LessonSix--Romans4
Abraham and David triumphed by grace alone through faith
4:1-8 "By faith" proved from the life and writings of two Old Testament men
If youwanttowinanargument,thebest wayistoquotethewordsofsomeone youropponentrespects.That'swhatPaul doeshere.TheJewsrespectedAbraham andDavid.
Verses1-3Refresh yourmemoryonthe storyofAbraham'slife.Whatisthe contextofGenesis15:6?(Note:Atthe endofchapter4,wewilldiscoverin whatwayAbraham'sfaithinGod's promiseparallelsourfaithinJesus.)
Verses4,5Somesaythatjustificationis aprocessthatextendsoverthecourseof aChristian'slife.Inthissense, justificationisdefinedas“tomakea personmoreandmorerighteous.”How doesverse5provethatjustification means“todeclarerighteous?”(Hint: Linktogetherthethoughtsinthe followingphrases:“doesnotwork,” “believes,”and“faithiscredited.”)
Verses6-8PaulalsoquotesfromDavid toprovesalvationbyfaith.
Wearegoingtocollectsomephrases thatdifferentiatebetween“Salvationby KeepingtheLaw”and“Salvationby Faith.”Youmightmaketwolistswith thosetitles.
Phrasesforourlists: -We get what we deserve -We receive a gift
AbrahamandDavidlivedbyfaith. TheyweregivenGod'srighteousness asagiftandtheyrejoicedinGod's mercyand forgiveness.
4:9-12 Abraham is the father of Jews and Gentiles
WhenGodgaveAbrahamthecovenant ofcircumcision,Abrahamwassetapart fromtherestoftheworldbyaphysical sign.Inasense,atthattimeAbraham became aJew.
Verses9-11HowdoesPaulusethe chronologyofAbraham'slifetoprove thatthegospelwasintendedforthe GentilesaswellastheJews?
Verse12Paulbeautifullyexpresseshow GentilesandJewsshouldview themselvesasspiritualdescendantsof Abraham. ThegospelisforJewsandGentiles-forallwhobelieveasAbrahamdid beforehereceivedthecovenantof circumcision.
1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.
4:13-17 Living under the law vs. living under faith
InthissectionPaulshowsthesharp contrastbetweenlivingunderthelawvs. livingunderfaith.
Verse13 (Law) Blessings come to those who keep the ____________________ (Faith) Blessings come to those who are by
Verse14 (Law/Faith) Promise is worthless (Law/Faith) Faith is worthless
Verse15 (Law/Faith) Sin (Law/Faith) No sin (Law/Faith) God's wrath (Law/Faith) No wrath
Verse16 (Law/Faith) By works (Law/Faith) By faith (Law/Faith) No guarantee (Law/Faith) Guaranteed
Abrahamlivedintherealmoffaithand soheisthefatherofallwholiveinthat realmbyfaith.
Itwouldbeunbearableto liveunder thelaw.Peaceonlycomeswhenwe liveundergracebyfaith.
4:17-25 Abraham's faith was the same as ours
Verse17PauldescribesAbraham'sfaith inGod,“whomakesthedeadaliveand callsnon-existingthingssothatthey exist.”Hewillexplainhowthatisa gooddescriptionofourfaith.
Verses18,19Reviewthestoryof AbrahamandSarah'schildlessnessand theirextremeoldagewhenGodgave themthepromiseofachild.
Verses20,21WhenGodtellsaperson thatsomethingimpossiblewillhappen, thepersonhastwochoices.Whatare they?
WhatdidGod'spromisedofor Abraham'sfaith?
WhenyoubelieveGod'spromises, particularlywhenthosepromisesseem impossibleforhimtofulfill,howdoyou giveglorytoGod?
1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.
Verse24Pauldrawsthecomparison betweenourfaithandAbraham's. Abraham'sfaithwasinthefactthatGod couldraisesomeonefromthedead. Explainhowourfaithcanbedescribed inthesameway.
Verse25Thefinalverseroundsoutthe wholediscussion.Ourfaithinthe resurrectionofChristmeanstwothings: (1)WebelievethatChristdied because of oursins.(2)WebelievethatChrist wasraised because of ourjustification.
ItiseasytounderstandthatJesusdied because of oursins.Butwhatdoesit meanthatJesusrose because of our justification?
Abrahamwasjustifiedbecausehe believedGod'spromisetosenda Saviorfromhisdeadbody. Inthe samewaywearejustifiedthrough faithinthefactthatGodraisedJesus' deadbodyfromthegrave,andwe knowhecoulddothatonlyifthe wholeworld'ssinshadbeenpaidfor.
Summary
AbrahamandDavidweresavedby faithinGod'spromises.Onlyfaithin God'sworkforusinChristgetsus outofthecircleofthelawandinthe comfortingcircleofthegospel.
For next time
1. ReadRomans5.
2. Thinkabouttheroleofsufferingin yourlife.WhydoesGod sendit?
3. TheBibleteachesthatwhenJesus died,theentireworldwasjustified.It alsoteachesthatwearejustifiedby faith.Thinkaboutthesetwo teachings.Whyisthefirstso importantformakingussureofour salvation?
Romans4(EHV)
Abraham, an Example of Justification by Faith
4 WhatthenwillwesaythatAbraham,ourforefather,discoveredaccordingtotheflesh?
2IfindeedAbrahamhadbeenjustifiedbyworks,hewouldhavehadareasontoboast— butnotbeforeGod. 3ForwhatdoesScripturesay? “AbrahambelievedGodanditwas creditedtohimasrighteousness.”
4Nowtoapersonwhoworks,hispayisnotcountedasagiftbutassomethingowed.
5ButtothepersonwhodoesnotworkbutbelievesintheGodwhojustifiestheungodly, hisfaithiscreditedtohimasrighteousness.
©1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.
6ThisisexactlywhatDavidsaysabouttheblessedstateofthepersontowhomGod creditsrighteousnessapartfromworks:
7Blessedarethosewhoselawlessdeedsareforgiven andwhosesinsarecovered.
8BlessedisthemanwhosesintheLordwillnevercountagainsthim.
Abraham Was Justified Before His Circumcision
9Nowthen,doesthisblessingapplyonlytothecircumcisedoralsotothe uncircumcised? Tobesure,wemaintainthatfaithwascreditedtoAbrahamas righteousness. 10Sothen,underwhatcircumstanceswasitcreditedtohim?Washe circumcisedoruncircumcisedatthattime? Hewasnotcircumcisedbutuncircumcised, 11andhereceivedthemarkofcircumcisionasthesealoftherighteousnessbyfaiththat wasalreadyhiswhilehewasuncircumcised.SoAbrahamisthefatherofallthe uncircumcisedpeoplewhobelieve,sothatrighteousnesswouldalsobecreditedtothem. 12Heisalsothefatherofthecircumcisedpeoplewhoarenotmerelycircumcisedbutalso walkinthefootstepsofthefaithourfatherAbrahamhadbeforehewascircumcised.
Abraham Received What God Promised by Faith, Not by Law
13Indeed,thepromisethathewouldbetheheiroftheworldwasnotgivento Abrahamorhisdescendantsthroughthelaw,butthroughtherighteousnessthatisby faith. 14Tobesure,ifpeopleareheirsbythelaw,faithisemptyandthepromiseis nullified. 15Forlawbringswrath.(Wherethereisnolaw,thereisnotransgression.) 16For thisreason,thepromiseisbyfaith,sothatitmaybeaccordingtograceandmaybe guaranteedtoallofAbraham’sdescendants—notonlytotheonewhoisadescendantby law,butalsototheonewhohasthefaithofAbraham.Heisthefatherofusall. 17Asitis written:“Ihavemade youafatherofmanynations.”
Abraham’s FaithWas a Firm Trust in God’s Promise
InthepresenceofGod,Abrahambelievedhimwhomakesthedeadaliveandcalls non-existingthingssothattheyexist. 18Hopingbeyondwhathecouldexpect,hebelieved thathewouldbecomethefatherofmanynations,justashewastold:“Thisishowmany yourdescendantswillbe.” 19Hedidnotweakeninfaith,eventhoughheconsideredhis ownbodyasgoodasdead(becausehewasaboutonehundred yearsold),andeven thoughheconsideredSarah’swombtobedead. 20Hedidnotwaverinunbeliefwith respecttoGod’spromise,buthegrewstronginfaith,givingglorytoGod 21andbeing fullyconvincedthatGodwasabletodowhathehadpromised. 22Thisiswhy“itwas creditedtohimasrighteousness.”
23Nowthestatement“itwascreditedtohim”wasnotwrittenforhimalone, 24butalso forustowhomitwouldbecredited,namely,touswhobelieveintheonewhoraisedour LordJesusfromthedead. 25Hewashandedovertodeathbecauseofourtrespassesand wasraisedtolifebecauseofourjustification.
1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.