In All of Grace [Ages Software], C. H. Spurgeon wrote about Romans 4:5. For example, the Book of Jubilees (23:10), written about 100 B.C. We are “justified freely by his (God’s) grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2010, All Rights Reserved. But God will not be a debtor to anyone. “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted (Greek: elogisthe—it was credited) to him for righteousness“ (v. 3). And we [] boast in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Justification must be seen for what it truly is: It is essential, but it is only the beginning of the salvation process. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. When God called Abram, he promised, “I will make of you a great nation” (Genesis 12:2). The law brings wrath, because it holds us to an impossible standard. Our faith, then, does not save us but simply permits us access to the gift of saving grace. Meanwhile, on death row a serial killer awaits execution. The ASV, which is also in the public domain due to expired copyrights, was a very good translation, but included many archaic words (hast, shineth, etc. That would give some sort of merit to faith, which cannot pay the debt of our sin. It’s a debt. He/she has no currency to purchase salvation, but is wholly dependent on God to provide it as a gift. ... You thought, did you not, that salvation was for the good, that God’s grace was for the pure and holy, who are free from sin? Spurgeon ended that chapter in All of Grace by telling a story about an artist in the years before photography who painted a picture of a part of the city where he lived. Rather, faith is the means by which we lay hold of God’s promise in Christ. Abraham Justified by Faith. Achtemeier, Paul J., Interpretation: Romans, (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1985), Barth, Karl, The Epistle to the Romans (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1933), Brawley, Robert L., in Van Harn, Roger E. Book of Romans Explained. 3 For what does the Scripture say? He also refers to Genesis 17:5, where God promised that Abraham would be the father of many nations (4:17), and concludes that descent from Abraham includes all “of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all” (4:16). Romans 5:8-10. Though he didn’t know Jesus’ name and he had no evidence other than God’s promise, Abraham looked forward in faith to God’s Redeemer and thus God credited it to him as righteousness. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness” (4:4-5). If you work to earn justification, then God owes you something. But such boasting is foolish, because we’re really just one bug boasting to another bug. Let me draw out four implications of this astounding truth: Paul clearly spells it out, “to the one who does not work….” If you try to blend your works with God’s grace, you muddy the waters of pure grace. You do not understand God’s grace. Biblical Commentary (Bible study) Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 EXEGESIS: ROMANS 4:1-5. If this were not so, why would God have sent Jesus to die on the cross? You acknowledge that the wages of your sin is death (Rom. 2 Therefore you have f no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. • the righteous judgment of God (2:1-16); He does believe, is filled with joy, and goes to his execution at peace with God. We cannot politely agree to disagree on the core of the gospel! But that was not God’s way. We need Christ’s perfect righteousness credited to our account. However, Paul has already stated that God is the God of Gentiles also, since he “will justify the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised through faith ” (3:29-30). “But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” (v. 5). Abraham Justified by Faith. Why must I see myself as ungodly before I can be justified? The word credited (Greek = logidzomai) is used 40 times in the New Testament, 34 times by Paul, 19 times in Romans, and 11 times in this chapter, so it is a key word. The instant we believe in Jesus, God bangs the gavel and declares, “Not guilty!” But He not only removes our sin and guilt. It has fallen into your mind that, if you were excellent, then God would reward you; and you have thought that because you are not worthy, therefore there could be no way of your enjoying His favor. It’s absolutely essential for you to understand the doctrine that Paul sets forth in Romans 4:1-5, that we are justified (declared righteous) by faith alone, apart from any works. Romans 4 - NIV: What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If Abraham had room for boasting, he also had occasion for apology. Christians make an outward show of their decision to follow Jesus by being baptized. Biblical Commentary (Bible study) Romans 1:1-7 EXEGESIS: ROMANS 1:1-7. “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about” (v. 2a). ), “For unless you first of all grasp what your relationship to God is, and the nature of his judgment concerning you, you have neither a foundation on which to establish your salvation nor one on which to build piety toward God.” In other words, this truth is foundational for your entire Christian life. Romans 8:1-4 Under the gospel we are free from condemnation, walking. Who can boast of personal holiness in the presence of God’s holiness? Paul is referring to Abraham as the Jewish forefather by lineage; but there may also be the hint that fleshly descent from Abraham is insufficient. Both are beneficiaries of a generous gift. Instead of killing them, however, the terrorists decided to seize their equipment, including the film projec… In Romans 4:5, Paul makes one of the most outrageous claims in all Scripture: “But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.” What a staggering verse! As wonderful a gift as God's merciful forgiveness is, merely being forgiven through Christ's blood is not sufficient for salvation. Romans chapter 1 KJV (King James Version) 1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,. The word “grace” makes it clear that it is not. He does not say that God justifies the godly (those who are righteous by their own merit), but that God justifies the ungodly. “For the promise to Abraham and to his seed that he should be heir of the world wasn’t through the law, but through the righteousness of faith“ (v. 13). If you see yourself as better than notorious sinners and thus somehow more deserving of salvation, you can’t be justified. 38A (Dallas: Word Books, 1988), Gaventa, Beverly R. in Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV — Year A (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995), Knox, John and Cragg, Gerald R., The Interpreter’s Bible: Acts and Romans, Vol. “(Abraham) who is the father of us all” (v. 16b). My aim today is that all of you will understand this crucial doctrine that is at the core of the gospel and that you will join Spurgeon in worshipful wonder that God has justified you. Paul’s statement that God “justifies the ungodly” flies in the face of Old Testament passages that say: “Keep far from a false charge, and don’t kill the innocent and righteous: for I will not justify the wicked” (Exodus 23:7)—and “He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh” (Proverbs 17:15). The employee can seek legal recourse if the employer refuses payment, and can expect courts to enforce payment (assuming that the employer is solvent). He came to the studio the next day, but the artist sent him away because he had washed his face, combed his hair, and put on a suit of clean clothes. He misrepresented Sarah as his sister (Genesis 12:10-20). That’s unthinkable!”. Two points are noteworthy about Paul's comments. by John McNeill [Westminster Press], 3:11:1). IX (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1954), Luther, Martin, Commentary on Romans, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1976), Moo, Douglas, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: Romans (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996), Morris, Leon, The Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Co, 1988), Mounce, Robert H., The New American Commentary: Romans, (Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), Myers, Allen C. Who can boast of personal accomplishment in the presence of the creator of the universe? “As it is written, ‘I have made you a father of many nations‘” (Greek: ethnon—can be translated “nations” or “Gentiles”) (v. 17a). Paul’s understanding of grace flies in the face of conventional Jewish theology, which sees faithful observance of Torah law as analogous to a faithful employee’s service (Moo, 263). For him to say that Abraham is “the father of us all” is quite radical. But when you bring God into the picture, Abraham’s boast vanishes.” It’s as if one bug was bragging to another bug, “I’m taller than you are!” just before a human comes along and squashes both of them. But looking at the last 2,000 years there is not much reason to expect that thing, even … God justifies us as a gift through faith (3:24). It says that the Lord credited Abraham’s account to give him the status of righteousness just as a generous father might cross out a wayward son’s debt to give him the status of solvency. That, however, is not what Paul says. 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,). Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Faith, Regeneration, Justification, Soteriology (Salvation), Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. 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