The Model of Abraham

The Righteousness of Faith: A Legacy for All

Bible Passage: Romans 4:1-12

Have you every made a mistake?

Honestly there are many types of mistakes.

Errors of omission and commission.

ones we intended, ones we didn’t and ones we didn’t even realize.

The Jewish Belivers were making a mistake

Paul knows the Scriptures and goes to the CORE ARGUMENT for the very issue that he has been addressing to the Church in Rome

last week

We discussed Roman 3:23 last week.

Romans 3:23 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

and the IMPORTANT fact that it is the core reason that we need the GOSPEL

God is the God for ALL, not the Jewish

no work is available or able to SAVE

it is by FAITH ALONE

SOLO FIDE —- by faith alone

Today we see Paul addressing a mistake

that God has revealed in

the Jewish Way

that they are not alone

that the Gospel is for ALL

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that we all have made mistakes, errors

yet that is NOT our IDENTITY

our IDENTITY does condemn or save us

IDENTITY = in CHRIST ALONE

that is the point of ROMAN 4

it is not our mistakes or our successes — put on a scale and weighted

it is NOT our Denomination or our FAMILY religious IDENTITY

it is NOT my “DAD WAS A PASTOR”

it is about YOU —- no matter your past or your Pedigree

ACCEPTING JESUS — SUBMITTING TO HIM AS LORD

that is what saves you.

ABRAHAM OBEYED —- and it was COUNTED by GOD as RIGHTEOUSNESS

The Jewish Christian were acting like many Christians do today

i am better than… .and you need to be more like me.

you need to DO

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Yet Paul changes that perspective…

We all have sinned and need a Saviour

the only way is FAITH IN JESUS

not accumulation of our completed TO DO LIST, or pedigree

ALL —- we have a problem with understanding ALL

and here in Romans —- Paul is helping us understand.

the Jews are living in a state of US and THEM

and the GOSPEL says ALL

we do it today and it is why we have the lesson today in Romans 4

the JEWISH Christians are making a mistake

they are teaching a GOSPEL plus WORKS

and it is a MISTAKE.

our mistakes do not DEFINE us

our mistakes mold us

Their mistake is our mistake

ALL are Eligible for SALVATION

the OLD will become NEW

not

Like a Sculpture in a Italian square

do you look at it from the stand point of AWE that some one made that from a block of ROCK.

OR

do you look at it as a series of mistakes, well i could have done better, look at where the Sculpturer chipped to deep

of course not We see the finished product as AMAZING

and that is how GOD sees all of us

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Psalm 139:14 “14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

We don’t identify as mistakes from our past

but as creations workmanship of Christ

our chipping away to create the beauty is for us to share.

But HE is doing the work, not YOU

and that is the core of our message today

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Summary:

In Romans 4:1-12,

the Apostle Paul discusses the faith of Abraham,

demonstrating that righteousness is credited to those who believe,

not based on works or lineage,

but through faith in God’s promises.

Our relationship with God is founded on faith rather than performance.

In a world where achievement often defines worth,

believers can find peace knowing that their standing before God

is secured through trust in Jesus, alleviating the burden of striving for approval.

The Scripture teaches that righteousness comes through faith,

exemplified in the life of Abraham,

showing that anyone can be justified

and welcomed into God's family regardless of their background or personal accomplishments.

Regardless of our mistakes

known and unknown

Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises.

Just as Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness,

believers today are justified by their faith in Jesus Christ,

the promised seed through whom blessings come.

Faith is the foundation of our righteousness before God,

making us heirs alongside Abraham,

regardless of our past or social status.

Jewish-Gentile dynamics:

saw themselves as different

struggled with cultural differences

struggled with lifestyle

and frankly with PREJUDICE —- we are better than you

Paul says the MYSTERY is REVEALED

ALL

Gentile or Jewish

wise or unwise

God’s wisdom — Jesus is Wisdom

Romans 1:14 “14

I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.”

Romans 1:16 “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.”

Paul addresses this in Eph 3

talking about the MYSTERY

that the Gospel is for ALL

that CHRIST came to make them CO HEIRS of the GOSPEL

ONE BODY united by the PROMISE of CHRIST

the Jews needed reminded.. maybe even shaken a little

it was not by works that ABRAHAM was declared RIGHTEOUS

and certainly not by being a JEW.

ABRAHAM was the FATHER of the JEWS

so Jewish religious Laws weren’t in existence

FAITH —— alone

it cannot be because you were BORN special, or you FOLLOWED laws

it CAN ONLY BE BY FAITH

FAITH IN JESUS declares you RIGHTEOUS

1. Foundation of Faith

Romans 4:1-3

Abraham's righteousness was accredited because of his faith, not works.

This challenges us to redefine success in our spiritual walk as resting entirely on

God's promise rather than our performance.

—-On Christ’s Work and not our PEDIGREE

Reflect on how this liberates us from religious striving and invites us into a relationship grounded in trust, as exemplified by Abraham

—a man righteous before God by faith.

This passage should inspire you to

contemplate YOUR understanding of faith and righteousness.

2. Gift of Grace

Romans 4:4–5 ESV

4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

Paul contracts WORK AND GRACE

with the difference between wages and gifts.

righteousness is a gift given to those who rely on faith alone

wages are earned

gifts are given

This distinction invites believers to examine whether their assurance comes from grace or personal effort.

a deeper dependence on Christ's completed work,

salvation is not earned but freely given to the undeserving

—a transformative truth for anyone caught in self-reliance.

3. Blessedness of Forgiveness

Romans 4:6-8

Paul references David, who speaks of the blessedness of the forgiven.

This connection between Old Testament promises and their fulfillment in Christ

inspires us to appreciate the depth of God’s forgiveness

and the joy found in being declared righteous apart from works.

Psalm 32:1–2 ESV

1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

I love how Paul brings it current

Psalm 32 was written in about 1000 BC during the reign of King David

so today we are blessed to enjoy both the OT and the NT

and it still is completely perfect today

Romans 4:9-12

this section abolishes barriers between Jew and Gentile,

as Paul asserts that faith

—not circumcision or any ritual—unites us with Abraham's promised blessings.

This unity in faith invites a diverse community into God’s family.

Conclusion:

We live in a world that wants to define you by what you did (good or bad)

and what they see in you currently.

Our invitation to Christians should be CHRIST CENTERED

You are WHO GOD designed you to be

You were a block of ROCK

and the world has been the chisel guided by CHRIST to shape you

Hard knocks YES

Missing pieces YES

Incorrect teachings YES

broken relationship YES

Errors, mistakes, bad decisions YES

God uses it all TO HIS GLORY

His GLORY IS YOU

you are HIS workmanship.

You didn’t carve yourself

Christ is the CARVER

FAITH is WHAT declared Abraham, Faith is what declared DAVID

and FAITH is the only thing that SAVED you.

so let us share that with OTHERS

AMEN