12-8-24 Kasey Campbell: Grace, Not Works

Peoria Foursquare Church Dec. 8, 2024 ROMANS 4:1-8 NASB 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? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, the wages are not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, And whose sins have been covered. 8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.” BIBLE STUDY NOTES: ● V1 - Paul talks about Abraham because he was considered the great founder of the Jewish people. For them, he was their ‘forefather in the flesh,’ or their ancestor. If you’re not of Jewish descent, then he’s your ‘faith forefather.” What did he find? (He found justification by faith). ● V2 - Even if Abraham were perfect (somehow) and could boast about his goodness and works, he still wouldn’t be able to boast in front of God - God wouldn’t be impressed. “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Job 38:4 NKJV ● V2 - ‘Justified’ is a legal term that means a person has been found righteous (or they’ve been acquitted of any crimes.). On the day of judgment, there is either condemnation or justification based on how we respond to the Spirit of God. ● V3 - Abraham believed God and His promises. He took God at His word, and he was made righteous (right before God). There’s only ever been one way to be saved - by faith. This isn’t new or strange; God has always done it this way. ● V3 - Performance of the works of the law doesn’t make us righteous. What makes us righteous is a simple trust and complete submission that takes God at His word when He says He loves us - even though we haven’t done anything to deserve it. Romans 4:1-8 | 1 ○ “And he [Abram] believed in (trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness (right standing with God).” Genesis 15:6 AMPC ○ This is the moment Abraham was ‘saved.’ Others were made righteous by faith, too. See Hebrews 11:1-7. ● V3 - God viewed Abraham as unrighteous before the moment he trusted Him in faith (otherwise, what’s the point of this verse?). It was Abraham’s response of faith that made him righteous, not his holy life. ○ His response to God made him the physical father of Israel and the spiritual father of any who would also become righteous by faith. ○ Many rabbis of Paul’s time argued that Abraham was righteous and holy, and that’s why God “picked him.” But that doesn’t make much sense; for one, the law hadn’t even been given yet, as Abraham lived hundreds of years before God gave it. God didn’t even give Abraham the law of circumcision until after he was saved (not before). ● V4 - If you work, you get paid. Your paycheck doesn’t count as grace, mercy, or a favor but as something you deserve. ○ Do we want God to relate to us based on our performance? Or based on His grace and mercy and kindness? ● V4 - There are two ways people try to come to God. ○ 1. Carefully perform religious practices and live so disciplined that God will see them as righteous (like a worker getting paid). This doesn’t require grace; a person gets what they deserve. ○ (V5) - 2. Refuse to try to earn God’s approval because it’s hopelessly out of reach. Instead, rely on the merciful character of God, who, because of His love, is more than willing to declare a person righteous. His approval is a gift, totally undeserved. Abraham chose this way. ● V5 - You can’t be justified before God by works. It doesn’t work! Faith in Jesus is what makes us righteous. ○ Paul contrasts human performance with God’s grace. This doesn’t mean Christians just ‘don’t do anything’ or ‘just act the same as they always have’ after finding God’s salvation. ● V6 - David confirms that “by grace you have been saved through faith” Ephesians 2:8 NKJV - it’s not just Abraham. Faith in God brings major blessings, including eternal life. Romans 4:1-8 | 2 ● V7 - When our sins are covered or atoned for, then we can enter into the kingdom of God as His children. ○ Paul quotes Psalm 32, where David is extremely relieved God forgives him (probably because of his sin of murder and adultery). Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be— you get a fresh start, your slate’s wiped clean. Psalm 32:1 MSG ○ God simply forgives because of His gracious choice in responding to believing faith. “Wrongdoing is forgiven,” and “sin is covered.” God Himself covers the shameful nakedness of sin. When God chooses not to judge a person for their sin, that person is truly blessed. ● V8 - God doesn’t put our sins on our ‘moral account’ anymore. He put it on Jesus’ account, and Jesus paid the price for us. Paul calls this ‘justification.’ “The wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 NASB. ● ABRAHAM ○ He was a Gentile (non-Jewish). Israel didn’t exist in his time - he started it (it was his descendants). ○ His family worshiped idols, not God. You could say he was the first Christian in his family. “Joshua said to the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors, including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River, and they worshiped other gods.” Joshua 24:2 NLT ○ He grew up in “Ur of the Chaldeans,” which would have been a very religious, pagan city, most likely about 220 southeast of what is today Baghdad, Iraq. ○ He had failures and successes - he wasn’t a perfect man. ○ He was 75 when he started on his journey with the Lord. He left his home and land to do what God told him to do. Genesis 12:4 ○ He failed in Egypt. While he was on the journey, he let the Egyptians think his wife was his sister, and it caused all kinds of problems. He messed up during his journey! Genesis 12:13 ○ He was taken advantage of. Lot, his nephew, took the best land so he could prosper and left Abraham the less desirable land. Genesis 13:9-12. ○ He served others and helped them without seeing his blessing. Genesis 14:14-16. ○ He tithed. Genesis 14:18-20. ○ He tried to get God’s promise on his own terms. Genesis 16:2-4. ○ He obeyed. Genesis 17:23-24. ○ He received. Genesis 21:1-2. Romans 4:1-8 | 3 BIG PICTURE: In the words of William Barclay, “It is the supreme discovery of the Christian life that we do not need to torture ourselves with a losing battle to earn God’s love but rather need to accept in perfect trust the love which God offers to us. True, after that, we are bound under the life-long obligation to show ourselves worthy of that love. But we are no longer in the position of criminals seeking to obey an impossible law; we are, through love, able to offer all that we are to one who loved us when we did not deserve it.” This is one of the most important points when it comes to God, Christianity, and how we live our lives. God knows that we have a fallen human nature; He knows we fall and fail and falter, and He knows we need a Savior. So He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. If we believe in Him, surrender our will to God’s will, and pursue Jesus, we will be saved and enter His kingdom life. And our journey of faith will be like Abrahams - we will need to listen, surrender, and move based on God’s voice. REFLECTION: It doesn’t matter where you are in your journey with Christ—what matters is that your heart surrenders to Him. Abraham heard God and started his journey with Him at 75 years old. He messed up along the way - a lot. He struggled with his faith along the way, too. He waited 25 years before he received God's promise. He was 99 when he was circumcised!?! And he was 100 years old when he had the son of the promise of God. Faith is a choice. It’s also a journey. It’s a decision we make today, tomorrow, and each moment of our lives. When we struggle, when we face fears, disappointments, and delays, will we choose to press into the Lord, our ‘stronghold in the day of trouble?’ The Lord is good, A strength and stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows [He recognizes, cares for, and understands fully] those who take refuge and trust in Him. Nahum 1:7 AMP Meditate on this verse, and know that God knows you. He sees you, He cares for you, and He fully understands you. He won’t abandon you as you continue to step out in faith in His Name. He loves you, and He wants to show you how faithful he is, even when you struggle, even when you feel like you’re lost in the wilderness, and even when you can’t see the blessing. He is faithful, true, and will never abandon you. “ Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22 NKJV You are ‘the righteous’ if you’ve believed in God's promises by faith. Just like Abraham, who believed God, when we believe Jesus (in His words, His person, His character, and His promises), we are made righteous before God, and we can be in a relationship with Him, talk to Him, and receive His promises by faith. Romans 4:1-8 | 4