Sermons
Abraham Believed God
Series: The Message of RomansThe Message of Romans
Abraham Believed God
Rom. 4:1-5
Introduction:
1. In this series on The Message of Romans we have learned that all men, both Jews and Gentiles, are condemned of sin.
2. Like the Jews and the Gentiles we too are violators of the law of God.
3. The purpose of the law is to close every mouth and to make all the world accountable to God because by works of law no flesh will be justified in God’s sight for through the law comes the knowledge of sin (Rom. 3:19-20).
4. But, thanks to God, by faith we can receive the righteousness that comes to us as a result of God’s power exerted through what He has done through the blood of Jesus Christ.
5. God has paid the price for our sins by taking the penalty of death upon Himself and so sets us free.
6. Abraham was the hero of the Jews (Cf. Jn. 8:33). Paul will use him as an example of receiving the righteousness of God by faith.
Discussion:
I. Abraham was justified by faith (4:1-8).
A. Paul’s point in Romans 1-3 is that people cannot be justified by works.
1. Sin is the problem.
2. All of us have committed it and now it is too late to be justified by works.
B. Paul quotes Gen. 15:6: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as
righteousness.”
1. This is not referring to a belief in the existence of God. Abraham believed God, that is,
he believed what God said. He placed his trust in the kindness of God’s character.
2. This means that Abraham had no reason to boast because his righteousness came not
by his own performance of the law, but on the basis ofGod’s gift.
3. So Paul says, “Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as
what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the
ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness” (4-5). Note that it is faith in the power of
God that is critical, not faith in one’s own power or performance. It is God who justifies
the ungodly!
C. What does it mean that his faith was credited to him?
1. KJV, ESV says, “It was counted to him.”
2. The English translations use words like “reckoned,” “imputed.” Cf. 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10.
3. In the original language it is “logizomai” (3049). It means to put down to one’s
account. Thus, the idea of it being “credited.”
4. Actually it is not the faith itself that is credited, but the object of faith. For Abraham
God, Himself was the object. Ultimately, God is always the object of our faith, but
in our case the specific object is God’s grace as expressed in the atoning blood of
Jesus Christ that satisfies the penalty for our sins (Rom. 3:24-26).
5. Just as Abraham was justified by his belief in God as the justifier, so we too are
justified by belief in God as the one who justifies the ungodly (4:5).
D. This Gen. 15:6 passage is quoted in Gal. 3:6 and James 2:23.
1. God promised Abraham numerous descendants, like the stars of the heavens. “He
believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” The word in the
Hebrew (2803) means “to account,” “to consider,” like “logizomai.”
2. In Gal. 3:6-9 Paul reasons that like Abraham believed God so Gentile believers are
justified by faith and not by works of law (verse 5).
3. James 2:21-24 says the same. Here the illustration is of Abraham’s offering of Isaac.
“Abraham believed God.” That is, Abraham believed that God would fulfill His
promise even if he sacrificed Isaac. He considered that God could raise him from the
dead (Heb. 11:19). But this passage says, “He was justified by works and not by faith
alone.” “How can he be justified by faith without works and be justified by works?”
He was justified by means of his faith. It was a faith that worked!! He was not
justified by means of his works, but by his faith. It was a faith that trusted God and
so acted consistently with that trust.
4. Perhaps you have heard the story of Charles Blondinwho stretched a rope across
Niagara Falls and walked across. Asking the people if they believed he could push a
wheelbarrow across some agreed that he could. But they were hesitant to get in the
wheelbarrow. Such action requires complete trust! This is the kind of faith that
Abraham had. This is the kind of faith that justifies. It believes to the point of trust
and action.
E. David was another hero to the Jews and Paul uses him to confirm righteousness apart
from works (4:6-8).
1. He quotes Psa. 32:1-2.
2. “Blessed.”
a. “Makarios” (3107).
b. This is the same term as used in Matt. 5:3ff in the Beatitudes.
c. “Flourishing is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account”
(“logizami”).
II. Abraham is the father of those who follow in the steps of faith (4:9-12).
A. Faith was credited to Abraham before he was circumcised.
1. Gen. 15:6 comes before Gen. 17. It was not until Gen. 17 that circumcision was
introduced.
2. Abraham believed God and was justified before and without circumcision.
3. Receiving circumcision was evidence of Abraham’s belief in God’s promises.
B. He became the father of circumcision to those who follow in the steps of his faith. Cf. Gal.
3:26-29.
III. The inheritance promised to Abraham comes by faith (4:13-22) in God’s power to give life to the dead (4:17).
A. The promised to Abraham was not through law, but through faith. Why? “The law
brings about wrath.” The purpose of the law was to identify and condemn sin (Rom.
3:19-20; 4:15; Gal. 3:21-22).
B. Abraham believed in God’s power to raise the dead (Rom. 4:17; Heb. 11:19).
This is the same belief that we must have (Rom. 4:17-18). We believe that God raised
Jesus from the dead (Rom. 4:24-25).
IV. Faith is credited as righteousness to all who believe in God who raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 4:23-25).
A. Abraham believed in God’s power to raise the dead,therefore he sacrificed Isaac.
B. God raised Jesus from the dead.
C. God raises all who believe and are baptized from the dead. Col. 2:12-14 says, “ . . . having
been buried with Christ in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through
faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your
transgressions, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with
Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt
consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the
way, having nailed it to the cross.” He has nailed the condemnation of the law to the
cross and made us alive.
D. Now we have hope of a final resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20ff). All of it is accomplished by the
power of God. Thus, like Abraham (Rom. 4:20), we give glory to God. We worship Him
who gives life to the dead!!!
Conclusion:
1. Righteousness is founded upon God’s power, NOT our power to keep the law.
2. By trusting in God’s power Abraham was justified.
3. By trusting in God Jews and Gentiles can be justified.
4. By trusting in God’s power, as executed through Jesus’ death and resurrection you can be justified.
