15. Romans Chapter 4 Verses 4-12 - Messages In Romans – The Faith Of Abraham Reckoned As Righteousness Leading To Blessing (Us Too!) - Message 15 Series

15. ROMANS CHAPTER 4 VERSES 4-12 - MESSAGES IN ROMANS – THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM RECKONED AS RIGHTEOUSNESS LEADING TO BLESSING (US TOO!) - MESSAGE 15

[A]. RIGHTEOUS RECKONING AND A CLEAN ACCOUNT WITH GOD

{{Romans 4:4 “Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favour, but as what is due,

Romans 4:5 but to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, HIS FAITH IS RECKONED AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,

Romans 4:6 just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works:

Romans 4:7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered.

Romans 4:8 BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.”}}

Having established the critical fact that righteousness comes by means of faith, and not through works, Paul develops the idea even more. He was insistent that his readers understand perfectly that righteousness does not come from works but by faith. It is so important for us to recognise the basis of our salvation, and to keep realising that point. The established fact of relationship with God was realised and demonstrated right back with Abraham and supported with this verse – {{Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must BELIEVE that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”}}

Paul asked the Corinthians to do something when he wrote to them and it was this – {{2Corinthians 13:5-6 “TEST YOURSELVES TO SEE IF YOU ARE IN THE FAITH. Examine yourselves, or do you not recognise this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you - unless indeed you fail the test? But I trust that you will realise that we ourselves do not fail the test.”}} When I first gave this message I was speaking to a handful of people and said, “In this little group here we know each other but if I was speaking to a church of a hundred or more then this would be a very legitimate command. Many in some churches are just going along for the ride. It is so important that we know that we belong to the Saviour especially as He is coming for His Church very soon.

In some churches faith is highlighted very wrongly and this applies to the so-called “word of faith” churches. In others, a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is not stressed or if it is, then it is not in a personal application, but is generalised. I was speaking to someone last night about the importance of theology and doctrine in our teaching and preaching, a point overlooked by so many. Doctrine is the framework that secures faith; in other words, it is the skeleton that protects the mind and the heart. Consider how full of doctrine and theology Paul’s letters were. When we are told to be established in the faith, then we need to understand the theology behind our faith.

(a). VERSE 4

Look at these verses here again and notice the two camps. In Romans 4:4, the first group is the group that gets what they are all owed. They are the workers who receive wages for working. The second camp contains those who get what they do not deserve. A workman is worthy of his hire when it comes to working for a living, but when it comes to faith, there is no gain through trying to work for salvation. It is the opposite. In the next verse 5, the truth is stated very clearly – {{Romans 4:5 “but to the one who DOES NOT WORK, BUT BELIEVES in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness,”}}

(b). VERSE 5

Let go – let God. Faith is the steel cord that binds a sinner to the Saviour. God justifies the ungodly but only on one basis, which is faith. Works, even though they might be compassionate, and giving, and good standing, will never attain to God. They won’t even come close. It must be by reliant faith, shedding yourselves of all you have and are, and COME TO THE SAVIOUR AS YOU ARE. All your righteousness is no more than filthy rags.

The line of faith is all the way through the Old Testament, from the offering by Abel right up to the people in the early chapters of the Gospels. Remember the Old Testament operated under the old covenant up to the time of the cross. All who were accepted by God in the Old Testament were accepted by faith and by no other way. It was faith in God’s forgiveness that led to the sacrifices for sin being made. Do you recall the end part of the last message where it was stated in such simple terms, “Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness?” What could be simpler than this – {{John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled. BELIEVE IN GOD, BELIEVE ALSO IN ME.”}}? “Nothing in my hand I bring; Simply to Thy cross I cling.”