2022 1204 Faith & the Covenant

GOD IS FAITHFUL

Romans 3:4 Let God be true, and every human being a liar.

NO ONE RIGHTEOUS

Romans 3:20–21 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law

THERE IS HOPE

Romans 3:22–23 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

Belief key to RIghteousness

Romans 4:3 NIV

What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Abram told God he had no heir - childless

God told him to look at the stars and count them

so shall be your offspring

Genesis 15:6

The Covenant

Genesis 17:1–2 NIV

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

renamed Abraham at the age of 99

father of many nations

this covenant is everlasting

sign of the covenant is circumcision

Sarah had a son Isaac

Value of Work

Romans 4:4 NIV

Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.

belief came before the covenant

faith came before works

another picture

when you work you get paid - it is an obligation

righteousness is a gift of God

it is not an obligation by God

Faith leads to Righteousness

Romans 4:5 NIV

However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

hence no room for boasting

no scope for works

Satan and the world cannot offer salvation

trusting God is the opposite of Adam’s decision

again faith is the key

Blessed in Forgiveness

Romans 4:6–8 NIV

David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”

the promise of God

God is always looking to forgive

he wants to bestow righteousness onto man

this is the first blessing of God to flow onto you

Faith before Works

Romans 4:9–10 NIV

Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!

question of favour - Jews will claim this favour due to Abraham

this on the basis of the covenant

yet Paul wishes to declare it was before that

it was indeed on faith

Abraham is the father of faith

Abraham Father of Faith

Romans 4:11–12 NIV

And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

faith was followed by the sign of circumcision

faith was before the covenant

faith triumphs over works

rightly Abraham is the father of faith

faith is not restricted by nation or race

True Circumcision

Romans 2:29 NIV

No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.

earlier statement

covenant comes through the Spirit

man looks to the written code - Satan is a legalist

let us be Spirit filled and continue in faith