Abraham Justified by Faith

Opening

What does justification mean?

Who is Paul writing this letter to and where is the church?

Refresher from last week:

righteousness through faith

Pay close attention to how Paul introduces Abraham: “our ancestor according to the flesh.”

In Romans 7–8, Paul develops a flesh/spirit dichotomy, but here flesh stands in opposition to belief.

Abraham is the ancestral father, the patriarch from whom Jews and many other peoples trace their lineage.

But not all of the descendants of Abraham’s flesh are considered part of the covenantal community, and Paul asserts in 4:11 that belief matters more than lineage.

Introducing Abraham here as the ancestor “according to the flesh” sets the stage for this.

Read Romans 4:1-12

Romans 4:1 “1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter?”

The great patriarch of the Jewish nation, the true example of a justified person.

Some Jews revered Abraham as a model of righteousness and obedience to God.

But Paul demonstrates that this righteousness came not by his works, but by faith.

James 2:21-23 “21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.”

Abraham’s act of faith recorded in Ge 15:6 occurred before he offered up Isaac, which was only a proof of the genuineness of his faith.

Pardoned people are the only blessed people.

So is Abraham our forefather?

Romans 4:2 “2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.”

If … Abraham was justified by works.

Paul’s Jewish opponents may have been claiming that Abraham was justified by works.

But the fact is that he was not (v. 3), and therefore all boasting on his part is excluded.

he

Abraham

to boast about

to brag about

If justification is really by faith in what God has done, there is absolutely no room for boasting in what we have done.

But if justification is based on works, then people may boast in self-righteous pride, even though there is no legitimacy for boasting before God, or before people for that matter.

Do you know of something that a person has taken credited for or even bragged about and it was all God at work?

Romans 4:3 “3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.””

What does Scripture say?

Paul appeals to scripture as final authority, God speaking.

But was it by works? What does the Scripture say ?

Abraham believed God and it was put to his account for righteousness.

The central thrust is clear.

It was not by works but by faith that the problem of righteousness was solved.

Prior to faith, the record showed lack of righteousness.

With faith, the record showed righteousness.

In 4:3 Paul offers support for his assertion by quoting Genesis 15:6.

Since it was Abraham’s faith that led to him being credited with righteousness, there is no room for boasting.

Abraham believed God

Who are you believing today?

righteousness

Paul’s Teaching :For Paul the center of any concept of righteousness had to be the cross of Jesus Christ.

It is in the cross and Resurrection that God reveals and accomplishes His righteousness, and that human righteousness finds its source