![Chapter Summary
DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ILLUSTRATED FROM
THE OLD TESTAMENT
4:1-25 “Abraham was the father of the
Hebrew nation (Gen 12:1-3). Jews
commonly believed that Abraham kept the
whole law before it was given on Mount
Sinai (Gen 26:5), so he had something to
brag about. Paul refutes this, showing that
Abraham was justified by faith and had no
grounds to boast”. [Howard, Jeremy Royal, The HCSB Translation
Team, Blum, Edwin & Holman Bible Staff (2010). HCSB Study Bible. B&H Publishing
Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com.]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Recommended
More Related Content
What's hot
What's hot (20)
Similar to Romans 4 - Justified by Faith
Similar to Romans 4 - Justified by Faith (20)
More from CMAFellowship
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Romans 4 - Justified by Faith
- 1. ROMANS Chapter 4 Justified by Faith by The Apostle Paul Bill Fritz Adult Education Fellowship Bible Church
- 2. Chapter Summary DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ILLUSTRATED FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 4:1-25 “Abraham was the father of the Hebrew nation (Gen 12:1-3). Jews commonly believed that Abraham kept the whole law before it was given on Mount Sinai (Gen 26:5), so he had something to brag about. Paul refutes this, showing that Abraham was justified by faith and had no grounds to boast”. [Howard, Jeremy Royal, The HCSB Translation Team, Blum, Edwin & Holman Bible Staff (2010). HCSB Study Bible. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com.]
- 3. Scripture Reading Romans 4:1-4 Abraham Justified by Faith Was Abraham justified by his works? Abram believed God. Read Genesis 15:6. Yes! Because his faith and through his obedience to God. This was an act of the his will acted out in the flesh in that Abraham chose to obey. What was the Abrahamic covenant? It was a promise to Abram by God because of his faith. The covenant was sealed in blood (see Genesis 15:9 &10)
- 4. 1-3. “What shall we say then that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?--that is, (as the order in the original shows), "hath found, as pertaining to ('according to,' or 'through') the flesh"; meaning, "by all his natural efforts or legal obedience“. (Jamieson, Robert , A.R. Fauseset, David Brown. Commentary 4:4-5 “Pay and gift are as different as works and faith. Paul describes God as having a set of books of the kind an accountant has. God imputed or credited righteousness to Abraham's account because of his faith. ”. [Howard, Jeremy Royal, The HCSB Translation Team, Blum, Edwin & Holman Bible Staff (2010).
- 5. Scripture Reading Romans 4:5-8 David Celebrates Same Truth If one does not attempt to do the work of obedience as Abraham did, can this person be saved? The ungodly can be justified through faith in Jesus who does not require works to be saved - only faith. V5 From what Scripture text is Paul quoting in VV7,8 Paul quotes David Ps 32:1&2. What is King David singing about? Transgression forgiven, and sin covered.
- 6. Scripture Reading Romans 4:9-12 Abraham Justified Before Circumcision Why does Paul bring up the law of circumcision? There was a lot of pressure for the Gentile to come under the law and bear the sign of the Abrahamic covenant. Paul was pointing out that God chose and justified Abraham before his circumcision. This was said to prove that circumcision was as sign of the covenant not a prerequisite for righteousness or salvation
- 7. The Jews equated circumcision with being God’s chosen people. Therefore the Jews believed before a Gentile were to become a member of God’s chosen people he would first have to become a Jew, and come under the Law. READ Genesis 17: 1-11 What were the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant? Land given to Abraham’s seed (Gen 15:8) Abraham’s seed to be more numerous than the stars (Gen 15:5) Abraham The father of many nations. In Abrahams seed all nations will be blessed (Jesus) These Judaizes were confusing the inheritance promised by God to an uncircumcised Abram, with those who are chosen by God from before the foundation of the earth (Eph 1:4-6). God’s promise made to Abram was for his seed (the Jew) and because Gentile were not of the seed of Abram’s the Gentile could not inherit (Gen 12:1-3).
- 8. The Jew came to believe the Law was their salvation (salvation by works). Does this mean the uncircumcised do not have to abide in the Law? Obedience to God and His laws are expected Christians, we are saved through faith by grace not by works. What about the Jews, bound to the law, and not by grace, can they be saved by the law? Jesus has said I am the way the truth and the light no one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6) The Jew thought that because they were God’s chosen people, they were better than the Gentile.
- 9. Scripture Reading Romans 4:13-25 Promised Salvation Through Grace Is there a difference between justification and righteousness? Justification is a legal term. Erickson writes “ Justification is God’s action pronouncing sinners righteous in his sight. We have been forgiven and declared to have fulfilled all that God’s law requires of us”. [ (2015). Introducing Christian Doctrine (p. 363). Baker Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com.] What does the law demand of those under it? “The law demanded obedience and performance. If the law was violated, wrath resulted. The law was not a system of grace. God's promise was one of grace. The promise to Abraham and his seed (Gal 3:16-18) was not through the law but through the righteousness that comes by faith”. (HSB, 2010)
- 10. Is it possible for a person to earn salvation through obedience to the law? Holman writes: “If the inheritance of the promise came by legal obedience, then the way of faith is empty. Furthermore, no one would inherit the promise since no one could keep the law”. If it were possible for mortal man to obtain forgiveness of sin by keeping the law there would not have been a need for Jesus to sacrifice himself for us. Jesus was the only man who could keep the law and fulfill the word of the prophets. Thereby earning the right to judge and to redeem. We show an empty cross Because we do not worship A dead savior, but rather the risen victorious Christ Jesus.
- 11. How would you summarize VV 16,17? Jameison, Fausette, and Brown summarize it as: "Thus justification is by faith, in order that its purely gracious character may be seen, and that all who follow in the steps of Abraham's faith-- whether of his natural seed or no--may be assured of the like justification with the parent believer.“ (Jamieson, Fauseset, Commentary) It is through the strength of our faith, as it was with Abraham, that Justifies us by the grace of our Lord Jesus who is the keeper of the law. What is the justification for Abraham being called by the Jews the “father of us all” in V17? God’s covenant promise to Abraham (Genesis 17:5). Did Abraham think it was possible for him to sire a child with his barren wife Sarah? Versus 20-22 tell us that his faith in God’s promise was unshaken by reality of physical limitations.
- 12. What is the relevance of Abrahams story to us? The God who gave Abraham the covenant promise is the same God we serve today. God kept his promise to Abraham, and if we keep our faith in God, He will keep his promise to us. What is God’s promise to those who are members of His church? God has promised that all who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, died on the cross for the remission of our sins, was entombed, and rose to life on the third day, will have eternal life with Jesus. (see also Romans 4:24)
- 13. Bibliography and Credits All biblical references and Scripture verses were taken from the New King James Version (NKJV), unless otherwise indicated. Holman Bible Staff, The HCSB Translation Team, Howard, Jeremy Royal & Blum, Edwin (2010). HCSB Study Bible. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com. All Greek translations were taken from Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 14 May, 2019. https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/rom/5/1/ Jamieson, Robert , A.R. Fauseset, David Brown. 1871. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Accessed May 04, 2018. https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/. All art work was taken from bing search engine marked as “creative commons only” no original author information was available. 5/25/2019 Produced by Bill Fritz for Adult Sunday School 13
Editor's Notes
- [Gen 15:17 NKJV] 17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.
- 4:4-5 Pay and gift are as different as works and faith. Paul describes God as having a set of books of the kind an accountant has. God imputed or credited righteousness to Abraham's account because of his faith. To the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares the ungodly to be righteous is a shocking expression. The Reformation focused on this passage. God saves the ungodly, sinners, and His enemies (5:5,8,10). Though Jews took Abraham to be a paragon of virtue, Paul declared that he was just a sinner saved by grace. He was justified by faith, just as any Christian is. [Howard, Jeremy Royal, The HCSB Translation Team, Blum, Edwin & Holman Bible Staff (2010). HCSB Study Bible. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com.]
- [Rom 4:6-8 NKJV] 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed [are those] whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed [is the] man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin." 5. But to him that worketh not--who, despairing of acceptance with God by "working" for it the work of obedience, does not attempt it. but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly--casts himself upon the mercy of Him that justifieth those who deserve only condemnation. his faith, Second: David sings of the same justification. 6-8. David also describeth--"speaketh," "pronounceth." the blessedness of the man unto whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works--whom, though void of all good works, He, nevertheless, regards and treats as righteous. 7, 8. Saying, Blessed, &c.--( Psalms 32:1 Psalms 32:2 ). David here sings in express terms only of "transgression forgiven, sin covered, iniquity not imputed"; but as the negative blessing necessarily includes the positive, the passage is strictly in point. To the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares the ungodly to be righteous is a shocking expression. The Reformation focused on this passage. God saves the ungodly, sinners, and His enemies (5:5,8,10). Though Jews took Abraham to be a paragon of virtue, Paul declared that he was just a sinner saved by grace. He was justified by faith, just as any Christian is
- [Rom 4:9-10 NKJV] 9 [Does] this blessedness then [come] upon the circumcised [only], or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 4:9-10 It might seem that God's blessing was only for the circumcised since David's psalm (Ps 32) was written by a Jew for the Jewish people. Paul returned to his key text in Gen 15:6 and showed that the crediting of righteousness to Abraham took place when he was uncircumcised, so God's blessing is also for Gentiles who believe. [Howard, Jeremy Royal, The HCSB Translation Team, Blum, Edwin & Holman Bible Staff (2010). HCSB Study Bible. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com.] 9-12. Cometh this blessedness then, &c.--that is, "Say not, All this is spoken of the circumcised, and is therefore no evidence of God's general way of justifying men; for Abraham's justification took place long before he was circumcised, and so could have no dependence upon that rite: nay, 'the sign of circumcision' was given to Abraham as 'a seal' (or token) of the (justifying) righteousness which he had before he was circumcised; in order that he might stand forth to every age as the parent believer--the model man of justification by faith--after whose type, as the first public example of it, all were to be moulded, whether Jew or Gentile, who should thereafter believe to life everlasting."
- [Eph 1:4-6 KJV] 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. [Gen 15:5 KJV] 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. [Gen 15:18 KJV] 18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: [Gen 26:4 NKJV] 4 "And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;
- 9-12. Cometh this blessedness then, &c.--that is, "Say not, All this is spoken of the circumcised, and is therefore no evidence of God's general way of justifying men; for Abraham's justification took place long before he was circumcised, and so could have no dependence upon that rite: nay, 'the sign of circumcision' was given to Abraham as 'a seal' (or token) of the (justifying) righteousness which he had before he was circumcised; in order that he might stand forth to every age as the parent believer--the model man of justification by faith--after whose type, as the first public example of it, all were to be moulded, whether Jew or Gentile, who should thereafter believe to life everlasting."
- [Rom 4:13 NKJV] 13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world [was] not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. [Gal 3:16 NKJV] 16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," who is Christ. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4:12 Abraham was the physical father of the Hebrew nation, but his greatest legacy was his example of faith. Jews and Gentiles alike can follow in the footsteps of Abraham's faith. 4:13 The law demanded obedience and performance. If the law was violated, wrath resulted. The law was not a system of grace. God's promise was one of grace. The promise to Abraham and his seed (Gal 3:16-18) was not through the law but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 13-15. For the promise, &c.--This is merely an enlargement of the foregoing reasoning, applying to the law what had just been said of circumcision. that he should be the heir of the world--or, that "all the families of the earth should be blessed in him." was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law--in virtue of obedience to the law. but through the righteousness of faith--in virtue of his simple faith in the divine promises.
- 4:14-15 If the inheritance of the promise came by legal obedience, then the way of faith is empty. Furthermore, no one would inherit the promise since no one could keep the law. 14. For if they which are of the law be heirs--If the blessing is to be earned by obedience to the law. faith is made void--the whole divine method is subverted.
- 4:16-17 God's promise is by faith, so that it may be guaranteed to both Jews and Gentiles who believe. If it were by law, no such guarantee would be possible. To make it certain, therefore, the promise was according to grace. Abraham was also promised to be the father of many nations. Abraham believed in the God who created everything from nothing and gives life to the dead. 4:18 It seemed humanly impossible for Abraham to become the father of many nations when he was old, but he placed his hope in God's promise. 4:19-20 Abraham had a realistic evaluation of his prospects for fatherhood. He was about 100 years old, and Sarah was childless and long past child-bearing years. Yet Abraham did not doubt God' s promise, and God strengthened his faith. 4:23-24 Everything in Scripture is for our benefit. The experiences of Abraham are as relevant to us as they were to him, for we serve the same Creator God who can do the humanly impossible. We are credited as righteous before God in the same manner as Abraham: by faith. 15. Because the law worketh wrath--has nothing to give to those who break is but condemnation and vengeance. for where there is no law, there is no transgression--It is just the law that makes transgression, in the case of those who break it; nor can the one exist without the other. 16, 17. Therefore, &c.--A general summary: "Thus justification is by faith, in order that its purely gracious character may be seen, and that all who follow in the steps of Abraham's faith--whether of his natural seed or no--may be assured of the like justification with the parent believer." 17. As it is written, &c.--( Genesis 17:5 ). This is quoted to justify his calling Abraham the "father of us all," and is to be viewed as a parenthesis. before--that is, "in the reckoning of." him whom he believed--that is, "Thus Abraham, in the reckoning of Him whom he believed, is the father of us all, in order that all may be assured, that doing as he did, they shall be treated as he was." even God, quickeneth the dead--The nature and greatness of that faith of Abraham which we are to copy is here strikingly described. What he was required to believe being above nature, his faith had to fasten upon God's power to surmount physical incapacity, and call into being what did not then exist. But God having made the promise, Abraham believed Him in spite of those obstacles. This is still further illustrated in what follows. 18-22. Who against hope--when no ground for hope appeared. believed in hope--that is, cherished the believing expectation. that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be--that is, Such "as the stars of heaven," Genesis 15:5 . 19. he considered not, &c.--paid no attention to those physical obstacles, both in himself and in Sarah, which might seem to render the fulfilment hopeless. 20. He staggered--hesitated not . . . but was strong in faith, giving glory to God--as able to make good His own word in spite of all obstacles. 21. And being fully persuaded, &c.--that is, the glory which Abraham's faith gave to God consisted in this, that, firm in the persuasion of God's ability to fulfil his promise, no difficulties shook him. 22. And therefore it was imputed, &c.--"Let all then take notice that this was not because of anything meritorious in Abraham, but merely because he so believed." 23-25. Now, &c.--Here is the application of this whole argument about Abraham: These things were not recorded as mere historical facts, but as illustrations for all time of God's method of justification by faith. 24. to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead--in Him that hath done this, even as Abraham believed that God would raise up a seed in whom all nations should be blessed. 25. Who was delivered for--"on account of." our offences--that is, in order to expiate them by His blood. and raised again for--"on account of," that is, in order to. our justification--As His resurrection was the divine assurance that He had "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself," and the crowning of His whole work, our justification is fitly connected with that glorious act.
- 4:23-24 Everything in Scripture is for our benefit. The experiences of Abraham are as relevant to us as they were to him, for we serve the same Creator God who can do the humanly impossible. We are credited as righteous before God in the same manner as Abraham: by faith. 4:25 Jesus was delivered up for our trespasses as promised in Isa 52:13-53:12. Who delivered up Jesus? Was it Judas? Pilate? The Jewish Sanhedrin? Satan? Certainly all these were causal agents in the crucifixion of Christ, but ultimately it was the sovereign God who brought it to pass in order to fulfill His plan of redemption (Ac 4:27-28). The Father delivered Jesus up for our trespasses, and raised Him so that His righteous Servant would justify many people (Isa 53:11). [Howard, Jeremy Royal, The HCSB Translation Team, Blum, Edwin & Holman Bible Staff (2010). HCSB Study Bible. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com.] 23-25. Now, &c.--Here is the application of this whole argument about Abraham: These things were not recorded as mere historical facts, but as illustrations for all time of God's method of justification by faith. 24. to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead--in Him that hath done this, even as Abraham believed that God would raise up a seed in whom all nations should be blessed. 25. Who was delivered for--"on account of." our offences--that is, in order to expiate them by His blood. and raised again for--"on account of," that is, in order to. our justification--As His resurrection was the divine assurance that He had "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself," and the crowning of His whole work, our justification is fitly connected with that glorious act.