The Grace of Atonement and Justification

Romans 4:20–25 NKJV

20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

Throughout chapter 4 of Romans Paul has been reiterating the story which his jewish readers had heard a thousand times. But this time Paul tells the story in order to confirm his claim in chapter 1

Romans 1:16–17 NKJV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

essentially righteousness by faith.

So he revisits this story from the “Old Testament”. Quotations because the term Old Testament is our way of separating the Bible based on the New Covenant through Jesus Christ. But Paul, like all the New Testament believers would have simply called it the scriptures. I think sometimes it’s important to remember that the early church Bible was only the Old Testament.

Now as we come to the end of chapter 4 of Rom Paul drives home his point by giving the application of Abraham’s story.

saying it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but also for us.

1 Corinthians 10:11 NKJV

11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

1 Cor 10:

There are many Christians that dismiss the Old Testament saying that it is not for us, we now have Christ. Well we might be reminded that the Bible that Christ used was the Old Testament.

It was on the road to Emmaus that Jesus beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. That is, the Old Testament Scriptures.

And in Jesus said “do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil.

So if the Old Testament was written for our example, and it speaks of Jesus, and it is the very thing that Jesus came to fulfil, then how will we know what it is that Christ came to fulfil if we do not read and study the Old Testament Scriptures. Paul, here in has just preached the gospel of salvation by faith from the Old Testament Scriptures declaring that we can have the righteousness of God credited to our account the same way that Abraham did, through faith in God.

1. Righteousness Imputed

Romans 4:23 NKJV

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him,

Rom 4:23

Romans 4:22 NKJV

22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Rom

So Abraham believed the promise of God that he would be heir of the world and God gave him grace, the grace God gave him was that he proclaimed him righteous. righteousness was accounted to him by grace. That is by way of an unearned, and undeserved gift, God, in His sovereignty declared Abraham righteous

Therefore God, in this great act of grace, separated the state of being righteous from the good and or bad deeds that Abraham did of did not do. Since the time of Adam, this is the only way that anyone has ever been righteous. By a grace declaration from a sovereign God. The good news is that this righteousness by a grace declaration was not only for Abraham. Paul says that this was not written for Abraham’s sake alone but for us. The purpose of the record of this story was so that you and I could read it and see that we too can have righteousness because God still graces people with righteousness and righteousness can be credited to our account as it was to Abraham’s.

So to who does God impart this grace of righteousness?

2. Those Who Believe

Romans 4:24 NKJV

24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,

Faith then, is the discerning factor of those to whom righteousness will be graced. Just as with Abraham so it is with us. But it is not just faith that God exist but rather faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The revelation of Jesus Christ came to Abraham by way of the promise of the seed. The promise that God would raise up from the dead womb of Sarah a child.

Specifically a child who would have within him the promised seed of a woman that would bruise the head of the serpent and would bring redemption to mankind.

So then Abraham’s faith is no different than our faith. Faith that God could bring life from death and break the curse of death that has passed on all men since Adam sinned. Faith that if God would raise Isaac from dead parents and that God would raise Jesus from the death then He can also raise my dead spirit to life and He can and will raise me up from the dead to live eternally with Him.

Paul then explains how God has made this possible. The one who He raised from the dead, Jesus our Lord, was...

3. Delivered for Our Offences, Raised for Our Justification

In this very power statement, Paul declares how God has engineered the way in which he can not only proclaim righteousness to the unrighteous but He is just in making this proclamation. In fact it is through this act of justifying sinners that God has chosen to reveal His own righteousness.

Romans 1:17 NKJV

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Rom

Back in

Romans 3:26 NKJV

26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

R

If a Judge were to proclaim guilty people as not guilty then we would say he was an unjust judge. But God, in his infinite wisdom has

How?

Romans 4:25 NKJV

25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.