Introduction To Romans 4 Series

Today we resume a study in Romans that we taught in 2019. Five years ago, we expounded Romans 1-3 verse-by-verse with 35 messages. Those are available on our YouTube channel for anyone who wants to review them.i

Romans is a book that cannot by properly understood without giving detailed attention to the content. “Romans,” wrote Richard Longenecker, “is probably the most difficult of the NT letters to analyze and interpret.”ii To understand this book we have to slow down and study it methodically. We have to carefully follow Paul’s reasoning. And we rely on the Holy Spirit to help us do that.

The effort is well worthwhile –for the content in Romans 1-8 is essential for New Testament Christianity.iii When the Roman Catholic Church got this wrong, it took the Protestant Reformation to get back on track. Multitudes of religious people going to hell because they have not received the truths taught in this epistle.

In Romans 3:28 Paul came to this all-important conclusion: “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.”iv This theme of justification by faith is explained more fully in Romans 4. It is an essential revelation. It contradicts and corrects the religions of the world which are typically based on justification by works. Christian cults tend to be works driven. Mormonism is a works religion. The Jehovah Witness cult is a works religion. The natural inclination of the carnal mind is toward justification by works.

What is justification by faith? It means we are declared righteous before God by faith in Christ’s redemptive work rather than by our own works. This will become clearer as we study Romans 4 in detail.

OVERVIEW OF ROMANS 4

Before we get into those details, we will do a quick overview of Romans 4 so that we a general sense of how Paul’s argument proceeds.

For proper context, let’s back up and read Romans 3:21-31.

“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God [This point was soundly established in the verses prior to this.], 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. [Who does God justify? The one who has faith in Jesus. Amen?] 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.”

Now in chapter 4, the general theme is this justification by faith declared in chapter 3.

I. In verses 1-8, Paul supports justification by faith using Old Testament Scripture. In verses 1-5, he shows how Abraham was justified by faith rather than works. Then in verses 6-8 he demonstrates that from David’s testimony.

II. In verses 9-12, he points out that Abraham was not justified by the ritual of circumcision. “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:3) before he was circumcised. He was saved by faith alone before the ritual was performed.

III. In verses 13-16, Paul explains why justification must be by faith rather than works. Only on the basis of grace can it be sure and secure. This is true for Jew and gentile alike.

IV. In verses 17-22, Paul describes the kind of faith that Abraham exercised which resulted in his justification. It was something more than mere mental accent.

V. In verses 23-25, Paul applies this teaching to all who believe in Christ. You and I are justified in the same way Abraham and David were justified: by faith, not by works. And what is the object of this faith? Verse 24-25: “It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”