Promise By Faith
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Throughout our study of the book of Romans, Paul has been building his argument about salvation and from where it comes. .
In chapter 1, he showed us that all of creation reveals what may be know about God:
His divine nature
His eternal power
So that with regards to God’s plan of salvation no one has an excuse. No one can say, “I didn’t know!”
Then Paul turned his attention in chapter 2 to the fact that all of God’s judgement is “righteous.” He tells us that God will repay each person according to what they did with the life He gave them.
In 2:9 he reminds us, “There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first to the Jew, and then to the Gentile.” He goes on to say for those who do good, God will reward them with glory, honor, and peace.
Building on this idea, Paul then turns his attention to the fact that there is NO difference between being a Jew or Gentile. He tells his Jewish readers that there is NOTHING special about them!
You see, they believed because they were God’s chosen people they would escape his judgment! Paul tells them that the value of being a Jew (being circumcised) is in the fact that they were given the very Word of God!
Paul then reminds us that No One is Righteous! Not even one person! He goes on to say that there is the bigger problem: no one can be declared righteous by keeping the law! Instead, the law of God was meant to make us aware, “conscious” of our sin!
So how does one become righteous in God’s sight? Paul then begins to build his argument that faith is the key to God’s economy of Salvation. In Romans 3:28 we read:
For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
Now we come to our passage today. Paul is going use Abraham, the “father of the Jews,” to show that even he was saved by Faith!
So if you have your Bibles, and I hope that you do, turn with me to Romans chapter 4, and we’ll begin looking at verse 1.
Our Forefather In the Flesh
Our Forefather In the Flesh
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter?
Paul is going to build his argument based on what Abraham learned about salvation and works!
If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
If Abraham was justified by works—then he would have something to boast about.
But what does the Scripture say?
—Abraham believed God,
—And his belief was credited—added to him—as righteousness (right living before God).
How it Works?
How it Works?
Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.
Paul wants us to understand that in God’s economy God makes the Payments for our actions.
These payments are not a “gift” but rather they are an obligation. They are what we earn—so in a fashion, God is obligated. But let’s go on!
However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
Now there is a person who does not put his/her trust in what they earn—their works.
But rather they trust God, and what he gives.
Now God can even justify (make it just as if someone had NEVER sinned) an ungodly person.
When God does this it is because the person receives a “payment” of righteousness for their faith, or because of their faith.
David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
Now Paul is going to back this thought up with the writings of David.
“Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”
Paul quotes from Psalm 32:1-3.
A person is truly blessed (by God) when his “transgressions”—his lawless deeds—are forgiven.
A person is truly blessed when his/her sins are forgiven.
A person is truly blessed when the Lord does not count the person’s own sin against them.
Now I have to admit that when this happens a person is really blessed by God. But who is this kind of blessing for? Look at verse 9.
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.
Paul asks if God’s blessing of forgiving sin, is only for those who are Abraham’s descendents—the circumcised.
Or does it apply to Gentiles (uncircumcision)?
Paul goes back to Abraham, and how Abraham received his righteousness. His faith was “credited” (counted, considered, seen as) righteousness before God.
Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!
Paul wants to know about the “circumstances” or the timing around Abraham being credited righteousness.
Was it before he was circumcised or after he was circumcised?
Paul’s conclusion was that it was before Abraham was circumcised—therefore it was not because Abraham was circumcised!
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.
Rather, God gave circumcision as a “sign” of Abraham’s righteousness that he received by his faith.
So circumcision was given as a “seal” of his righteousness that he received because he exercised his faith!
All of this happened while he was still uncircumcised.
This makes Abraham the “father” of all who believe.
Even those who have NOT been circumcised.
So Paul introduces the fact that even Gentiles who live by faith can be seen as righteous by God!
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.
Likewise, Abraham is the father of those who are circumcised (the Jews).
BUT it is the Jews (the circumcised) who follow the steps of faith like Abraham did before he was circumcised.
It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
Paul comes right out with his conclusion: It was NOT through the law that Abraham and his offsprings received the promise that they would be the heir of the world.
No it was through their “righteousness” that came by their faith!
Paul continues to develop his logical argument.
For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,
If Paul were to be wrong—then following his argument: If those who depend on the law are actually the heirs
Then “faith” means nothing!
But it’s worse than that—because that would mean that the promise is worthless.
because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
Here’s the reason—the law brings wrath—or we might say with the law comes the consequences of breaking that law.
Paul says were there is no law—there are no lawless deeds (transgressions).
Promise By Faith
Promise By Faith
Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
Paul’s conclusion: the promise of being an heir of the world comes by faith.
It is by grace—favor that we can do nothing to earn or deserve.
It can be guaranteed to ALL of Abraham’s offspring.
It is not given based on the law (that would be righteousness by works).
But to those who received the law (the Jews) and who have the faith of Abraham (which can also include the Gentiles who live by faith).
So that Abraham is the father of many nations.
As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.
To support his claims, Paul quotes from Genesis 17:5 “No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.”
So Abraham is “father” in God’s sight, the God in whom Abraham believed.
This is the same God who gives life to the dead.
And can call into existence things that are not yet in existence!
In these last two phrases about God Paul demonstrates the amazing power of God!
—Gives life to those who are dead.
—Creates something out of nothing!
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Against all hope—all expectation, or all understanding—Abraham believed what God told him.
So Abraham became the father of many nations.
Just like God told him. There there’s a little quote from Genesis 15:5.
Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.
Paul wants us to understand the dilemma—because in the face of this dilemma, Abraham’s faith didn’t weaken.
His body was as good as dead.
At 100 years old Abraham was well past the age of having children.
This was made worse by the fact that Sarah was also old and well past the years of childbearing, and she had NEVER had a child!
Still, Abraham’s faith didn’t waver.
Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
No unbelief regarding the promise that God gave him.
Rather his faith was strengthened.
And he gave glory to God.
being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
How could he do this? He was full persuaded that God had the power to do what He promised to do!
Now here’s the KEY!
This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Paul concludes that it was Abraham’s unwavering faith—not perfect faith, but over all unwavering faith—that was applied to his life as right-living-before-God—or righteousness!
The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone,
Here’s the next KEY—the promise of “crediting to him” was NOT just a promise for Abraham.
but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
It was also for us!
That’s right, God will credit righteousness to anyone who believes in Him—the one who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead!
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Jesus was delivered over to death because of our sins,
And raised back to life so that we can be justified—seen just as though we had never sinned.
SO What?
SO What?
The first “So What” is this—It is by placing our faith in Jesus Christ that we gain a right relationship with God!
Next we see that our right relationship with God does NOT depend on us! It does not depend on us being good enough, doing enough good, or working hard to be good. It is ALL ABOUT GOD and His Grace—favor we don’t deserve—for us!
The law—or keeping the law—was NEVER able to save us, but rather it shows us—or should show us—how far from God’s perfect standard we really are!
And finally:
—Jesus was handed over to die because of our sins. Your sin and my sin sent Jesus to the cross to die!
—But God raised Jesus from the dead so that we could be justified—seen by God, just as if we had NEVER sinned.
—And our participation in God’s act of justification is all about walking in faith!
And exactly what is faith? Well, Hebrews 11:1 tells us:
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
And a faith that is active is living our lives according to 2 Corinthians 4:18.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
And we close with the first verse of our passage for next week as an encouragement for each of us to live by faith.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
This week, I pray that you may experience peace. Peace with God!