[:en]SCRIPTURE: ROMANS 4
“Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3)
“Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him” (Romans 4:7-8)
“He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25)
ABARAHAM JUSTIFIED BY FAITH (vs. 1-25)
Justification means righteousness put to our account so that we can have perfect standing before God. Paul used Abraham as an example to explain “justification”:
- Justification is by FAITH not works (vs. 1-8) – Abraham was saved not by doing any work prescribed by the law or obeying a religious ritual because the law had not been given at his time. He was saved simply on the basis of faith. God charge our sins to Christ’s acount making us righteous.
- Justification is by GRACE not law (vs. 9-17) – Circumcision was a rite, an outward ceremony included in the law whereby every Jewish child has to undergo. Abraham’s salvation took place 14 years before he was circumcised. Abraham is the “father of all believers and the heir of the world”. Therefore, salvation was not given in connection with the law or circumcision but by God’s grace alone. Law and grace can never exist side by side.
- Justification is by the RESURRECTION POWER not human effort (vs. 18-25) – Paul cited Abraham and Sarah as example. Their bodies were “dead” because they had past the age of child bearing. But the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit made them alive. It was Abraham’s faith of God’s promise that he was able to receive the blessing to become the “Father of all nations” which he gave glory to God.
SUMMARY:
- Salvation is by grace through faith. We are justified not by works nor law but by God’s grace. Grace cancels the Law and Faith cancels the Works. All people can be saved because Christ had died for sinners and God had raised Him from dead. You can be saved by believing in God, trusting Him that Christ’s righteousness has been imputed to you.
- Salvation by grace does not promote sin because people who really experience the grace of God in forgiveness have no desire to sin. They may still sin but they can confess it to the Lord (1 John 1:9). They can still be tempted but “God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it (1 Cor. 10:13).
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