The Epistle to the Romans
Lesson 9
Imputed Righteousness

Reading Assignment: Romans 4

Introduction
Always remember that the key word in Romans is RIGHTEOUSNESS. It is found 36 times in this epistle.
In Romans 1 we saw “RIGHTEOUESNESS REVEALED”(Romans 1:17). In Romans 1:18-3:30, we saw “RIGHTEOUSNESS REQUIRED.”I

In Romans 3, we also saw “RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPUTED” for our justification (Romans 3:22-24). The Apostle Paul continued the thought of “Imputed Righteousness Appropriated by Faith” in Romans 4.

So, here, we have a sub-heading, “RIGHTEOUSNESS APPROPRIATED” or “The MEANS of Justification.”

In Romans 4, Paul made use of Abraham as an illustration of how to appropriate righteousness. His emphasis on imputed righteousness, accepted on the basis of simple faith, is not a new idea. God imputed righteousness to Abraham based on his faith alone. He does the same for you today.

Importance of this Lesson

• It is important to know exactly what justifying faith really is.
• In this lesson we witness a perfect illustration of justifying faith. I am certain that it was a source of great joy to believing Jews and Gentiles to realize that someone as ancient and prominent as Abraham “staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.”
• This lesson should strengthen your faith and fill you with assurance.

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The Lesson

Outline:

1. Abraham’s Faith Was Apart From Works (Romans 4:1-8).
2. Abraham’s Faith Was Apart From Ordinances (Romans 4:9-12).
3. Abraham’s Faith Was Apart From The Law (Romans 4:13-16).
4. Abraham’s Faith Was In God and In The Resurrection (Romans 4:17-25).

I. ABRAHAM’S FAITH WAS APART FROM WORKS (Romans 4:1-8)

1. Romans 4:1 – …Abraham our father… – Here Paul identifies himself with Israel. The Jews were justly proud of their lineage and heritage.
   While Abraham may not be our father, …as pertaining to the flesh… he is our spiritual father for “they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7).
2. Romans 4:2 – For if Abraham…works – If Abraham had been justified or saved by his own efforts he could have boasted, …but not before God. He would have glorified himself, not the Lord.
3. Romans 4:3 – For what saith the Scripture… – Learn a lesson here. Never feel that probing into and making use of Scripture is a sign of a lack of intelligence. The Bible contains the knowledge and wisdom of God. To study and make use of it opens great vistas of truth and enlarges our spiritual vision and understanding.
   … Abraham believed God… – Implicitly! Absolutely! Without wavering! It was complete trust in God’s Word and in God’s faithfulness to keep it. It was this faith that was counted (reckoned, imputed) to him for righteousness.
   • Faith in itself is not righteousness. It is the MEANS whereby righteousness is appropriated
     (Genesis 15:6; Galatians 3:6).
4. Romans 4:4 – …Not…of grace, but of debt. Very simply, if Abraham (or you and I) could earn salvation by his works, he would put God in his debt. Salvation is not WAGES. God owes us nothing! If we paid the price, God would owe the reward. This would nullify and make a mockery of grace.
5. Romans 4:5 – Since, …to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted (reckoned, imputed) for righteousness. Justifying faith is not faith in something, but in HIM who justifieth even in Almighty God Himself.
   If it is impossible to merit or earn salvation, there is no other way to obtain it but to accept it as a gift by FAITH.
   … Justifieth the ungodly… What a statement! Romans 1:18-3:20 puts everyone in this category. Christ …died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6). Only when we see ourselves as unworthy and “…without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12) will we turn to God in faith.
6. Romans 4:6-8 – Here Paul digresses briefly from his illustration of Abraham and gives a quote from David found in Psalm 32. Please read this Psalm.
   Even as David… – David, of course, is another great Biblical hero who was especially dear to every Israelite. How wise it was of Paul, therefore, to make use of Abraham and David to illustrate, particularly to the Jews, but also to all whom would believe, the means of appropriating God’s righteousness.
   … Describeth the blessedness of the man… – Three reasons for this blessedness or joy are given. (Learn these three blessings for the exam.)
   1. …Whose iniquities are forgiven… – O the wonder of God’s tender mercies. Who can evaluate the blessing of forgiveness?
   2. …Whose sins are covered… – The Hebrew word for “covered” means “atoned for.” The sins of believing Jews were covered or atoned for by the offerings they brought for sacrifice. In Christ’s sacrifice, our sins are more than covered. The are put away forever (Hebrews 9:26, 10:12).
   3. …To whom the Lord will not impute sin – Because of Christ’s great sacrifice, God does not impute sin to the believer. He imputes righteousness.

II. ABRAHAM’S FAITH WAS APART FROM ORDINANCES (Romans 4:9-12)
Romans 4:9 – Cometh this blessedness… – The blessedness or joy is found in the three things we have just reviewed as recorded in Psalm 32.

1. Were these blessings limited to the circumcised Israelites or were the uncircumcised Gentiles included?
   1. …faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness – Abraham was not declared righteous upon
      accepting the ordinance or rite of circumcision. Righteousness was imputed to him based on faith long before the ordinance of circumcision was instituted (Genesis 15:6; 17:10).
   2. Romans 4:10 – A repetition: righteousness was reckoned to Abraham when he was …in uncircumcision.
   3. Romans 4:11 – Abraham received the sign of circumcision, …a seal of the righteousness of faith which he had yet being uncircumcised. Why? So that he might be the father of all them that believe – Jew and Gentile that righteousness might be imputed unto them also.
2. Romans 4:12 – A concluding statement to the effect that Abraham is a father, not only to believing, circumcised Israelites, but also to uncircumcised Gentiles who walk in the steps of that (complete, absolute, implicit) faith he exhibited. Read Galatians 3:6-9
   • Many people today are placing their confidence for salvation in some ordinance or religious rite such as baptism, church-membership, communion, saying of prayers, etc. This section shatters such vain hope. Salvation or our justification is by faith alone.

III. ABRAHAM’S FAITH WAS APART FROM THE LAW (Romans 4:13-16)

1. Romans 4:13 – Seven promises were made to Abraham.
   1. I will make of thee a great nation.
   2. I will bless thee.
   3. I will make thy name great.
   4. Thou shalt be a blessing.
   5. I will bless them that bless thee.
   6. I will curse them that curse thee.
   7. In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:5-7).
2. These promises, in addition to the righteousness imputed to Abraham, did not come “through the
   Law.” The Law through Moses was not given until at least 400 years later. All the blessings, including imputed righteousness, came through faith.
   1. Romans 4:14 – The Jews believed that their inheritance came as a result of the Law. In this verse Paul said, if so
      1. Faith is voided.
      2. The promises are made of no effect.
   2. If salvation is by the Law, faith is cancelled out. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain (Galatians 2:21).
   3. You cannot mix law and grace. Each cancels out the other, “and if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work” (Romans 11:6).
   4. If the promises came to Israel through the Law, the blessings would be a reward and the promises would be made of none effect.
3. Romans 4:15 – …the law worketh wrath – Since none but Christ has ever kept the Law, it condemns all, even the most moral of human beings (Galatians 3:10; James 2:10; Romans 3:19-20).
   The Law brings the knowledge of sin, which can only condemn since it provides no remedy.
   Romans 7:7 – …I had not known sin, but by the law.
   Romans 7:9 – …when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
   Romans 4:15 – …for where no law is, there is no transgression. This is self-evident.
4. Romans 4:16 – Therefore it (salvation) is of FAITH, that it might be by GRACE…
   1. The Law failed to make anyone righteous. There is no alternative but faith.
   2. By GRACE – God’s free, abundant, unmerited favor toward us in and through Christ.
5. Our salvation, our justification, is an immeasurable gift of love offered to us through God’s grace alone (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 John 4:10).
6. …to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed…. We are so unworthy and so unable to save ourselves, that only by the means of grace through faith can the promise be made sure.

IV. ABRAHAM’S FAITH WAS IN GOD AND IN THE RESURRECTION (Romans 4:17-25)

1. Romans 4:17 – …I have made thee a father of many nations, before him (God) whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead… (Genesis 17:5).
   Abraham believed in the God of miracles – the omnipotent God who raises the dead and creates things out of nothing. The important thing here is to recognize the nature and power of the God in whom Abraham believed.
2. Romans 4:18-19 –…Who against hope believed in hope… – Two things should be considered here regarding Abraham’s faith in the God of resurrection.
   1. The promise of God that Abraham would have an heir by Sarah was made long after Sarah was dead as far as ability to have children was concerned (Genesis 18:11, 21:5-7). In the face of the impossible, Abraham “against hope believed in the hope” that his seed would be as the stars of heaven (Genesis 15:6).
   2. God called upon Abraham to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:2). Abraham’s faith never wavered. He obeyed God and offered up Isaac, “ Accounting that God was able to RAISE HIM UP, even from the dead” (Hebrews 11:17-19).
      1. Romans 4:20-22 – He staggered not… – Abraham’s faith did not waiver. He did not vacillate between belief and unbelief! Implicit, absolute faith brings glory to God.
      2. …Being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. – Abraham believed that God never fails, never changes His mind and always keeps His promises. What a challenge to us today! How ashamed we should be of any unbelief.
      3. Abraham lived without any written word from God in a world that had totally rejected Him. We have the whole WORD of God, filled with promises to claim. God help our unbelief!
         “ And therefore…imputed… for righteousness” (Romans 4:3; Genesis 15:6).
3. Romans 4:23-25 – …not…for his sake alone… – Praise God! We are included. These verses state clearly that the story of Abraham’s faith was recorded for our sakes also. The righteousness imputed to Abraham is imputed to us also, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead (Romans 10:9-10). Christ died for our sins and was raised up for our justification. His resurrection is the assurance, the guarantee of our justification, making it an absolute fact. It is positive proof. The work of salvation is done. It is sealed and settled by Christ’s resurrection.
   

Examination

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