The book of Romans is a Pauline Epistle (letter from Paul). “for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience“ (Greek: parabasis—transgression) (v. 15b). Romans 4 presents evidence drawn from the Law of Moses, Genesis ‒ Deuteronomy, for the doctrine of justification by grace through faith. As wonderful a gift as God's merciful forgiveness is, merely being forgiven through Christ's blood is not sufficient for salvation. 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. IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Paul must have said, “God justifies the one who tries to do his best. Who can boast of personal accomplishment in the presence of the creator of the universe? But in Romans 4 Paul challenges that view head-on. If God chooses to bless us, the blessing remains God’s gift—not our entitlement. If this were not so, why would God have sent Jesus to die on the cross? (ed. 5:6). The Book of Romans is a four-part explanation of the Gospel message written by Paul to the Church in Rome. In short, his self-construal was—and always will be—since the Damascus road anyway, one who was a free and willing slaveof the Lord Jesus Christ. Our faith, then, does not save us but simply permits us access to the gift of saving grace. Thus for your own salvation, for your being able to resist the winds of false doctrine blowing in our day, and for your being able to present the gospel clearly to those who are trusting in their good works to save them, you must be clear on this truth: God graciously justifies the ungodly sinner who believes in Jesus Christ. 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. So why does Moses mention in Genesis 15:6 that Abraham believed God and that God reckoned it to him as righteousness? He spends eternity in the unspeakable joy of heaven. The New Perspective on Paul also argues that the Reformers misinterpreted Paul regarding this doctrine. Under grace you do not work for justification. ... 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? Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2010, All Rights Reserved. ), which the WEB has updated. “This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were” (v. 17). • the fact that none is righteous (3:9-20); Many early Jewish writings put Abraham on a pedestal far higher than the way the Bible portrays him. Then he illustrates it negatively by a common example (4:4) and states it positively in rather shocking language (4:5). 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. In other words, Paul does not mean that Abraham could have boasted before people, but not before God. So if you see yourself as a basically good person, you can’t be justified. after the Spirit. 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. 2 Therefore you have f no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. I have denied myself for decades. If Abraham had room for boasting, he also had occasion for apology. He mercilessly tortured, raped, and murdered many young women. 5But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. Come filthy, naked, and dirty. He explained (ibid. As she nears death, you ask her why God should let her into heaven. The name Paul means little. 14For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect. In our day, the unity movement has sought to break down any divisions between Protestants and Catholics by advocating that we come together where we agree and set aside the things that divide us, including this doctrine. I have heard that men that hate the doctrines of the cross bring it as a charge against God, that He saves wicked men and receives to Himself the vilest of the vile. 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. Rather, faith means not doing anything ourselves to earn salvation, but rather trusting what Christ did for us on the cross. The apostle Paul was unreservedly committed to Christ and to the ministry of the gospel. The law brings wrath, because it holds us to an impossible standard. What Paul says about sin and grace in Romans flies in the face of the traditional Jewish belief about Abraham, in part because of Genesis 26:4-5, where God promised Isaac a blessing “because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my requirements, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” In Romans 4, Paul seeks to show that it was not Abraham’s works that made him righteous before God, but his faith. We need our sin put on Christ’s account. The word it does not refer to Abraham’s faith, as if God exchanged his faith for righteousness, in a sort of trade. These works included his obedience when God called him to leave his homeland to go to a land that God would show him (Gen. 12:10). God graciously justifies the ungodly sinner who does not work for salvation, but believes in Jesus Christ. He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition) and Califo... More, 3. Paul illustrates his point. For example, the Book of Jubilees (23:10), written about 100 B.C. Even though God had promised him heirs like the stars of the sky in number (Genesis 15:1-6), Abraham took matters in his own hands by taking Hagar as his mistress so that he might have a son (Genesis 16). When you work and your boss pays you, he isn’t doing you a favor. He explained (ibid. Is faith simply another form of works-righteousness? Since Adam, humans chose to live sinful and selfish lives. Thus God can justify uncircumcised Gentiles who follow the faith of Abraham. The word “grace” makes it clear that it is not. However, this does not mean that, in the absence of the law, there is no sin or accountability for sin. The Apostle Paul wrote it roughly about 56-57 A.D. Faith is not a work that merits righteousness. The Prayer of Manasseh (8), states that God did not appoint repentance for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, “who were righteous and did not sin against Thee.” (What Bible were they reading?) Grace abounds so that it “might reign” over abundant trespasses (Romans 5:21). From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. Why/why not? The employer has enjoyed the benefit of the employee’s service, and is under obligation to compensate the employee. No hero can require that the president pin on his medal. If it is true that Abraham did not earn his righteousness by his deeds, it is also true that he did not earn it by his belief. As I explained, I understand Romans 7:14-25 to refer primarily to immature believers who have not learned of their new identity in Christ. Romans 4 Commentary, One of over 110 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, as set of 17 volumes on the New Testament, the result of Barclay's dedicated work Surely, there must be a copier’s error in the text! “Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed” (v. 4). So Genesis 15 ratifies Abraham’s earlier faith. The Faith of Abraham. 29 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982), Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year, A (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1992), Dunn, James D. G., Word Biblical Commentary: Romans 1-8, Vol. This is summarized in Rom. But that was not God’s way. 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 16For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace (Greek: charin—from charis), to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed (Greek: to spermati—the seed), not to (Greek: to the seed)that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham (Greek: to the seed of the faith of Abraham), who is the father of us all. Paul not only cites it here, but also in Galatians 3:6, where he argues against the Judaizers, who said that we must add our works to faith in order to be saved. You must be somewhat surprised to read a text like this: “Him that justifieth the ungodly.” I do not wonder that you are surprised; for with all my familiarity with the great grace of God, I never cease to wonder at it. Paul’s point in 4:1-2 is that if justification were by works rather than by faith alone, it would give us a ground for boasting. 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). Rather, faith is the means by which we lay hold of God’s promise in Christ. Is it fair (just) for God to forgive an evil murderer who trusts in Christ, but to condemn a loving person who didn’t trust Christ? As the righteous Judge, God recognizes Jesus’ death as payment in full for all our sins. That promise could not be fulfilled through the law, because it would be four centuries before the law would be given at Sinai. 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. Sufficient for salvation, but believes in him who doesn ’ t doing you favor... That view head-on and your boss pays you, he had something to boast about—but not before God not fulfilled. Something to boast about—but not before God then romans 4:1-5 explained illustrates it negatively by a common example ( 4:4 ) states! Four centuries before the law are heirs, faith is accounted for.. The blessing remains God ’ s earlier faith no effect tries to do his best Christ for! 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