Often, we are better served by referring back to our origins.
Why go back?
Why go back?
Rediscover
Purpose
Why go back?
Rediscover
Purpose
Regain
Perspective
. . .the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it. . .
- Romans 3:21
We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
- Romans 3:22
No Matter Who?
No Matter Who?
Yes. All have sinned.
3:23
God justifies all of us through our faith.
in Jesus Christ
3:24-26
QUESTIONS:
What becomes of
our boasting?
Is God the God of
Jews only?
Do we just
disregard the law?
- Romans 3:27-31
What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
- Romans 4:1-2
“was gained”
heuriskó
the discovery of, unveiling, and fulfillment of God’s plan
The point is not that Abraham did good things.
The point is that Abraham did what God asked of him.
God revealed
very early on what He wanted from
His people:
THEIR TRUST
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
- Romans 4:3
“believed”
episteusen
entrusted himself to God
“counted or reckoned”
elogisthē
placed in his account, a reasoned and logical conclusion
“righteousness”
dikaiosynēn
judicial approval of God
Doesn’t Abraham get some credit?
Wasn’t it his goodness and his obedience that brought him favor?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
James 2:21-23
Works
of the Law
v.
Works
out of faith
in God
Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.
- Romans 4:4
WORKS
DON’T
WORK!
A system of works seeks to put God in debt to us, making God owe us His favor because of our good behavior.
5 And to the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.
- Romans 4:5
FAITH
FREES
THE FALLEN
A system of faith relinquishes our debt over to the ONE who has the authority
to cancel it.
6 David also spoke of this when he described the blessing of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
- Romans 4:6
“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;
8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
- Romans 4:7-8
Notice it doesn’t say,
“They have no sin.”
It says,
They are blessed when their sins are
pardoned, released
thru the mercy of God
“forgiven”
aphethēsan
to send away, to release
“covered”
epekalyphthēsan
to cover or conceal, to pardon
“will not count”
logisētai
not computed or
applied to one’s account
HOW DO WE GAIN THIS DEBT FORGIVENESS?
WHAT DO WE “DO?”
Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised?
- Romans 4:9
How 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.
- Romans 4:10-11a
FAITH HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR FIRST STEP TOWARD GOD’S BLESSING.
So, what’s the point, Paul?
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, 12 and 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.
- Romans 4:11b-12
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. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
- Romans 4:13-14
Promise came to Abraham by faith
If we could just keep the law perfectly,
doing all the right things,
there would be no
need for faith.
God is calling
all of us
back to FAITH.
For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
- Romans 4:15
WHY IS ALL OF THIS RESTING ON FAITH?
v. 16-21
So it can be
Guaranteed by Grace
So we see it as
God’s Provision
Because God
does the Impossible
Because Trust
Grows over Time
That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also.
- Romans 4:22-24a
ALL OF THIS POINTS TO JESUS AND OUR FAITH IN HIS PROMISES.
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.
- Romans 4:24-25
Abraham entrusted himself to God
counted as righteousness v.3
Our rescue comes when we entrust ourselves to God’s righteousness v. 24
His plan: Jesus died for our
sins, to make us right
with God thru His resurrection. v. 25