Romans 4:11-17, Father Abraham (grafted in, adopted)

Paul continues to reason with the those of Jewish decent in the Roman church on the fact that keeping the Law (works) has nothing to do with salvation. He continues to use the Jewish patriarch Abraham to expose the fault in reasoning. The entire Jewish people referred to Abraham as their father because their nation and people began with his family. Paul let them know that Abraham wasn’t the father of those who had been circumcised (kept the law), he was the father of all those who had faith in God regardless of their heritage. In Genesis 22:18 God told Abraham that through him all nations would be blessed and Paul references this to make those in Rome aware that Abraham was the father of those who believe in God not those who ritualistically serve God. Both Jew and Gentile are considered figurative children of Abraham if they have placed their faith firmly in God.
Later, in the book of Romans (chapter 11) Paul uses a farming analogy to further explain to the church of Rome that what started with Abraham and his seed was expanding to include all who are willing to believe. He says that Israel is like olive tree that has a branch grafted into from a wild olive tree symbolizing that God allowed others to be partakes of his blessing from outside Abraham’s linage. It is the spirit of adoption and something that Paul understood greatly because he was appointed by God to head up the recruiting effort outside of Jews. Acts 9:15 says that Paul was God’s chosen vessel to carry His message to the Gentile nations. The Jewish people had developed an elitist and exclusive attitude toward God in their lives. They thought that because of linage and their behaviors that God found favor in them and Paul wanted them to understand that this wasn’t the case. God is, was, and always will be satisfied only with those who place their faith solely in Him for their existence and salvation.