Romans 4:16-17 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.
God has set up the plan of salvation in order to show the depth of his grace and love towards humanity. Abraham became the father of many nations not through blood line but through faith line. The Jews are a small number and always have been. But today, millions and even billions of people call Abraham their father. Paul argues that people are descendants of Abraham by faith. Even Jews related by blood are cut off from Abraham if they do not believe. They can always be grafted back in. Paul gets his ideas from before Moses and the giving of the law. He shows that Israel is defined by faith and not the law. The law has value and has its place but it is not the defining factor. God’s grace is ultimately what determines all of this. God’s grace is freely given and available to all people. Only those who accept this in faith are adopted as sons and daughters of Abraham, or are children of faith. Abraham trusted in God’s promises even though he was an old man. God’s promises were fulfilled through Abraham because of this faith.
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