Having discussed the doctrine of justification by faith in abstract theological terms in Romans 3, Paul illustrates this truth now in the Old Testament patriarch Abraham. We learn that Abraham was justified apart from works, circumcision, or the Law.
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Abraham’s Justification
Romans 4:1-15
The apostle Paul has been laboring to help the Roman believers understand the truth of justification. You will recall that Paul lays out the thesis of the entire book in Romans 1:16-17. Here we have the tiny acorn that grows into the mighty oak tree of the book of Romans. Paul tells us that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. So, the book of Romans is going to be an unpacking of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is the Good News of God’s salvation. But what does the Good News consist of specifically? Paul tells us in verse 17. He says that in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. In other words, the gospel reveals to us that God freely gives His righteousness to all who put their faith in Jesus Christ.
Then, from 1:18 to 3:20, Paul labors to show the Romans how desperately all men need this gift of righteousness. The Heathen need it, the Hypocrite needs it, the Hebrew needs it – the whole world needs it. Then, beginning in 3:21, Paul begins to explain this gift of righteousness. He tells us this gift of righteousness is apart from the Law, comes through faith in Christ, is for all, is a gift of grace, and is made possible through Christ’s redemption and propitiation. He tells them that this justification excludes boasting, abolishes distinctions, and establishes the Law.
Then we come to a new chapter – Chapter 4. The first thing we need to understand when we come to this chapter, is that Paul has not changed the subject. He is still talking about justification. Remember, that the chapter divisions were not part of Paul’s original letter. They were added about 1,000 years later, to help us find verses in the Bible easier. How do we know Paul is still talking about justification in chapter 4? It appears in this chapter 3 times, in verse 2, 5, and 25. But, on top of that, he talks about righteousness being credited 10 more times! Justification is when God credits righteousness to someone’s account. So there are 13 references to justification in this chapter.
So, why the chapter division? Is there anything new or different in chapter 4, than in chapter 3? Yes. Paul has been talking about justification in abstract theological terms in chapter 3. But, in chapter 4 Paul clothes this truth with flesh, by showing us how Abraham was justified. The name “Abraham” appears 7 times in this chapter, and there are 17 other personal pronouns like “he” or “his” that refer to him. So, in this one chapter alone, Abraham is referred to 24 times!
Furthermore, the words “faith” or “believe” occur 15 times! Folks, when you are doing your own personal bible study, pay attention to repeated words or phrases. Look carefully at the Scripture you are studying, and find out what the author keeps repeating and emphasizing. More than likely, that will be the central idea of the passage. Well, here in chapter 4 Paul is emphasizing Abraham, justification, and faith. What Paul is doing is showing us that the truth of justification by faith that he has laid out at the end of Romans 3 was the way God saved people like Abraham from the beginning of time.
Go back to Romans 3:21 for a moment. “But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.” When Paul talks about the Law and the Prophets he is talking about the Old Testament Scriptures. In Romans 3:21 Paul is saying that the truth of justification by faith is not some new-fangled doctrine that he is preaching, but is a very old doctrine. It is the way God has always saved sinners from creation until now.
Now, why would Paul use Abraham as an illustration of justification by faith? It was precisely because the Jewish rabbis believed Abraham was justified by works. According to William Hendriksen in his commentary on Romans, the Jews taught that Abraham was the only righteous man of his generation, and that was why God chose him to be the father of the Jewish nation. They taught that Abraham began to serve God at the age of three, and that his righteousness was made complete by his circumcision and his anticipatory fulfillment of the Law.
In one early recorded Jewish prayer, The Prayer Of Manasseh, it says “Therefore, Thou O Lord, God of the righteous, hast not appointed repentance for the righteous, for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who did not sin against Thee, but Thou hast appointed repentance for me, who am a sinner.”
In the Book of Jubilees, probably dating from the 2nd century B.C., there is the statement, “Abraham was perfect in all his deeds with the Lord, and well-pleasing in righteousness all the days of his life.”
Indeed, in Genesis 26:5 it says, “Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws.” So, it is easy to see how the Jewish rabbis could come to the conclusion that Abraham was made right with God on the basis of his obedience and good works. So, Paul will meet his Jewish opponents on their own turf. They believed Abraham was justified by his works. Paul says, “OK, let’s take Abraham for our example then. Exactly how was Abraham justified?”
In Romans 4:1-15, Paul will use Abraham’s life to teach us three things about how Abraham was justified. Abraham was justified apart from works, apart from circumcision, and apart from the Law.
1. Abraham Was Justified Apart From Works (4:1-8)
Verse 1. What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? We could paraphrase this verse this way – “What did Abraham discover about how a person is made right with God?”
Verse 2. For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. So, how could we paraphrase verse 2? What is Paul getting at? Paul is not saying that a person can actually be justified by works, but he can’t boast before God. How do we know? Because he has already told us in 3:20, “by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight.” So then, what is Paul getting at here? I would paraphrase it like this, “If Abraham was justified by his works, then he could boast about it, but before God that is impossible.” We never see Abraham boasting about his righteousness. In fact, the opposite is true. Abraham knew of his own unrighteousness. He was an idol-worshiper before God called him (Josh. 24:2). Further, we see Abraham’s glaring faults in Scripture. Twice he lied about Sarah being his sister to save his own skin. No, I don’t believe that Abraham would ever boast of his own righteousness. He knew he was a great sinner saved by a Great God!
Verse 3. For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” This is the passage Paul will base his teaching about justification in Abraham’s life on. When was Abraham credited as righteous? Was it when he had kept the Law? Was it when he had been willing to sacrifice his only son? Was it when he generously gave Lot the best of the land? No! It was when he believed God! God had just gave him an incredible promise. In Genesis 15:5 we find God taking Abraham outside and telling him to look up in the sky and count the stars. Then God told him “so shall your descendants be.” At this point, Abraham had zero descendants, but in spite of what he saw in the natural, he believed God’s promise that he would become the father of a great nation. When Abraham believed God, God credited righteousness to him.
Notice that Paul talks here about faith being “credited” to him as righteousness. Other translations translate the word as “counted.” It is an accounting word. It means to put to one’s account. God keeps the books. When a person is justified, God transfers his sin from his account, and transfers righteousness to his account. It’s like if you found yourself hopelessly in debt to the bank, and someone generously discovered your plight, and deposited a million dollars into your bank account.
Verse 4. Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. Paul is telling us that if salvation were earned by works, God would be a wage payer. Friends, when you have worked all week long, and your boss hands out your check, do you look at it as a favor? Do you so, “Thank you, thank you, thank you! I don’t know if I will ever find the words in my heart to thank you enough! I’m not worthy of such a gift! Bless you!” No! You just take your paycheck and go. Why? Because that check was not a gift, or a favor. It is what you have earned by working all week. Paul’s point is that justification is a favor. The word “favor” is the same word as “grace” in the Greek. And Paul has already told us in Romans 3:24 “being justified as a gift by His grace.”
Verse 5. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. This verse drives the nail in the coffin of Roman Catholic theology relating to justification. In the 16th century, there was a huge controversy concerning how a person is justified. The Reformers taught that a man is justified by grace through faith alone. The Catholic church taught that justification is accomplished through the sacraments. Initially, they say, a person is justified by being baptized. He continues to be justified until he commits a mortal sin. It is called a “mortal” sin, because it kills the grace of justification. The sinner must then be justified a second time. This happens through the sacrament of penance, which was defined as a “second plank” of justification for those who have made shipwreck of their souls. So, the Catholic teaching is that a man is justified by the sacraments of the church. A person is forever dependant on the Roman Catholic church for his salvation, because only the Church can rightly dispense the sacraments. Now, if a person is justified by baptism, or doing penance and saying a certain number of “Hail Mary’s” or “Our Fathers” or fasting, or good works, how is that any different from being justified by works? There is no difference.
What does Paul say in Romans 4:5? But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. The Catholic Church teaches that God justifies the godly. He only justifies those who have gotten baptized, and then done penance when they committed mortal sins. The Scriptures teaches that God justifies the ungodly when they have not done a single good work!
Verse 6-8. just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.” In addition to looking at Abraham’s life, Paul looks at David’s affirmation in Psalm 32. Again, Paul’s point is that God credits righteousness apart from works. And Paul tells us here that justification consists of 2 parts: putting God’s righteousness to our account and not putting sin to our account. In other words, justification involves the imputing of righteousness to us and imputing our sin to Christ. David was talking about the second one – the non-imputation of sin. He said the person is “blessed” whose sin the Lord will not take into account. And Paul says that Psalm 32 is teaching that God credits righteousness apart from works. After David committed adultery and murder, he didn’t do any good works to earn his way back into God’s favor. Instead, he confessed his sin to the Lord and cast himself on God’s mercy. The result? Full and free forgiveness.
So, my friends, what can we take away from verses 1-6? First, we should learn that God has saved people on exactly the same basis – by grace through faith. Salvation has never been by works. Some people believe that New Testament believers are saved by grace through faith alone, but Old Testament believers were saved by keeping the Law. Paul explodes that error here in Romans 4. He shows us that Abraham was justified by believing God’s promise, not by obeying the Law. Salvation has always been by grace through faith.
Second, we must beware of the teachings that are found in the Catholic Church and the Church of Christ, that we are not saved through faith alone. In their understanding, certain works must be added to faith for a person to be saved. As Paul says in Galatians 2:21, “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.” Don’t let anyone tell you that it’s good you believe in Christ, but that’s not enough. In the first century they were saying you had to be circumcised also. Today they might say you have to join the church, or do penance, or knock on doors, or get married in the Temple, or whatever. Don’t listen to them! The glory of the gospel is that righteousness is credited to us through faith. If righteousness is credited to us through anything else, the gospel is not good news! It is bad news, because now it is not based on what Christ has done, but it is based, at least in part, on what we must do. Even after we are saved, we can relate to God according to our works. We can get the idea that God would love us more if we just worked a little harder for him. He would accept us more if we just tried harder. We think we have to earn His love. None of that is true! You can’t get God to love you any more than He already does. He can’t accept you any more than He already has. Your good deeds do not do anything to improve your standing with God. You are accepted perfectly and freely in the Beloved! Rest in Him! Enjoy Him!
2. Abraham Was Justified Apart From Circumcision (4:9-12)
Verses 9-12. Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.
Paul is making two points here. 1) Abraham was justified apart from circumcision; and 2) because of that, Abraham became the father of all who believe, Jews and Gentiles.
In verse 9 Paul says, “Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also?” The “blessing” he is referring to is the blessing of verses 6-8. It is the blessing of having righteousness credited to you through faith. So, what’s the answer? Is justification something only for the circumcised or also for the uncircumcised? Did Abraham have to be circumcised before he could be justified? No! He was justified in Genesis 15 by believing God, and then was circumcised later in Genesis 17. His circumcision was a sign and a seal of the righteousness of faith which he already possessed.
Why is this important? The end of verse 11 tells us, “so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them.” If Abraham was justified apart from circumcision, then that throws open the possibility that Gentiles can be justified apart from circumcision. That was a revolutionary thought to the early church, and it took several years before it really sunk in, and the whole church embraced it. Initially, there were many who taught that Gentiles had to be circumcised before they could be saved. That was why there was the famous Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. But, if even Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation was justified apart from circumcision, anyone else can also be justified apart from circumcision. This argument throws open the doors for Gentiles to be saved and added to the church without becoming Jews first.
Now, why is this important? It’s important because it teaches us that we don’t have to go through any particular religious rituals to be saved? We don’t have to be baptized to be saved. Yes, if you are a Christian, you should be baptized. However, your ultimate salvation does not hinge on your baptism. I know many religious groups teach that you can’t be saved apart from baptism, like the Catholic Church, Church of Christ, Mormons, and United Pentecostal Church. I have a good friend in the Church of Christ that wanted to argue this point with me for a very long time. In the end, neither of us could convince the other. The Roman Catholic church teaches that a person is justified through baptism. The Mormons also teach that you can’t be saved apart from being baptized into the LDS. I went to www.lds.org and read this: “Baptism by immersion in water by one having authority is the first saving ordinance of the gospel and is necessary for an individual to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to receive eternal salvation.” I believe that this is dangerous teaching, because it requires human works for salvation. This was the Galatian heresy. The Galatians were taught that they couldn’t be saved simply through trusting Christ. They had to be circumcised as well. How did Paul respond? He says in Galatians 1:6, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!” Hear that? If we preach salvation by faith and ritual, we are to be accursed! The word means “to be eternally damned”! If we do that, we have believed a different gospel and have distorted the gospel of Christ.
3. Abraham Was Justified Apart From The Law (4:13-15)
For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.
What did Paul mean about the promise to Abraham that he would be heir of the world? True, on several occasions God had promised the land of Palestine to Abraham’s descendants. But, by the time we get to the New Testament, the promise of the land of Palestine has become the promise that he would inherit the world. How so? Well, in Genesis 17:8, God made this promise to Abraham, “I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojourning, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” Notice, that God promised he would give to Abraham the land of Canaan. Well, Abraham lived and died without inheriting the land of Canaan. Later, the children of Israel inherited the land of Canaan, but how could it be said that Abraham would inherit it? I believe it is because Abraham would rise from the dead and inherit the land. And the promise of the land in the Old Testament, seems to be just a small glimpse of the full promise reserved for God’s people. Jesus said, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” The promise of inheriting the land in the Old Testament, has become the promise of inheriting the earth in the New Testament. I believe these are references to the New Earth, that God will create when Christ returns one day. It will be an earth free from sin, in which righteousness dwells.
So, how did Abraham receive this promise of inheriting the world? Paul says it was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. In other words, Abraham’s ultimate inheritance was not based on works of the Law, but on the gift of righteousness he had received through faith.
Then, also notice that all people will inherit one of two things. Either you will inherit the world, or you will inherit wrath. Either you are under Law or under grace. If you are under Law, you will inherit wrath. If you are under grace, you will inherit the world. So, how do you get out from under Law to being under grace? You must get into Christ. Christ has fulfilled the Law. Romans 10:4 says, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” Christ perfectly kept the Law, and then he died for every one of our transgressions of the Law. So if you are in Christ, there is no Law. There is no Law to condemn you. And if there is no Law to condemn you, there is no wrath. All that is left, is a glorious promise of inheriting the world.
Now, notice how Paul has put all this. Abraham was justified apart from works, apart from circumcision, and apart from the Law.
We could apply all of this to ourselves this way – we are right with God apart from good deeds, apart from religious ritual, and apart from obedience to the Law. We are right with God solely through Christ! Our dependence for salvation is not anything of ourselves. It is in what Jesus Christ has done, and that alone!
Conclusion
My friends, this is Gospel! This is Good News! As long as are under some kind of religious requirements to do this or that or the other, that’s not good news. The pure gospel of Christ brings blessing, and security, and freedom, and joy! Have you experienced it? Come to Christ! Live in Christ! Walk in Christ! Find joy and freedom in Him today!
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