Lesson 21
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IN ORDER to understand aright the meaning of the promise of God to Abraham in the plan of redemption, we must now study two New Testament passages.
ROMANS, CHAPTER FOUR [Rom. 4:1-25] The student should study this chapter most carefully, using the notes which are here inserted. We shall not pay attention to details; it is our purpose to get the main outline of Paul's argument.
Verses One to Eight [Rom. 4:1-8]. The design of this section is to prove that Abraham was justified (i.e., declared just by God) by faith and not by works of his own. Let us paraphrase Paul's argument thus:
Verse One [Rom. 4:1]. What are you going to say about Abraham, then, who was our forefather as to the flesh (i.e., he was a Jew, just as we, his natural descendants, are Jews)? What has Abraham attained?
Verse Two [Rom. 4:2]. Why, Abraham has not attained anything at all. For, if he had been declared just by works, he might have had something in which to glory, but certainly not toward God.
Verse Three [Rom. 4:3]. However, just as the Old Testament says, Abraham did not at all boast in anything that he had done; rather, he BELIEVED, and his belief was imputed to him for righteousness.
Verse Four [Rom. 4:4]. The man who works, who tries to earn his own salvation earns his reward; yes, but his reward is simply debt. He sees that he can never possibly earn the favor of God, and he sinks deeper and deeper into debt.
Verse Five [Rom. 4:5]. But the man who does not work, who does not try to earn his salvation, simply trusts God, and through his trust, receives righteousness. (As the word "righteousness" is here used, it means a state of Tightness which man has with God and which man received as a free gift from God.)
Verses Six to Eight [Rom. 4:6-8]. Thus, David in the Psalms sings of the blessing of those who are not trying to earn their salvation, but are simply trusting God, Who justifies the ungodly. Abraham, therefore, was justified by faith and not by works.
Verses Nine to Twelve [Rom. 4:9-12]. This blessing of being declared just by God comes not only to those who have been physically circumcised.
Verses Nine and Ten [Rom. 4:9-10]. We say that the faith which Abraham had was reckoned to him for righteousness. But when did Abraham receive such a blessing? Was it after he was physically circumcised or before that time? He received the blessing of being declared just by God BEFORE he was circumcised. The physical act of circumcision has nothing to do with God's promising Abraham just. (Cf. Genesis 15:6.)
Verses Eleven and Twelve [Rom. 4:11-12]. Why, then, was Abraham circumcised at all, if this circumcision is not what brought upon him the blessing of God? The circumcision was merely a seal of the covenant which God made with him, that he should be the father of all them that believe. Some of those who should believe would be circumcised just as Abraham was (e.g., the Jews), but others who should believe would not be circumcised at all (e. g., you and I who are Gentiles). That was why the circumcision was given. It was MERELY a SEAL that Abraham was to be the father of those who believe.
Verses Thirteen to Twenty-five [Rom. 4:13-25]. Abraham obtained the promise from God that he should be the inheritor of the world not through anything that he himself had done (i.e., not through the law) but through the righteousness which he obtained through faith.
Verses Thirteen to Fifteen [Rom. 4:13-15]. But, one may ask, what about the promise which God gave to Abraham? How did Abraham obtain that promise? Did he earn it? No, says Paul, he did not earn it, but it was GIVEN to him simply through faith. If he had obtained it through law (through something that he himself had done) then certainly there would have been no need of his having faith. But those who are trying to earn their salvation, those who are working, those who are of the law, are not going to share in the blessings of the promise at all, because the law simply brings wrath. A man who tries to earn God's favor by his own works simply sees how utterly impossible it is since all his striving will only bring the wrath of God upon him.
Verse Sixteen [Rom. 4:16]. But the promise is given through faith so that it might be entirely a free, unmerited GIFT OF GOD and not a reward which we have earned at all. If the promise depends upon anything that Abraham had done, then the promise would not be sure. But the promise is of faith, so that it is SURE for all the seed, whether that seed be Jews (i.e., those who are circumcised, to whom the Mosaic Law was given), or whether that seed be Gentiles (i.e., those of faith who have not been circumcised and to whom the Mosaic Law has never been given).
Verse Seventeen [Rom. 4:17]. Abraham is the father of the faithful, of all those who believe. For Abraham believed God, Who brings the dead to life and Who calls the things which are not just as though they were. Verse Eighteen [Rom. 4:18]. Abraham hopefully believed that he should become the father of many nations on the basis of the promise, "So shall thy seed be."
Verses Nineteen to Twenty-two [Rom. 4:19-22]. And since Abraham's faith was not weak, he believed that he would have seed as numerous as the stars of heaven, even though his body was dead and he was one hundred years old, and he did not even consider the fact that Sarah's body and womb were past the age of bearing. Great and unbelievable as God's promise seemed to be, yet Abraham did not doubt it with unbelief; rather than that, he was strong in his faith, and gave glory to God, for he was fully persuaded that if God had promised such a thing, incredible though it might seem, yet God would be able to carry out His promise. And because Abraham believed this fact and trusted God, his faith was reckoned to him for righteousness.
Verses Twenty-three to Twenty-five [Rom. 4:23-25]. This message was not for Abraham alone, but for you and me. If we believe on the ONE Who raised up our Lord Jesus from the dead, then God will account our faith for righteousness. Thus, you and I are saved in the very same way that Abraham was; we are saved by grace through faith, and not at all by anything that we have done.
Doubtless the student will have to study this chapter several times before he thoroughly grasps the complete line of reasoning'. The exercises, however, will make it clearer for him. We earnestly beseech him prayerfully to master this chapter.
EXERCISES
- What fact does Romans 4:1-8 endeavor to prove?
- When did Abraham receive the promise of God, was it when he was circumcised or before that time? Prove your answer from the Old Testament,
- Why then was Abraham circumcised?
- How did Abraham obtain the promise from God that he should be the inheritor of the world?
- Why will those who are under the law (i.e., those who are trying in some way to earn their salvation) not share in the blessings of the promise? Cf. Romans 4:14-15.
- Why was the promise given through faith? Cf. verse 16. Note that the promise was given THROUGH faith. The New Testament never says that it was given BECAUSE of faith. Faith is the channel through which we receive God's blessings.
- Was Abraham's faith weak?
- What facts seemed to make God's promise unbelievable? Cf. Rom. 4:19.
- Of what fact was Abraham fully persuaded?
- Are we saved in exactly the same manner that Abraham was?
OPTIONAL EXERCISES
Commit to memory Romans four.
HYMNS FOR STUDY
No. 156: "How Firm A Foundation."
No. 291: "My Jesus, As Thou Wilt."