Eternity Daily Bible Study: No. 515 Romans 1-8 - A Righteousness That Is By Faith Verses: Romans 4:1-5 Topic: The Gift Of Righteousness Part 1 Date: 28th September 2005 Romans 4:1-5 HCSB What then can we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? (2) If Abraham was justified by works, then he has something to brag about--but not before God. (3) For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness. (4) Now to the one who works, pay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed. (5) But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares righteous the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness. Did Abraham obey the Law? No, the law was not given until over 400 years later. Was Abraham circumcised/ Not at this point - that came much later. Was Abraham righteous in the eyes of God? Yes - indeed he was declared righteous! Genesis 15:6 HCSB Abram believed the LORD, and He credited it to him as righteousness. So Abraham was righteous apart from circumcision and apart from obeying the Jewish Law. The normal Jewish spiritual measures did not apply to Abraham. Indeed Abraham had none of the external religious props and did not even have a bible to read or a church to go to. How then could Abraham be righteous? Indeed how can anyone be righteous without reading the bible or going to church or following religious laws? Abraham's faith is what made him righteous. Abraham was a spiritual giant because he believed God and thus became "the father of the faithful". The only thing that Abraham did was believe and that was sufficient for Abraham to be declared righteous by God. So there is a way of being righteous that does not involve being Jewish, or being circumcised or following the Jewish law. This is good news for the Gentiles, who can now become righteous, without first having to become Jewish. This seems easy to understand today but was a great controversy back then when many Jewish Christians were insisting that Gentile converts had to become Jewish and follow the law before they could be saved. So Abraham is Paul's prime example of a "righteousness apart from the Law" . Abraham shows us that the law is completely unnecessary when it comes to being righteous before God because Abraham had no knowledge of the Law and yet was righteous. Abraham also shows us that no ceremony, no religious rules, no baptism (he was not baptised), nor circumcision (he was not circumcised when he was declared righteous), no conformation nor ordination or laying on of hands, or any other human thing is needed to be righteous before God. The only ting required is faith! But what kind of faith did Abraham have that got him approved by God? Lets look at the context in Genesis. It is after the battle of the five kings in which Abram has taken a significant risk in battle and rescued Lot and refused the loot from the King of Sodom "lest it be said that Sodom has made Abram rich" and thus turned away a very large human reward. Genesis 15:1-6 MKJV After these things the Word of Jehovah came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am your shield and your exceeding great reward. (2) And Abram said, Lord God, what will You give me, since I am going childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? (3) And Abram said, Behold, You have given no seed to me. And behold, one born in my house is my heir. (4) And behold, the Word of Jehovah came to him saying, This one shall not be your heir. But he that shall come forth out of your own bowels shall be your heir. (5) And He brought him outside and said, Look now toward the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them. And He said to him, So shall your seed be. (6) And he believed in Jehovah. And He counted it to him for righteousness. The essential point of Abram's faith is that God rewards those who are faithful to Him: Hebrews 11:6 MKJV But 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 diligently seek Him. In this case God's opening statement is: "Fear not, Abram, I am your shield and your exceeding great reward." in other words - I will reward you more than Sodom ever could! Abram then gets a bit grouchy with God and complains about not having a suitable heir. God replies with an amazing promise about having descendants as the stars - and Abram took God at His word about the specific reward Abram would receive and this faith was credited as righteousness. This is not faith in a doctrine, but faith that God will keep His word under even impossible circumstances. This kind of faith, faith for impossible things, is also what Jesus tried to teach His disciples. Matthew 14:29-31 MKJV And He said, Come. And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. (30) But seeing that the wind was strong, he was afraid. And beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me! (31) And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him; and said to him, Little-faith! Why did you doubt? The faith of Peter and Abraham is 'out of the boat' faith not doctrinal faith. Many people who believe a great deal of doctrine do not have an ounce of saving faith e.g. the Pharisees and High Priests. In fact so far removed is saving faith from doctrinal or religious practice that Paul says that God "justifies the ungodly". In Greek the term ungodly meant those with no religious practice whatsoever, the irreverent and profane who did not observe the rites of the gods. "Now to the one who works, pay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed. But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares righteous the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness." Righteousness is a gift, an unearned credit from God and by definition a gift cannot be earned (otherwise it is a wage). And if righteousness could be earned then man could say to God "you owe me" and that is simply not the case. Righteousness is a gift and God in His sovereignty can give His gifts to anyone He chooses, even the undeserving, and even the ungodly. So righteousness can come apart from obedience to the Law, apart from ceremonies such as circumcision, and apart from earning it in any way whatsoever. In fact righteousness is a free gift that God gives to those who truly believe in Him and who trust Him to reward them. 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