July 8, 2012
Morning Service

Paul, in chapter 2, began to get a little more personal with us.  He instructed us that we as Christians have no right to judge others.  We have our hands full with ourselves.  He also asked the question are we living the life we teach others to live.  We learned that the desire of God is to change our heart first, and then our actions will soon follow.

 

Rom 2:29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart; in spirit and not in letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.

 

Chapter 3 began a one sided debate in which Paul made the point from the OT scriptures that there “none righteous, no not one.”  He was pointing to the fact that we need a Savior.

 

Romans 3:24-26 (my paraphrased version) We are justified (just as if we had never sinned) by His grace (unmerited favor) through the blood of Christ who was sent to be a propitiation (substitute) for our sins.  That means He not only paid the debt we owed for our sins, but did away with it completely.  (Gospel message)  Faith on our part is the only condition we must meet.  This action by Christ allows God to accept us (sinful as we are) into His presence without compromising His Righteousness (verse 26).

 

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (MKJV)

 

Heb 11:1 What is faith?  It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen.  It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. (NLT)

 

Faith is believing God’s Word and acting upon it no matter how I feel because God promises good results. (James McDonald) (Active belief)

 

Rom 4:1-8  What then shall we say that our father Abraham has found, according to flesh?  (2)  For if Abraham was justified by works, he has a boast; but not before God.  (3)  For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness."  (4)  But to a man who works, his wages are not a gift, but earned.  (5)  But to him not working, but believing on Him justifying the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.  (6)  Even as David also says of the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness without works,  (7)  saying, "Blessed are those whose lawlessnesses are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;  (8)  blessed is the man to whom the Lord will in no way impute sin."

·         Abraham’s works were not what pleased God, but it was his faith (active belief).  He did nothing to earn his righteousness, only take God at His Word.

 

Rom 4:9-12  Is this blessedness then on the circumcision only, or on the uncircumcision also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.  (10)  How then was it accounted? Being in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.  (11)  And he received a sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith while still uncircumcised; so that he might be the father of all those believing through uncircumcision, for righteousness to be imputed to them also;  (12)  and a father of circumcision to those not of the circumcision only, but also to those walking by the steps of the faith of our father Abraham during uncircumcision.

·         Paul’s turns our attention to circumcision, it did not justify Abraham.  It came only after he was justified by his faith.  It was an outward act of obedience following an inward decision to believe.

 

 

 

 

Rom 4:13-17 For the promise that he should 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 they of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is made of no effect;  (15)  because the Law works out wrath, for where no law is, there is no transgression.  (16)  Therefore it is of faith so that it might be according to grace; for the promise to be made sure to all the seed, not only to that which is of the Law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all  (17)  (as it has been written, "I have made you a father of many nations") --before God, whom he believed, who makes the dead live, and calls the things which do not exist as though they do exist.

·         Paul compares the Jewish view of achieving righteousness, through works of the law, against the true way of faith.  It is seeking a right relationship with God either by our own efforts or trusting solely upon the grace of God.  The first is doomed to failure; the second is already in place.

 

·         Eph 2:8  For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God,

 

Rom 4:18-22  For he who contrary to hope, in hope, believed so that he became the father of many nations (according to that which was spoken, "So your seed shall be").  (19)  And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body already dead (being about a hundred years old) or the deadening of Sarah's womb.  (20)  He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God,  (21)  and being fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was also able to perform.  (22)  And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness. 

·         Abraham’s faith never wavered despite the fact that his first calling was at the age of 75 and Isaac was born when he was almost 100 years old.  He also was unshaken when God asked him to sacrifice his only son on the altar.  His lack of understanding of how God would do what He said did not cause unbelief in that he trusted that God would find a way.  God never lies.

·         This is why Abraham was justified and was called righteous before God; not because of his actions, but by his faith only (active belief).

 

 

Rom 4:23-25  Now it was not written for him alone that it was imputed to him,  (24)  but for us also to whom it is to be imputed, to the ones believing on Him who has raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;  (25)  who was delivered because of our sins and was raised for our justification.

·         Abraham’s story was not only for his legacy, but for our sake.  It is possible that we to can be called righteous by our faith (active belief) in that Jesus was raised from the grave.

·         His death paid the debt for our sins, but His resurrection assures us of our justification.  It proves beyond any doubt that the work is complete.  God is infinitely satisfied with the sin atoning work of our Savoir.

 

Rom 10:17 Then faith is of hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

·         This letter Paul wrote is the inspired Word of God.  He is telling us again that our salvation is a free gift from God to be accepted by faith alone.  God said it, I believe it, and that settles it.

 

We have tied the threads of surrender, trust, and remember into our study of Romans.  Our surrendering of ourselves hinges on the fact that we trust Him.

 

Do you trust Him this morning?  He assures you in this chapter that our salvation hinges upon faith alone.  Remember we shortened the definition of faith into an active belief.  Do you act upon your faith?

 

Look at Abraham for an example of faith in action.