New York UBF – NY University Bible Fellowship (NYUBF)

Romans Lesson 7
ABRAHAM WAS ALSO JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
Romans 4:1-25
Key Verse: 4:23-24

“The words ‘it was credited to him’ were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness – for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.”

In the previous passage in chapter 3, Paul concluded the section by saying that all men are under the power of sin and the only way of salvation for everyone, both Jews and Gentiles alike, is through faith in the grace of Jesus Christ, not by works. In fact, when Paul preached the gospel to the Gentiles that their sins can be forgiven simply by putting their trust in Jesus Christ, numerous men and women came to the Lord in almost every city in Asia and Europe. However, Paul’s doctrine of justification by faith alone raised serious controversies among Jewish believers. They thought that Paul was going too far. They believed that Gentiles must first be circumcised and commit themselves to Judaism by keeping the law of Moses. Otherwise their salvation is incomplete. Today’s passage is a case study in which Paul proves the doctrine of salvation by faith alone using the example of Abraham.

First, Abraham was justified not by works (1-8)

Read verses 1-2. “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about – but not before God.” A few years ago, after Mother Teresa passed away, the Roman Catholic Church wanted to canonize her as a holy saint because her good life was a good example for believers. If there was any one to be canonized in Israel’s history, that person would be Abraham. In fact, Jewish rabbis in Paul’s time taught that Abraham was saved because of his good deeds. So, the Jews would argue against Paul, “What about our forefather, Abraham? Wasn’t he saved because he was faithful to God? He circumcised himself at age of 99 and was even ready to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering! How can you say that we can be saved only by faith alone?” In response to their dispute, Paul says that although Abraham was great in many ways, he had nothing to boast about before God because he was justified only because of his faith, not by his works. In other words, he was saved only because of God’s grace and mercy. Paul supports his declaration by quoting from Genesis 15:6. Look at verse 3. “What does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’” The Scripture is very clear that Abraham was considered righteous before God only because of his faith in God Almighty.

In verses 4-5, Paul explains further that God’s salvation is purely a gift, not wages for our hard work. Look at verses 4-5. “Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.” In verses 3-5, the word ‘credited” is repeated 4 times, and 10 times in Chapter 4. The word “credited” (logizomai) means “considered”, “counted”, “reckoned” or “regarded”. So “his faith is credited to him as righteousness” means that Abraham was considered as a righteous man even though he was not. God justified the wicked.

Salvation is a gift, not wages, a great fortune. Amazing! A man lent a box of Allen keys to his friend who returned his tool box with a $1 Instant Scratch-Its ticket in the tool box to say thank you to him. The man put away the box for many years and didn’t bother to look into the box. But after around six-and-a-half years had passed, the man needed the Allen keys because his water pump had broken down. When he found the ticket inside the box, he almost didn’t bother scratching it. In fact, the ticket fell on the floor and got wet. But when he was cleaning up, he picked the ticket up again and scratched it. Then he found that he won $25,000! How lucky he was! He screamed. But the ticket was already six-and-a-half years old. You know what? He found that the Instant Scratch Its prizes are payable for seven years after the ticket has been released, meaning his ticket was valid for another six months. To receive the grace of forgiveness of sin is like winning a great fortune, something like winning a jack pot. Salvation is a gift, not wages.

In verses 6-8, Paul further supports his argument that salvation is a gift not wages by using the case of King David. He quotes Psalm 32:1-2, written by King David when he repented of his shameful sin of having an affair with Bathsheba and murdering her husband, Uriah, in order to cover up his sin. What David did was wicked in the sight of God. David was a man of conscience, so he had no peace in his heart. He was haunted day and night by fear and guilt even though he pretended that nothing had happened. Even though he lived in a palace, he was unhappy. He became extremely nervous, fearing that someone might discover his secret sins. He became totally dysfunctional. What did God do? God sent his servant Nathan to confront David with his sin so that he could confess his sins and experience the grace of forgiveness of sins. David repented of his sin with many tears and fasting prayers. Soon he was greatly relieved, and the joy of salvation refilled his mind and heart. He said in Psalm 32:1-2, “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.” If Abraham and David, two of the most respected men of God in Israel’s history, were justified only by faith, not by keeping the law, Paul’s point is proven.

Second, why is Abraham the father all those who believe in Christ? (9-16)

As I mentioned earlier, a lot of Jewish teachers in Paul’s time insisted that Gentiles must be circumcised first, otherwise their salvation was not valid. In verses 1-8, Paul proved that Abraham was not justified by works but by faith. Now in verses 9-17, he proves that Abraham was justified neither by circumcision nor by the law. Read verses 9-10. “Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!” When Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness, he was 85 years old. And it was not until Abraham became 99 years old that he was circumcised. Therefore, physical circumcision had nothing to do with his righteousness before God.

Then the remaining question is why Abraham was asked to be circumcised in his old age? Read verses 11 and 12. “And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.” Abraham was circumcised in obedience to God’s command. At that time, God changed his name from Abram to Abraham, which means “a father of many nations.” (Gen 17:5) It happened 14 years after his faith was already credited to him as righteousness. Paul was saying that it was not an accident that it happened in this order, first righteousness by faith, then the sign of the righteousness through circumcision. God did it this way so that righteousness might be credited both to circumcised Jews and uncircumcised Gentiles by the same faith, not by circumcision. Therefore, Abraham is not just the father of the Jewish race but the father of all races who believe in Jesus.

In the book of Genesis, we see that God repeatedly promised that Abraham would surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations would be blessed through him. (Gen 18:18; 22:17-18) In Paul’s days, many Jewish teachers insisted that only those who keep the law of Moses are true heirs of God. But Paul said that’s not accurate. Look at verse 13. “It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through righteousness that comes by faith.” It cannot be by the law that one can be the heir of God because law brings wrath and curse. Paul explains it in verses 14 and 15. “For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.” What does it mean? We already learned that by observing the law, no one can be declared righteous before God because we are all imperfect and fall short of God’s standard, even those who are highly respected in the world. Law brings condemnation, not salvation to those who try to keep it. How can condemned people be called true heirs of God? Paul is saying here that God’s promise of blessing goes along with faith, not with law. Law brings curse and promise brings blessing. Law says, “You shall not…” Promise says, “I will…” Law brings division but faith brings unity and harmony. We can receive the blessing of justification only by faith, not by keeping the law. Verse 16 summarizes his argument in this section. Read verse 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.”

What does it mean to us that Abraham is the father of us all who believe in Jesus? There is no walls of hostility between Jews and Gentiles. We live in a multi-cultural world. Through our faith in Jesus we can bring unity and harmony among those who believe in Jesus in spite of many differences. We can worship the same Father God and love and serve one another. It’s a new and better world, in which God brings unity, harmony, love, joy and peace to a family, church, community, nation and the entire human race.

Third, “Is Christian faith comparable to Abraham’s faith?” (17-25)

Is there any fundamental difference between the faith of Abraham and the faith of Christians? Is there comparability between the faith in the Old Testament and the faith in the New Testament? Paul explains it in verses 17-25. Fundamentally, they are comparable because both are based on God’s power and His faithfulness. In other words, what Abraham believed and what Christians believe are the same God Almighty the Creator, who is trustworthy. Christians believe that God our Father raised Christ from the dead.

What did Abraham believe? Figuratively speaking, he believed the same. Look at verse 17. “As it is written: ‘I have made you a father of many nations.’ He is our father (a father of many nations) in the sight of God, in whom he believed – the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” Abraham believed that God is the Almighty Creator who can make things out of nothing by the power of His words. He also believed that God can give life to the dead.

In verses 18-21, Paul explains Abraham’s faith more in detail. Look at verse 18. “Against 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.’” The story of Abraham begins in Genesis 12. Abraham left his hometown-Ur of Chaldeans based on God’s promise, “I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” At that time, Abraham was 75 years old and had no child, and having no child was considered having no blessing from God. So when God promised to give him many sons, Abraham was deeply touched and believed His promise. When he talked about what God promised to him, his friends said to him, “Abe, get a grip man! You are old. Look at yourself! Don’t you know “No country for old men”? But Abraham still believed in God’s promise, packed everything and went to the promised land with his wife, Sarah and his nephew Lot.

However, what happened? Did God give him a son right away? No. Even after 10 years had passed, God still didn’t give him a son. Abraham became impatient and got tired of waiting. At that time, God appeared to him and said, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” But Abraham was not moved at all. He insisted that he should have a son right away. Abraham was mad at God. Then God took him outside and began to pat his shoulder and asked him to look up at the heavens and count the stars. When Abraham looked up at the heavens and began to count the stars, he realized that there were so many stars in the sky. And God told him, “If indeed you can count them, so shall your offspring be.” Genesis 15:6 reads, “Abraham believed the Lord, and he credited to him as righteousness.” However, Abraham made a terrible mistake by getting a concubine in order to have a son. We understand Abraham’s situation. But he made a big mess by getting a concubine. Yet, God didn’t abandon him. Most of all, He kept His promise with Abraham.

Read verses 19-21. “Without 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. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” Abraham knew that he and his wife were too old to have a son. Yet, he believed that God who created heavens and earth out nothing will keep his promise by giving him a son through his wife, Sarah. After Isaac grew up, God also asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering. Abraham could obey because he believed that God who is almighty and faithful to His promise would raise him from the dead. (Heb 17-19) At times, Abraham’s faith was weak and small He still had many doubts and fears. But God did not despise his small faith. His faith was credited to him as righteousness. Also God patiently took care of Abraham until his faith grew big and tall like an oak tree. In fact, it was God’s faithfulness that Abraham was justified and sanctified. So Abraham could not boast before God. It was all because of God’s grace. Abraham is the father of faith for all believers, both Jews and Gentiles.

Look at verses 22-25. “This is why “it were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He (Jesus) was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” What Abraham believed was God’s promise to give him a son and what we Christians believe is God’s promise of forgiveness of sin and eternal life through Christ. But the object of our faith is God Himself, who is Almighty and faithful.

What does it mean to us that we are justified by faith? It means that we are Abraham’s descendants, the true heirs of the world and God’s eternal inheritance. There is no distinction between Jews and Gentiles. We are all princes and princesses of heaven on earth. This is only by God’s grace. No one can boast because we didn’t earn our status but we only received it as a gift. On the other hand, it’s easy for us to live and be stuck in the past due to failures, mistakes and bad experiences. But in Christ, we don’t need to abide in the past. We have a new beginning in Him. We all make many mistakes, sometimes terrible mistakes. Our forefather Abraham was not an exception. David was not either. They blew everything through their terrible mistakes, but God didn’t erase their names from the book of life. He forgave them and fulfilled His promise. God who is faithful forgave all our sins through His ultimate sacrifice through Jesus. All we need is to put our trust in God’s faithfulness. Since we are justified freely by faith in him, we are not to hold grudges against our neighbors. We are to forgive them freely and continue to forgive and embrace others who sin against us. If we are holding any grudges, anger, even the slightest bitterness against anyone, we are to let it go right now. We are to accept and love one another in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in spite of the differences we may have among us. We are to love one another. We are to love one another more and more, especially when it is very difficult to love. Love, not self-righteous pride, is the badge as God’s children. That’s the way we celebrate God’s salvation in our daily lives.

 

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