NT Text: Romans 4:18
OT Source(s):
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Reference Type: Direct Quotation
Connection Method(s): Promise-Fulfillment
Significance: Paul quotes God's promise to Abraham — "So shall your offspring be," spoken as Abraham looked at the innumerable stars — to illustrate the nature of Abraham's faith. Abraham believed "against hope, in hope" that God would fulfill this promise of countless descendants despite his and Sarah's physical inability. Paul uses this to demonstrate that justifying faith trusts God's promise even when circumstances appear impossible, and that the promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in the vast multinational family of believers.