What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? (2) For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. (3) For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (4) Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. (5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
The Apostle begins this Chapter, at the place he left off in the preceding. Foreseeing that difficulties might be started by some, from what he had advanced, that by the deeds of the law no flesh could be justified in god's sight; all the world being found guilty before him: he adopts an admirable method, to confirm the doctrine, in taking the most unexceptionable character the Scriptures of the Old Testament could furnish, and in the instance of Abraham he shews, that this great father of the faithful, considered in himself, had nothing more to recommend him to God than the greatest sinner. Abraham, when beheld in relation to the Adam-nature in which he was born, was equally involved with all mankind in a fallen state, and belonged as much as any to that race, of whom the word of God had decidedly declared, that there is none righteous, no, not one,
Paul treats this subject in an unanswerable manner, as proved in the case of Abraham. He shews, from the Patriarch's history, that when the Lord first called Abraham, to make known to him his sovereign grace and Covenant-mercy in Christ; Abraham at that time was an Idolater, dwelling in Ur of the Chaldees. Of consequence there could be nothing in the conduct of the Patriarch, which prompted, and called forth the mercy of the Lord. It began, therefore, on the part of God; and was altogether free, unmerited, unlooked for, and unsought by Abraham. And the simple act, which Abraham exercised upon this occasion, at the call of the Lord, was faith in God's word, and promise. If the Reader will compare Genesis 12:1-4
with Hebrews 11:8, this point will appear abundantly plain and evident. And as he prosecutes the Patriarch's history, in the after stages of it, he will next learn, in confirmation of the Apostle's doctrine, what that faith was, which the Patriarch was enabled to exercise; and who was the one great object of it. The Lord called him to get out of his country, and kindred, and from his father's house; (all which were shadows of a separation from the Adam-nature of a fallen state;) and the Lord promised to make of him a great nation, and that in his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed: all which referred to the Person, and work of Christ.
That these glorious promises wholly referred to Christ, and that the Patriarch so viewed them, is evident, from what followed in his history. For thus the Holy Ghost hath caused it to be recorded. After these things, the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, fear not Abram, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward, Genesis 15:21. What word of the Lord was this? It could not be the written word; for at that time, the Scriptures were none of them written. It must have been the Essential, the uncreated Word, which God the Holy Ghost, in after ages of the Church, spake of by his servant John, when revealing the Son of God, John 1:1. See also Commentary on that scripture. Reader! pause over the subject, for it is precious. Oh! how delightful it is, thus to discover Him, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting, Micah 5:2. And, how precious are such testimonies to the Godhead of the Lord Jesus!
But, let us not stop here. The Almighty Word, which thus spake in vision to Abraham, declared himself to be Abraham's shield, and his exceeding great reward. And I need not, I hope, tell the Reader, that these are among the titles of Christ. Indeed, they can belong to no other. Jesus, and Jesus only, is the hiding place from the wind, and the covert from the tempest, Isaiah 32:2. And, the Church could mean no other, when she said, in her prayers to Jehovah: Behold, 0 God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. For the Lord God is a sun, and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory, Psalms 84:11; Psalms 84:11. And, the Lord is both the portion of his people, and their God their glory, Deuteronomy 33:29; Isaiah 60:9. Hence, in every point of view, the Word, which came unto Abraham in a vision, is proved to have been the Essential, Uncreated Word, in all the properties of Godhead: and considered no less in his Mediatorial-character, he is Emmanuel, God with us, God in our nature, manifesting himself in those characters, as the shield, and the exceeding great reward of his people.
And, what forms another distinguishing feature to be attended to in this history of Abraham is, the sense which the Patriarch had of his need of these glorious promises; and the consciousness he enjoyed, of his own personal interest in them. We have our Lord' s own authority, for this most certain conclusion. For Jesus told the Jews, that their father Abraham saw his day afar off, rejoiced, and was glad, John 8:56. A most decided proof, that Abraham had clear apprehensions of the Person, and work of Christ; and of justification solely by him. So indeed Paul told the Galatian Church. The Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith; preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying: In thee shall all nations be blessed, Galatians 3:8. Hence, there can be no question, but that the Patriarch, in this Gospel, learnt all the great doctrines of redemption by Christ; and of his own personal right therein. The same Almighty Word, which taught Abraham in a vision, that he was Abraham's shield, and exceeding great reward; taught him no less, that the Patriarch needed both: Hence, the Lord said fear not; intimating great cause of fear without them, being in himself a sinner before God. And, it was this believing view which Abraham had in Christ, and the great things to be accomplished by Christ, which made Abraham's faith so illustrious, and his enjoyment so unbroken. He saw them afar off indeed, but he realized them as near. The promise to him became as sure, as though the whole events included in the promise, had been already accomplished. Hence, he believed God. He gave God the credit of God: and took God at his word. The faithfulness of the Almighty Promiser, became security, in his view, for the promise: and, being strong in faith, he gave glory to God; being fully persuaded that what God had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
We shall find occasion hereafter, towards the close of this beautiful Chapter, to speak more fully to the circumstances of this righteousness, in which Abraham, (and every child of God like Abraham, of this spiritual seed), is said to be justified. But in the mean-time, from the view of the subject, as set forth in those verses, we have seen enough to discover, under divine teaching, that the faith of Abraham, and the great object of that faith, had respect wholly to Christ. Abraham was conscious of his fallen state before God. He rejoiced in Christ's day, though seen afar off. He knew the whole to be of grace, not of debt. The Covenant transactions, from beginning to end, he was perfectly aware, had no respect to merit, or deservings, in the Patriarch, either in the Lord's view of Abraham, or Abrahams view of himself. Hence, the Patriarch was blessed of God in this righteousness of Christ. And so then, (saith the Apostle), they which are of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham, Galatians 3:9