20230423 A Faith that is Given, A Work that was Accomplished
Genesis in Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Scripture reading and Introduction:
1 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 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? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
The word of God is truth, it reveals God’s truth, it leads us into truth, it shows us Jesus, the one who is himself truth. The word of God has authority and power - may be receive it as such.
Let’s pray - a salvation that is required by God, wasourchased by God, and is a gift from God
We are working our way through the Book of Genesis. So important is this first book of the Bible and its author Moses that every New Testament writer used the Book of Genesis in some manner when writing their gospel, epistle or prophetic writing.
Every single book of the New Testament.
The existence of God, the origin of sin, the promise of the gospel, the Abrahamic covenant, the role of faith.
This morning we will continue to take a brief look at the use of Genesis by the apostle Paul in the greatest book of the Bible, the Book of Romans.
Justification: _______________________________________
- to be declared righteous, but more than that, to be given righteousness, to be made righteous.
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
(1) A Gospel that is by faith
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
A righteousness from heaven, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last. But where does this faith come from?
Faith is a gift from God, it is the result of regeneration, the result of being born from above, receiving the new birth of the Holy Spirit , the result f having a heart that is spiritually dead made spiritually alive by the Spirit who produces holiness in those who were dead in their trespasses and sins.
In the Book of Romans Paul uses Abraham as an example of justification by faith
(2) An Example that is by faith
1 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 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? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
Abraham believed God
(3) A Salvation that is by faith
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
Dr John Gerstner
Romans 4:5: “To the man who does not work, but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.
Notice how many different ways (7) this Scripture teaches justification by faith alone in one verse:
1. The justified one does “not work.”
2. The justified one “trusts.”
3. The justified one trusts not in himself but in another: “God.”
4. The justified one confesses himself to be “wicked.”
5. The justified one does not have faith in his faith.
6. The justified one sees his faith only as “credited” to him.
7. The justified one sees his faith credited as “righteousness.”
The hymn does not exaggerate when it says, “NOTHING in my hands I bring.”
Rock of Ages
Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
What does this mean for us?
Pastor Gerstner - A woman said to me after hearing me preach on sin, “You make me feel so big (holding her fingers an inch apart).” I was shocked and replied, “Lady, that is too big; much too big, fatally big. You and I are a minus quantity, and all fallen mankind with us. Justification can only be by faith alone.”
23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone,
24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Let me explain, therefore, once again what the Protestant biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone apart from works means. Justification with God is apart from the merit of works. That does not mean that justification is apart from the existence of works. Christianity teaches justification apart from the merit of works. Easy-believism teaches justification apart from the existence of works. Faith without the existence of works is dead. Faith without the merit of works is antinomianism. Faith with the merit of works is legalism.
A.H. Strong (Baptist Theologian, 1836-1921) uses the analogy of a locomotive engine, its cars, and couplings. All the power to move the cars is in the locomotive. None of the power is in the couplings. Yet the locomotive, with all its power, cannot move one car without the coupling.
Justification is by Works — in One Sense
Jesus earned all this. He paid for it with His blood. All Christians can say with the chief of saints, who called himself the chief of sinners Paul), “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
Justification is ultimately by works — the works of Jesus Christ! They are received by the justified sinner as his own works. Christ justified His people by His works as their works; works done by them in their Substitute.