Romans Chapter Four
Lesson
48
Justification Illustrated
Discovery part #1; Abe's deficiency 4:2
Abe has
absolutely nothing to impress God with, to impact his standing before God from
his own efforts.
But Paul
says here there is one problem! Man may
be impressed by who he was; he had many accomplishments that he could boast
about before man but not before God!
- B.L. is that for Abraham it was the same as it is for
us; no matter how great the personal honor we might have in life and Abe had
much; but he had nothing to boast of before God.
Abe's Discovery part #2; God's
sufficiency 4:3
"What does the Scripture
say?" this phrase speaks
volumes!
Observations:
1. Scripture
grafh in vs:3 is singular and its use here is like
our term Bible; recognizes a unified body of inspired writing not just a
collection of books.
2. This says Paul draws no distinction between what the Scripture says
and what God is saying through them.
3. In stead of using the present tense of to say here; he could have as he does so often use the perfect of grafw which emphasizes what is written and its
permanence. Stands written!
4. He wants to remind us here that the written word, the Scripture is
source of the living voice of God; where He may be heard.
5. Last I believe that his purpose here to turn to the voice of Scripture is to
remind us that it is here where we find authoritative
communication from God.
- There is no idea here that when God sees faith then
mumbo jumbo, somehow mystically he now sees righteousness.
- It should be "Abraham believed God, and it was
reckoned to him leading to righteousness;
or "it was reckoned to him as
resulting in righteousness"
- Back to 4:3; What is it saying?
Abe
discovered that he himself had nothing but that God's provision was complete,
totally sufficient for him and when he believed God, his faith led God to credit to him
righteousness.
Faith is the condition of or means of righteousness
being credited to you!
Key word for context!
- "reckoned to him" logizomai
- to credit
something to someone; technical book keeping word for an entry into the books.
4:4-5
Abe's Doctrine; Truth that flows out of his discovery;
* These 2 verses have been called the greatest statement
of free grace
in all of the Bible!
* If one works – due, compensation for that work; wages are his due!
*** God is never in debt to anyone; therefore does not work on that
principle. God is never man's debtor!
So the
justification in view is forensic justification [in courtroom] therefore our
standing before God is in view; not
referring to making someone ethically righteous; idea here is to acquit, to grant a status of
being right before God!!
* What is this really pointing out?? The extent of God's grace/mercy extended to us who were all in this
category of ungodly when we came to the
cross!
The aspect of truth introduced here by logizomai
to credit to ones account or to lay to the charge of another is what is
referred to as imputation.
Through the means of faith God's righteousness is credited to our
account, it is imputed to us and He lays His righteousness to our charge and
treats us accordingly.
Doctrine:
Imputation of Righteousness to the Believing One!
1. Importance: The imputation of righteousness is the basis for our
being declared righteous by God.
2. Definition: Imputation of
righteousness [God's] is the act of God crediting perfect righteousness to the
one who believes in Jesus Christ.
3. It is based totally on the work of Christ on the cross. Specifically:
a.
Redemption: paying
the price necessary to buy us from the slave market of sin; freeing us from the
bondage of sin. [speaks
to the price required by God’s +R/J]
b. Atonement made is Unlimited: the payment for all sin of all mankind; it was for all mankind; for
all time that he bore the penalty/guilt for all.
[1 Jn 2:2; Isa. 53:6]
c. Propitiation: satisfied all of the requirements of God's
Holiness.
4. This divine righteousness is imputed to the believer at the point
of faith in Christ. Phil. 3:9
5. This imputation of righteousness is related to our new position in
Christ. 2 Cor.
6. The imputation of righteousness is the basis for God's justice
being able to declare the one who believes in Christ to be justified, or
declared righteous recognizing our new standing before God.
7. The Imputation of Righteousness is one of 3 great
imputations
#1. Adam's original sin is imputed to
every member of the human race;
#2. All of man's sin was imputed to
Christ while He was on the cross. 2 Cor
#3. God's righteousness is imputed to
the ungodly who believes in Christ. Rom
4:5; 3:22; 2 Cor 5:21