Romans 4 study

Chapter four of Romans is one of the most glorious peaks in the mountain range of truths that Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, is pointing out to us who believe. The vista from this lofty perspective is well worth the climb from the cursed, swampy, thorn infested areas of the preceding three chapters.

Those chapters were carefully written to show us our desperate need of the life-giving spiritual oxygen of chapter four. Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has previously shown that both Jews and Gentiles are sinners, who compound our offences by not only enjoying them, but by willfully resisting even the rudimentary knowledge of God as found in Creation.

He has proven that the Jews spiritual ancestry as children of Godly Abraham and possessor's of the Law, cannot keep them from sinning. Neither can the Gentiles morality, though governed by the most rigorous conscience, find them acceptance with God.

But at last, we rest from the depths of sin and despair! We worn-out hikers cease from our laborious trek, as our guide points out the right path that leads to the salvation of God. Let's rest against this cool boulder, throw aside our heavy packs of preconceptions and listen to Paul as we see the sunrise of GRACE in Chapter four.

Paul is mindful that he is addressing Jews and Gentiles. The Jews already have a high, though sometimes fleshy, regard for Abraham. So Paul uses this esteem for the father of the nation of Israel as an opening. He illustrates for both Jew and Gentile by the example of Abraham how salvation is obtained. He notes that Abraham has many works that he could boast about. However, these works are never the cause of salvation, as the scripture plainly says that "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

So salvation is not ACHIEVED, but rather RECEIVED. Salvation is a gift and to feel an obligation to pay or help pay for it destroys the gift concept as well as insulting the giver. The giver in this case, God, paid for our salvation from sin in full with the price being His own Son! Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished." John 19:30 He was speaking of His sacrificial mission as the Lamb of God, dying for the sins of the world.

Christ's work in the world is not yet finished as He is building His church. However, his death removed sin's penalty and furnished the foundation of the church. Paid in full is marked on the gift of God, and underscored by the bodily resurrection of the Savior of all men.

Paul now moves on to other aspects of Abraham's salvation experience. Timing is important.
Was Abraham under the Law? Hardly, since he lived over 400 years before Moses! Those who teach one must keep the Ten Commandments in order to be saved are effectively silenced by this fact.

Well, what about circumcision? Was Abraham saved before or after this rite so important to the Jewish mind? No, Abraham was saved before the Law and before circumcision. Paul uses scriptural logic to destroy the Jew's false confidence in three things; their heritage as fleshy sons of Abraham, the Law, and circumcision.

At the same time, he clearly shows to both Jew and Gentile that Abraham is the prototype of a righteous man before God. The Gentile was born with no advantage in the religion of the Jews. The Jew had many advantages. He was born into a nation that produced the Messiah and that had the Prophets and the Word of God as it's chief boasts.

Both classes of men are now shown that Abraham simply believed God for right standing with God! In order to be his spiritual sons, both Jew and Gentile are to follow his steps into only believing God. This is not merely believing that God exists since "the demons believe and tremble". Such belief in God never saved anyone. No, Abraham believed what God said in the Gospel message.

Christ would die for Abraham's sins and be resurrected as proof of God's acceptance of Christ's work on Abraham's behalf. And so shall it be for all who trust God in a similar fashion. Jesus said, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." John 8:56 A like joy is waiting for all who thus believe God in this matter of salvation in this manner.

In a parenthetical statement underscoring the inability of the law or circumcision to save, Paul introduces another Jewish hero, King David. It was he who God used to subdue the nations and led Israel to emerge as a world power. Many were mistakenly looking for Jesus to be, like David, a delivering King from the bondage of Rome who would restore Israel to it's former glory.

But Paul uses David as an example of personal salvation to the Jews and Gentiles. David is a man who was circumcised and who also lived under the Mosaic Law! Neither of those two facts were effectual in keeping David from sinning or in bringing him salvation. Instead, Paul quotes what David, "the man after God's own heart" said about salvation by grace alone.

Romans 4:6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:  

7 "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.

Please note that this salvation is a blessed experience because it is by faith alone that sins are forgiven, thus obtainable to any sinner who has nothing to pay. It is also for the religious who will abandon ritual and condemning law to freely receive Jesus Christ, the gift of God. It is further blessed because it is a FOREVER salvation, since the LORD will NEVER count the Christians sins against him! Once saved, always saved is an apt description of Biblical salvation!

In fact, Paul goes on to tell us that salvation is offered in this manner (by faith alone) so that it can be guaranteed! It is not presumptuous to say "I am saved" when we understand that it is all by grace that we claim this glorious salvation. Only grace, not performance before or after salvation, can give such an assurance to the weakest believer. Indeed, this is the place to get strength to overcome such weakness.

The water of life continues to well up and will never dry up no matter how many weary, thirsty travelers drink from its cool, refreshing liquid! Paul put it this way; Rom. 8:16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham

Paul has clearly shown through Abraham and David how to be saved forever from sin. He now wraps up by illustrating how difficult the circumstances in which Abraham came to saving faith. This is to encourage us that in spite of our bodies being as good as dead, believing what God said in the Gospel overcomes every obstacle to blessedness.
Abraham did not bury his head in the sand as to his impotence, but faced it through faith in what God said.

Likewise, as weak and helpless as we sinners are in our natural state, nevertheless, we can be born again, as much a miracle child of faith as Isaac himself!

18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead.

20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

22This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness". The sun is fully up on this mountain of revelation, and warmth of the love of God and His marvelous grace have warmed our souls. Paul caps his presentation of God's truth with the wonderful reminder that all the blessings of salvation are for us also who believe the Gospel message. Paul clearly gives that simple message lest anyone persist in the belief that simply believing in the existence of God is enough. True faith believes the true message to the glory of Him who died to save us!

23The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone,

24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

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