Romans 4:13-25 - by Don Neuendorf
"It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise..."
What promises have you received? I got a document in the mail the other day that told me what the government would be giving me in Social Security when I retire. By law they have to give it to me... but I'm a bit doubtful that it will be there.
Many of us expect that when our parents pass away we will recieve an inheritance. That's their promise. It's in their legal will. On the other hand, a lot of things can keep that from happening - a long illness, a lawsuit, an unexpected expense...
You may trust in lots of promises that are grounded in the law. Your expectation of a paycheck... money from the sale of your house... even the repayment of a "promissory note." All these things are supposed to be more sure, more reliable, than your neighbor's casual promise because they are backed up by the LAW.
And yet, even promises that are legally owed to you are uncertain.
God owes you nothing. By law, according to the strict rules, if God is going to be fair, he should give you only punishment. But we have a promise that is MORE CERTAIN than the law. We have a promise built on God's love.