The Basis of Righteousness: God's Promise (Rom. 4:1-25)

Introduction

The Basis of Righteousness: God's Promise (Rom. 4:1-25)

Righteousness (8x in Rom 4)

righteousness (state) n. — a status of legal rectitude that satisfies the moral requirements of God’s character.

Romans 3:21–22 ESV

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

Paul is going to address the Jews by pointing them to their forefather Abraham. He is also going to show that Abraham is the forefather of all by faith.

How Abraham was credited as righteous?

Romans 4:3 ESV

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

Outline adapted from (Witmer, John A. “Romans.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Vol. 2. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985. 438. Print.)

By Faith not Works (4:1–8)

Abraham works or faith? (1-3)

Romans 4:1–3 ESV

What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

Comparing Words and Faith

Greek Grammatical Constructions Dataset Documentation Conditional Statement (First Class)

It provides a semantic value of either “simple condition” or “assumed true for the sake of argument.”

to believe (trust) v. — to have faith; put one’s trust in something.

to be credited v. — to be or become attributed or reckoned as an asset in someone’s (financial) account.

logizomai (λογίζομαι, 3049) primarily signifies “to reckon,” whether by calculation or imputation, (RV, “reckoned”); then, to deliberate, and so to suppose, “account,” (Vine, W. E., Merrill F. Unger, and William White Jr. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words 1996 : 9. Print.)

Abraham believed God

Genesis 15:1–6 ESV

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Abraham believed the words of God

to believe (trust) v. — to have faith; put one’s trust in something.

to consider (reckon) v. — to deem or reckon to be.

righteousness n. — adherence to what is required according to a standard; for example, a moral standard, though not always.

Difference between Works and Faith (4-5)

Romans 4:4–5 ESV

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

Works

Because of their Works they receive their wages as their dues not as a gift.

Romans 3:24 ESV

and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Faith/Belief

Belief in Him who justifies

His faith is counted as righteousness

David (6-8)

Romans 4:6–8 ESV

just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “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.”

blessed adj. — characterized by happiness and being highly favored (as by divine grace).

By Faith not Rites (4:9–12)

Abraham was counted as righteous before the sign of circumcision. (9-11a)

Romans 4:9–11 ESV

Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well,

Circumcision was a sign of the covenant relationship between God and the Jewish people.

Romans 2:28–29 ESV

For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

Paul is stating that Abraham was credited as righteous before he was given the sign of circumcision.

Circumcision was a seal of the righteousness he already had. (11a)

indication ⇔ seal n. — a confirmation, proof, or authentication of a status; understood as if a literal seal (a resinous fastener for securing and authenticating documents).

righteousness (state) n. — a status of legal rectitude that satisfies the moral requirements of God’s character.

Purpose (11b-12)

Romans 4:11–12 ESV

He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

To make Abraham the father of Jews and Gentiles because they follow his example of faith.

By Faith not the Law (4:13–17)

Romans 4:13–15 ESV

For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.

Promise

Genesis 18:17–19 ESV

The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

Not through the Law, but through faith (13)

If it was through adherents of the Law, there is no need for faith or the promise of God. (14)

Romans 3:20 ESV

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Promise through Faith to Jews and Gentiles (16-17)

Romans 4:16–17 ESV

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

God’s promise rests upon His Grace

Romans 3:24 ESV

and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Not just the Jews who have the Law, but to all nations

By Faith in God’s promise (4:18–25)

Abraham’s example of Faith (18-22)

Romans 4:18–22 ESV

In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”

Abraham had no offspring

His body and His wife (19)

They were old and unable to have children.

He was not young and waiting to get married when he received the Promise

He did not already have children when he received the promise.

I’m sure he and Sarah tried after hearing about offspring.

Abraham was strong in faith

Hoped against hope (18)

dis not weaken in his faith (18)

No unbelief wavered him (20)

No matter what he saw or experienced it did not cause him to lose faith in God’s faithfulness to his promise. “That is why his faith was ‘counted to him as righteousness.’”

Example to follow in our faith in Christ (23-25)

Romans 4:23–25 ESV

But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Faith in God through Jesus Christ

“in Him” - God the Father who delivered up and raised Jesus.

We have the same kind of faith as Abraham. Although we do not presently see the fulfillment of His promise, we trust in Him and His faithfulness.

John 20:26–29 ESV

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Takeaways/Dig deeper

Holman New Testament Commentary: Romans D. Abraham: The Father of Those Who Believe in “Resurrection” (4:23–25)

MAIN IDEA REVIEW: Abraham established the priority of faith over works for every Jew or Gentile who wants to be counted as righteous in the sight of God.

Righteousness of God is by faith not Works, Rites or Law.

Dig Deeper: Read Genesis 12-25 and Galatians 3, then compare what you learned to Romans 4.