Faith Glorifying God
R. S. Candlish, D. D. Romans 4:19-22 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old… The leading thought here is the connection of God's glory with our faith. Having that faith, as the gift of God, we glorify Him. And being strong in that faith, we glorify Him all the more. To be glorifying to God, therefore, our faith — I. MUST HAVE A PROMISE OF GOD TO REST ON. Human faith, not resting on a Divine promise, is either folly or fanaticism. 1. Even in the natural world this is true. We walk by faith; but it is by faith grounded on the promise that nature's laws will operate with the regularity hitherto observed. Strong in that faith you walk safely, and glorify God. But if you disregard that promise, you rush into danger and dishonour God. 2. The promise to Abraham was fitted to try his capacity of believing to the uttermost. The only thing that could lessen the difficulty was that there could be no doubt as to the exact thing promised, or as to the particular person to whom it was promised. Ah! but one says, Give me a promise like that and I will not hesitate for a moment. But consider — (1) May not Abraham's words elsewhere be applicable here? — "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead." Is it clear that if I am not now complying with the gospel call, addressed to all sinners, I would comply with it more readily if it were addressed to me by name? And again, if forgiveness of sin, renewal, etc., are now felt to be intangible, would it obviate the difficulty to have them made up into a material packet which my hand may handle, my eye see, my mouth swallow? Called by name I might refuse as now; that would not make me willing, and if I got the blessings embodied in some sensible sign, it would be the embodiment alone that became mine. The blessings embodied would seem as shadowy as ever. Be sure that the call is personal and pointed enough, and that the promise is to be realised experimentally. Let us together taste and see that God is good. (2) Understand clearly the object of faith of Abraham. Immediately it was a son in his old age. But surely he did not contemplate that barely in itself. He looked at it in its spiritual significancy; in its bearing on the fulfilment of the great original promise, which he had been told was to be fulfilled in his seed. But for that aspect of it, the promise could really have no meaning to him. In a worldly point of view, what need has he of this child, for whose birth the very laws of nature are to be suspended? For his own temporal prosperity, for the preservation of his name and memory in a numerous posterity, provision has been made already. The promise then is not merely that a son is to be born to him, but that in that son he is to see the day of Christ afar off with gladness. Viewed thus, Abraham's faith really differs in no material respect from that which you are called to exercise. He has no promise on which his faith may lean more special and personal than you have; and what his faith has to lay hold of is the same unseen Saviour, and the same spiritual salvation that you have set before you in the gospel. And, simply relying, as you may rely, on the testimony of God concerning Him who is to be his seed in Isaac, he believes, and righteousness is imputed to him. Hence — (3) Abraham's case becomes now really ours. Or, if there is any difference, the advantage is with you. Abraham had presented to him an event future and conditional upon certain necessary antecedents (vers. 19, 20). You have an accomplished fact (ver. 24). Isaac is to be born; and in him is to be found the seed of the woman that is to bruise the serpent's head: that is Abraham's ground of hope. Christ is risen; the seed of woman having actually bruised the serpent's head: that is yours. II. MUST BE SUCH AS WILL BE GLORIFYING TO GOD. My faith must have its root in a real personal dealing between God and me. He and I must meet personally, face to face; as truly as He and Abraham did. We must know one another; trust one another. No other kind of faith than that can be glorifying to Him. What! Shall I be contented that a member of my family should go about to satisfy himself by evidence from hearsay, or from circumstances. Is that a sort of faith which I can feel to be either complimentary or kind? Is it not, on the contrary, a bitter disappointment. For does it not show that I am held to be, not a friend, or father, who may be fondly resorted to, that I may be trusted and consulted; but at the best a suspected stranger, about whom it may be desirable to be informed? III. MUST BE STRONG OR IN THE WAY OF BECOMING STRONG. Now, in considering this we must bear in mind the Lord's own saying — "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed...nothing shall be impossible with you." The woman with an issue of blood was apparently not strong in faith. And yet her faith did a great thing for her, and surely God was greatly glorified through it. And indeed it was strong faith to say, "If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole," for it was such immediate, personal dealing with the Lord that put all His power and love in operation on her behalf. The strength of Abraham's faith consisted — 1. Negatively, in not considering what sense may urge against the promise (vers. 19, 20). If he had considered these things he would have been weak in faith. (1) Certainly they were formidable obstacles that had to be overcome by a miracle of power upon and a miracle of faith within him. Everything that he could see and know and feel, in nature and in himself, was against his believing. And what had he on the other side for believing? Simply God speaking; God promising. That, however, prevailed. (2) But we must distinguish this "not considering" these difficulties from the mere shutting of the eyes to the fact of their existence. I may be so bent upon the attainment of an object as unconsciously to overlook all intervening obstacles, and fondly persuade myself that what I wish must be possible, simply because I wish it. Or I may be so impatient, foolhardy, as to be wilfully blind to everything but the gratifying of my heart's desire. Not such was the faith of Abraham. He had full in view the obstacles in the way of the promise. And this was the very strength of his faith, that, having them full in view, he disregarded them. (3) Alas! how is faith weakened and made to stagger by your considering what sense says or suggests against it. (a) Am I called, as a sinner, to believe in Christ for the forgiveness of my sin and my peace with God? God Himself is telling me, not of a child to be born, but of the Child actually born; and not of His birth merely, but of His wondrous life and death; and of His rising from the dead, etc., God is telling me of this Christ as mine, if I will but have Him to be mine. Alas! I give heed to considerations that seem to make all this impossible. I am not worthy enough, or vile enough. I have not repentance enough, or faith enough. I will not make up my mind absolutely to reject Christ. But I stagger at the promise through unbelief. I stagger into unbelief. Is this giving glory to God? (b) As regards a holy life, this evil is sorely felt. Ah! how am I tempted here to consider my own deadness; and so to consider it, as to put up with it, and make allowance for it. How apt am I to dwell on infirmities and hindrances; how ready to acquiesce in what I am, as if it were all I might be. How does all this interfere with my giving glory to God! (c) For others my faith is to be exercised. I plead with God for a child, a brother, a friend. I have promises to plead. Ah! I can it be that here too I am hindered by my considering the suggestions of sense, and giving heed to difficulties and questions respecting his deadness and mine? (d) For the seed of Abraham; for Him who is the seed of Abraham, and for all that is His; His cause and kingdom; the progress of His gospel; the winning of souls to Him; for all that, I am commanded to believe God. Alas! for my weakness in this faith. How do I consider the mountains that are in my way! For all this staggering the remedy is to be found, at least in part, in the negative way of not considering the difficulties which sense may raise. 2. Positively, notice what being strong in faith really is. It is simply being fully persuaded "that what He had promised He was able also to perform" (ver. 21). Nay, but who doubts that? you ask. I at least never dream of calling in question the omnipotence of God. And yet I see not how that will of itself make me, or any man, strong in faith. Very true. But the faith in question is not believing something about God, but believing God. Ah! in that view it is everything, to be fully persuaded that what He has promised He is able also to perform. It is a blessed thing to remember that it is the Almighty who speaks to you, who bids you speak to Him. O ye of little faith, whereof do you doubt? Is anything too hard for Him who asks you to believe Him? Be, then, strong in this faith, giving glory to God. For it is faith in God's power that most glorifies Him; it is distrust of His power which lies at the root of most of the unbelief that is so dishonouring to Him. "If Thou canst do anything," we are apt to say, with the afflicted father. Let us ponder the gracious answer, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." And let us enter into the spirit of the gracious reply, "Lord, I believe, help Thou mine unbelief." Conclusion: Lay to heart the ground of believing strongly. It is not that it gives peace, joy, salvation, but that it gives glory to God. To be weak in faith is not merely to miss or mar a privilege, but to dishonour the God whom you are bound to glorify. To be dwelling on hindrances standing in the way of His free word of promise; to be distrusting His ability to sweep them all away, and make His word of promise good; can anything be more fitted to affront the Almighty, the faithful, true, and loving Jehovah? Is it not literally and truly making him a liar? Beware of so great a sin. You may fancy that there is humility in it. You feel your own unworthiness and unsteadfastness so deeply that you dare not venture to be too confident or to presume. Presume! — the presumption is all the other way! The intolerable presumption is to refuse to take God at His word. Be clothed with humility. And that you may be clothed with humility, be not faithless but believing. Be strong in faith, giving glory to God. (R. S. Candlish, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: WEB: Without being weakened in faith, he didn't consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.