Resurrection Power Not Human Effort Series

Resurrection Power and Not Human Effort

By Greg Johnson

http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org

Romans chapter four is a powerful chapter that every believer needs to master. The Apostle Paul continues talking about justification, a term that he introduces in Romans Chapter three. Romans chapter four also has probably the best definition of faith in the entire Bible.

Justification is a legal term that is borrowed from the law court. It means to be declared righteous. Only those that are righteous will spend eternity around the throne of God. Only God can declare one righteous. Only God can justify.

JUSTIFICATION IS NOT BY HUMAN EFFORT.

God’s word says (Romans 4:1-8 NIV) "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? {2} If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about--but not before God. {3} What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." {4} Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. {5} However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. {6} David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: {7} "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. {8} Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.""

The Apostle Paul uses two Old Testament individuals to illustrate that justification is not by human effort.

First he talks about the faith of Abraham. Abraham believed the promises of God and because of his faith, God declared him righteous. The book of Genesis gives us record of Abraham’s life of faith. God gave Abraham promises and Abraham simply believed that God had the power to fulfill His promises.

When Abraham was an old man, God promised him a child and Abraham believed. (Genesis 15:1-6 NIV) "After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." {2} But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" {3} And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." {4} Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." {5} He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars--if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." {6} Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness."

The Apostle Paul quotes King David from Psalm 32:1,2 in saying (Romans 4:7-8 NIV) “"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. {8} Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."”

David new what being declared righteous was all about. He knew that one could not be declared righteous by human effort. He knew that only God could declare one righteous and that the one declared righteous was truly blessed!

David was a man of God, yet he broke three of the ten commandments in his affair with Bathsheba – he coveted, he committed adultery, and he murdered. Nothing he could do with any human effort could make amends. He could not restore Bathsheba’s chastity. He could not bring life to her murdered husband. David learned what it meant to be justified by God; guilty and helpless, but yet declared righteous.

JUSTIFICATION IS FOR ALL.

God’s Word says (Romans 4:9-12 NIV) "Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. {10} Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! {11} 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. {12} 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."

One beauty of justification is that it is for all who will believe. God does not discriminate. God justifies Jew and Gentile alike as they place their trust in Him.

Another beauty of justification is that there are no conditions tied to being declared righteous. Many try to place conditions upon salvation. The Jews of Paul’s day was placing a condition upon the conversion of Gentiles. Gentiles were placing their faith in Jesus. They were being saved and declared righteous by God. The Jews began to teach that they had to be circumcised to be saved. Paul argues here that Abraham was saved when he believed God’s promises and he was not circumcised until 14 years later.