Faith Against Hope

Romans 4:17-19 gives us a graphic picture of the Word prevailing over the fear and hope and sense knowledge in the mind of Abraham. God’s Word was spoken through an angel to this man and it declared: “A father of many nations have I made thee; before Him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were.

Notice carefully the next sentence: “Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations.” Hope and faith were in combat and faith won and made hope a reality. Hope is always in the future, it is a dream and it is never real. Faith reaches up and grasps hope and brings it into the realm of the present.

Romans 4:19 NIV “Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.” That man had hoped for a child. Now Faith has changed the Hope into reality and yet looking unto the promise of God (spoken through an angel), he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God and being fully assured what He had promised. And so Abraham’s faith was reckoned to him as Righteousness. This Righteousness gave the man a standing with God, the standing of a friend with God.