Fervent In Spirit Serving The Lord Abraham a confirmation of Justification by Faith Romans 4:1-25 Compiled by: Dr. William Ebert

Abraham a confirmation of Justification by Faith 4:1-25 Introduction to Romans 4:1-25 Abraham saved by Faith apart from Works 4:1-8 Abraham saved by Faith apart from Circumcision 4:9-12 Faith apart from the Law based on the Promise, 4:13-16 Faith apart from Sight based on the promise 4:17-22 Only Faith: The Faith of Abraham and the Faith of the Christian 4:23-25

I. Introduction: 4:1-25 Where their argument comes from for the importance of “work”, God talking to Isaac Genesis 26:1-4 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. 2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: 3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

I. Introduction: 4:1-25 Genesis 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. (The Jews would present Abraham as there proof)

I. Introduction: 4:1-25 But it must be remembered that Abrahm’s faith had come before his obedience Genesis 15:1-5 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. 2 And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. 4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 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.

I. Introduction: 4:1-25 Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. "Abraham's good works, his obedience to the divine commandments, were the fruit of his unquestioning faith in God; had he not first believed the promises of God he would never have conducted his life from then on in the light of what he knew of God's will" (Bruce, pg. 110).

Abraham saved by Faith apart from Works 4:1-8 (Cf. 3:27) A. Abraham is no exception; Faith not works vv. 1-2 "What shall…then" —simple transition, it clarifies and explains 21-31. Paul asks his readers to contemplate with him what Abraham has found to be the case with respect to the matters he is discussing. "Pertaining to the flesh" —may involve physical as opposed to spiritual generation, may also include a narrow, old era perspective, forefather according to a limited, "old covenant" view point.

Abraham saved by Faith apart from Works 4:1-8 "For" —causal, giving the reason behind Paul's general question about Abraham's experience in v.1.(v. 2)  4. "If Abraham were justified" — a. A 1st class conditional sentence, assumed for arguments sake. b. The legitimacy of Abraham's boasting is recognized by Jews, c. Paul contests it with the last clause “but not before God”

Abraham saved by Faith apart from Works 4:1-8 "But not before God —this rejects the logic stated in the conditional sentence: from God's view point, Abraham has no right to boast al all.

Abraham saved by Faith apart from Works 4:1-8 B. Abraham was justified by faith v. 3 "For" —introduces Paul reason for his negative judgment. Scripture quoted from Gen 15:6. "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.“ First time in Scripture the word "believe" occurs. One of the few places in the OT where "believe" is directly related to the attaining of righteousness.

Abraham saved by Faith apart from Works 4:1-8 "Abraham's faith as righteousness"­­—means to account to him a righteousness that does not inherently belong to him. Abraham's response to God's promise leads God to reckon to him a status of righteousness. Remember 3:25 “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;”

Abraham saved by Faith apart from Works 4:1-8 C. Reckoning of Abraham's faith for righteousness vv. 4-5 1. Works have no part in justification v. 4 "Because work means the reward is given by obligation, the "reward" of righteousness must not be dependent on work–for God is never obliged by His creatures; justification is a gift, freely bestowed, not a wage, justly earned" (Moo, pg. 266). "That God acts toward His creatures graciously–without compulsion or necessity–is one of Paul's "non-negotiable" theological truths (Moo, pg., 267).

Abraham saved by Faith apart from Works 4:1-8 God's justifying verdict is not earned, but given freely v. 5

Abraham saved by Faith apart from Works 4:1-8 D. Sovereign character of God's reckoning vv. 6-8 1. David is another example 2. Quote from Psalm 32:1 Psalm 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. Here is one whose sin cannot be questioned, yet he received God's free pardon and who is pronounced 'not guilty' before the tribunal of heaven.

Abraham saved by Faith apart from Circumcision 4:9-12 Abraham received the blessing in a state of uncircumcision vv. 9-10 Circumcision was introduced in Gen 17:10 some 13 or 14 years later then Gen 15:6. Genesis 17:9-11 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. 11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

Abraham saved by Faith apart from Circumcision 4:9-12 B. Circumcision is a seal vv. 11-12 When Abraham was circumcised, it was but the external seal of that righteous status which God had bestowed upon him long before, by virtue of his faith.

Abraham saved by Faith apart from Circumcision 4:9-12 "Abraham is the true father of all who, like him believe in God and take Him at His word. He is the father of uncircumcised believers, for he was himself uncircumcised when his faith was reckoned to him for righteousness; he is the father of circumcised believers too, not so much on the ground of their circumcision as on the ground of their faith" (Bruce, pg. 112).

Faith apart from the Law based on the Promise 4:13-16 (Cf. 3:21) Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Faith apart from the Law based on the Promise 4:13-16 The law was given 430 years later than God's promise to Abraham and could not invalidate it or restrict its scope (Gal 3:17). v.13 Galatians 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

Faith apart from the Law based on the Promise 4:13-16 If, long after the promise was given, it had been made conditional on obedience to a law which was not mentioned in the original terms of the promise, the whole basis of the promise would have been nullified. v. 14

Faith apart from the Law based on the Promise 4:13-16 C. The law works wrath v. 15 The Mosaic law does indeed pronounce a blessing on those who keep it, but at the same time it invokes a curse on those who break it In view of the universal failure to keep the law, the curse is more prominent and relevant than the blessing.

Faith apart from the Law based on the Promise 4:13-16 D. It must be by faith v. 16 Abraham's justification and blessings were based on his faith in God; they were not earned by merit or effort on his part but bestowed on him by God's grace. This principle on which God thus dealt with Abraham extends to his descendants—not his natural descendants as such, for they have become subject to the obligations of the law, but to his spiritual descendants, those who follow the example of Abraham's faith.

Faith apart from sight based in the promise vv. 4:17-22 A. Abraham the Father of many nations v. 17 Quickeneth the dead—brings life from Abraham even though humanly speaking he is to old to father children, also Sarah. Calleth those things which be not as though they were—speaking of the nations that did not even exist yet. All nations would be blessed in Abraham.

Faith apart from sight based in the promise vv. 4:17-22 Abraham believed when there was no human hope v. 18 Abraham and Sarah were physically too old to bear children v.19 Abraham still believed that God would keep his promise v. 20-21 Abraham's faith, his belief in the promise of God was imputed to him for righteousness v. 22.

This was written for all to see vv. 23-24 Only Faith: The Faith of Abraham and the Faith of the Christian 4:23-25 This was written for all to see vv. 23-24 Righteousness was imputed to Abraham because of his belief v. 23 Righteousness will be imputed to all who believe in God who raised up Jesus v.24

The content of the belief v. 25 Only Faith: The Faith of Abraham and the Faith of the Christian 4:23-25 The content of the belief v. 25 He was delivered for our offenses—Christ was delivered up to atone for His people's sin. He was raised for our justification—Christ was raised up to guarantee their justification.

Salvation is based on Faith Alone 1) Apart from Works good deeds 2) Apart from Circumcision being a Church Member 3) Apart from the Law religious duty: prayer, Bible reading etc. 4) Apart from sight apart from sight 5) By Faith alone by faith alone