“No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.”
– Romans 4:20–21
Romans 4:20–21, what a description of Abraham that I want to be true in my life, and I’m guessing you want to be true in your life. Abraham believed God’s promise throughout the entire story. That’s the whole summary of what Paul’s talking about here in Romans chapter four. Abraham believed God. He did not waver through unbelief concerning the promise of God, but he was strong in his faith. He gave glory to God. How did he give glory to God? By fully believing that God was able to do what God had promised.
Abraham took God at His Word. May we do the same and trust that all the promises of God have reached their yes and amen in Christ. Lord, help our unbelief.
How do you live to the glory of God? You believe fully in the word of God. You put your trust in the promises of God and this brings glory to God, which makes sense, right? Our salvation comes from this. That’s the whole point of what Paul is developing here in Romans chapter three and chapter four, how we’re saved by grace through faith, not our works, through believing in Jesus, through believing in God’s word, through believing in God’s promise.
And that’s how God reconciled us. That’s how we’re made righteous before God, by belief, by faith in him, by trusting in him, and then it’s not just a onetime trust and then we kind of move on from that. It’s a life of trust in him. It’s glorifying God day in and day out through believing his promises, believing that God will do what he has promised to do. This is the Christian life. This is the life that brings glory to God. It’s a life of faith that doesn’t waver through unbelief.
Romans 4:20–21 Gives an Example of Faith
And so as I read this, I’m just compelled to pray in my own life for us. God, please keep us from unbelief. God, please make us today people of faith who believe your promises, who believe your word. Help us to grow strong in our faith for your glory. Help us to believe today fully that you are able to do that what you’ve promised to do. God, help us to trust your word, your promises all day long today. Help us to trust your wisdom.
Help us to trust the leadership of your spirit. And help us to trust your word over our ways, our thoughts. God, help us to trust you in the middle of darkness, in the middle of sorrow, in the middle of his sadness. God help us to trust you that you are good and you are righteous and you will bring us through this, that you will work all things together for the good of those who love you and have been called according to your purpose.
Living A Life Of Faith
Help us to believe that promise. Help us to believe that you give peace to all who trust in you. God, help us to believe that you will show yourself faithful to all those who trust in you. God, we pray that you would cause us to live lives of faith, not wavering through unbelief concerning your promises in any way. Help us to be strengthened in our faith, giving glory to you, fully convinced that you are able to do today all that you have promised us.
This is the foundation upon which we stand, oh God. This is the rock in our lives. Your word, your promises, and your faithfulness to them. We trust in you and we pray that you’d help us to just grow, deepen today, in our trust in you. Help us to grow strong in our faith as we give glory to you, believing your word. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
