Romans 4:1-25
An Exposition Showing that Righteousness is from Faith
Paul continues to refute Jewish concepts in Romans 4. He elaborates on the point he makes in Romans 4:1-2, ‘What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God.’
In speaking of Abraham as ‘our forefather’, Paul is again using dialectic. He is again addressing Jewish criticism.
So, Romans 4:1-25 comes as ‘An Exposition Showing that Righteousness is from Faith’ to disprove the Jewish concept that justification is by the works of the Law.
Study of Romans 4:1-25
An Exposition Showing that Righteousness is from Faith
a. Testimony of scriptures on how one is counted righteous
b. Recognizing when Abraham was considered righteous
c. Recognizing whether the blessing came through the Law or through the righteousness of faith
d. Knowing for whose sake the account of Abraham being credited with righteousness was written
Verse Study:
vv. 1-8
a. Testimony of scriptures on how one is counted righteous
i. scripture testifies that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness
ii. David speaks of the blessing of the one whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered
i. Scripture testifies that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness
v. 1
Paul speaks to the Jew in this section. He is with them as a descendant of Abraham. He wishes to show the truth that Abraham’s situation establishes.
v. 2
He brings up the Judaistic thinking regarding Abraham. Was Abraham justified by works thereby giving him grounds for boasting? Paul denies this suggestion.
v.3
The scriptural account of Abraham would lay down the truth concerning him. The truth from Genesis 15:6 is ‘And Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.’
They were looking to the possession of the Law and to circumcision as that which justify them.
v.4
Paul expresses the truth that if one works, the reward he gets is from debt. It would not be from grace.
v.5
He goes on to show that this is not the case with Abraham. In his case it was a matter of one who does not work but believes. The one he believed was God.
God, as the one who judges, acquits the ungodly and counts him righteous on the basis of faith.
God put Abraham in a situation where it was difficult to believe that the promise would be fulfilled. That was where he showed his faith.
ii. Blessings of one whose lawless deeds are forgiven
v.6
Paul picks up another case from Scriptures. He refers to David.
David affirms that justification is a blessing, a gift by grace, apart from works.
v. 7
David was probably speaking of his own situation. He speaks of the blessedness of the one whose lawless deeds were forgiven; his sins were covered.
This is certainly justification apart from works.
v. 8
The blessing for a man is that God does not count his sin against him.
There is no situation of a man who has no sin, except for Jesus.
vv. 9-12
b.
Recognizing when Abraham was considered righteous
v. 9
Paul moves on to discuss whether the blessing of ‘faith being considered as righteousness for Abraham’ would only be for the circumcised.
Would it be considered for the uncircumcised?
v. 10
In answering this, Paul questions whether Abraham, at that time in his life, was circumcised or not yet circumcised.
The answer was that he was not yet circumcised.
v. 11
Paul elaborates that the sign of circumcision was a seal of the righteousness from faith. He was attributed with righteousness when he was yet uncircumcised.
Abraham came to be the father of all who believe while uncircumcised. The uncircumcised who believe may also be accounted with righteousness.
v. 12
In this instance, Paul uses the term ‘father of circumcision’ in a special sense.
In his physical circumcision for his faith towards God, he becomes a forefather not particularly of those circumcised in the flesh, but rather those circumcised of the heart. (Romans 2:28-29)
Paul intends to say Abraham is a father of circumcision to those who has his faith, not only the circumcised but also the uncircumcised.
vv. 13-22
c.
Recognizing whether the blessing came through the Law or through the righteousness of faith
Paul presents the various explanations:
(1). If it comes by the Law, then faith and the promise become of no account. (Faith and promise predate the Law.)
(2). With the Law, there would be transgressions and God’s wrath.
(3). (In view of what is said of the Law) the blessing has to be of faith and grace
(4) The Scripture testified that God had spoken that He had made Abraham a father of many nations.
(5). Abraham believed in spite of unlikely circumstances. He was thus credited with righteousness.
(1). If it comes by the Law, then faith and the promise become of no account. (Faith and promise predate the Law.)
v. 13-14
Paul continues to illustrate from the situation of Abraham the truths with regard to justification.
He pointed to the promise God made to Abraham that he would be heir of the world. We can take the phrase ‘or his descendants’ as the inclusion of his descendants in the promise. Paul stated clearly that the promise came about not through the Law but through the righteousness of faith.
We can note that the Law had not yet been given.
If it should be derived that it is those of the Law who are heirs, Paul makes the point that that would make God’s promise to Abraham of no value.
Paul also states that then the faith, on account of which the promise was given, would also count for nothing.
It cannot be that the promise of God could ever come to such a state. Nor would his acceptance of Abraham’s faith ever change.
There are different opinions of what it means ‘heir of the world’.
(a).
It cannot be a reference to Christ. The word ‘descendants’ in the phrase, ‘or to his descendants’ is plural.
In verse 16, Paul says the promise is to be confirmed to every descendant, not to the one of the Law only.
(b).
The probable reference of the promise is to the promise in Genesis 12:3 where God says, ‘And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.
This understanding is based on what Paul further explains in Romans 4:16:
‘so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,’
The promise of being ‘heir of the world’ is to include the Gentile who has the faith.
The ‘world’ could refer to this world and the next:
– The reward of the ‘righteousness of faith’ is better fulfilled in being heir of the next world.
– In Christ, the believer has eternal life whereby he may enter the new heaven and the new earth.
– Jesus also said in John 18:36, My kingdom is not of this world.’
(Paul says in Romans 3: 21:
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the prophets’
In this promise to Abraham, we see an example of the witness of the prophets. The gospel message was in this promise to Abraham.)
(2). With the Law, there would be transgressions and God’s wrath.
v. 15
Paul restates the point that justification cannot come about by the Law.
He refers to what actually happens when the Law is given.
The Law brings wrath. This is because man in a state of sin is not able to live up to the Law.
Paul elaborates on this further in Romans 5 and 7.
The fact that there is no transgression when there is no law does not mean that man is innocent. Paul explains in Romans 5:14 that ‘death reigned from Adam until Moses.’
(3). (In view of what is said of the Law) the blessing has to be of faith and grace
v. 16
On account of what Paul just said in verse 15 concerning the Law, he now makes the point that the promised blessing has to be of faith and grace.
That is, having stated that the Law brings about wrath (on account of man’s weakness), Paul then presses the conclusion that the promised blessing must come by faith.
Faith enables grace to be extended to man, who is basically weak.
In this way, God’s promise may be confirmed for every descendant of Abraham.
This includes not only those of the Law but also of the Gentiles.
Both are to have the faith of Abraham. He is the father or forerunner of us all.
(4) The Scripture testified that God had spoken that He had made Abraham a father of many nations.
v. 17
God had made Abraham a father of many nations
Paul alludes to Genesis 17:5 to support the point that the Gentiles who have the faith of Abraham have him as their father.
He broadens the term ‘father of many nations’ to include the spiritual descendants.
Abraham was in a situation where he had to trust God for what was impossible for him to obtain by himself. Paul speaks of God as the One who gives life to the dead. He is able to bring forth what does not exist into existence.
(5). Abraham believed in spite of unlikely circumstances. He was thus credited with righteousness.
v. 18
His faith had to be on God only. In the nature of things, there was no hope for him to get what he wanted.
Faith was directed to obtain what was promised to him. The promise was that his descendants would be as many as the stars of heaven.
v. 19
Paul alludes to the promise God gave to Abraham when he and Sarah were old. Sarah was barren. There was no hope for them to have a child. Abraham’s faith was not weak in that he had to reckon with his advanced age and Sarah’s barrenness and yet expect that they would have descendants.
v. 20
Paul describes the response of Abraham. He did not doubt. Instead, he grew strong through faith.
He gave glory to God. The manner by which he gave glory is not mentioned. However, the idea is that he offered an expression of praise to God.
v. 21
Paul states that Abraham believed God was able to accomplish what He promised.
v. 22
Paul concludes that Abraham’s faith towards God resulted in him being credited with righteousness.
vv. 23-25
d.
Knowing for whose sake the account of Abraham being credited with righteousness was written
v. 23
Paul emphasized that the account was not written only for Abraham’s sake.
v. 24
It was written for the sakes of the believers. They would be credited with righteousness. They are the ones who would believe in God who raised Jesus from the dead.
v. 25
We are to understand that Jesus died for our sins. However, Jesus was raised to life. This effected our reconciliation with God.
Conclusion
In Romans 4, Paul asserted from scriptures that Abraham was justified when he believed God. He supported this with David’s words regarding the blessedness of those who received forgiveness and whose sin the LORD would not take into account.
Paul goes on to show that Abraham was credited with righteousness when he was yet uncircumcised. He received the promise that he would be heir of the world on the basis of the righteousness of faith. It could not have been from the Law for at that time, the Law had not yet been given.
Paul says that what was written about Abraham was not for him alone. It was written also on account of believers who would also be credited with righteousness. This would result from their faith in God who raised Jesus from the dead.