Reading Romans

This past Sunday we covered our 3rd week in our study of the book of Romans by diving into chapters 3 and 4, so let's recap what we've hit so far....

In Romans 1:18-3:20, Paul laid out a full description  of human sinfulness.  He followed that description with a brief but profound description of God's plan of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (3:21-26).  In the verses we studied this week we see Paul present an extended argument to show that God's salvation has always been by faith and not by works of the law.

It's Through Faith
Paul starts off with a strong conclusion: a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.  People who understand fully their hopeless bondage to sin realize they have no recourse but to come humbly before God, trusting in Him to be merciful and forgiving.

Paul then draws a logical conclusion in verses 29 and 30 about salvation based on God's unity.  Because God is one, He offers one way of salvation to Jews and Gentiles alike.

Paul then addresses the relationship of the law and faith.  He's already declared that because of the law we know that all have sinned (3:23).  We continuously fall short of God's righteous standard, so in our own power we are incapable of keeping the law.  However this doesn't mean that faith cancels out the law.  Not only was the law still valid in its purpose, the way of faith was exactly where the law was designed to take people.  Paul simply points out that by coming to God in faith, we uphold the law.  We show that the law was right in exposing us as sinners who cannot and will not live consistently as God wants.  We need grace!

It's a Gift
The Jewish people were well acquainted with their ancestor Abraham's covenant relationship with God.  God considered Abraham His friend and commended Abraham for having kept His commandments.  It is conceivable that anyone knowledgeable of Abraham's Old Testament record might conclude that his works of righteousness gave him something to brag about.

Paul asserts that Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness.  In this way, Paul underscored that Abraham had not earned righteousness by his works, as commendable as those works had been.  Abraham simply trusted in God, and God declared that's all He required of Abraham for establishing a right relationship.

Most of the Jews of Paul's day understood this point (found in Genesis 15:6) in exactly the opposite way as Paul was teaching.  Their point of error was considering that their forefather Abraham could boast before God that he had earned righteousness.  The Scriptures teach that faith alone establishes a right relationship; works of righteousness then come as evidence of the right relationship.

Paul then appeals to simple logic.  He called attention to an obvious difference between a gift and a wage.  Those who work for a living would never think of their paycheck as a gift.  Instead, they consider it something owed to them.

If those who believe in works-salvation were to think carefully about the logical implications of that doctrine, they would have to acknowledge they believe God owes them salvation.  Paul asserted that this is the logical, yet erroneous, implication of any form of self-righteousness.

Paul next equates God's crediting of righteousness by faith with a gift.  It is a gift offered even to the most unlikely of recipients.

It's By Grace
In the last part of Chapter 4, Paul gives emphasis to God's grace.  If salvation could be attained by works of the law or by ethnic heritage, then Abraham's physical descendants (the Jews) might think they had a reason to boast in themselves.  The Gentiles, however, would have no reason for hope at all.  Because God is a God of grace, Paul declares this was therefore the reason the promise is by faith.

As you can see we've only been in Romans for 3 weeks but we've already examined a TON of stuff...looking forward to unpacking some more next week....we'll jump into chapter 5!

Heffe