Romans 4: Why We Are Assured of Our Salvation

Romans 4: Why Should We Be Assured of Salvation?

Introduction: In Genesis 15, we are introduced to a universal principle of salvation. The principle that is introduced in this text is absolutely critical to understanding our salvation. But it is amazing how little this concept is understood, not only in our religious world, but even among us.

1. Genesis 15:1-6 Salvation through the Offspring of Abraham
   1. “Fear not, I am your shield; your reward will be great.” God is restating his earlier promise to Abraham and us, Abraham’s offspring, that he would bless but also curse those who cursed him and his offspring.
   2. When Abraham asked about his offspring, God assured him that just as the stars cannot be numbered, so would be his offspring. Then there is this great statement quoted repeatedly in the NT: “He believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” Believing this promise is not minor – for that to happen, God must give “life” to Sarah’s dead body. So Abraham believes.
   3. This promise to Abraham and subsequent quotation in the NT, is the basis for every person’s salvation. But what does it mean? There have been numerous explanations given throughout the religious world, and “we” have likely spent more time debunking the explanations than discovering the meaning. We need to understand this promise, and the process by which Abraham was counted righteous if we are to have confidence in our own salvation. 
   4. 15:17 “…a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the divided animals.” “May I die like these animals if I do not keep this promise.”
2. Romans 4 Faith Counted as Righteousness
   1. The question: “What did Abraham gain according to the flesh?” (NKJV) Before we explain that question, look at the words in the text that are parallel to “flesh”:
      1. Verse 2: “justified by works”
      2. Verse 4: “Now to the one who works” 
      3. Verse 5: “And to the one who does not work” 
      4. Reminder of 3:20: “by works of the law no human will be justified” 
   2. These parallel words indicate what we have mentioned before. Paul uses shorthand words/phrases for broad concepts. So, what is the broader meaning?
      1. “Flesh” is a new term Paul introduces. It indicates what one can do on his own. It is human ability. Note the term carefully because Paul will use it repeatedly and expand on it.
      2. “Flesh” is parallel to “works” because it again has to do with what a person does, in this case, how did Abraham live in the sight of God in order to be righteous in God’s sight? Did he live in such a way that he could “boast before God”?
         (Pharisee: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.”)
         John the Baptizer: “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’…”
         Rich Young Ruler: “‘Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?’ And he said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? There is only one who is good…”
         Disciples: “‘Who then can be saved?’”
         Jesus: “With man this is impossible, bur with God all things are possible.” 

2. 3. Verse 2: If Abraham was justified by the flesh (works), then he would be able to boast – “but not before God.”  If Abraham was “good” before God, he could boast. He might do that before men, but not before God. Remember 3:10-12? “None is righteous, no not one…no one is good, not even one.”
   4. Verse 3: Now to prove that Abraham was not justified by the flesh, Paul quoted Gen. 15:6. Since God counted Abraham righteous by faith, he certainly was not justified by his moral righteousness or any other “good work”. These two principles are opposite.
   5. Verses 4-5 With the above background, these verses are relatively simple:
      1. “To the one who works…” That is, to the one who seeks salvation/justification based on his personal righteousness & doing certain religious deeds, that person would receive wages based on what is due and not as a gift.
      2. To further understand, ask yourself this: If the Judgment came right now, would you be willing to stand before God and ask him to judge you based on how you have lived even after you came to Christ?
      3. Consider, Paul is referring to our approach to salvation. Do you, or have you, found yourself realizing your sins and failings and responded by “hoping” God would save you anyway and thinking that maybe you will have a chance if you can just do better? (story of Elder’s wife: when have I done my best?). That is a good illustration of the “one who works.” 
      4. Vs. 5: “To the one who does not work…” Who is that person? He is the one who does not approach his salvation based on his “goodness,” but based on his trust/loyalty to God based on what he said he would do. 
      5. Did you notice who God justifies in verse 5? The ungodly! 
      6. Now consider the word “gift.” Do you want “wages” for the life you have lived, or do want a gift?
   6. Now notice in verses 6-8 that Paul suddenly turns to David’s example in order to describe the phrase, “faith is counted as righteousness.”
      1. Some interpret this as God imputing the righteous life of Jesus to the sinner so that God is just pretending that we are righteous. God just sees Jesus when he looks at us.
      2. But this text says it plainly. To impute righteousness is simply that God has forgiven our sins based on the sacrifice of Jesus. That means that God has actually made us righteous. With sins forgiven, we are righteous; we have no sin! What a gift!
      3. Look carefully at the words Paul uses: “lawless deeds are forgiven, sins are covered, God does not count a man’s sins against him.” That is a quotation from Psalm 32, which David’s confessionary prayer for forgiveness in the matter of Bathsheba. Incredible.
   7. Do you know what your response to that is? It is the same response as Isaiah: Here am I send me! I am no longer obeying God because I am hoping to be good enough that he will find it in his heart to save me. I’m obeying God because his gift has touched me so deeply that I will give him every part of my life! I’m no longer asking how much I have to do, but how much can I do! 1 John 4:19
3. The Faith of Abraham: 4:18-25
   3. Let’s learn more about the importance and character of Abraham’s faith.
   4. You will notice that there is a parallel between verses 18-21 and verses 22-25. Abraham trusts God’s promise that his and Sarah’s dead bodies would produce life that would multiply like the stars of heaven. Then, vs. 23-25, those words also apply to us who believe in God who raised Jesus from the dead, so that we also, though dead, may be given life.
   5. Please understand, the primary point of the text is that we are the children of Abraham (4:12), and what is said of Abraham is also being said of us.
   6. Paul does not bother with all the flaws in Abraham’s life, his lies about Sarah being his sister and the Hagar incident. No, that would have been an argument of “Abraham according to the flesh” (4:1). Instead, Abraham never wavered in faith, lived for God on the basis of that faith, and thus his faith was “counted to him as righteousness,” that is, he was made righteous through forgiveness. 
   7. Those words imply a clean slate, and that is what it means to be righteous. Is that the way you see yourself before God? Do you say, “God be merciful to me. I have fallen short of your glory – not as patient, self-controlled, and godly as I should have been – and there are things I shouldn’t have done and need to correct, but thank you Lord that you have not counted these sins against me. These sins are covered. These sins are forgiven?” 
   8. Abraham and his offspring trust God, and that faith is counted to them as righteousness. Do you trust what God just told you? 

Berry Kercheville

Podcast: Download (47.8MB)