IN CHAPTER 4, PAUL TALKS ABOUT ABRAHAM'S FAITH.
ABRAHAM'S FAITH RECKONED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. NOT BY WORKS, BUT ACCORDING TO GRACE.
BLESSINGS TO ALL WHO HAVE FAITH LIKE ABRAHAM. NOT THROUGH THE LAW, BUT ACCORDING TO GRACE.
Romans 4:1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
GOD PROMISED AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED THROUGH FAITH.
WORKS WILL GIVE YOU BLESSINGS AND REWARDS BUT THEY WON'T SAVE YOU; FAITH DOES.
4:3 For what saith the Scripture? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness."
ABRAHAM'S FAITH RECKONED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
4:4 Now to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
IF YOU BELIEVE IN CHRIST AND REACH UP TO HIM, HE WILL REACH UP TO YOU.
4:6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.
BLESSING TO ALL WHO HAVE LIKE FAITH.
4:7 Saying, "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered (COVERED BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST).
4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD will not impute sin."
QUOTED PSALMS 32:1-2.
A SIN IS A TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN THEN THAT YOU ARE SAVED BY GRACE NOT BY LAW?
IT MEANS THAT GOD'S GRACE (UNMERITED FAVOR) SAVED YOU (AFTER REPENTANCE) FROM BEING BLOTTED OUT FROM THE BOOK OF LIFE.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE LAW ALONE CANNOT SAVE YOU BECAUSE EACH ONE OF US WILL BREAK THE LAW IN OUR LIFETIME. BY REPENTING THROUGH CHRIST EVERY TIME YOU BREAK THE LAW YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE HOLY OF HOLLIES.
YOU CAN ONLY ACCESS THE HOLY OF HOLLIES THROUGH YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST.
4:9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
ABRAHAM AND SARAH WERE OLD TO CONCEIVE CHILDREN. FOURTEEN YEARS LATER ABRAHAM WAS CIRCUMCISED.
THE POINT IS, CIRCUMCISION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FORGIVENESS.
CIRCUMCISION IS OF THE HEART NOT THE FLESH.
4:10 How was it them reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision?
4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
CIRCUMCISION IS OF THE SPIRIT NOT THE FLESH.
4:12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
FAITH IS RIGHTEOUSNESS IN GOD'S EYES.
4:13 For the promise (THE GREEK READS, "FOR NOT THROUGH LAW WAS THE PROMISE"), that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
THE LAW WILL NOT SAVE YOU; YOU HAVE TO HAVE FAITH.
ISAIAH 43:26 SAYS, "REMIND ME MY PROMISES".
4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
A SIN IS A TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW. BUT WITHOUT FAITH THERE IS NO FORGIVENESS. WE ALL FALL SHORT NO MATTER HOW HARD WE TRY.
4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (ABRAHAM= FATHER OF MANY NATIONS),
WE ARE SAVED THROUGH GOD'S GRACE (UNMERITED FAVOR).
THIS DOES NOT MEAN WE CAN BREAK THE LAW; IT MEANS WE CAN HAVE FORGIVENESS UPON REPENTACE EVERY TIME WE BREAK THE LAW. BUT FIRST WE MUST HAVE FAITH TO THE ONE WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US.
HE USES ABRAHAM AS AN EXAMPLE HERE.
HE HAD FAITH IN GOD AND GOD COUNTED THIS AS PERFECTION.
4:17 (As it is written, "I have made thee a father of many nations") before Him Who he believed, even God, Who quickeneth (MAKE ALIVE ETERNALLY) the dead, and calleth those things which be not, as though they were.
GOD CAN CALL THE FUTURE WITHOUT EVEN COMING TO PASS YET.
4:18 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."
THE MESSIAH CAME THROUGH ABRAHAM'S SEED.
4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:
4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
GOD SAID IT AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED IT ANF THANKED HIM FOR THAT GIFT.
4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform.
WHEN GOD TELLS YOU TO DO SOMETHING DO YOU HAVE THE FAITH TO BELIEVE IT? ABRAHAM DID.
4:22 And therefore it was imputed (COUNTED) to him for righteousness.
ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD IF YOU BELIEVE.
4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him That raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,
4:25 Who was delivered for our offences (NOT HIS OWN), and was raised again for our justification (JUSTIFYING=IT IS A LEGAL TERM IN GOD'S WORD).
GOD BLESS
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