Romans Chapter 4
“Works v/s Faith”
As we begin our discussion on Romans Chapter 4 I would like to re-cap, the first three chapters. Paul has laid the foundation that “All are sinners and fall short of God’s Standards.” It does not matter if you are a Jew, who God choose to give his law, or to the gentiles who had no law. We are all equal, sinners fallen short of God’s standards. The law was only a mirror showing us how dirty and unclean we were. No matter how hard we try to keep the law it was not given to clean our filthiness and thus would never elevate us to his standard. It only pointed out how sinful we were.
In chapter 4 Paul begins a discussion about works and righteousness and what comes first. I would like to say here that “Your good works have no place before forgiveness” this is the stumbling block. Vince, are you saying that the guy who abused his wife and children as opposed to me, who never did those things stand in the exact same position before Christ asking for forgiveness? “What about all the times I helped my neighbors and gave to charities, surely this places me ahead of that other guy” I am sorry to tell you this but all your good works are filthy before God and there is no difference in those who never did one good thing and you who had a life-style of so-called good works. This I believe is the major stumbling block for folks who feel like they are good people before coming to Christ.
How was Abraham able to be justified before God being a sinner? Simply by believing God! or by having faith in God.
(NLT)
Rom 4:1 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What were his experiences concerning this question of being saved by faith?
Rom 4:2 Was it because of his good deeds that God accepted him? If so, he would have had something to boast about. But from God’s point of view Abraham had no basis at all for pride.
Rom 4:3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, so God declared him to be righteous.” [17]
That word that says he simply,” Believed God” means he was persuaded of, or had confidence in. His believing was credited to him as “Righteousness” right standing with God. Not because of any works that he did, not by him leaving his home or offering up his son later, but by having faith. Faith will lead to works, as James states “Faith without works is dead.” We must be very clear; Abraham was not made right or justified by his works. Our works will distinguish between a “Dead faith and a Living faith” but we must not be confused that we are made right by works. We are justified not by works but by faith.
Dead faith is one that is only in our intellect, and James states that even the devils have that kind of faith. They believe in one God, You believe in God, the devils believe that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world, you also believe that. This kind of belief won’t change the devil and it won’t change you.
A living faith is where we commit our lives to Christ where we give ourselves to him and receive him.
“Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
When you and I come to Christ and we turn from sin and believe he died for our sins and that his blood blots out our sins, and that he will not remember them anymore. When you believe this and say Lord I believe this is true, you are declared righteous! For one reason you trusted God’s word! You could not save yourself, you leaned on his promise and accepted it.
Rom 4:4 When people work, their wages are not a gift. Workers earn what they receive.
Rom 4:5 But people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work.
If you say I want to be saved by my works then you will not be getting a gift from God you will get wages, and you better come up to his standard ( this is impossible to do) This is why the Pharisees could not experience salvation they wanted their works to save them and the prostitutes and murderers had no good works to lean on they needed the gift!
Lord don’t let me lean on my good works but let me always lean and trust in the power of what you did for me at Calvary!
