Our Prayer Focus Can Influence the World

“Our Prayer Focus Can Influence the World”

Spiritual Leadership in the Church Series

1 Tim 2:1-4

THEME: the church is to conduct its services with order.

RELEVANCE:

Often, what we think is the “freedom of the Spirit” are the carnal ideas of some Christian who is not walking in the Spirit. Eventually this “freedom” becomes anarchy, and the Spirit grieves as a church gradually moves away from the standards of God’s Word.

INTRODUCTION:

To counteract this tendency, Paul exhorted the men and women in the church and reminded them of their spiritual responsibilities. Paul's urge, “I exhort therefore,” echoed his original mission for Timothy (1:3). False teaching had to be challenged, and right actions needed to be reinforced.

MESSAGE: 

The Focus Of Prayer (1Tim. 2:1c-2).

1. “All Men” Makes It Clear That No Person On Earth Is Outside The Influence Of Believing Prayer.

a. Although God is all-powerful and all-knowing, he has chosen to let us participate in His changes in the world through our prayers. How this works is a mystery to us because of our limited understanding, but it is a reality. 

b.     This verse highlights the words “for all men” everyone.

1.     We often miss the inclusiveness of these words and focus instead on the examples that Paul immediately gave.

2.     Prayer for all men is both a privilege and an obligation.

·       It is a sheer privilege for us to have audience with God in behalf of our fellow men.

·       And it is an obligation, too, for we are debtors to all with reference to the good news of salvation.

·       This passage means we should pray for the unsaved and the saved, for people near us and people far away, for enemies as well as friends.

c. We have no examples of encouragement that say we should pray for the dead. If we should pray for the dead, Paul certainly had a good opportunity to tell us in this section of his letter.

d. Unfortunately, the Pharisees did not have this universal outlook in their prayers, for they centered their attention primarily on Israel.

·       “The wider the subjects for prayer, the larger becomes the vision of the soul that prays.” -- Donald Guthrie

·       Missions and Missionary Praying can certainly be included here.

2. Paul Urged The Church To Especially Pray For Those In Authority.  (1 Tim 2:2)

a.     Kings.

                              1. Godless Emperor Nero was on the throne at that time, and yet the believers were supposed to pray for him!

·       “Paul's command to pray for kings was remarkable considering that Nero, a notoriously cruel ruler, was the current emperor (A.D. 54-68). When Paul wrote this letter, persecution was a growing threat to believers. Later, when Nero needed a scapegoat for the great fire that destroyed much of Rome in A.D. 64, he blamed the Roman Christians so as to take the focus off himself. That triggered severe persecution throughout the Roman Empire. Not only were Christians denied certain privileges in society; some were even publicly butchered, burned, or fed to lions.” --- (from The Life Application Commentary Series) 

·       Even when we cannot respect men or women in authority, we must respect their offices and pray for them.

·       But believers are taught to support the government, not rebel against it (Rom 13:1-6; 1 Peter 2:13-25).

2. “Christian public prayers for the emperor and provincial and local officials showed Christians as good citizens of the society in which they lived (Jer 29:7). Paul's motive is more than keeping peace (1 Tim 2:2); it is also to proclaim the *gospel (2:3-4).” --- (Craig S. Keener)

·       Jeremiah 29:7, And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

·       Elsewhere, Paul has reminded us that the authorities that exist are ordained of God (Rom. 13:1) and that they are ministers of God to us for good (Rom. 13:4). 

·       “The NT teaches that a Christian is to be loyal to the government under which he lives, except when that government orders him to disobey God. In such a case his first responsibility is to God. A Christian should not engage in revolution or in violence against the government. He may simply refuse to obey any order that is contrary to the word of God and then quietly and submissively take the punishment.” –William MacDonald

b.     Authorities (1 Tim 2:2)

1.     “[All that are in authority] This does not necessarily mean those who hold office, but refers to any of elevated rank. The happiness of all who are under their control depends greatly on them, and hence we should pray for them that they may be converted people, and inclined to do that which is right.” --- (from Barnes' Notes) 

2.     If we live in a country with a good government, our lives move along peacefully and quietly, making it difficult to remember to pray for those in authority. We take good government for granted.

·       But we should pray for those at the top -- whether we agree with them or not, whether we voted for them or not. In this way, we Christians can make a difference in the course of our nation.

·       We should also pray for world leaders so that other cultures will be open to the gospel.

·       Pray for your leaders, not just in times of national crisis, but every day -- thousands of decisions are made daily that affect everyone. And beyond praying for those decisions that will affect you, also pray for the conversion of your leaders.

c.      Their Realm of Influence.

1.     In fact, it is for our own good that we pray for them: “that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Tim. 2:2b). The early church was always subject to opposition and persecution, so it was wise to pray for those in authority.

2.     “Quiet” refers to circumstances around us, while “peaceful” refers to a calm attitude within us. The results should be lives that are godly and honorable.

3.     It is for our own good that the government should be stable and that the country be preserved from revolution, civil war, turmoil, and anarchy.

4.     To be sure, Paul has not named all the persons we can and should pray for, since “all men” covers the matter fully. We can’t pray for everybody in the world by name, but we certainly ought to pray for those we know and know about. Why? Because it’s a good thing to do and because it pleases God.

The Reasons For Prayer (1 Tim. 2:3–4).

            1. Its Good.

·       The word “good” is a key word in Paul’s pastoral epistles (1 Tim. 1:8, 18; 2:3; 3:1, 7, 13; 4:4, 6; 5:4, 10, 25; 6:12–13, 18–19; 2 Tim. 1:14; 2:3; 4:7; Titus 2:7, 14; 3:8, 14).

·       The Greek word emphasizes the idea of something being intrinsically good, not just good in its effects. “Fair” and “beautiful” are synonyms.

·       Certainly prayer of itself is a goodly practice, and brings with it many good benefits.

2. It is Acceptable.  Prayer Is Also Pleasing To The Lord.

·       It pleases the Father when His children pray as He has commanded them to.

1.     The Pharisees prayed in order to be praised by men (Matt. 6:5) or to impress other worshipers (Luke 18:9–14).

2.     True Christians pray in order to please God.

o   “acceptable in the sight of God our Savior”

o   “As in modern times, some in the Ephesian church were prepared to question the validity of a prayer for the salvation of all men. Thus Paul defended his instructions by pointing out that such a prayer is good, and pleases God our Savior (cf. 1:1). Literally, the Greek says that such a prayer is “acceptable before” (in the presence of) God. Many prayers are unacceptable to God, but not this one.

The reason this prayer is acceptable to God is that it is a prayer “according to His will” (1 John 5:14). God, who is by nature a Savior, wants all men to be saved.” ---Walvoord, J. F. 

o   “The title which Paul gives to God here is significant. God’s desire is for the salvation of all men. Therefore, to pray for all men is to promote the will of God in this regard.” ---William MacDonald 

3.  It is God’s Will. (1Tim. 2:4)  “Who will have”                                                 

·       This suggests that we must pray in the will of God, because it certainly does not please the Father when we pray selfishly (James 4:1–10; 1 John 5:14–15).

o   James 4:2-3, Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. [3] Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

o   1 John 5:14-15, And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: [15] And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

o   1 John 3:22, And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

·       It’s often said that the purpose of prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven, but to get God’s will done on earth.

4.  It is for the Salvation of People. (1Tim. 2:4)  “Who will have all men to be saved”

Prayer Should be made for the Salvation of Souls.

a.     What is God’s will?

1. The Salvation Of Lost Souls, For One Thing.

·       We can pray for “all men” because it is God’s will that “all men” come to the knowledge of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. 

·       This explains further what we have already pointed out in verse 3. God desires all men to be saved (Ezek. 33:11; John 3:16; 2 Pet. 3:9). Therefore, we should pray for all men everywhere.

·       God loved the world (John 3:16) and Christ died for the whole world (1 John 2:2; 4:14).

·       1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

·       1 John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

·       Jesus died on the cross that He might draw “all men” to salvation (John 12:32).

o   John 12:32, And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 

2. God Desires That No One Perish (2 Peter 3:9), That The Entire Human Race Come To Salvation. He wants all to know the truth through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who is the Truth (John 14:6).

·       2 Peter 3:9, The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

·       Isaiah 45:22, Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

3. Of Course Not All Do Come To Salvation; Paul Was Not Teaching Universalism.

·       This is the belief that all men are children of God and do not need a personal salvation from sin. The doctrine of universalism denies many important Bible doctrines, such as man’s lost condition, the necessity of the new birth, the atonement, and the uniqueness of Christ as The Savior.  

a.      This verse does not mean all people will be automatically saved without exception, for certainly the whole world is not going to be saved.

b.     It does means all people without distinction—Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, religious and pagan.

·       “From this, it should be clear that this verse does not teach universal salvation. Although God desires that all men should be saved, yet not all men will be saved. It was not initially God’s will that the children of Israel should wander for thirty-eight years in the wilderness; yet they did it just the same. He permitted it, but it was not the pathway of blessing which He had planned for them.” ---MacDonald, W.

b.     If God doesn’t want anyone to perish, then why are so many lost? (1Tim. 2:4)

1. God Is Long-Suffering With Lost Sinners, Even Delaying His Judgment That They Might Come To Christ (2 Peter 3:9).

2. But Salvation Depends On A “Knowledge Of The Truth” (1 Tim. 2:4).

·       Not everyone has heard the truth of the Gospel, and

·       Many who have heard have rejected it.

3.     We Cannot Explain The Mystery Of God’s Sovereignty And Man’s Responsibility. 

·       John 6:37, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.  

·       But realize that both are taught in the Bible and are harmonized in God’s great plan of salvation.

a.      This verse (1Tim. 2:4) sets forth clearly the divine and the human aspects of salvation.

b.     The first half of the verse indicates that man must be saved. The verb here is passive; man cannot save himself but must be saved by God. This is the divine side of salvation.

c.      In order to be saved, man must come unto the knowledge of the truth. God does not save men against their will. He does not populate heaven with rebellious subjects. Man must come to Him who said: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” This is the human side.

4.     We Do Know That Prayer Is An Important Part Of God’s Program For Reaching A Lost World.

a.      We have the responsibility of praying for lost souls (Rom. 10:1). 

·       Romans 10:1, Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.   

b.     And to Make ourselves available to share the Gospel with others.

 

CONCLUSION:

Men should seek to maintain an atmosphere of holiness and unity in the church (1 Tim. 2:8). 

Applying Faith to Life

Applying Faith to Life

Hebrews 11:1; James 1:2-4; 2 Corinthians 5:7

 

Theme: Biblical faith applies to daily life turning confident trust in God into practical actions, purposeful choices, and steady peace during hard times.

Relevance: Faith enables us to turn ordinary moments into conscious acts of prayer, kindness, and trust; we can apply our faith in everyday life. Our faith was meant to be practical, functional, useful, and constructive!

Lesson:

         I.             Consider what we are Dealing with—Biblical Faith!

1. Confident trust: Faith is not a blind guess nor merely something we crave deeply; it is an assurance, confidence, or guarantee rooted in God’s character and promises as revealed in His Word (Hebrews 11:1).
2. Active response: True faith requires action, practice, application, integration, and moving past mere ideas to living out what God teaches before seeing the final outcomes.  

        II.         Apply Faith in Everyday Areas of your Existence

1. Stay Aware of your mindset and emotions: Shift focus from worry to prayer, replacing fear with courage and complaints with gratitude.
2. Cherish your relationships: Practice humility, show mercy to others, and rely on community rather than trying to walk through life completely alone.
3. Manage wisely personal finances and work: Make career and financial choices based on generosity, honesty, and divine guidance rather than pure self-reliance.
4. Build faith and character by handling your trials: Treat hardships and pain as opportunities to build patience, character, and deeper hope (James 1:2–4). Scripture refines our character in hard times.   

        III.     Make Faith a Practical Daily Habits 

         A. Read scripture: Read the Bible daily to learn what God says and to see the example of Jesus firsthand.

1.    2 Corinthians 5:7, For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2.   Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

3.   Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

4.    Romans 10:17, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

     B.  Pray consistently: Use prayer as a continuous connection to God to acknowledge your dependence on Him.

1.    Prayer for Strength

                                             i.          Mark 11:24 — Tells us that whatever is desired in prayer will be received upon believing it is already received.

                                          ii.          Matthew 21:22 — Affirms that whatever is asked in prayer with belief will be received.

2.   Prayer for Wisdom and Guidance! Ask God for wisdom and guidance by praying honestly, reading scripture, and surrendering your own plans. Approaching God with a sincere and humble heart fulfills the biblical promise to receive generous answers.

                                             i.          Pray directly: Tell God you need Him and His help. You can use a simple prayer like, “Dear, Father God, I need and want You; please give me wisdom and show me the right path, your way, today. Grant me courage to pursue your will.”

                                          ii.          Read the Bible: Go to books like Proverbs for daily choices or Psalms for comfort and direction.

                                        iii.          Be humble: Admit that you do not know everything and are willing to listen to the Lord and those He leads you to.

                                         iv.          Listen in silence: Quiet your mind so you can recognize inner peace or direction. Wait with patience: trust that answers come in God’s timing, not yours. Remember God’s guidance will always agree with the Word and rival the devil, flesh, and the world.

     C.  Engage in church fellowship: Join with other believers to serve, share, and support each other through life’s ups and downs. Put your faith into action—active service is one way! Stay connected by joining that church, participating in holy worship, reflecting on God’s truth through preaching, and introducing others to the life of faith in the living God.

      D. Pursue Other Activities that Integrate Faith Daily

1.    Devotion: Start your morning with a few quiet minutes of prayer, meditation, or reading scripture to center your mind.

2.   Prayer: Talk to God throughout the day by sharing quick, spontaneous thoughts or worries as they happen.

3.   Gratitude: Practice gratitude by pausing to thank God for small blessings like a good parking spot, a meal, or pleasant weather. –Focus on the Family 

4.   Worry: Another example of faith in daily life is turning a moment of intense worry or anxiety into a quiet prayer for guidance. 

                                             i.          Prayer and Reflection: Starting each day by thanking God or pausing during a stressful moment at work to ask for peace and wisdom. 

                                          ii.          Acts of Kindness: Helping a neighbor, feeding someone who is hungry, or giving to charity because you believe it is what God calls you to do. 

                                        iii.          Forgiveness: Choosing to let go of an insult or showing grace to a difficult person instead of reacting with anger.—Family Christian

                                         iv.          Trusting Decisions: Making major life choices—like a career change or financial decision—by seeking God’s direction and turning more frequently to the Word instead of relying solely on your own anxiety or control. 

   E. Trust God for Daily Guidance as an Act of Faith!

1.    Proverbs 3:5-6 — Encourages us to trust the Lord completely rather than rely on our own understanding, acknowledging Him in all ways for direct guidance.

2.   Hebrews 11:6 — States that pleasing God requires faith and belief in His existence and His reward for those who seek Him.

3.   Lamentations 3:22-23 — Speaks of the Lord’s unfailing mercies and compassions that are renewed every morning, highlighting His great faithfulness.

         IV.       Abide in Christ using Your Faith

Abiding in Christ is maintaining a continuous, trusting connection to Jesus as the source of spiritual life, much like a branch stays attached to a vine (John 15:1-8).

     A.  Consider What It Means to Abide

1.    Rooted in Faith: Abiding begins by believing in Jesus for salvation and trusting His grace rather than relying solely on human effort.

2.   Actively Remaining: The Greek word for abide (meno) means to stay, dwell, or persist firmly in a relationship.

3.   Bearing Fruit: Natural spiritual results—like love, joy, and Christ-like character—flow from staying close to Him.—Desiring God.  

     B.  Follow Proven Practical Steps to Abide Daily

1.    Read and Meditate on Scripture: Let God’s words dwell inside your mind and shape your daily choices. We are supposed to think about the Bible’s teachings. This requires reading the text carefully, understanding its historical context, and applying its core principles to daily life. It is correct to view scripture as the supreme guide for determining truth and right behavior. Regular reading and reflection help build resilience, provide guidance, and shape personal character.

2.   Pray Continually; Treasure Time with the Lord: Talk to God honestly and turn Bible verses into conversational prayers.

3.   Obey His Commands from the Heart: Show your love for Christ by following His teachings and loving others.

4.   Rely on the Holy Spirit to be Fruitful: Trust the Spirit to work inside you, especially during difficult or dry seasons. 

         V.           Continue Deeper to Explore Further the Subject of Faith and the many Practical Applications! 

           A. Read about how faith transforms historical and biblical figures in tough situations. 

            B. Explore practical ways to integrate biblical habits into your daily routines.  

Conclusion: We can learn even more ways to build consistent habits of faith. Focus on living by faith each day! Remember, biblical faith becomes a daily experience as we purposely turn confident trust in God into practical actions, focused choices, and steady peace while enduring tough stints. By turning ordinary moments into conscious acts of prayer, kindness, and trust, we are applying our faith to everyday life.

Is Our ‘Faith’ Creative?

Is Our ‘Faith’ Creative?

Romans 4:17

Theme: God operates in our lives through real faith in Him, but He does not grant us creative or positive confession abilities!

Relevance:  Positive confession is the belief that speaking specific words can force God to grant health or wealth. This is unholy magic, a misleading human invention, and NOT biblical faith rooted in submission to God’s sovereign will. Such ‘creative powers’ do not belong to believers.  

Introduction:

When thinking on Romans 4:17, it is vital we remember God has the utmost power to give life to the dead and treat future or unfulfilled promises as absolute certainties. Clearly God makes dead things alive. He “quickeneth the dead” drawing attention to His power over physically death and His ability to refresh the elderly, “dead” bodies of Abraham and Sarah so they could have a child. Summarily, GOD “calleth those things which be not as though they were” indicating He speaks of future events or unseen realities as if they are already done because He cannot lie and His word never fails. In addition, we must avoid misusing this passage and other similar ones, because it points out that God is faithful. It is NOT a mere human “name-it-and-claim-it” formula where people can speak physical objects or wealth into existence through positive confessions.

Entirely Romans 4:16-21, reads, “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, ¹⁷ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. ¹⁸ Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. ¹⁹ 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 Sarah's womb: ²⁰ He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; ²¹ And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

Romans 4:16-21, shows God’s promises are received through faith and grace rather than human law or effort, the ultimate example is Abraham’s unwavering trust in God against impossible likelihood. Unfortunately, this passage has been misused to teach ‘believers’ a form of position confession coupled with the use of ‘abracadabra.’ God never intended this passage be used in this way!

Message:

Please fasten onto God’s implication from this important passage:

1. Grace Should be Matched with Certainty (Rom. 4:16). God’s promise depends on real faith so it can rest entirely on God’s unearned favor (grace). Such faith guarantees the promise to all of Abraham’s spiritual descendants—both Jews under the law and Gentiles who share his faith.

Paul pointed to Abraham along with the subject of circumcision to convey the fact that rites of religion cannot make one righteous before God. He does this by carefully noting when and why Abraham was circumcised.   Accordingly, Romans 4:9-10, Abraham received the rite of circumcision some fourteen years after he was justified by faith. Obviously, the rite had nothing to do with his salvation (Gen. 15:6; 17:10).  Paul also showed why Abraham was given the rite of circumcision. It was not to confer righteousness upon him, but to confirm the righteousness he already had.  It was an outward symbol of an inward reality.  Abraham became the father of all who are counted righteous by faith alone regardless of circumcision or not. 

We are afforded a description of two things that faith does for us in relation to God and the biblical definition of faith as found in Hebrews 11.  Faith can bring us into God’s favor and family as taught in Romans 4:16. It is through faith we are linked to the unmerited favor of God. Resultantly all believers, whether Jew or Gentile, are the spiritual children of Abraham and members of the family of God. Faith can also be described as a kind of sixth sense which functions to make tangible and real the unvarnished truths of the unseen world.  The writer of Hebrews defined faith in Hebrews 11:1 saying, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  It enables believers to fully recognize and appreciate the blessings of God. 

2. The Power of God is Key to Understanding this Passage (Rom. 4:17): Abraham believed in a God who “quickenedeth the dead” (brings life to the dead) and calls things that do not exist as though they already did. Faith focuses on God’s creative power, not physical limitations. It is imperative we note God never shared this creative power with mere people!

The faith of Abraham was an intelligent faith according to Romans 4:17-18; it was focused on the omnipotence of Almighty God and not on the deadness of his body. Truly it is intelligent to place our faith in a God who can raise the dead and create a mighty universe. Before God gave Abraham the promise “so shall thy seed be” he directed his attention to the stars and thus His vast creative power as strong support to Abraham’s faith.  Beloved, it is simply smart to believe a faithful and powerful God.

• God … gives life to the dead and calls things that are not (lit., “the nonexisting things”) as though they were (lit., “as existing”).
• Identifying God in this way obviously refers to God’s promise in Genesis 17 following the statement quoted above that Abraham and Sarah would have a son of promise when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 (Gen. 17:17, 19; 18:10; 21:5; cf. Rom. 4:19). That he would be the ancestor of many nations seemed impossible in his and Sarah’s childless old age.^[1]
• 
  

        3. Hoping Against Hope is a Conscientious Choice to Believe God (Rom. 4:18): Abraham had no natural reason to expect a child, yet he              chose to believe God’s word that his descendants would be as numerous               as the stars.

• Abraham is the father of us all in the sight of Him (God) whom he (Abraham) believed, even God who gives life to the dead and speaks of things that do not yet exist as already existing. To understand this description of God, we have only to look at the verses that follow. God gives life to the dead—that is, to Abraham and Sarah, for although they were not dead physically, they were childless and beyond the age when they could have children (see 4:19). God calls those things which do not yet exist as already existing—that is, a numberless posterity involving many nations (see 4:18).^[2]
• 
  

    4. Facing Reality Without Weakening Stemmed from A Trust in Truth (Rom. 4:19): Abraham did not ignore the facts—he knew his own   body and Sarah’s womb were past the age of childbearing—but he did not let those physical deadness obstacles override his trust in God.

He trusted God’s promise of descendants despite his own advanced age of nearly 100 and the lifelessness of Sarah’s reproductive capacity. He did not weaken in his faith or waver through unbelief though most people would have understood perfectly because he would have been justified in doing so. Instead, he remained fully persuaded, supremely convinced that God had the power to do what He promised! Beloved, it was this very thing that God credited to him as righteousness.

5. Unwavering Conviction Is How Abraham Demonstrated Real Faith (Rom. 4:20-21): He did not stagger or doubt God’s promise through unbelief. Instead, he grew strong in faith, giving glory to God because he was fully persuaded that God had the power to perform what He promised.

Salvation by grace and through faith is to be experienced by us all in the same manner as Abraham. Note at least three aspects covered under this section in Romans 4:23-25. First, salvation by faith is to be experienced by us for the same purpose according to verses 23 and 24. Secondly, it is to be practiced according to the very same process as demonstrated by verse 24b.  Lastly, it is to be practiced on the same principle as stated in verse 25.  Thus, as God counted Abraham as ‘righteous’, he does the same for us who believe.  Like Abraham had to trust God for the impossible regarding children at his old age and despite his dead body, we too must believe an impossibility—the resurrection of Christ. Something many still view as unbelievable and impossible.  Then lastly, salvation is the same in the Old Testament and the New.  It is based on the principle of the saving grace of God made available to us by faith.  In many respects, we enjoy the very same type of salvation as Abraham.

o   The apparent impossibility that the promise would ever be fulfilled didn’t stagger him. God had said it; Abraham believed it; that settled it. As far as the patriarch was concerned there was only one impossibility, and that was for God to lie. Abraham’s faith was strong and vibrant. He gave glory to God, honoring Him as the One who could be depended on to fulfill His promise in defiance of all the laws of chance or probability.

o   4:21 Abraham did not know how God would fulfill His word, but that was incidental. He knew God and had every confidence that God was fully able to do what He had promised. In one way it was wonderful faith, but in another way it was the most reasonable thing to do, because God’s word is the surest thing in the universe, and for Abraham there was no risk in believing it!^[3]

Conclusion:

After thinking through these observations, we can safely conclude God operates in our lives through real faith in Him. This is the basis of His extraordinary salvation! He is supremely willing and able to still do just this in the life of every repentant sinner! Can He the great Creator-Redeemer work in your experiences? However, God does not grant us creative or positive confession abilities! This passage nor any other teaches this radical idea of ‘speaking something we want badly into existence’.  Putting the title ‘faith’ on such practices or ‘claiming it in Jesus’ name’ does not justify this behavior, it only multiplies the confusion. The entire notation is sensual, ignorant of scripture, carnal, and rooted in works of the flesh! Giving it a spiritual name does not in any dimension sanitize this wrong behavior!

Finally, there are three preliminary remarks concerning the principles of eternal security that account for the disapproval of this teaching to many sincere people.  The first thing to note is there are several warning passages in the Bible which seem to imply losing our salvation in the book of Hebrews. In some cases, these passages address those who only profess to be saved but really are not. Secondly, some believe that the doctrine of eternal security is dangerous because it promotes loose living. However, believers have no license to sin and our union with Christ gives us the power to break away from sinful practices.  The third important observation is the difference between a believer’s standing and state. Our standing is always perfect and static, but our state is always changing and progressive.  These three considerations and brief explanations should subdue any reservations to honestly consider the Bible on eternal security. 

Again, positive confession or speaking specific words like ‘abracadabra’ cannot force God to grant health, wealth or any other desirable! This is a mere human invention and is NOT biblical faith anchored in submission to Almighty God’s sovereign will.

 

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^[1] John A. Witmer, “Romans,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 454.

^[2] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1694.

^[3] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1695.