Faith and law -- Romans 4

I have lots of trouble understanding Romans 4. (Please help!) V13-14"For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but throught the rithgeousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified." Does this mean that faith contradicts law sometimes? For example, the Law says, do not kill. But faith told Abraham to kill Isaac on the Altar. I wonder if Abraham went for counselling at that time, what kind of answer he could get? The natural law says, women cannot have children at 90 years old, but faith says that doesn't matter. Verse 3 "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." does this mean that the righteousness of Abraham has nothing to do with obeying the law? plus he wasn't even circumcised, that was totally against the Law? God loved the world so that He allowed Jesus His only son to be killed. Does that mean it's ok for Him to break the Law of do not kill? Jesus violated a lot of Pharasee's understanding of laws. Like healing on Sabath days. Does that mean that when faith's present, it's not bound or limited by Law? in other words, is it ok to break the Law when God gives a faith that has a higher purpose than keeping the law? Does God contradicts Law Himself?David had a child by the result of sinful lust. but after verse7,8"blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. blessed is the man whose sin the Lord ill not take into account." then this child carried the bloodline blessings of Jeus. The prodigal son deliberately broke the Law, but when he came back, he got greater blessings than the older son. Does these mean that faith and promises run on the boarder of breaking the law? If we keep the law with all our deligence, we might be called the pharasees? Does God work outside of the box of the Law?


And this is Craig's answer to the questions above:
Susan.... You are moving into some deep philosophical waters here (and waters that perhaps a lot [if not] most Christians would not even go into). I will attempt to speak very simply (most of the time... until.... I get carried away) so that you may understand. There was a philosopher by the name of 'Soren Kierkegaard.' He said that there is a person called the 'Knight of Faith'. This particular person 'suspends' the 'general ethical rule' which is 'universal for everyone'.... he climbs up above it to fulfill the will and plan of God. Kierkegaard tells us.... that Abraham 'suspended' the general and universal ethic of 'not killing' to sacrifice Isaac. In so doing, Abraham was fulfilling the Will of God for his life. So what can we gather from this ? There is in 'the history of mankind' certain individuals (a 'Knight of Faith' if you will) who has been 'called of God' to do something particular. And there is no 'ultimate way' to 'prove' to anyone else that it is the will of God and the call of God ,to perform, that which God has commanded. Moreover, Abram was called of God to leave 'Ur of the Chaldees' and to go out not knowing where he was going.... Hebrews Chapter 11. He had no written text (such as the bible) to prove to anyone that God had spoken to him. He went out in faith. That is just one illustration. The bible has many illustrations like this. So faith and what God asks an individual to do can go above and over any 'universal law' that everyone else lives by. To get back to Kierkegaard... he calls it the 'Teleological Suspension of the Ethical'.... For other people, reading this particular post, you will find this in Kierkegaard's book called 'Fear and Trembling'. This book looks at Abraham 'fulfilling the Will of God' by offering up Isaacc... Kierkeggard is seen as the father of 'modern Existentialism'. However, in the end... Faith may not only CONTRADICT the law but faith can totally GO ABOVE and TRANSCEND the law.... in fulfilling the will of God. A much greater law has been put into place which is the law of Faith. Thus... the 'Knight of Faith' lives by this law.