Christian walk, though, it should both humble us and motivate us to commit ourselves to Him and the work He has for us to do.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 4:18 – Faithful Expectation

Posted on by Will

Romans 4:18

who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”

Truth to Learn

Abraham’s faith was an unwavering, fully-expectant faith.

Behind the Words

The word translated “hope” is the Greek word elpis, which means “hope” or “anticipation.” In English when we think of “hope,” we think of desiring something but not really expecting it to happen, or at best, thinking that there is a chance of it happening. This Greek word, however, means, “the desire of something with the expectation that it will happen.” It is more than just “simple hope,” it is “expectant hope.” For this reason, this word is often translated as “faith.”

“Believed” is translated from the Greek word pisteuō, which means “to believe in something to the point of having complete trust in it.” Again, the concept is not “yeah, I suppose I believe,” but “I know because I absolutely believe!”

The word “nations” is translated from the Greek word ethnos, which means “a race, a nation, or a group of people belonging and living together.” When contrasted to Jews, it is often translated as “Gentiles.” Here it is appropriately translated “nations.”

Meaning Explained

Paul now makes a reference again to the events surrounding Abraham’s moment of salvation, the point in time when God declared him as righteous. Here’s how Moses recorded it back in the book of Genesis:

Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. (Genesis 15:5-6)

Today’s verse is a dramatic statement of the type of faith that Abraham showed when he believed God’s promise that he would be the father of many nations. It says, “Who, contrary to hope …” meaning that it was beyond reason for him to expect it. And yet he, “… in hope believed …” That is, Abraham had complete trust in the fact that this thing would happen without a doubt!

The thing that he believed was that he would be the father of many nations just as God had told him. So why should this be considered beyond expectation? Because Abraham was about 80 years old and Sarah, his wife, was about 70 when the promise was made. They were both beyond child producing years, and yet Abraham fully believed that not only was God capable of doing it, he believed without a doubt that God would do it. Now that’s faith!

What we sometimes overlook here is that Sarah lived thirty-seven years after Isaac was born. And, after Sarah’s death Abraham remarried (at the age of about 140) and had six more sons by his second wife, Keturah (See Genesis 23:1; 25:1,2).

Application

Is the faith of Abraham the kind of faith that you had when you believed that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for your sins, thus saving you for all eternity?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Romans 4:17 – Children by Faith

Posted on by Will

Romans 4:17

(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

Truth to Learn

God’s promise to Abraham referred to both his physical descendants and to his spiritual descendants.

Behind the Words

The words “I have made” are translated from the Greek verb tithēmi, meaning “to place” or “to put.” The Hebrew word in the passage Paul is quoting (Genesis 17:15) is nathan, which can have several shades of meaning, one of them being “to give or to grant.” The Greek word is expressed here in the perfect tense indicating past completed action with an ongoing effect.

“In the presence” is from katenanti, which literally means “down over against.” It is used to indicate being “in the sight of” or “in a place in front of” someone or something.

Meaning Explained

Like a number of verses we have looked at in the past, this verse must be looked at in connection with the previous verse in order to get its full meaning. Connecting the first part of this verse (a quote from Genesis 17:15) with the previous verse gives us:

… so that the promise might be 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, who is the father of us all (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”)

The point is that Abraham is the father of all who are saved through faith. In other words, at the time that God said this to Abraham, because of Abraham’s faith, God had already granted to Abraham that he would be a father of many nations.

If we look at the descendants of Abraham, we see that he is the father of the Jews through Isaac (from his wife Sarah), the father of the Arabs through Ishmael (from Sarah’s handmaid Hagar), and the father of numerous other tribes through the six sons with his second wife, Keturah. However, the Apostle Paul evidently understood the promise as referring, not to the physical descendents of Abraham, but to the spiritual descendants (all those who believe in God’s message).

The next phrase, “in the presence of Him” refers back to the first part of the previous verse. Hence, “Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace… in the presence of Him whom he believed—God …” In other words, the faith is demonstrated in the presence of God. It’s not just some ethereal “Yeah, I believe in God” type of experience. Rather, it is a belief in what God says, in His presence, so that there is no doubt either in what is believed or in the reality of that belief.

Paul then says of God that He both has the ability to give life and to call things which do not yet exist as if they already did exist. In other words, this God of ours neither has any bounds on his power nor is he bound by time. He is without limit in both time and space. We will see the significance of this in the next verse.

Application

If you believe the promise that your sins are paid for through the blood of Jesus Christ, then God has declared you as righteous and you are a son or daughter of Abraham through faith.

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, you can call the church phone (618) 614-3070 and leave a message telling us your name and e-mail address or you can send an e-mail to:e-mail address