Abraham’s life shows us what it means to have hope “against all hope,” to face hard facts without weakening in faith because we are persuaded God will do what He has promised. As we walk through Romans 4, we see that faith is a gift, hope is a settled persuasion about who God is, and even when we hit the rocks, He still calls us to trust Him and rebuild on His grace.

When we come to God, he is the one who redeems us, buying us out of the indebtedness of our sin. Because of this, God declares there is no room for boasting in ourselves, since he alone justifies us. So when we boast we are to boast in christ.

Sin not only affects us, it distorts our motives, our mouth, our mind, and every part of who we are, and ultimately it leaves us without a proper fear of God. A reverent fear of God is not a cringing terror that makes us run from him, but a deep awe and respect that makes us afraid to grieve or dishonor the One who loves us and gave himself for us.​ When we truly fear God in this way, we start to take his holiness, his kindness, and his promises more seriously than our own desires or the opinions of others. That kind of fear draws us closer instead of pushing us away, leading to more honest confession, greater trust in his grace, and a deeper, more joyful relationship with him.