Romans 4:16-25

¹⁶That 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, ¹⁷as 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. ¹⁸In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹He 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. ²⁰No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, ²¹fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. ²²That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” ²³But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, ²⁴but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, ²⁵ who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

We are BACK ON AIR! After several false restarts since the last post on the 31st of March, and after my two biggest readers asked for a comeback – I finally got typing. Please pray that such a break will not be repeated!

We return to Romans at the close of chapter 4, beginning at verse 16, which says, “That is why it depends on faith…” What is it and why does it depend on faith? Very simply, the it were the promises given to Abraham (see previous post for more details about the promise). Why do the promises given to Abraham depend/rest upon faith? Because, the previous verse said, “For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression…v16..THAT is why it (the promises) depend on faith“. If the promises rested on law, on Abraham’s ability to keep a set of rules, the only promise he would have seen was God’s just wrath against him. Therefore, for Abraham to actually receive the promises of God, God would have to design his relationship with Abraham so it was based on faith – otherwise his promise would not be kept – and God usually keeps his promises!

But why would faith guarentee the promises? Doesn’t that still mean that the promises still rested on Abraham’s ability to keep the faith? How is that any different from law and works? The answer is simple and given in the rest of v16 – “That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring.” You see, faith is not a work – maybe in our eyes, but certainly not in God’s eyes. It isn’t a law. It is the simple and broken trust of a sinner who falls upon the perfect gracious love and work and power of God to save. When Paul says the promsies depended on faith, he doesn’t mean that Abraham is the one holding it together – that would be ridiculous! No, when we say, as sinners ourselves, that our eternal life depends on our faith, we mean very clearly, and joyfully, that our eternal salvation depends on the grace of God alone. We were mere sinners drowning in the waves of sin and death with no hope, but God worked through Christ and swam out to save us. He simply said ‘trust me, take my hand Abraham/sinner’ – and we did. Our salvation was thereby guaranteed! Because it was not I who swam back to shore, but Christ who rose from the dead and dragged me there. Look at Abraham;

²⁰No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, ²¹fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. ²²That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”

That is what faith is! Knowing that God has promised you great promises, and being fully convinced that God was able to do it, and will do it! You don’t have to squeeze your eyes really tight and think, “I am FULLY CONVINCED that God can do it” – just simply reflect upon God. Can he do it? Yes! Not because of who we are, but because of who God is and what God has done for us through Christ. Abraham didn’t consider how old and broken his body was, it didn’t matter – God had promised him children, a nation, a land – and all he did was grow stronger in faith – and that made God look glorious. Thus, this faith was counted to him as righteousness. And this same simple faith in the promises of God will make us righteous before him too. How can that be!? For, the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, ²⁴but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, ²⁵ who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Are you fully convinced that Jesus died for your trespasses, died to bear the wrath they deserved? Are you fully convinced that Jesus rose from the grave to declare once and for all that all who trust in him are justified and will rise over death leading to eternal life? Do you believe in him who raised this dead Jesus our Lord, do you believe he can save you by his might and power and promise? You should! And if you do, then you are a truster. You are throwing yourself on God’s grace alone. You are a Christian. And, incredibly, you are therefore, perfect in his sight.

Heavenly Father,
Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to your cross I cling. Naked come to you for dress, helpless look to you for grace. Stained by sin to you I cry, wash me Saviour or I die. I fall upon your grace Father. Thank you for Christ, thank you for grace. Help me to declare the end of works and law to all the world, and help me declare your never-failing grace and power to every nation. In Christ’s name. Amen

Worshipping God’s grace this morning.

Matt.

Romans 4:9-15

⁹Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. ¹⁰How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. ¹¹ 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, ¹²and 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.¹³For 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. ¹⁴ For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. ¹⁵For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.

In today’s passage, Paul continues his case study on Abraham,  the man of faith. Sadly, some theologians don’t believe that Romans 4 is of any benefit to modern Christians, since they think it only deals with Jewish arguments Paul was having at the time. I was disappointed to find my name sake, C.H. Dodd (a mildly famous, yet from my experience, not the most faithful theologian), saying, “(Chapter 4) has little interest and no weight for us…the whole exposition seems remote and unenlightening”.

I’ve got to heartily disagree. I’ve been finding great treasures in this chapter, as you’ll especially find in my last post on v1-8, but also here in 9-15.

Having stated clearly that Abraham’s righteousness was not a result of his works, since his works would be worthless in God’s sight – Paul continues by now asking whether Abraham’s righteousness came as a result of his circumcision, or through the obedience of the Jewish Law. The answer to both is a resounding ‘no’.

Paul asks whether the blessings of righteousness to the sinner (v8) comes to the circumcised or the uncircumcised (v9). To answer, he looks at Abraham. “How then was it (righteousness) counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? it was not after, but before he was circumcised” (v10). It’s a very simple arguement – he can’t have been declared righteous because of his circumcision, because he was declared righteous at the moment he believed and trusted God – not the few years later when he had the snip. They are different events. The later circumcision was merely a ‘seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised” (v11) Don’t be alarmed by the world ’seal’ – as though it were the basis of his assurance. Paul clearly states, (as the OT clearly states), that Abraham already had this righteousness by faith. It was his already by faith alone.

God designed the order of events like this for a very important reason. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised (Gentiles), so that righteousness would be counted to them as well – we can be fully assured of receiving the same righteousness by faith apart from circumcision or any outward Jewish practice because Abraham was treated like that, and God doesn’t change – and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith of our father Abraham had before he was circumcised (v11-12). God’s wonderful design means that Abraham is also the father of the holy Jewish people of the OT. They trace their roots back to him and the original circumcision – but we Gentiles of faith also trace our roots back to him. He truly is the father of us all!

But the real striking thing you might have noticed is that he is not the father of those who are merely circumcised. You can’t just be one of God’s people by cutting some skin. v12 makes that clear, and v13 continues that theme, “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.” vv14-15 echo chapter 3 in their horrible summary of life by law, “The promise is void“.

We must be people of faith, who do not work but trust him who justifies the ungodly. Look to Abraham for encouragement. And whatever you do – don’t look to yourself for salvation.

There be wrath down that path,

Matt.

Romans 4:1-8

¹What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? ²For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³For what does the Scripture say? ”Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” ⁴Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. ⁵And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, ⁶just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
 ⁷ ”Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
   and whose sins are covered;
⁸blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

This passage should fill us with unimaginable joy. It’s a passage where a blessed person is talked about, and suddenly you realise, “What a second…that’s me!”. I hope to give you a joyous lift to your (perhaps) not so joyous day. I hope you want to praise God at the end with me in prayer.

Have you ever taken justification by faith for granted? I’ll answer for you – absolutely! – because nothing is easier than not responding appropriately to the mind-blowing truths of the gospel – that God has forgiven our sins, sins that deserved eternal wrath and fury – they are gone, and God’s very righteousness and perfection has been imputed and transferred onto us, and our sins and filth were imputed and transferred onto the crucified Christ (what love!), and we are now God’s children – and all of this, has come by nothing but our belief. It is easy to take that for granted. And moreover, it is so easy to forget just how many millions and millions who attend a church building week in week out have never heard that message – and never will.  See what has been granted to you! See it in all its magnificence! I want to yell this to all the church (and to myself), “DON’T TAKE JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH FOR GRANTED!” We should never be anything but broken hearted and endlessly thankful and joyful for it – but I don’t think it blows my mind anywhere near enough, most of the time. Let’s behold it now in this very simple and clear passage. This is what Romans 1-4, and the whole book is about.

Having beheld the beauty of the gospel message in the second half of chapter 3, I believe Paul writes this next little passage to show these great truths can be grounded in someone’s life.  He shows us Abraham, one of the most admired men in the OT, and makes very clear that he was a man of faith, not a man of works. “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.” In other words, if Abraham had been a man who trusted in works, he may have had reason to be proud of that – but he shouldn’t have been before God. Works are simply not impressive to God. It’d be like doing a days work in an office, then triumphantly walking to the bosses’ office and declaring, “See Boss, I’ve completed a full days work! Check out how much I did!” The Boss will probably say, “Yes…that’s great. That’s why I’m paying you. Get out of my office and do it again tomorrow”. Paul uses this kind of analogy. “Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.” Paul is saying, if you want to live under a system of works and law, then you’re deciding to be treated exactly as you deserve. God will pay you your dues. Of course, the wage we deserve is death (Romans 6:23). We need to be treated like we don’t deserve, and that means we can’t go by a system of works and self-righteousness or pride. We have to come to God and say, “I can’t earn salvation. I need grace.”

And here’s the amazing verse of grace, v5, “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” This is what needs to blow our minds. Those who do not work, but simply believe that God will declare innocent the guilty by faith in Jesus, will be saved. That’s the secret – it’s the only way for a humanity so depraved. Christians do not work, but believe. That is the heart of the gospel. It lifts the burden of sin and guilt off our shoulders, it fills us with joy, it sets us free from sin and death, it gives us the sure hope of eternal life. We should have bumper stickers on our car that say, “I don’t work, I believe”. Our faith is credited to us, counted to us as the very righteousness of God. Wow.

David knew just how good this was. If he could have seen a Christian, he would have said, “This is a blessed man”, for he said, “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”.

That’s me.

Heavenly Father, I take the gospel of justification by faith for granted so often. I am not amazed by your love, but what you did for me through Christ. You did this all for my salvation, all for your glory. How marvellous and wonderful is your love for me! And how depraved and pathetic is my love for you. Break my pride, may I not live a subtle life of working rather than believing. May I awaken to the joys of my salvation afresh each day. Renew me by your Holy Spirit to take great joy and peace in the blessings of forgiven sin you have granted me. Send me out with this message always on my tongue, that you might wash away the sins of many through the proclamation of your wonderful gospel. For Jesus Christ’s sake, Amen.

Hope your day is joyful from here on,

Matt.