13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring--not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"--in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be." 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness." 23 But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Romans 4:13-25 (ESV)

Discussion Questions:

1 - Dallas Willard famously said, “Grace is not opposed to effort; it is opposed to earning.” Discuss this.

2 - All who have true faith “walk in the footsteps of Abraham’s faith” (Rom 4:12). Where are you, like Abraham, reaching for the impossible? Tell the story.

3 - Are you wavering in unbelief? If so, explain. Where does your unbelief rise to the surface in your life? (In anger? Control? Anxiety?)

4 - What does “strong faith” (Rom 4:20) look like? What is the difference between wavering in unbelief and wavering in faith? Is there room for doubt in faith? How do you square the glowing recommendation of Abraham from Paul here in Romans 4 with the story in Genesis?

5 - What does it mean to give glory to God? (Hint: glory means “weight.”) How does the gospel (in Rom 4:24-25) make God’s power and love more “real”?

6 - What do you “behold” the most – practically? Do you consider what God has said or what you can see more? How can you change this?