Romans 4:19-22 : And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform. Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. It required strong faith on the part of Abraham to accept God's promise that he would be the father of a son by Sarah when both were incompetent; but he had been a strong believer in God so long that his faith was able to stand the test. "He wavered not through unbelief" he was not weakened in faith. Concerning this manifestation of faith Paul adds: "Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness." Just when Abraham first became a righteous man we do not know. While Abraham was yet in Ur of the Chaldees, God promised him through the righteousness of faith that he should be the heir of the world (Genesis 12:1-3 Romans 4:13). How long he had been a believer in God before this promise was made through the righteousness of faith we know not. Some years later, when God prom-ised him that his seed should be as numberless as the stars, it is said that he believed in God, and he counted it to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:5-6). But it is certain that this was not the beginning of his righteousness by faith. About fifteen years later, when God promised him that Sarah should bear him a son, whom he should call Isaac, his faith did not weaken (Genesis 17:15-21). Concerning his faith at this time Paul says: "Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness." Later, perhaps twenty-five years later, God commanded him to offer up Isaac. Again his faith failed not. Of this greatest test of his faith James says: "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect; and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God" (James 2:21-23). Hence, that Abraham was righteous by faith is af-firmed of him on four separate occasions, covering a period of perhaps fifty years. It is astonishing that so many Bible students have overlooked these plain and important facts. To me it seems inexcusable that any Bible student should take Genesis 15:6 as an example of the justification of an alien sinner. And it seems doubly inexcusable for the same writer to so mix events as to make Genesis 16:6 and Romans 4:22 refer to the same event, and then, though the statements refer to events fifteen years apart, use both as examples of the justification of an alien! These things were not written to show how alien sinners are justified. Paul was meeting the demands of the Judaizers, who claimed that Gentile Christians had to keep the law. The justification of an alien sinner was not the point at issue, but whether a Gentile Christian had to keep the Jaw to be justified as a Christian. It does not appear that the Judaizers denied that the Gentile believers were saved, but their contention was that Gentile Christians must, as servants of God, keep the law to be eternally saved, or to remain in a state of salvation. To offset their contention, Paul shows that all down through Abraham's life of service to God he was right-eous by faith. Note Paul's next statement.