The Righteousness of God … Received! Part One Romans 4:1-5:11
Romans - Just Right!All written materials for this series will be posted on this website, http://servingandsharing.com/, under the category, “Romans – Just Right!”
All corresponding video presentations may be found on this YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7JRppjEn33aIrggv9opfecN4rksInQsM.
What About Abraham? Romans 4:1-25
What has Paul said so far? Now … what about Abraham?
All would agree that, if anyone was right with God, Abraham was.
But how, when, and on what basis did he get God’s righteousness?
Did he earn it, like a paycheck, or receive it, like a gift?
Rabbis taught, “Abraham perfectly obeyed the Law before … written.”
Rom 4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
3 For what does the Scripture say?
Note re: biblical authority.
God’s righteousness for Abraham …
Not earned by his works but credited by his faith.
Romans 4:3b-8
Credited, imputed, reckoned, accounted – entered into one’s ledger.
Gen 15:16. God deposited right’ness into Abraham’s “bank account.”
Heb. חָשַׁב chashab Reckoned, regarded, credited, counted. Gen 31:15.
Grk. λογίζομαι logizomai (business term) (used 11x in Rom 4).
A wage God owed one worthy, or a gift by grace for an ungodly one?
David: righteousness credited apart from works. Ps 32:1-5.
transgression forgiven, sin covered, iniquity not accounted.
God’s righteousness for Abraham …
Prior to his circumcision, not dependent on it.
Romans 4:9-12
His later circumcision (Gen 17:5) was a sign and a seal.
God had previously justified an uncircumcised man – Abraham!
God still does that! Gentile Christians are also Abraham’s children!
“Steps of faith” – walking the walk, walking in the light. 1 Jn 1
The NT never speaks of baptism as a sign and seal of one’s prior justification, but rather as that which precedes and receives it.
God’s righteousness for Abraham …
To guarantee the promise to all his descendants.
Romans 4:13-17
If one could earn it by works of Law, faith would not be needed.
If it were a payment earned, it could not be a promise granted.
The Law cannot bring life but only wrath. Law cannot save!
Gentiles who are “of the faith of Abraham” are his children.
Father, not just of the Jews, but of many nations. Gen 17:5
God’s righteousness for Abraham …
Received through his faith in God’s promise.
Romans 4:18-22
Faith: fixation on the proper object: God Himself and His ability.
– Raise the dead: Isaac (Heb 11:19), Christ, and us!
– Calls non-existing as if existing: creation, Abraham’s descendants.
Faith: confident expectation; in hope against hope.
– “So shall your descendants be.” Gen 15:5
Faith: trust in His promise, fully aware of one’s own inability.
Faith: not wavering, growing strong, giving
glory to God, being fully assured. Therefore …
God’s righteousness for Abraham …
A “type” of our righteousness by faith in Christ.
Romans 4:23-25
For whom was Abraham’s experience written?
For us! Why? How does the Genesis record benefit us?
It proves that God credits righteousness as a free gift by faith.
The cost and proof of our justification: Christ’s death and resurrection.
Abraham’s Faith: Trusting, living, obedient, active. Confirmed by his works.
Jas 2:20 … faith without works is useless. 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” …
Jas 2:24-26 “By works, not by faith alone.”
His works “justified,” certified, proved him to be right with God.
The fruit of his faith, not the root cause of his relationship with God.
If Abraham had not offered Isaac …
Blessed Assurance! Romans 5:1-11
Past – Present – Future
Because we are justified by faith –
We have peace with God! We enter and stand in His grace!
We exult in the hope of His glory, and even in our tribulations!
We are justified by faith because –
Christ died to save God’s helpless, ungodly, sinful enemies.
So, we exult in God through Christ, … reconciliation!
God and man, once apart, now “at one.” “At-one-ment.”
But – can one person’s actions really affect the whole world?
This discussion addresses , in part, the reason that Chistians follow the examples and commandments presented in the New Law rather than those once observed under the Old Law.