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    Romans 4:1-15
    Lesson 291

    Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

    In this lesson:
     
    It is faith in Jesus that absolves us from sin.
     
    Chapter four reaches back to the Old Testament to show how salvation by faith was God's plan from the beginning.
     
    Abraham was saved by faith, not by obeying the law or being circumcised (4:13-15). ​​
    ​David plays the harp for King Saul.
     
    By Dutch artist Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669). ​
    ​Who was -
     
    Abraham - 
    Abraham was the founder of Judaism, the father of all Jews (Romans 4:11-16; Galatians 3:7), spiritual forefather of Christians (Galatians 3:29), a man of faith (Galatians 3:9; Hebrews 11:8-9), and a "friend" of God (2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23).  Abraham was also called the "Father of a multitude," "exalted Father," and Abram (Genesis 15:1; 17:4-5).  Born in Ur (present-day Iraq), Abraham is perhaps the greatest Old Testament personality.  His story is part of almost every eastern religion, including Islam, where he is considered the father of all Arab peoples through his son Ishmael.  A man of tremendous faith, Abraham left his home and family because God asked him to (Genesis 12:1; Acts 7:2-4).  Then, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac as a test.  Not understanding why, but trusting God's reasoning, Abraham set off to Mount Moriah, a hill near Jerusalem, to obey (Genesis 22:1-10).  Some Bible scholars believe Moriah is the same hill where Jesus was later sacrificed.  However, many Jews disagree.  They believe that the Temple's sacrificial altar in Jerusalem was built over the site where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son.  Before Abraham could sacrifice his son, God sent an angel to save the boy (Genesis 22:11-13).  This unwavering willingness to obey God no matter what earned Abraham God's promise (the Abrahamic Covenant) to make his descendants (the Israelites) a great and populous people (Genesis 17:2-7; 22:16-18; 26:4; 24) and to bless all Gentiles through him (Genesis 12:2-3; 15:1-21; 18:18; 22:18; 28:14; Exodus 32:13).  Abraham's deeds sometimes disappointed God, but he never lost his righteousness because it is never deeds that earn righteousness; it is faith (Genesis 15:6).  Abraham died at the age of 175 (Genesis 25:7) and was buried alongside his wife Sarah in a cave at Machpelah (Genesis 23:9; 25:7-10).  Centuries later, a Christian church was built over the cave.  Subsequently, the church was converted into an Islamic Mosque.  Jesus' roots go back to Abraham (Matthew 1:1-16), proving that His lineage dates back to the beginning of the Jewish nation.  You can read more about Abraham in Genesis 11:26-25:34.  
     
    David -
    David was a prophet, a poet, the author of about eighty Psalms in "The Book of Psalms," the second and greatest king of Israel, and a direct ancestor of Jesus.  He is mentioned 1,118 times in the Bible.  The son of Jesse, David was born in Bethlehem and spent his early years as a poet and a simple shepherd until invited to play the harp for King Saul (1 Samuel 16:14-23).  Meeting King Saul and becoming his armor-bearer changed his life forever.  At about the age of twenty, David killed Goliath of Gath in battle (1 Samuel 17:1-58), became a leader of Israel's army, and married King Saul's daughter, Michal.  In time, David's popularity forced him to flee from a jealous Saul (1 Samuel 18:6-16) to the land of the Philistines.  David lived as a fugitive for years.  After Saul and: his son Ishbosheth (heir to the throne) passed away, David returned to become king of Judah and eventually all of Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-5).  David had the ability to lead others (1 Samuel 22:2), and he ushered in a golden era for Israel.  He led Israel to victory over the Philistines (2 Samuel 8:1), Moabites (2 Samuel 8:2), Syrians (2 Samuel 8:5-6), Edomites (2 Samuel 8:14), Ammonites, Amalekites, and others.  His forty-year reign (2 Samuel 5:4) was known for fairness as he established a sound civil government.  God called David "a man after his own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22), and although David sinned many times, he always repented and received God's forgiveness.  When David died at seventy (2 Samuel 5:4), his son Solomon became Israel's third king.  God promised that "all nations" would be blessed through David's family.  That blessing came in the form of Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David (Acts 2:29-30).  Thus, it was important for "The Gospel According to Matthew" to give Jesus' genealogy and show that Jesus was descended from King David (Matthew 1:1-1:16) and fulfilled the Old Testament prophesies.  David's story can be read in 1 Samuel 16:1-31:13; 2 Samuel 1:1-18:33; 2 Samuel 19:1-1 Kings 2:46.
    Study Tip:
     
    Be skeptical of other people's interpretations of the Bible, including these lessons. 
    Let God speak to you, then form your own conclusions. ​​

    The Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The Romans

    The King James Bible    ​



    Romans 4:1-15
    Justified by faith
     
    1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
     
    2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
     
    3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
     
    4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
     
    5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
     
    6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
     
    7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
     
    8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
     
    9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
     
    10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
     
    11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
     
    12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
     
    13 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 which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
     
    15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

    ​
    Margin notes:
     
    "Justified by works." (4:2) - The false theology that a person can be forgiven of their sins by their own deeds and therefore salvation is of them and not of God.  
     
    "But not before God." (4:2) - Means, "but not in God's eyes."
     
    "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." (4:3) - "Abraham believed God, and that made him righteous (not guilty).  Abraham was saved because of his faith, not by anything he did.  See Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:22; Galatians 3:6 and James 2:23. 
     
    "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt." (4:4) - Means if we could earn our way into heaven by our works, then God would be obligated to pay us with salvation.  But salvation is not a paycheck.  It is a gift.  To depend on ourselves is useless.  To be saved we must depend on God's grace. 
     
    "Unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works." (4:6) - "Who God declared not guilty without earning it."
     
    "Blessed are they... the Lord will not impute sin." (4:7) - From Psalm 32:1-2.
     
    "When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision?" (4:10) - "When he was a Jew or a Gentile?"
     
    "He received the sign of circumcision." (4:11) - See Genesis 17:24.
     
    "That he might be the father of all them that believe." (4:11) - See Galatians 3:8.
     
    "Our father Abraham." (4:12) - Abraham is the father of all Jews.
     
    "Faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect." (4:14) - Means, "Faith is empty and the promise is worthless."
     
    "Where no law is, there is no transgression." (4:15) -  If there was no law, then there is no violation of the law.  We can not break a law that does not exist.


                                                  New Living Translation 
     

    Romans 4:1-15
    The Faith of Abraham
     
    1 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!)

    ​This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible.  However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
    Today's Question:

    1. What would you say to people who worry that their faith isn't strong enough to save them?




    You don't need to know where you're going if you know the One who does.     
    Answer: (Do you agree?) 
    ​
    1.​ "These people miss the point.  It is Jesus Christ who saves us, not our feelings or actions, and he is strong enough to save us no matter how weak our faith is.  Jesus offers us salvation as a gift, because he loves us, not because we have earned it through our powerful faith.  What, then, is the role of faith?  Faith is believing and trusting in Jesus Christ, reaching out to accept his wonderful gift of salvation."  

    ("Life Application Study Bible"; published by Tyndale House, Carol Stream, Illinois; page 2233)



    Application thought for the day: 
    We do not have to earn God's love; we already have it. 
    Thanks to God's gift of     forgiveness, salvation is ours by simply admitting our guilt and turning it over to Him. 
    Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible."  All were critical in putting these lessons together. 
    © 2022 evolke  ​