Romans Chapter 4

Romans Chapter 4.

This chapter amplifies the last statement of chapter 3.  "We establish the Law."  The Gospel confirms the verdict of the Law as to man's guilt and, moreover, it has always been on the principle of faith. This is the central truth of the Gospel and it fulfils and establishes the true religion of  the Old Testament.  In chapter 4 Paul enlarges upon this, illustrating and confirming from the Old Testament the doctrine of  righteousness through faith.  Legal religion fell short of the religious faith of the Old Testament, but justification through faith establishes the unity of  God's purpose and His saving work is displayed in the truth of  righteousness through faith.  The whole chapter illustrates the doctrine of righteousness through faith, establishing it from the Old Testament.

           

The chapter gathers round the experience of Abraham.  It seems that Abraham's case occupied a large place in Rabbinic discussions.  The Rabbis held Abraham as the ideal case of a man who is righteous through the Law.  This seems surprising since Abraham lived and died long before the giving of the Law.  The Jews argued that God's covenant was with Abraham and this covenant took definite form in the Law. Therefore, the righteousness of Abraham was righteousness through the Law, since he kept the requirements if  the Law by anticipation.  Burach 57:2.

           

Two New Testament writers join in the debate as to the righteousness of Abraham, they are Paul and James.  On the surface, these two writers appear to hold diverse views and to interpret the case of Abraham in opposite ways.  But a closer study shows no real contradiction.  We suggest the following considerations:-

*   A study of the word, 'faith' in James shows that faith has a fundamental place in his epistle.  The Christian life is essentially the life of faith.  It is the inactive, fruitless, mere intellectual faith that James warns against.

*   When Paul speaks about justification by faith he is looking at men standing condemned before God and unable to help themselves.  But James has in mind the many professing Christians whose profession of faith is devoid of fruit.  He contends with a dead orthodoxy that is devoid of active works of Christian love.

*   James uses the key terms with a different meaning to Paul's use of them.  In this particular discussion, James thinks of 'faith' as an intellectual belief in the one God.  This is not how he thinks of the real Christian faith which triumphs in trials and prayers.  James here thinks of 'works' in the sense of  practical Christianity, the manifestation of  love to one another.  While Paul, when opposing faith to works, thinks of meritorious works, especially the keeping of the Law, by which the Jew sought acceptance with God.

*James thinks of justification as approval before God in the day of  judgment, when the reality of faith will be proved by the works of  love it had wrought, but Paul means by justification our present acquittal before God.

           

Outline:    The Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament, and the New Testament firmly validates the Old Testament.  This chapter provides Old Testament proof that faith is reckoned for righteousness.

*   The life of Abraham proves the gratuitous character of justification.                4:1-8.

*   The life of Abraham proves that the blessing of righteousness through faith is not confined to those circumcised.                                4:9-12.

*   The life of Abraham proves that the promise is not through Law, but through the righteousness of faith.                                                           4:13-15.

*   The life of Abraham proves that the promise becomes effective alone by faith in God who raises the dead.                                                      4:16-25.

           

Exposition:  

           

4:1-3.    The objector continues to argue that all boasting is not excluded.  He insists that Abraham was justified by works, as the Rabbis taught, and that Abraham could rightly boast.  It is true that Abraham was distinguished for his faith, but his faith was a meritorious thing, a good work.  Paul replies that Abraham could not boast before God, for he was not justified by works, but by faith, as the Scriptures clearly teaches. His faith was in no way a meritorious act but the means by which he participated in God's gift.  Paul emphasizes the gratuitousness of the blessing that faith receives.  His faith was not a work of merit equivalent to keeping the Law.  Paul not only denies that Abraham could boast before God, but he denies the ground upon which the Jews argued that Abraham might boast.  He was not justified by works; neither was his faith a work of merit.

           

Paul quotes Gen15:6 LXX., that God counted Abraham's faith for righteousness. That not only excluded a righteousness through works, but implies that Abraham had no such righteousness of  his own.  His faith was counted for righteousness and the word 'counted' means that God counted Abraham's faith for something he did not have of  his own.  It was God's gift.  The context of Gen.15:6, points to Abraham's acceptance as God's gracious gift.

           

4:3.       This verse helps us understand what faith is.   It is first of all, taking God at His word.  God gave to Abraham a promise and he believed God.  Abraham believed the promise God gave to him and this act of believing the promise of God was counted to him for righteousness.  Abraham took God at his word and believed God would fulfil His promise.  Abraham's faith was not a meritorious activity, neither was it the keeping of the Law by anticipation.  The Rabbis thought of faith in terms of keeping the Law.  Paul had come to see that such rabbinic ideas of faith were a hindrance to faith in God.  It was not until he came to know Christ that he came to really believe in God.  In this chapter faith is chiefly “faith in God”, but it is to believe God's promise in Christ.  Therefore, faith in Christ is faith in God.

           

4:4.       Grace and Debt are contrasted.  Grace stands in contrast to works of human merit.  Grace is essentially gratuitous or giftwise.  To give as a matter of grace stands in contrast to earn or to deserve.  They are two altogether different principles.  The workman who toils at his work and expects to earn a reward or wages. It must be paid as money or a debt owing to him.  It is not a matter of grace, for it is a work. (11:6).  It is never a matter of grace or gift when the  master pays his servant, for the servant worked for his wages and receives them as his rightful due.  Grace then stands in contrast to works of merit, and it operates through faith because faith is not a meritorious thing.

           

4:5.       Altogether gratuitous.   The whole passage shows how grace and faith are essential to one another.  They are inseparably united, and in contrast to merit and wages.  Verse 5 is a remarkable verse.  The man of whom the verse speaks is every man who believes, and he is designated "him that worketh not."  He has no merit, and is rightly named ungodly. ('Guilty', N.E.B.).

           

Paul means that the teaching of the Scriptures concerning Abraham actually sets forth the principle on which God deals with men who believe His promise.  Generally, Paul avoids designating the believer as 'ungodly'.  Why then, does he do so?  With a certain daring, Paul uses this unusual and remarkable language to emphasize the freeness of God's grace, which in the sovereignty of its gracious activity, fully acquits the ungodly, who is without merit.  If the ungodly, the irreligious or guilty are acquitted through faith, then certainly, it is not by works.  It is by grace, sheer grace and, if by grace, then it is God's gift.  Verse 5 contemplates the man who has no works, and nothing in which to boast and therefore does not seek righteousness on the principle of works, but believes in God who justifies the ungodly.  He takes God at His word, His promise of sheer grace and is accepted as righteous on the principle of  faith alone.  The central idea is that righteousness or acceptance before God is altogether and wholly a gift.  It is not in any way, deserved or earned as a right.  Verse 5 establishes beyond question the meaning of the verb 'to justify'.  It means, 'to acquit the guilty and to accept righteous.

           

4:6-8.    The testimony of David.  Psalm 32:1-2.   These words are quoted to make more clear what is meant by the assertion that God reckons faith for righteousness.  It is the full and gratuitous forgiveness of sins.  It is not to credit a man for works of merit, but to freely pardon the undeserving.  Justification is forgiveness, but it is also more, for it is to be restored to a right relationship with God.  The word 'blessed' occurs twice in this passage; giving emphasis and marking its excellence.  'Makarios' (Latin, beatitude), means religious felicity.  The man whose sins are forgiven is blessed, and Paul takes this forgiveness of sins as descriptive of blessing, of righteousness which God reckons to a man apart from works.

           

4:9-12.  The blessing of forgiveness is not tied up with circumcision.  The Jew might persist that the blessing of which David speaks is pronounced upon the circumcision alone.  Paul's answer to this, takes the discussion back to Abraham.  He appeals to the order of events in the Genesis account, for Abraham received righteousness through faith, as we learn from chapter 15, then in a later period, chapter 17, God gave him the right of circumcision.  There was probably an interval of 14 years between the two events.  Clearly, Abraham was still uncircumcised, when he was declared righteous on account of  his faith.  Circumcision was :-

*   A sign.  'Simeion'  - sign or distinguishing mark.

*   A seal.  'Spragis'   - a seal (figure) , confirmation, attestation, authentication, certification,  

                 corroboration.

           

The vital and central thing was his faith in God.  His faith was counted for righteousness.  Circumcision attested to the importance of faith.  The Jews made the rite itself important, when it is only a sign, but a sign of the importance God gives to faith.  Abraham received the sign of circumcision, a corroboration of the righteousness of  faith, which he received while yet uncircumcised.  This may illustrate the New Testament thought regarding the relationship of faith and baptism.  Faith is always fundamental.  Paul drives the point home to the Judaizers that circumcision had no value except as a sign and attestation of faith.  The order of events recorded in Genesis are providential for, in those events, God was revealing His promise to all men.  God's intention was that Abraham should be the father of all them that believe.  It is faith and not circumcision that establishes a filial relationship to Abraham.  God establishes the paternity of  Abraham on the basis of  faith, so that all believers from every nation, might share in the promise.

           

4:12.     "Walk."  'Stoicheo',  "to draw in line, march in file,"  (follow), a military term.

                       

"In the steps."  'Tois ichnesin'.  'Ichnos',  "footprint."  See N.E.B., but R.S.V. has                                     "example."

           

4:13-15.   The promise to Abraham's posterity is not fulfilled through the Law, but to faith.  The promise to which Paul; refers, must be that of Genesis 12:7;  13:15;  15:5-7;  18:18;  26:4.   It follows plainly that the promise is not through the keeping of the Law, which was given some 430 years later (Gal.3:17).  It was impossible for the promise to become effective by law, for the law works wrath.  The promise was made to Abraham and his seed.  The 'seed' are Abraham's spiritual descendents.  The principle in which the promise is fulfilled, indicates and determines the character of the seed or descendents.  It was inherent in the promise from the beginning, that it be fulfilled on a spiritual basis.  It becomes clear from verse 14, that faith has to do with promise.  Bring in the Law, and both faith and promise are ineffective.  The promise is not through the Law and, in the vary nature of things, could only be fulfilled to faith.  Promise and faith stand together and stand in contrast to the principle of Law.  This discloses the true nature of both promise and faith.  If they who are of the Law are heirs, then faith is robbed of its function.  It is made empty and ineffective.  Then too, the fulfilment of  the Promise ('epagelia') becomes an impossibility.  It is consistent with the nature of a promise, that it is received by faith.

           

The Law could not be the means of bringing in the fulfilment of the promise, but was rather an obstacle, for the Law works wrath.  It provokes unfavourable conditions.  It makes unhappy relations with God.  The Law works wrath by giving sin the character of transgression.  Obviously, that which gives sin the character of deliberate transgression, cannot be the means of fulfilling the promise.

           

4:16-25.     The story of Abraham teaches how the promise becomes effective.  It is not by man's work or achievement, but by faith in the power of God who raises the dead.   The story of Abraham is itself sufficient proof of this.  The distinctive character of this faith is that it is faith in God who raises the dead.  (See chapter 10:9-10).

           

4:16.     As Law and wrath go together, so faith and grace stand together.  Faith is indispensable apart from grace.   It is the only means by which grace can operate and become effective, for it does not depend upon man's ability to perform anything.  It stands in contrast to works of merit, for if such were acceptable, then grace would no longer exist.  God's intention was that the promise be available to all the seed of Abraham as a matter of sheer grace.  The whole initiative and work of salvation is entirely God's and not man's.  God displayed His initiative in the whole enterprise, by making the promise to the seed of Abraham.  This promise could only be held and realised on the principle of  faith, that the blessing of  salvation may as a gracious gift, be available to all the seed, not alone to those of  the Law (Jews), but to all who are of  the faith of  Abraham.  It is to all, whether of the Law or not, available on the principle of faith only.

           

Faith as the handmaid of grace; it makes the promise sure to all the seed.  The Gospel is a message of salvation available to all mankind because it is through faith.  The promise intended that Abraham should become the father of many nations.  The Gentiles are to share in the promise, therefore, it cannot be by Law, but by faith. (Gen.17:5).

           

4:17-22.     Abraham's faith.  The special feature of his faith was he believed in God who made alive the dead.  He believed in the God of resurrection.

           

4:18.     Paul sketches the character of Abraham's faith.   "When hope seemed hopeless." N.E.B.  "On the basis of nothing but hope."  Faith is hoping, looking forward to and the meaning is Abraham hoped because he believed God, when humanly speaking, there was no hope.  He was full of hope, when all hope of achieving anything in his own strength was gone.  He held fast to the promise of God in the face of impossibilities.  The apostle wrote in this strain:

·         to show the character of  faith, in and how it works,

·         to show the distinctive activity of  faith in Abraham's life, and when there was nothing else, and he could do nothing else, he believed God. 

So it is beyond dispute that Abraham received the promise by faith only.  It might be argued that hope also played a part, but hope is not distinct from faith.  Hope is but faith looking forward.

Hope in verse 18 is essentially faith.  It was exclusively on the principle of faith he received the promise.  The promise was fulfilled to him solely on the basis of faith when there was no possibility of bringing it about by his own efforts.  Abraham became the father of many nations.  It was not Law that accomplished this, but grace.  The Law tended to keep Israel a separate people and so limited the family of Abraham.  The promise could not have been fulfilled to Abraham apart from God's activity in quickening the dead.  This was true in respect of the birth of Isaac, but how much more so in the fulfilment of the promise that he should be the father of many nations.  The promise could not be fulfilled, except through the power of God in raising the dead.  The distinctive pattern of Abraham's faith was reliance on God's will and ability to quicken the dead.

           

This is also the distinctive pattern for us, for we believe on Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.  Thus we are Abraham's spiritual children, and walk in the steps of that faith, that of our father Abraham.  The pattern of our faith is that of our spiritual ancestor, and the pattern of his faith, was his conviction God would raise the dead.  Abraham was aware of his own weakness to fulfil the promise by human effort.  Only the God of resurrection could fulfil the promise.  This was the pattern of his faith and ours.  Abraham looked forward, but we have a forward and a backward look, for, we look to an accomplished work.

           

4:19.     Abraham's faith must surmount the barrier of death.   His own body was as good as dead, and Sarah's womb was dead and unable to produce life.  He was 100 years old, and Sarah 90 years old.  Mr. Alfred Mace told us that a 100 signifies the end of human strength.  Paul means us to see the utter hopelessness of all human effort - that we might see what God can do. 

           

4:20-22.     Abraham looked to God's promise.  In this is disclosed the nature of faith, for it is taking God at His word, to rely upon His promise, to trust Him to fulfil His word.  It is sheer trust.  He did not weigh up the pros and cons in an unbelieving mind.  He wavered not.  'Diakrinomai', means, "doubt, hesitate, waver."  There was nothing of the doubt of unbelief, but he grew strong in his faith and was fully confident that God was able to perform His promise.  Abraham knew that God could not fulfil His promise except by the manifestation of His life-giving power.  It was because of his believing submission to God and His power to make alive the dead, that Abraham glorified God.  Abraham's faith was an inward conviction, and submission to God.  These verses are of great importance, for they disclose that faith is sheer and utter trust in God.  Faith is trust in God, but not in some general way, but in respect to His promise and its fulfilment.  Abraham was strong in faith in that he believed God would fulfil His promise in the presence of death, for He is the God of resurrection.  In this, the strength of his faith lay.  This is the distinctive mark of strong faith, it believes in God who raised up Jesus from the dead.  Christian faith is our confidence that God has fulfilled His promise in the Gospel of His Son, whom He raised from the dead.

           

4:23-24.     Paul discerns a great unity in the entire history of God's saving work.  The record of God's dealings with Abraham was not written merely as a memorial of the patriarch, but there is a Divine purpose in it all, that we also who believe, may be assured of  salvation.  In this way, God's word to Abraham is fulfilled and he has become a father of many nations.  The universal character of the blessing was implicit in the promise from the beginning.  Paul expresses this unity in the framework of the family, whose uniting bond is faith.  Abraham is the father of the family, not because he was the first man to believe God, but because in relation to him, God worked out His purpose and we see the setting forth of those things that formed part of His purpose.  In this the great word is not Law, but promise, and the keywords of the discussion are promise, grace, righteousness, the power of God to give life - these are the central things which faith is concerned.  Abraham then, is the father and pattern of faith, for those who share his faith, become his true spiritual children, and share in the blessing of the promise.  Gentiles and Jews, who, after the model of Abraham's faith, believe in God who has raised up Christ from the dead, are counted  righteous before God.

           

Abraham believed God would fulfil His promise, but we are called upon to believe what He has already accomplished, for we believe in God who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.  This is the distinctive character of Christian faith.  The Christian faith in God then, has a specific character, for it to rely upon Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.  The phrase, "who believe on Him," is literal.  "The believers upon."  Their faith constitutes for them a certain status, so that they are truly descendents of Abraham.  The distinctive testimony that our faith accepts, is that God raised up Jesus from the dead, proving Him to be Lord of all.

           

4:25      "Delivered."   'Paradidomai',  "hand over, deliver."  The aorist form ('paredothe) is used here.  God delivered, or gave Him to death, for our trespasses. (See 8:32).  The same word is also used of the voluntary act of Christ, in giving Himself. (Gal.2:20; Eph.5:2).  It is used to describe the part man had in crucifying Christ, (Matt.10:4; 27:2,26; Acts 2:13), and possibly 1 Cor.11:23 is to be included in this category.  The word is also used in Isaiah (53:12.LXX), and forms the background to Rom.4:25.  The preposition 'for' is 'doa', and occurs twice in our verse.  Is the meaning the same in both instances?  Schrenk, says 'dis' means “cause” in the 1st clause, and “purpose” in the 2nd, "who was delivered up on account of our trespasses and was raised with a view to our justification." Bn., Dy., S+H, L., hold similarly.  Leon Morris (p.264), follows Gifford, that 'dis' with the accusative simply traces an effect to a cause, it marks the existence of a casual relation between them without defining its particular character.

           

Thus, "for our trespasses", may mean "because we had trespassed", or to "atone for our trespasses"; and similarly, "for our justification", is capable of two meanings, "because our justification has been accomplished", or "with a view to our justification."  Morris insists that "the resurrection is the completion of God's mighty act of justification and not as though the resurrection was a justifying act quite apart from the death."  This can be compared with K's explanation, "delivered-up-and-raised for our justification which was necessitated by our trespasses.  However, Knox notes that the distinction is to be maintained, between His death and His resurrection, that He was put to death for our sins and was raised to bring to us the forgiveness He had provided.  Justification is here 'dikaiosis' which Schrenk defines as "the act of justification through God's absolving judgment, which affects the whole of man's religious existence.  Morris also understands it as "the act of acquitting."