Big Faith
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Introduction:
Continuing our study in the book of Romans.
We are coming out of chapter 3 into chapter 4. Last week my message was the gospel - the good news of Jesus - as it was presented in Chapter 3. That Paul describes every man a sinner, that sin separates us from God, and that we are reconciled through Christ.
In chapter 4, Paul begins to explain the nuance of how that actually works out - what is required of us for salvation, as he is working through these arguments that might be posed by his audience.
Before we go into this… Let’s pray.
PRAY.
The argument that Paul is debating is this: “If I am good enough, if I do and say the right things, if I accomplish the things that make God happy, I am righteous and justified.”
Say it another way.
I can do it all myself, and God will have no reason to punish me.
Another way.
If I can behave, God will love me.
This is a dangerous place to be. It is not at all what the bible teaches.
And yet - it is probably the most common spiritual belief in all history. It is actively taught to muslims, mormons and catholics.
Because it makes sense.
I do this, this and this, and then God owes me eternity in heaven.
There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.
We are going to deal with that today.
What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?
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 credited to him for righteousness.
Now to the one who works, pay is not credited as a gift, but as something owed.
But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness.
Right away in this text Paul throws out Abraham. Abraham was the father of the Hebrew people. He was the first one. He had the agreements. God gave him the promises. He was uniquely special. Incredibly important.
Everyone in the room knew who Abraham was.
Paul says - you cannot boast about doing any of this yourself - LETS Talk about Abraham.
Was abraham a perfect guy? Nope. Not at all.
He laughed at God’s plan for his life.
He lied about his wife, to her shame and his.
He wasn’t perfect.
But he did have some works.
He was willing to sacrifice Isaac. etc....
Romans 4:1 asks a question.
Romans 4:2-3 answer the question.
Romans 4:4-5 explains the answer.
What did he find?
The answer:
What does the scripture say?
Scripture is the known authority. It is God’s word. It is trustworthy.
All scripture is inspired. Good for teaching and stuff.
When we rightly understand something about God from the old testament, we rightly understand that about God.
Who he is does not change. He doesn’t change for culture. He doesn’t change for fun. God is God.
When we understand who God is and how he relates to his people, in this case, Abraham, we understand that this is the way that God relates to his people, in future cases Adam Johnson.
This is important for us to understand.
I don’t face Goliath, but I have giants of my own.
It doesn’t look like a lions den is in my future, but there will be times where my faith is questioned.
I don’t think I will be asked to sacrifice my child, but I know that God has asked me to live a life of abandonment.
So Paul here asks about Abraham to point us to that line of thinking.
What was his experience with God - and What does that mean for us?
Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Paul answers the question by pointing to Genesis.
Abraham believed God and it was credited to him for righteousness.
In that one statement, Paul indicates that justification by faith was the plan from the beginning.
The story of the bible, is a story of faith from start to finish.
He said lets go all the way back - so you can see this. What about Abraham. Yall read Genesis?
Abraham had FAITH. And God counted it as righteousness. It was reckoned to him. It was paid to him. It was put into his account.
He was made right with God, because his faith.
Could it have been his works?
“but not before God”
In verse 4 - Paul talks about the issue that salvation by works presents.
To the one who works - pay is not a gift, but something owed.
On or about the 1st of every month - this church writes me a check, for services rendered.
Every Friday, Kevin Thomas, by proxy, transfers money into my back account, for services rendered.
I work, and I am paid for it.
I work some more, and I am paid for it.
The government has established laws and rules for work and pay. I am not a salaried employee, so any number of hours I work over 40 for CCS - they are required to pay me a higher rate.
If I were to work for my salvation, I would have to keep track of all of the things that I did, and God would keep track of all of the things that I did and he would pay me for them fairly.
That would be great right?
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Now to the one who works, pay is not credited as a gift, but as something owed.
But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness.
Work doesn’t cut it. But the one who does not work.
The thief on the cross who couldn’t work.
The one who has no means to be impressive.
The one who can’t do what society calls impressive.
What is Faith?
Greek - Pisteuo PEESTEVOH
The act of Believing or trusting something on the basis of truthfullness and reliability.
Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.
For by this our ancestors were approved.
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?
The end of faith:
Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done.
And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
This morning - the question is this.
Do we have faith?
Do we understand God to be someone who we can put faith in?
Communion:
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread,
and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.