Justification – Hi! Romans 4 this week. So glad you’ve come to read and study with me. So many great things in this book. Made right to God by Faith. Set in a right relationship with Him through Faith. Justification is the word choice, but the meaning is absolutely astounding. Enjoy!
Let’s pray:
Lord Jesus, thank You for all You’ve done for us. Thank You for making it so simple, not complicated, but also not easy, to be in a relationship with You. I will Trust You for leading us through this book. For Your Glory, Lord. Amen.
Read Romans 4:1-3
Justification by Faith Evidenced in Old Testament
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather [a]humanly speaking, has found? [Has he obtained a favored standing?] 2 For if Abraham was justified [that is, acquitted from the guilt of his sins] by works [those things he did that were good], he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed in (trusted, relied on) God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness (right living, right standing with God).”
To trust in, rely on God, to believe, that is what counts as righteousness. Right living, right standing with God. That’s justification. See, simple. Not easy.
Read Romans 4:4-8
4 Now to a laborer, his wages are not credited as a favor or a gift, but as an obligation [something owed to him]. 5 But to the one who does not work [that is, the one who does not try to earn his salvation by doing good], but believes and completely trusts in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is [b]credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God). 6 And in this same way David speaks of the blessing on the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7“Blessed and happy and favored are those whose lawless acts have been forgiven,
And whose sins have been covered up and completely buried.
8“Blessed and happy and favored is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account nor charge against him.”
Salvation is not earned. It’s a gift. Eliminating all reason to boast and explaining that only faith, which is to believe and completely trust in Him, matters. Only faith is credited as righteousness.
Those two verses, 7 and 8, those are from Psalm 32 and I say them over and over especially when falling to sleep is difficult. Psalm 23 and 32 are on replay in my head often. Blessed are we who count on what Jesus has done for us. Favored are we who believe. Go read Psalm 32 mainly because there is far more in it to explain how David and by extension, us feel when we are not especially willing to give Him everything.
Read Romans 4:9-13
9 Is this blessing only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” 10 How then was it credited [to him]? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? Not after, but while [he was] uncircumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision, a seal or confirmation of the righteousness which he had by faith while [he was still] uncircumcised—this was so that he would be the [spiritual] father of all who believe without being circumcised—so that righteousness would be credited to them, 12 and [that he would be] the [spiritual] father of those circumcised who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had before he was circumcised.
13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through [observing the requirements of] the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Before Abraham was circumcised, the promise was made, the blessing promise. The biggest promise of God’s presence, the gift of God in our lives. Faith is credited as righteousness. How many times does he need to tell us that until we believe it? It’s a total and thorough argument being presented here. So we will see, nobody gets left out of this, nobody has to miss this. God is looking for those with faith. And anybody who believes will be justified and declared righteous. Praise Him.
Read Romans 4:14-17
14 If those who are [followers] of the Law are [the true] heirs [of Abraham], then faith [leading to salvation] is of no effect and void, and the promise [of God] is nullified. 15 For the Law results in [God’s] wrath [against sin], but where there is no law, there is no violation [of it either].
16 Therefore, [inheriting] the promise depends entirely on faith [that is, confident trust in the unseen God], in order that it may be given as an act of grace [His unmerited favor and mercy], so that the promise will be [legally] guaranteed to all the descendants [of Abraham]—not only for those [Jewish believers] who keep the Law, but also for those [Gentile believers] who share the faith of Abraham, who is the [spiritual] father of us all— 17 (as it is written [in Scripture], “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the sight of Him in whom he believed, that is, God [c]who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
verse 16…the promise depends entirely on faith. Entirely.
Read Romans 4:18-24
18 In hope against hope Abraham believed that he would become a father of many nations, as he had been promised [by God]: “So [numberless] shall your descendants be.” 19 Without becoming weak in faith he considered his own body, now as good as dead [for producing children] since he was about a hundred years old, and [he considered] the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 But he did not doubt or waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and empowered by faith, giving glory to God, 21 being fully convinced that God had the power to do what He had promised. 22 Therefore his faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God). 23 Now not for his sake alone was it written that it was credited to him, 24 but for our sake also—to whom righteousness will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead— 25 who was betrayed and crucified because of our sins, and was raised [from the dead] because of our justification [our acquittal—absolving us of all sin before God].
Abraham did not doubt or waver in unbelief…have you been convinced that God has the power to do everything He has promised? If so, we should be growing strong and be empowered by our faith and always give the glory to God because we believe He will do all He has promised.
This was all written for our sake because righteousness will be credited to all who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. Praise be the One who was betrayed and crucified and raised to bring us justification.
My hope is that none of us will see that word again, justification, and feel let down somehow. That word, should inspire us to realize how free we are and what a great gift that absolving us of all our sins before Him is and how it’s continual and eternal. Blessed are we and Most Blessed is He. Let’s grow our faith.
Footnotes
[a] Romans 4:1 -What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather [a]humanly speaking, has found?- Lit according to the flesh.
[b] Romans 4:5 -his faith is [b]credited to him as righteousness – Faith is not an equivalent or substitute for righteousness, but God graciously treats it as if it were the same. Otherwise, no one could be saved from sin and have eternal life.
[c] Romans 4:17 – God [c]who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist- A reference to both the birth of Isaac, and the resurrection of Christ.