14. Romans Chapter 4 Verses 1-3 - Messages In Romans – The Faith Of Abraham Reckoned As Righteousness - Message 14 Series

14. ROMANS CHAPTER 4 VERSES 1-3 - MESSAGES IN ROMANS – THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM RECKONED AS RIGHTEOUSNESS - MESSAGE 14

WHAT IS IT THEN – FAITH OR WORKS?

It is unfortunate that chapter divisions and verses themselves are arbitrary, for sometime they destroy the flow of an argument. It become essential in reading the scriptures, and especially so in the book of Romans and the prophetic books of the Old Testament, to note the key words used for connection of ideas and the development of themes.

Probably the most important word in that regard is “therefore”. That word links any argument past, with the development to come. Years ago I learnt a valuable suggestion from someone about “therefore”. Always ask what it is “there for”? If you take a quick look at verse 1 of chapter 5 you will see that being used. Another word to look out for is “however”.

Sometimes it can be a question that is the linking device, and that is what Paul uses here in verse 1. We begin chapter 4 having completed Chapter 3 that saw all men brought under sin, with not even one being righteous. All are guilty and therefore under the penalty of sin. Jeremiah faced the same predicament as God posed the problem to him – {{Jeremiah 5:1 “Roam to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and look now, and take note, and seek in her open squares, - if you can find a man, IF THERE IS ONE WHO DOES JUSTICE, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her.”}}

However in Chapter 3 we saw that a man can be justified by faith, and who could be a greater example of faith then Abraham? That is where we are going to take up our study for today.

[A]. RIGHTEOUSNESS IS ACHIEVED THROUGH FAITH (THAT IS GENUINE)

{{Romans 4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found,

Romans 4:2 for if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

Romans 4:3 What does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”}}

Paul is writing to the church that was at Rome that was mostly comprised of Gentile believers but there were a lot of Jews in the church, so he was happy to use the term, “our forefather,” which covered the Jewish believers there. Abraham becomes the great example of faith for the faithful, irrespective of national origin. He is sometimes called, “the father of the faithful”. The term could cover Gentiles also for we are the children of Abraham through faith, NOT through descent.

(A). VERSE 1

Verse 1 poses the question and next two verses answer that. Well what did Abraham find? How did his life operate and what was the conclusion at the end of his life? Paul uses an interesting expression here with the use of “found”. Was Abraham seeking? It was God who took up Abraham – {{Genesis 12:1-2 Now the LORD said to Abram, “GO FORTH from your country and from your relatives and from your father’s house to the land which I will show you, and I will make you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great, and so you shall be a blessing.”}}

Whether Abraham was searching for the truth right at the beginning or not we do not know. God took him to establish His purpose. The Lord was to show him the land but can it be said Abraham was seeking that land? It really is of no consequence. The word “found” is better realised as “discovered”. What did he discover? With God’s help and guidance he discovered the true secret of faith and it was that faith that justified him.

There is a strong correlation with Romans 4 and Galatians and it seems Paul was dealing with the Galatian error at about the same time he was thinking of the letter to the Roman church.

(B). VERSE 2

Verse 2 opens the subject of faith versus works and this is a huge study. The whole argument centres around how to be accepted by God. Centuries ago hardly anyone questioned the existence of God. These were the times before the rationalists and the people of higher learning and Nitsche with his “God is dead” and demonic atheism we see everywhere today, compounded by the advance of godless humanism. People accepted God’s existence and their main concern was how to be accepted by God.

A person’s background is often critical to his or her thinking. A pagan might approach the subject of acceptance by God, by relating it to his sacrificial system to his own god or gods. He might seek to come to the real God that way. That is a religion of appeasement, trying to please God by giving. People from the Roman Catholic system might relate it to activity, the faithfulness in attending mass and the confessional and keeping the ordinances of the church. That is a religion of doing, of works with expectation.