Text: Romans 4:1-25
Have
you ever come upon a task that was so simple that it seemed too hard to do. When
you finally figured it out you just couldn’t believe it could be so easy. God
has made salvation simple; yet man tries to make it difficult to receive.
God says, “The just shall life by faith” (Rom 1:17;
Hab 2:4; Gal 3:11).
· Man changes this truth
into a lie (Rom 1:25).
· The lies include…
baptism, the Lord’s Supper, works, etc., for salvation.
· Man does not trust God,
though God has never lied to man.
· Satan deceives with…
Unbelief, Rebellion, Immorality & Religion.
· When God’s Word begins to
break down our resistance, the enemy of God (Satan) is there to offer a
counterfeit salvation.
In Romans 3 Paul
establishes for us God’s simple plan of Salvation:
- Faith (v 22). Faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe…
- Grace (v 24). Being justified freely by His grace…
- Atonement (v 25). Through faith in His blood…
- Propitiation (v 26). That He might be...the justifier of him that believes.
In chapter 4 Paul illustrates how this salvation comes about.
- Notice that the words Faith & Believe are used 16 times.
- Notice Paul’s opening statement in v 3. For what saith the scripture?
1.
THE REVIEW OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
(v 1-4).
Hebrews
11:8-19
records a brief history of Abraham’s life for us.
- There are many who believe you must work for your salvation. Paul says in v 4 that if a man is not willing to except by faith God’s grace and pursues salvation by works; he is saying “In the end God will be my debtor.”
- Abraham had faith and trusted God… That Is All We Need Do!
Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds
of the law.
Ephesians
2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man
should boast.
- Notice Paul’s five statements concerning Abraham’s faith in Heb 11.
1)
He believed God (v 17).
2)
He believed against all hope (v 18). Faith produces hope!
3)
He believed in spite of circumstance (v 19).
4)
He believed without staggering (v 20). James 1:6
5)
He believed God would keep His promises (v 21).
2.
THE RECKONING OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS (v 3, 5-6, 9).
The words Count, Impute & Reckon
appear eleven times in this passage. All three words come from the same root
Greek word [logid'zomahee] = to put to ones account.
- Paul presents two ways righteousness may be bestowed (v 4-5).
By Works, which would mean living a perfect life (v 4, 14-15).
By Faith in Christ alone (v 5, 24-25).
- This “Reckoning”
is putting His righteousness on our account. God’s account book
is “The book of Life.”
Revelation
3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be
clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of
life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 13:8 All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not
written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
20:15 Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the
lake of fire. 21:27 There shall in no wise enter into it any
thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie:
but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
- The blessedness of God’s plan (v 5-8).
This is a guote from Psalm 32:1-2 Blessed is he
whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto
whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3.
THE REWARD OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS (v 17-21).
What God does for those
who believe…
He Gives
Life – v 17
…even God, who quickeneth the dead,…
He Gives Hope – v 18. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
He Gives Faith – v 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;..
He Gives Assurance – v 21. And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Prepared
by Pastor Kevin Burden ~ Cornerstone Baptist Church ~ Sunday PM, July 15, 2012
