Paul introduced the above principle of God calling things that are NOT, as though they were (ALREADY) in Romans 4:16-18. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. By no means! Nor will they say, Look, here it is! or There! for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.. June 2018 This sort of present tense statement can be confusing if one is not aware that God has on a number of occasions employed such a principle. WebRomans 4:17 King James Version 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. As spirit beings we will be neither male nor female. November 2016 Read Chapter Compare PREVIOUS Romans 4:16 NEXT Romans 4:18 Romans 4:17 Meaning and Commentary Romans 4:17 NOW. He would sacrifice his life; the purpose being to achieve remission of sin. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.. And I will raise him up on the last day. Luke 5:4 chapter context similar meaning copy save The gift of tongues, exercised to the church, cannot profit unless it does one of four things named: A revelation. Speak those things that be not as though they were? before him whom he believed, [even] God; that is, he was so, either in the sight of God, who sees not as man sees; in his account, he was the father of many nations, long before he really in fact was; or "over against" or "like unto him", as the word may signify: as God was the Father of many nations, so was Abraham, though not in such a sense as he is; and as God is the Father of us all that believe, so was Abraham; there is some little likeness and resemblance in this between them, though not sameness. Do Eric benet and Lisa bonet have a child together? WebIf any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, Hence, the future tense principle is employed by God once again. Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; (Romans 4:16-18; NKJV). However, when one becomes more aware how God inspired Paul to use present tense or past tense to refer to events that have not yet come to pass, additional light is thrown on Colossians 2:13-14. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. G Unless otherwise noted: Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. So Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 45And Jesus said, Who touched me? And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.. Bible Verses About Faith Proverbs 18:21 says The tongue has the power of life and death. Yes, of Gentiles also. However, the promise was based on Abraham making an initial commitment to follow God. WebKing James Version. A deeper awareness of this principle also caused me alter slightly all my articles on this web site about the subject of justification, because I now know, for example, that when God inspired Paul to write: "I have made you a father of many nations"). Bible Verses About Love As it is written, I have made you the father of many nationsin 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. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. E Z. March 2020 January 2017 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. It could have been written in a certain form to give a future tense meaning to the verb but was NOT. for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. January 2020 Its that certain. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-11; NKJV), Example 10:For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. In other words its talking about the future of people who dont have the Holy Spirit both there body and spirit will be destroyed, unless they repent of sin. April 2016 Used by permission. Why Walden's rule not applicable to small size cations? Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. For by it the people of old received their commendation. They will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.. November 2018 So once Abraham had committed himself to God, like Christians at baptism, he was righteous in Gods eyes, and began to follow God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Note: Unlike prophecy, which is not conditional, salvation, since we have free will, is conditional, as indicated by the big IF in 1 Corinthians 15:1-2. Amen. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. March 2016 Webcalleth those things which be not, as though they were; so he called Abraham the father of many nations, when he was not in fact, as if he really was; and the Gentiles his seed and Bible Verses About Prayer, Bible Verses About Children By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, I believed, and so I spoke, we also believe, and so we also speak. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. The purpose was so certain, it was so constantly represented by bloody sacrifices from the earliest ages, all typifying the future Saviour, that it might be said that he was "slain from the foundation of the world." July 2016 If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. My Comment: He spoke of people who did not have the Holy Spirit as dead ALREADY, even though they were at that time still alive. June 2015 for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. My Comment: Many, including myself for some 37 years, have understood this verse in the following way: 1) Before a person receives the Holy Spirit he is spiritually dead. Example 12: But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead." 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. My comment: Our fleshly sinful side does not cease to exist until we are spirit beings, yet we are ALREADY referred to by God as not dwelling in the flesh, but dwelling in the spirit. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. - Weymouth BibleHe said to her, "Daughter, cheer up. WebThe one phrase that especially caught her attention was Abraham "called things which be not as though they were." August 2015 5I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto (Matthew 8:22). J N TopicalBible And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!(John 4:35-36; NKJV). And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." WebHe is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believedthe God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. (Read More)Genesis 1:1-31 - In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.. The quotation is taken literally from the Septuagint. Of course, this is completely antithetical to what Scripture teaches. Noble climax, and how rhythmically expressed! Barnes Commentary: Romans 4:17[I have made thee] The word used here in the Hebrew (Genesis 17:5) means literally, to give, to grant; and also, to set, or constitute. 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 Can you see now the subtle difference, and why it is important to recognize when God is using present tense to referring to events that are not yet, as though they were already. That being the literal meaning of what is stated in the verse (Romans 8:9, 10), and as such can only refer to our future as spirit beings. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. Example 2: But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you (Romans 8:9; NKJV). All rights reserved. 7And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? Bible Verses About Healing That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. Prof. Stuart, however (Com. September 2017 Who Is The Holy Spirit? (John 10:27-30; NJKV). And all this is viewed as past; because, starting from the past decree of "predestination to be conformed to the image of God's Son," of which the other steps are but the successive unfoldings, all is beheld as one entire, eternally completed salvation. Bible Verses About Forgiveness in loco), supposes that this phrase should be connected with the former member of the sentence, "whose names are not written, from the foundation of the world, in the life-book of the Lamb, which was slain." Some scripture references/categories courtesy of Open Bible .info under CC BY 3.0. My comment: This verse speaks of Christians as being saved already. And We still live in the physical realm, and there are still physical differences between males and females. God knew Abraham would not fail in his calling because it was His plan that Abraham would later be known to future Christians as the father of the faithful. October 2017 All rights reserved. All indications are that God, as with prophecy, would make sure it was brought to pass and that Abram had met already all that God required for Him to make such a promise. Faith At Christmas October 2015 And raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. And Jesus answered them, Have faith in God. Don't Be Discouraged WebAs 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. (Romans 4:17) Abram wasnt initially in faith concerning Gods promise. F It has been only as a result of fellowshipping with members of the body of Christ in a less stifling environment, where Gods spirit of sincerity and truth has been free to flow and unbiased discussion has taken place, that I have come to grow in better understanding of this verse. 3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. W If you have any questions or topics you would like me to address please use the comments section or email me at donald@donjake-strategicadviser.com, As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This verse also refers to our justification. R Abraham believed God and his faith was imputed to him for righteousness: And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe (Romans 4:11; NKJV). It is particularly helpful to be aware of this principle when studying the book of Romans, , This study has helped my see, for example, that I and many other ex worldwide Church of God people have misunderstood 1Colossians 2:13, which is explained further down in this paper under the heading . Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. ESV as it is written, I have made you the father of many nationsin 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. By his wounds you have been healed. Either construction makes good sense; but it seems to me that what is found in our common version is the most simple and natural.My comment: By speaking of Christs sacrifice as having already taken place from the foundation of the world, there is NO indication whatsoever that there was any possibility that Christs sacrifice was not going to happen. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.. Behold the fresh and new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17; AMP). There are also other verses in the Bible that also Guarantee our future in the Kingdom: a) My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. My comment: In the above verse reference is made to those in Christ (Christians). Trials And Tribulations November 2017 And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. King James Version (KJV). I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. [Call] those things which be not as though they were. Romans 4:17 (KJV) Calling yourself well when you have symptoms, a pile of prescriptions and a doctor telling you everything thats wrong with you is an act of faith. The following verse shows how Gods desire is that none perish: The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9; NKJV). And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. Start for FREE. WebWhen all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? My comment: Once again, the time when our fleshly sinful existence ceases to exist is in the future when we are spirit beings; however God, in the above verse, speaks that way in order to describe how Christians are JUSTIFIED in this life NOW because of faith in Christs blood. 3But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. It will require constant practice to actualize its import and reap the benefits. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 2:13-14 is therefore, now, understood in the following way: 1) The verse is not talking about people being dead in a spiritual sense, they were never alive spiritually in the first place anyway, so how could they die. Cross References 4 Footnotes 1 Read full chapter Romans 4:17 in all "And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." Salem Media Group. All Now for those who still have doubts about whether God sometimes speaks of future events as if they already were, have a look at the following verse in which God refers to Christians as ALREADY glorified: Example 4 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified (Romans 8:30; NJKV). (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 2 Corinthians 4:13 - We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. As it is written I have made thee a father of many nations, &c.] The passage referred to, is in ( Genesis 17:4 Genesis 17:5 ) ; which proves him to be a father not of the Jews only, since they cannot be called "many nations", but of the Gentiles also; and which must be understood in a spiritual sense, for Abraham was the father of them. King James Bible The meaning here is, not that he was actually put to death "from the foundation of the world," but that the intention to give him for a sacrifice was formed then, and that it was so certain that it might be spoken of as actually then occurring. At that time Abraham did not even have any children by his wife Sarah because she was barren. KJV, Thinline Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, King James Version, KJV, Reference Bible, Personal Size Giant Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print, KJV, Reference Bible, Center-Column Giant Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print, KJV, Gift and Award Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, King James Version, KJV, Value Thinline Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, King James Version, KJV, The King James Study Bible, Red Letter, Full-Color Edition: KJV Holy Bible. They are referred to God as a new creation, and the old things are described as ALREADY as having passed away. Who Is God Bible Verses About Wives This verse is talking of Christians as though they were already spirit beings. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. May 2016 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. 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. M He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son. Cite this page: Editor: Stephen Smith. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Why Does God Compare Our Relationship with Him to That of a Bride and Groom? Once we made our mind up that with Gods help, we want to be free, we must begin to speak life over ourselves, over our situation, over our life and over our future. They are deemed righteous, innocent, and in that sense free from sin. July 2022 But my kingdom is not from the world.. Your faith has made you well. My Comment: It was purposed by God and therefore as good as done already; it was that certain. August 2018 ?SiC 2022 | . The word if is definitely in the Greek and translated from the Greek word ei (NT: 1487) and means: (i); a primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc. Christ employed the same principle on a number of occasions as follows: Example 11: Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." He initially placed great emphasis upon the circumstances. Bible Verses About Peace February 2017 50But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Renewed See the notes on Rev 5:6. As spirit beings we will be neither male nor female. "- World English BibleAnd he seide to hir, Douytir, thi feith hath maad thee saaf; go thou in pees.- Wycliffe Bibleand he said to her, `Take courage, daughter, thy faith hath saved thee, be going on to peace. Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. There is no in between category referred to by God. Webif any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of God; if any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Example 7: Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Faith in For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. D (Luke 7:48-50; NKJV). September 2015 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. Go in peace. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Advent Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. Y Web"Calleth those things that be not, as though they were"(KJV) doesn't seem as dogmatic as "calls into existence the things that do not exist"(ESV) but there is no essential difference December 2014 See Romans 4:17. There will also be no one who is a slave of another. b) To show the certainty of a Christians future; as long as they continue to want His way of life. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Either construction makes good sense; but it seems to me that what is found in our common version is the most simple and natural. Labs It is true that people are given spiritual life when they receive the Holy Spirit, but they are not alive as fully developed spirit beings yet, even though God in these verses refers to them as such. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. March 2015 K The gift of teaching the inspired truths of the Scriptures, or those revealed by the prophets. (Even though in reality they still commit sin). The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.