Rom 4:1-25 "Justified by Faith"

I’m sure I am not the only person who got bored in school. One of my remedies to boredom was to draw stick figures in the corner of my notebook. When each page was viewed by itself it appeared static, but when viewed by fanning through the pages motion appeared.

My brain perceived motion where it did not exist because of the way God wired our brains to make sense of random data.

Just as my brain drew conclusions that were based upon perspective (what appeared to be), that conclusion rested upon my interpretation of the facts and my ability to separate that which was significant from what was just noise or coincidence.

Just as perspective on fossils or climate change require interpretation of the data, our perspectives on law, circumcision and Abraham’s reckoned righteousness demands a look at the facts and not the assumptions.

Some of us were raised in Sunday School, VBS & church services; others have come to realize the importance of faith later in life. The religious Jews of Paul’s day took great confidence in their religious upbringing, but, after describing the righteousness of God in chapter 3, Paul needs to clarifies that we should neither over or under emphasize our faith heritage and traditions. Paul selects some key events that they would only know if they were familiar with the history of their religion, but also subverts the idea religious deeds were the basis for justifying faith.

TRANSITION:  Knowing how God dealt with Abraham’s sin and religious activities informs our views on the benefit of religion and good works.

Justification precedes Obedience (Rom 4:1-12)

God’s accounting department (Rom 4:3-5)

Last week we considered the idea that God loves people, but must have wrath toward sin. In the act of justification, God counts/reckons/makes an entry in the ledger so that wrath can be diverted to the cross and righteousness credited to the object of His love.

Romans Logizomai, “To Count”

Logizomai, “To Count.” In a Greek context, the verb logizomai originated in the field of accounting, and its original sense involved calculation and recording in some sort of accounting system.

Any of us who have ever had money transferred from one account to another, (or used an app like Venmo) can grasp what happens in vv.3-5.

God doesn’t just reward good people, He justifies the ungodly! (v.5)

no doubt Abraham would see himself in Romans 4:7–8 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

David expressed these words in Psalm 32, following Nathan’s confrontation regarding Bathsheba, because he [David] did not see himself as deserving righteousness.

If adherence to the Law (Rom 4:14) became an identifier of what it meant to be a notable Jew, Paul points to examples of Abraham 500 years before Moses and David, 500 years after Moses who required God’s justifying mercy.

the sign (circumcision) indicates that a covenant is in place (vv.10-11)

illustration: wedding ring is likened unto baptism.

illustration: a bandage indicates that a procedure has happened—More than a momma’s kiss and a superhero bandaid. A bone must be set before the cast is put on. While a cast is evidence of a broken bone, it is the screws, pins and rod that fixes the problem.

law and sacrifices were not prescribed until 500+ years AFTER the Abrahamic covenant was instituted. The 28 chapters from Gen 12-50 took at least 70 years.

Exodus 12:40 mentions 430 years in Egypt. Israel/Jacob was grandson of Abraham, Israel had 12 grown sons before Joseph was ever sold into slavery, Joseph grew up and years of famine passed before the brothers came to buy food, and we don’t know exactly how much time passed between Exodus and Sinai.

The Jewish people took great confidence in their attention to the Law and sacrifices at their temple, but the form of the law was frequently elevated over the function that it was intended to perform. Its very purpose was to demonstrate that those who obeyed and sacrificed to YHWH had a 500 year history BEFORE the Moses was ever born. The sign of circumcision was given hundreds of years before the sacrifices, and God’s promise of covenant mercy was in place before circumcision was established.

Justification exceeds Obedience to the Law (Rom 4:13-17)

God’s kingdom has always been available to those who would come to Him, those who adopt the priorities of the covenant community. [not migrants who remain loyal to foreign gods] See Ex 23:9

Exodus 23:9 ESV:2016

“You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

Father Abraham had many sons

     Before you start waving arms in the air, marching in place, or spinning around, let me draw your mind to Derek Brown’s comment on the mention of Abraham (and his descendants) in this verse:

Romans Place within the Canon (Abraham: Justification by Faith (Romans 4:1–25))

Paul draws on Abraham’s faith in God to demonstrate that righteousness is not on the basis of works or limited to the Jewish people; instead, it is by faith and therefore available to everyone who, like Abraham, trusts God. Therefore,

TRANSITION:  So, if righteousness can be declared apart from compliance with the Law, where do good works fit into Abraham’s and our lives? After the talk about law, Paul specifies how Abe’s behaviors demonstrated faith.

Justification compels deeds of faith. (Rom 4:18-25)

Abraham acted on the promise

Left Ur (Gen 12:1 & Heb 11:8)

circumcision (Gen 17 & Gen 21)

o Abraham himself (at 99) Gen 17:24

o Abraham’s son and male servants Gen 17:23

o Isaac who was born several years later Gen 21:4

Fathered the Son of Promise/offspring (Heb 11:11)

offered Isaac trusting God to keep covenant (James 2:21)

Abraham trusted God’s word over his own perception

How might you live out faith?

Faith doesn’t initiate with deeds (as some people read James 2:21) but existing faith is revealed by deeds.

Water Baptism is the Biblically prescribed way of professing personal faith (e.g. We call to practice water baptism as a public profession of faith that a person holds)

Last Sunday one who has been attending for the last couple months asked me if I would baptize him in water. So we will be having a baptism (as soon as the weather permits). Because he has faith, he wants to demonstrate it and profess it! He doesn’t have to go in the water in order to be justified.

2. Verbal testimony

o Sometimes we gather for proclamation and your participation in worship accomplished this assignment Psalm 22:22 (ESV) — I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

o Sometimes we go forth in proclamation & sometimes we call people to us to hear - Psalm 66:1-2,16 (ESV) — Shout for joy to God, all the earth; 2 sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! 16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

3. Living as salt and light (we should be different)

Colossians 4:6 (ESV) — Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Ephesians 5:8 (ESV) — for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

4. Good Deeds (good turns daily is not just a Boy Scout thing)

James 2:18 (ESV) — But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Light & Lamp Application:

Light for my Path

Good works do not earn salvation, but they absolutely demonstrate it.

Lamps for my Steps

As a follower of Christ lifestyle must stand in contrast to the values of your neighbors and coworkers.

Words of testimony demand to flow as freely as your support for your favorite team/athlete.