Following the Best Advice
-
Ecclesiastes 7:1-14
Close
Like Father Like Son
In his sermon on Romans 4:22–25, Stephen Davey explains that Paul presents Abraham not only as the pattern of saving faith but also as the proof that salvation has always been by believing in God’s promise rather than by human effort. Abraham was declared righteous because he believed God—and Paul says this was written “not for his sake only,” but for ours, so that we would imitate his faith. Davey identifies seven lessons to learn from Abraham: salvation depends not on who you are but on who you know—the resurrected Christ; believers can trust God’s promises even when they seem impossible; obedience is required even without full explanation; people of great faith are not perfect but grow through failure; stepping out in faith often brings hardship, not ease; faithfulness is not one grand decision but thousands of small obediences; and being remembered for courage and faith requires actually taking courageous, faithful steps. Through vivid illustrations—from a boy trying to “buy” the Washington Monument to the elderly woman whose simple tea invitation launched a ministry—Davey urges believers to live lives worth imitating. He concludes that just as Abraham believed God about a coming Redeemer, Christians believe in the One Paul describes here: Jesus, “delivered over for our transgressions and raised for our justification,” the Lord whom every knee will one day confess.
Abraham and Islam
In his sermon on Romans 4:20–21, Stephen Davey shows how Paul presents Abraham as the model of unwavering faith—faith that refuses to collapse even when God’s promise appears humanly impossible. While Abraham’s body was “as good as dead” and Sarah long barren, he did not waver but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God by thanking Him in advance for what He had promised. Before unpacking that faith, Davey addresses Islam’s claim that Abraham was the first Muslim, explaining the historical development of Islam, its use of Abraham as a spiritual figurehead, and its significant contradictions with the Old and New Testaments. He demonstrates that Islam’s portrayal of biblical events and of Jesus Himself dismantles the gospel and that the Qur’an’s teachings differ sharply from Scripture. Returning to Paul’s argument, Davey emphasizes that the true promise given to Abraham—confirmed in Galatians 3:16—pointed specifically to Christ, the singular “Seed” through whom all nations would be blessed. Abraham’s great responses were twofold: he grew in daily faith and gave glory to God, trusting God’s character above visible evidence. Davey concludes by urging believers to respond to Islam—and all other belief systems—with respect for individuals, recognition of doctrinal differences, and rededication to wholehearted Christian living, challenging Christians to match the zeal, prayerfulness, and devotion often displayed by Muslims. Ultimately, Abraham belongs not to any single nation or religion but to all who, like him, place their faith in God’s promised Redeemer—Jesus Christ.
The Hopeless Case
In his sermon on Romans 4:18–19, Stephen Davey explains how Paul uses Abraham as the prime example of hope that looks past impossibility and clings to God’s character instead of circumstances. Abraham appeared to be a hopeless case—about one hundred years old, his body “as good as dead,” and Sarah long past childbearing—yet God spoke of his future descendants in the past tense, as though the promise were already fulfilled. Davey shows that Abraham’s hope rested on two ingredients: the resolution to believe without clearly seeing and the choice to trust without corresponding evidence. Though Abraham stumbled at times—most notably through the birth of Ishmael—God viewed him through the lens of grace and ultimately commended his faith. Davey contrasts this with the hopelessness that marks people who look only at unmet needs, unwanted circumstances, and unfulfilled expectations. But like Abraham, believers discover hope when they calculate life not by visible evidence but by God’s promises, trusting Him even when the odds mock their faith. Davey concludes that the God who gave life to Abraham’s “dead” situation is the same God who gives hope to His people today, filling them with joy and peace as they trust in Him.
Origins
In his sermon on Romans 4:17, Stephen Davey explains Paul’s declaration that the God Abraham believed is the God “who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.” Davey shows that this verse is Paul’s sweeping affirmation of God as both Creator and Life-giver, grounding the believer’s faith in God’s revealed power rather than human speculation. He contrasts this with mankind’s endless search for origins—Darwinian evolution, modern theories, and scientific guesswork—none of which can explain how life began. Only revelation, Davey argues, provides that answer. Turning to Genesis 1, he notes that Scripture introduces the origins of time, cause, space, matter, humanity, marriage, morality, nations, and language—all created instantly and intentionally by God. Paul’s statement also affirms mankind’s unique dignity as God’s image-bearer, a truth rejected by evolutionary thinking that reduces humans to mere animals and strips life of meaning. Davey illustrates how such a worldview leads to moral confusion, loss of human worth, and a culture where animal rights overshadow human life. By contrast, Paul’s theology of creation upholds human value and anchors the gospel: the God who first created life is the only One who can give new life through Christ. Davey concludes that because God is the Creator of all life, He alone can guarantee eternal life—an assurance rooted not in scientific theory, but in divine revelation and Christ’s saving work.
Ruling Out the Law
In his sermon on Romans 4:13–16, Stephen Davey explains Paul’s argument that salvation and the promise of inheriting God’s kingdom come not through law-keeping, but through faith grounded in God’s grace. Davey shows how Paul dismantles three false hopes—earning righteousness by good deeds, religious rituals, or rule-keeping—and focuses here on the final illusion: believing heaven can be gained by keeping the right rules. Using Abraham as Paul does, Davey notes that God’s promise was never tied to law, since Abraham received it centuries before the law existed. If salvation depended on rule-keeping, Paul argues, then faith would be emptied of meaning and God’s promise canceled. Davey illustrates that trusting the law actually brings condemnation, because law can only expose guilt—like a mirror revealing dirt but unable to cleanse it. The law serves as a tutor leading sinners to Christ, not a savior that can rescue them. Davey highlights Paul’s summary in verse 16: salvation rests on three beautiful words—faith, trusting what Christ has done; grace, receiving what we do not deserve; and promise, relying on what God guarantees. Because God’s promise is unconditional—an epaggelia, not a negotiated contract—it rests entirely on His character, not human performance. Davey concludes that those who try to earn salvation only nullify the gift and condemn themselves by the very law they trust, but those who receive God’s unconditional promise by faith in Christ are forgiven, enriched, and eternally secure.
The Sign and Seal of Faith
In his sermon on Romans 4:9–12, Stephen Davey shows how Paul dismantles the Jewish belief that circumcision played any role in earning salvation, using Abraham’s own timeline as undeniable proof. Abraham was declared righteous in Genesis 15 when he was about 85 years old—fourteen years before he was circumcised at age 99. Davey explains that circumcision was never a means of salvation but a sign and seal: a sign marking Israel as God’s distinct people and a seal affirming a relationship that already existed. By Paul’s day, however, rabbis had exalted the ritual itself—teaching that circumcision guaranteed escape from hell and that Abraham even guarded its gates to prevent circumcised Jews from entering. Paul corrects this, insisting that Abraham is not the father of the circumcised, but of all who share his faith, whether Jew or Gentile. Davey then shows how Abraham “blazed the trail” of faith—believing God’s promises without seeing them fulfilled, and believing in the future Messiah without seeing Him in person. Just as Abraham trusted God’s Word and looked forward to God’s kingdom, so every believer today—like Caleb, Rahab, Ruth, the Magi, Cornelius, and countless others—walks in his footsteps. Salvation, Paul argues, is not based on a physical mark but on a spiritual birth, making all who believe in Christ true sons and daughters of Abraham.
Forgiven … Forgotten
In his sermon on Romans 4:7–8, Stephen Davey explains Paul’s use of King David as a striking example of undeserved forgiveness, showing that justification by faith alone brings both God’s satisfaction and the sinner’s joy. Davey surveys humanity’s long history of trying to appease the gods—through sacrifices, rituals, penance, or purgatory—and contrasts these efforts with Paul’s clear teaching that sinners are made right with God not by payment or suffering but by faith in Christ alone. Turning to David’s confession in Psalm 32, which Paul quotes in Romans 4, Davey highlights three key words that describe the believer’s rescue: forgiven—sin carried away by Christ our scapegoat; covered—sin atoned for through Christ’s blood; and not taken into account—sin erased from the divine ledger. Davey emphasizes that David’s sins were great, his case humanly hopeless, yet God removed his guilt entirely—“forgiven and forgotten”—an assurance every believer shares because of Christ’s completed work.
The Cover-up
In his sermon on Romans 4:6–8, Stephen Davey explains how Paul uses King David as an illustration of God’s forgiving grace, showing that even Israel’s greatest king was justified not by works but by confession and faith. Davey opens by describing the modern impulse to cover up sin—denying guilt, blaming others, minimizing wrongdoing, or redefining sin altogether—an instinct that began with Adam and Eve. He then walks through David’s own cover-up recorded in 2 Samuel 11–12, from adultery to deceit to the arranged death of Uriah, highlighting how David’s guilt only intensified the longer he hid it. When Nathan confronted him, David finally confessed, later writing in Psalm 32 that God forgave “the guilt of my sin”—a passage Paul quotes in Romans 4 to declare the blessing of the one whose sins are forgiven and whose iniquities are covered by God, not by human excuses. Davey concludes that true freedom comes when sinners stop hiding and allow God to cover their sin with His grace, the only basis on which anyone is justified.
Father Abraham
In Father Abraham, Part I (Romans 4:1–3), Stephen Davey introduces Abraham as Paul’s prime example of justification by faith, not works. He explains that Abraham lived 2,000 years before Paul, proving that salvation by faith is not new but has always been God’s plan. Abraham, the forefather of Israel and “friend of God,” was revered for righteousness, yet Scripture reveals his flaws—fear, deceit, and unbelief—showing that his justification came by faith alone. Davey warns against relying on human reasoning or cultural religion, urging believers to ask, “What does the Bible say?” Like Abraham, sinners are declared righteous not by merit but by trusting God’s promise of redemption through Christ. God credited righteousness to Abraham’s account by grace, illustrating the same salvation available to every believer today.
Ordinary Saints
In Extravagant Grace, Part 7 (Philippians 4:21–23), Stephen Davey concludes his study of Philippians by reminding believers of their true identity and belonging. Using a moving story of an unidentified man rediscovering his name, he parallels how Christians often forget who they are in Christ. Paul’s closing greetings emphasize that every believer is a saint—not because of achievements or miracles, but because of being set apart in Christ. Davey highlights the unity of the family of God—brothers and sisters joined by grace, not status—and notes that even “those of Caesar’s household” had come to faith, proving the gospel’s unstoppable reach. He defines grace as receiving what we do not deserve and points to Christ as its perfect expression. The letter that began with grace ends with grace, showing that everything believers are and have flows from the Lord Jesus Christ, whose lavish grace will continue to amaze His people for all eternity.