Faith's Paradox: God's Power in Human Weakness

They regarded their kinship as having grasped the stronger one, thus exhibiting lordship over the word of God and lifting it upward. Following this, he demonstrates that he received this as a reward of faith; therefore, if this were not true, even if he were father of all who dwell on earth, the opposite would have no room—since the opposite is identical in nature. This is the paradox: those he did not possess by nature, he received as God’s gift. Such, he says, were the many nations whom the God who gives promises to him appointed as father. Regarding those made dead through sin, whose soul has become dead within a living body, I now believe he says: the sinner’s own soul will die. But what of those who are not, or those deprived of being and not sharing in it—thus called in opposition to those who partake in the one who said, ‘I am he who is’? He calls those who are not, so that, by obeying them, he may grant them the gift of being. Yet perhaps someone will object: how does the apostle elsewhere say that God chose the non-existent things in order to abolish the existing things? But it is clear this is a different sense of ‘existing’ and ‘non-existing,’ apart from every composition there: those existing here are the strong, the powerful, the well-born; those not existing are those otherwise disposed in relation to these, as regards their opinion. Romans 4:18–22 He who against hope believed in hope, that he might become father of many nations according to what was said, so will your offspring be; and not having weakened in faith, he considered his own body already dead, being about a hundred years old, and the deadening of Sarah’s womb; but in regard to God’s promise, he was not weakened by unbelief but was strengthened by faith, giving glory to God and being fully convinced that what he promised is able and to do; therefore it was credited to him for righteousness. See lest perhaps as Abraham believed against hope, from hope to hope, so also all who are sons of Abraham by faith believe against hope, from hope to hope, concerning all things, whether concerning the resurrection of the dead or concerning inheriting the heavenly kingdom or the kingdom of God. For these things, insofar as they are upon human nature, are against hope; but insofar as they are upon the power of God and his truthful promises, upon hope those who from faith hope attain. And since the one who believes upon hope believes, therefore he remains in faith, hope; from which these are born, and the third greater than these is love; and I suppose that faith has the logic of elementary instruction, hope of progress, love of perfection. But that it is said that Abraham’s body is deadened not because of old age will be evident to the one who has considered how Abraham, having set forth, took a wife named Keturah; and he bore her after Sarah’s death, who lived one hundred twenty-seven years; and Abraham is clearly found to be ten years older than Sarah. If therefore, as some say, through the promise he caused Isaac to be educated, how then, apart from promise, after one hundred twenty years did he bear those from Keturah? Therefore it is said in praise that such a deadening of the members upon the earth mortifies; for when someone by spirit does the deeds of the body to death, then he extinguishes all the innate fire to burn within him; therefore that Isaac’s birth is not from burning but from God’s promise; for they have become worthy to be called parents of this patriarch. Romans 4:23–25 It was not written only because of him that he was credited, but also because of us to whom it is going to be credited who believe in the one who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead, who was delivered because of our transgressions and was raised because of our justification. Now the ‘because of him alone’ has been taken instead of ‘concerning him alone’; but also the ‘because of us’ instead of ‘concerning us’; for not in order that Abraham, having met Moses the earlier writer, might be benefited by the later letter of him. But if it is not written only concerning Abraham that he was credited to righteousness, but also concerning us, as if the Word were proclaiming beforehand the righteousness to be credited from faith to those who believe in the one who raised Jesus Christ from the dead, then take heed lest perhaps only and every believer upon the one who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead, the one raised with Christ, might say and also rise and dwell in us in the heavenly places in Christ; having been raised together with Christ, the one having become conformed to his resurrection, and because of having died together with him, lives with him; for if we die and live, he died with Christ, since Christ, having died.

He regarded their kinship as having seized the stronger one, thereby displaying lordship over the word of God and lifting it upward. After these things, he also shows that he received this as a recompense of faith; therefore, if this is not the case, even if he is father of all who inhabit the earth, the opposite no longer has space; for the opposite is the same. For this is the paradox: those whom he did not have by nature, he received these from God's gift. Such, he says, were the many nations whom the God who gives the promises to him appointed as father. Concerning those who through sin have been made dead, whose soul has become dead in a living body, I now suppose he says: the soul of the sinner itself will die. But what of those who are not, or those deprived of being and not sharing in it, thus called in opposition to those who partake of the one who said 'I am he who is'? He calls those who are not, so that, obeying them, he may grant them the gift of being. But perhaps someone will say against these things: how does the apostle elsewhere say that God chose the not-existing things in order to abolish the existing things? Yet it is clear that this is a different meaning of 'existing' and 'not existing' insofar as it is apart from every composition there: those existing here are the strong, powerful, and well-born; those not existing are those otherwise disposed in relation to these, as regards their opinion. Romans 4:18–22 He who against hope believed in hope, that he might become father of many nations according to what was said, so will your offspring be; and not having weakened in faith, he considered his own body already dead, being about a hundred years old, and the deadening of Sarah's womb; but in regard to God's promise, he was not weakened by unbelief but was strengthened by faith, giving glory to God and being fully convinced that what he promised is able and to do; therefore it was credited to him for righteousness. See lest perhaps as Abraham believed against hope, from hope to hope, so also all who are sons of Abraham by faith believe against hope, from hope to hope, concerning all things, whether concerning the resurrection of the dead or concerning inheriting the heavenly kingdom or the kingdom of God. For these things, insofar as they are upon human nature, are against hope; but insofar as they are upon the power of God and his truthful promises, upon hope those who from faith hope attain. And since the one who believes upon hope believes, therefore he remains in faith, hope; from which these are born, and the third greater than these is love; and I suppose that faith has the logic of elementary instruction, hope of progress, love of perfection. But that it is said that Abraham's body is deadened not because of old age will be evident to the one who has considered how Abraham, having set forth, took a wife named Keturah; and he bore her after Sarah's death, who lived one hundred twenty-seven years; and Abraham is clearly found to be ten years older than Sarah. If therefore, as some say, through the promise he caused Isaac to be educated, how then, apart from promise, after one hundred twenty years did he bear those from Keturah? Therefore it is said in praise that such a deadening of the members upon the earth mortifies; for when someone by spirit does the deeds of the body to death, then he extinguishes all the innate fire to burn within him; therefore that Isaac's birth is not from burning but from God's promise; for they have become worthy to be called parents of this patriarch. Romans 4:23–25 It was not written only because of him that he was credited, but also because of us to whom it is going to be credited who believe in the one who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead, who was delivered because of our transgressions and was raised because of our justification. Now the 'because of him alone' has been taken instead of 'concerning him alone'; but also the 'because of us' instead of 'concerning us'; for not in order that Abraham, having met Moses the earlier writer, might be benefited by the later letter of him. But if it is not written only concerning Abraham that he was credited to righteousness, but also concerning us, as if the Word were proclaiming beforehand the righteousness to be credited from faith to those who believe in the one who raised Jesus Christ from the dead, then take heed lest perhaps only and every believer upon the one who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead, the one raised with Christ, might say and also rise and dwell in us in the heavenly places in Christ; having been raised together with Christ, the one having become conformed to his resurrection, and because of having died together with him, lives with him; for if we die and live, he died with Christ, since Christ, having died.