We Are Made Righteous By Faith (Second Sunday Of Lent, March 5, 2023)

WE ARE MADE RIGHTEOUS BY FAITH

Text: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17

Romans 4:1-5  What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, 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 Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."  (4)  Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.  (5)  However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

Romans 4:13 - 17 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed-God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

How would you like to take a test that had a different rule for success? Instead of so many points for an “A”, so many for a “B” and so on, the success of the test would be based on an “all or nothing rule”. So you would have to get a 100% to pass on every test every single day. That would mean that there was no margin for error. How would you like to go to a school where it would have to be all or nothing for the whole duration of the school until you had completed your schooling? Can you imagine how many would flunk out in a K - 12 School system with that grading style?

The truth is you would not have a graduating class. You probably would not have a class at all by the time the first report card came out! Now take it a step further. How would you like to live life with an “all or nothing” mandate in front of you day after day every day for a lifetime?

Now think about what an “all or nothing” rule would mean for us to be acceptable to God, based upon our absolute obedience to His law. This would mean that we would not be allowed to make one single mistake or we would fail.

Today we will talk about lawbreakers, promises and righteousness.

LAWBREAKERS

Is there such a thing as being faultless?

1) Before the fall: Before the Garden of Eden we could answer yes. After the fall, the answer from them on is “no”! They broke the perfect bond that we would have had with God in that garden. The fall brought mortality where death did not exist! Would there be any hope at all if the story stopped there?

2) God’s provision: “God’s plan all along was to bring this message of salvation to the nations through the revelation of faith. Long ago God prophesied over Abraham, as the Holy Scriptures say: “Through your example of faith all the nations will be blessed!” “ (Galatians 3: 8 TPT).

3) Sinners: and justification: Romans 3:23 - 24:   “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 24  and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”, (ESV).

4) Pardoned and justified: There is a difference between a pardon and justification. A pardon releases us from the penalties---absolution that comes from breaking the law whereas justification means that we are free from from the blame of sin because Jesus took our place. Jesus became our spanking boy as He took both our place and punishment!

When and why was the law given to our ancestors?

1) The law: The law was given to God’s chosen people after 430 years of Egyptian bondage (Galatians 3:17).

2) Law breakers: The promise---covenant that God made with Abraham did not expire. There was nothing wrong with the first covenant. The fault was with the God’s chosen people who could not keep their end of the covenant (Hebrews 8:7).

3) Schoolmaster: Galatians 3:24-26  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [disciplinarian NRSV; tutor NKJV] to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  (25)  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  (26)  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (KJV).