v. 1-4 Faith The Only Force Able to Cancel Our Debt of Sin Owed Before the Justice of God

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1 STUDY/DISCUSSION GUIDE ROMANS 4:1-25 INTRODUCTION Having established the great news of salvation and righteousness before God by faith, Paul now lays a foundation for our faith. He shows us the superiority of faith, as well as what it is and how it works. THEME: The Great Value of Faith v. 1-4 Faith The Only Force Able to Cancel Our Debt of Sin Owed Before the Justice of God v. 1 Abraham - Paul is going to link his statement in 3:31 that gospel does not discard the law but establishes faith as the true foundational principle of the law. To do so He goes back to the first Jew, Abraham. Our Father - Pater (Gk.) Abraham is called father because he was the first Jew. God called him to be the beginning of what would be His chosen people, the Jews, and the people who would produce the Messiah who would be a blessing to all nations (Gen. 22:18). Justified by Works - The question to answer is whether Abraham was declared just before God based upon complete obedience to religious law or because of his faith. To Boast - If Abraham was right before God by his own merits, it meant that he would have the right to take credit for his accomplishments that produced his salvation. One may do so before people, but it will never happen before God. Not Before God - This immediately excludes any possibility that man would be able to take personal credit and pride for his standing before God. v. 3 Scriptures Say - Paul refers to the scripture in the present tense, showing his clear understanding that the scriptures still speak to us as the final authority on this and all other matters. Here he quotes Genesis 15:6. Abraham Believed - The only work Abraham did to be seen as righteous before God was to trust in God's word to him. Accounted - This word was used for keeping financial accounts. The idea conveyed is that apart from any acts of religious ritual or other personal actions of merit or works, Abraham was credited as a righteous man by the one act of faith in God's promise to him. Page 1 of 5

2 Righteousness - This refers to a right standing before God, not a validation of every action of Abraham. The fact is, by reading the account of his life we see more than once he failed God (Gen. 12:1-25:8). He is seen as right because he believed God, not because he had earned that position in all moral and ethical ways. v. 4 Debt - It becomes clear that if the basis of one's accountability before God is predicated on a person's works, that person will always be in a debtor's position before God. All it takes is one act of unrighteousness to have a negative account before God. Certain acts of righteousness cannot cancel other acts of unrighteousness. Paul proves that the first Jew, Abraham, was not accepted as a righteous man before God based upon his own righteous deeds, or works (v. 1-3). Paul uses Abraham as his primary example because they held the spiritual fathers of Judaism in high regard. The hope is that they will see that the man who God chose to begin the Israeli race was right with God by faith, not the works of the law (v. 1-3). God s accounting of our debt for sin and the judgment due that debt is not payable or neutralized by good deeds or works. If a thief chose to steal ten times, but also on several occasions decided not to steal, those times he didn t steal wouldn t cancel out any accountability for stealing the other times. Therefore, seeking to be declared fully righteous by works will always place less-than-perfect people in debt to God for their sin. 1. Why is it necessary to first come to terms with the true just requirements of accountability that God requires of a sinner before we can understand why works will never undo our sin s impact upon us? (v. 4) (i.e. God does not judge on a curve) 2. What examples can you give of ways people boast of their self-righteous right to enter heaven before other people, but will never be allowed to make that same boast before God? Read Ephesians 2:8-9. v. 5-8 Faith The Only Force that Adds Righteousness to our Accounting of Our Lives Before God v. 6 Justifies the Ungodly - This introduces the example that David provides to further establish this principle of faith in God as a way to accounted righteousness before God. King David had committed the tragic sins of both adultery and murder, yet he declared that he experienced forgiveness and help based upon God's mercy in not accounting those sinful deeds to his life. v. 8 Not Impute Sin - This becomes the other side of this principle. Not only does God impute (assign) righteousness (v. 30), He also doesn't impute unrighteousness upon the account of one who comes to God in faith. Paul states that not only is sin not imputed to us, but because of faith there is an imputed righteousness placed upon our account before God (v. 6). Paul quotes from David s Psalm 32:1-2. By reading further in this psalm, you will discover the added blessings that came upon David s imputed relationship with God. Note Psalm 51:1-17 as Page 2 of 5

3 another example of benefits that come to those whose faith not only cancels sin s debt, but adds benefits due a righteous person. 1. Read Psalm 32:1-11 and 51:1-17 and identify the many benefits that David believed God would bring into His life because of his faith in how God not only does not impute sin, but can also impute righteousness and its corresponding blessings by faith. 2. How would this change what is your own expectation is of God? v Faith is Greater than the Limited Purpose of Outward Religious Rituals v. 9 Circumcised Only - After showing that faith in God is what justified two key Jewish figures before God (Abraham and David), the question is posed: is this a privilege only for the Jews? To answer this, Paul refers to circumcision, as circumcision was the rite that marked a man as a Jew. v. 10 Circumcised or Uncircumcised - The Jewish readers are reminded that many years before the rite of circumcision was commanded by God (Gen.17:10-11; 23-27), Abraham was declared righteous through his faith in God (Gen.15:6) v. 11 Father of - Having pointed out that circumcision was a seal of faith, not a replacement for faith in God, Paul shows how Abraham can be called not only the father of the circumcised (the Jews), but the father of all who follow in his faith in God. This reaffirms the earlier argument that God is both the God of the Jew and the Gentile and that the way of salvation is thus open to all, through faith. v. 13 The Law - The relationship to God's promise of blessing upon the father of the Jews and his posterity is seen here to be based upon Abraham's faith, not upon the keeping of the law. The point is if the Jewish people as a nation were chosen by God on the basis of the law, then they would not have remained a nation. As a nation they historically failed to keep the law. Thus, just as they had been kept by God as a nation based upon the promise believed by the faith of their father Abraham, so salvation must come on the same basis. v. 14 No Effect - The promise of God, given to Abraham, would be nullified if it were only to be in effect if the Jews had to earn that promise through their faithful and complete obedience to the law. The facts of history are that they had broken the law over and over again. v. 15 No Transgression - If the basis of salvation was to not have transgressed the law, there would be no salvation for anyone because it had already been concluded that all have sinned (Rom. 3:23). Thus salvation by faith is seen as the only viable solution to receive salvation because it is not based on keeping laws. The Jewish people had elevated the law requiring every male to be circumcised to the level of securing salvation, even if the other laws were not fully obeyed. Paul points out that circumcision had never in itself been seen to be a means of salvation. Paul proves this first by reminding the Jews that Abraham was already saved, declared righteous, before he was circumcised (v. 9-10). Circumcision was only an outward sign of an inward faith (v ). The law was never a basis for being right before God because all have broken it in some way. Faith alone saves (v ). Page 3 of 5

4 1. Can you describe ways in which people today can put confidence in the rituals or observances prescribed by their religion as the basis for their salvation? 3. Explain why this can be a tragic false hope. v What and How Faith Works v. 16 According to Grace - Having shown the impossibility of earning a just and right position before God, based on the law, the grace of God is seen as the only logical solution for both the Jew who had been given the law and the Gentile who had not been given the law. Father of Us All - All, Jew or Gentile, have to come to God through faith in His grace in Christ, believing that God will impute a right standing before Him. Thus Abraham, who left an example of being accepted by God through faith, becomes the father of anyone who comes to God as he did. v. 17 I Have Made - Genesis 17:5 is quoted to support the principle given in v. 16, that Abraham is the Father of any who come to God by faith no matter their nationality. Life to the Dead - This is a reference to the deadness of Abraham and Sarah's physical ability to conceive and bear a child. To have a child would, of course, be necessary to be able to see their offspring be a blessing to many nations. Calls - This refers to the sovereignty and power of God to be able to summon into being whatever He decrees. Do Not Exist - This refers to God's creative ability to call something into being out of nothing. v. 18 Contrary to Hope - Because of the barrenness of Sarah throughout her marriage to Abraham, as well as their old age which put them past the time of child bearing, there was no natural reason to expect, or hope for, a child. In Hope Believed - Abraham had an expectation and confidence in God's creative power that enabled him to act in faith regardless of the circumstantial hopelessness of the situation. v. 19 Did Not Consider - Abraham had to consider God's creative power rather than be imprisoned in unbelief by the seeming impossibility of the situation. Hundred Years - Abraham had responded to God's call and promise 25 years earlier (Gen. 12:1-4). Over those years the promise of having a child had gone from improbable to impossible. God had waited until the natural ability to bring about this promise would be zero. This would make it possible for this event in Abraham's life to be an example to all who come to God by faith. Did Not Waver - Although Abraham had his struggles (Gen. 17:17-18), he was strengthened by God as he maintained confidence in the integrity of God's character to keep His promises. James 1:6-8 reinforces this critical aspect of faith that requires steadfastness in one's expectation of God. v. 21 Fully Convinced - Abraham exercised a faith that was rooted in the fact that God never lies; His promises are yea and amen. Secondly, his faith was rooted in complete confidence in God's power that more than enabled Him to do anything. v. 22 It Was Accounted - In Genesis 15:5 the accounting of righteousness is directly linked to Abraham s belief in God's promise of a son through Sarah. Page 4 of 5

5 v. 24 Also for Us - Paul wants his readers to realize that the Jews cannot relegate Abraham's example of faith to the past. They must apply it to the present and their own approach to God. Raised Up Jesus - The miracle of bringing life out of the deadness of Sarah's womb (v. 9) is to now be applied to the even more glorious example of God's power over death in the resurrection of Jesus. v. 25 Our Justification - The resurrection of Jesus (v. 24) is not only seen as an act of God's promise and power, but also the proof that having risen from the dead to reveal His authority and power over sin, death, and the grave. Faith is shown to be based upon grace so that salvation is obtainable for all who desire it (v. 16). Faith is based upon both the ability and the integrity of God to keep His promises (v ). (Note the context of God s promise to Abraham in Genesis chapter 15-21, especially 15:5, 17:19, 21:1-8, and also Hebrews 11:11.) Faith does not limit God s promises, even if the circumstances seem impossible (v ). Faith grows to a place of full confidence that God will fully fulfill His promises (v. 21). This same faith of Abraham is completely possible for us today (v ). 1. If we genuinely believe faith has, by God s grace, opened up the promises of God to us all, how would that change in a practical way how we deal with life? 2. Why is it vital to discover all the general promises God has given to all, and specific promises such as the promise that Joseph would rule over his family? (Gen. 37:5-11) 3. What practical steps can you take to discover the treasure chest of promises throughout the entire Bible? 4. What specific things about God should you personally embrace before you try to live a life of faith? 5. How does your understanding of God affect how big of a role circumstances should play in whether a promise is possible? 6. How can you grow in your conviction and confidence in God, and therefore His promises? CONCLUSION Faith is so amazing! God has made available to us the storehouse of heavenly blessings through the value of faith. Because faith s possibilities are given by grace, its potential is only limited by how far we want to go to discover God and His promises. Page 5 of 5