God Speaks
Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? 2 If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. 3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
4 When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. 5 But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. 6 David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
7 “Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sins are put out of sight.
8 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”
9 Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. 10 But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!
11 Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. 12 And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. 14 If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. 15 For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
16 So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. 17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.
18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” 19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.
20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. 22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. 23 And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded 24 for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.
Source: New Living Translation: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: Abraham was the founding father of the Jewish nation. God told him to circumcise all the males in his family-line to signify their faith in God. Wasn’t he accepted by God because of his good deeds? No, his experience in trusting God is what caused God to declare Abraham Not Guilty. His waiting on God for twenty-five years when he and Sarah were both too old to have children naturally and his willingness to sacrifice Isaac, told in Genesis 22, are perfect examples of Abraham’s trusting obedience to God. This was before God gave the Jews the Ten Commandments through Moses. The exercise of faith shown by obedience, coming before circumcision, is what makes Abraham a father to people, all people of faith in God whether they are circumcised or not. “God will accept us in the same way He accepted Abraham–when we believe the promises of God who brought back Jesus our Lord from the dead. He died for our sins and rose again to make us right with God, filling us with God’s goodness.” (Romans 4:24-25 TLB)
Consider the following questions regarding Romans 4
1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
1. God counts as righteous all those who live out in their daily lives that they “believe in Him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.” And that “[Jesus] was handed over to die because of our sins, and He was raised to life to make us right with God.” (Romans 4:24-25 NLT)
2. People: “the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. [No one can keep it completely.] (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)” (Romans 4: 15 NLT).
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Romans 4?
Dear LORD God, You are so worthy of our trust and obedience. Thank You for Abraham’s excellent example of what it means to trust and obey You regardless of the circumstances and to have that be credited to us as right standing with God. You didn’t just gloss over our sins or leave us to perish because we couldn’t meet Your justifiably lofty standards. Jesus, You, God the Son, came to the earth and the people You created. You lived as the example of what it means to be a God-empowered human being. You died as a substitute for all sinful human beings (including me), and You rose from the dead as proof that God the Father was satisfied with Your sacrifice. Thank You so much for that great grace. Thanks that I don’t have to earn my salvation. I strive to keep Your laws because I love You and know by experience that You love me, and I am grateful. Now the sin-debt we all owe is marked paid in full. Thank You, Jesus! AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Romans 4? With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will talk with my pastor or a mature Christian friend about this.
- I will ask God to show me what He wants me to do next.
- I will find a counselor who can tell me about Freedom In Christ materials by Neil Anderson.
- I will establish a set time and place where I can interact with God daily.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.