Romans 4

Introduction

I wonder if in your reading of Scripture, you have ever divided the Old and New Testament in your heads? Seems pretty obvious that you would, I mean, they are divided in our Bibles. But I wonder if it has ever made you think differently about God, or about how people were saved, or whether this perceived divide between the two has ever corrupted your understanding of faith + righteousness. I know that it has for me.

And we cannot pin it all on the break between the Testaments, because I would say there is a part of all of our finite and sinful hearts that will never fully fathom the mystery of God's love or understand an incomprehensible God. He is beyond our thoughts in so many ways. But rather than dividing what God does in the Old Testament from the New, perhaps we could see how God fulfills faith-bringing-righteousness through his promises in the Abrahamic covenant. And perhaps, we will see how it is not only the New Testament Christians (ourselves) who are alive unto God, but those even in the Old Testament. In particular, the figure Abraham and the promises made unto Him.

a) Circumcision (vs.1-12)

Romans 4 clearly shows us right from the first few verse that no one is saved and justified by their works. Abraham was not justified by his works. Instead, his belief was the key to the righteousness being counted to him. And for Christians, we know that it is a work of the Spirit in us that causes belief: belief is not of ourselves, but also a gift of God. As Scripture says:

"Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25)

"By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit." (1 John 4:13)

or

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." (John 6:44)

Praise be to God that the task of believing is not up to my heart, that - dead in sin - would have no ability to come to the Father. I would have no faith.

Romans 4 is clear on the necessary task of belief for the "one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness" (vs.5). David becomes one of the examples, as Paul shows, for he expresses how those who work are sinners and yet their works (works of sin) are "covered" (vs.7) and the "Lord will not count his sin" (vs.8) against him.

Now, where does circumcision come into this? Why suddenly mention circumcision in verse 9? Well, this was a work that was the concern of many Jewish Christians. Surely, what was implemented in the Old Testament should be continued into the New? Nothing was wrong with being circumcised, but it had no purpose in the salvation of the believers in Scripture. Circumcision did not bring faith and it did not bring righteousness. Before Abraham had even been circumcised, he was counted righteous, because of his faith, his Spirit-given faith.

It was a sign and seal of all God had done to produce faith in Abraham. It signaled God's covenant to bring about faith in His children. Circumcision did not secure righteousness, but understood God-given faith.

In fact, even those who were uncircumcised were still counted worthy of righteousness because it was no circumcision that saved them. They believed without being circumcised. You might say, it was a circumcision of the heart that would be their salvation. It was not a human produced circumcision, but one God had done. We read this in Romans 2:

"But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God." (Romans 2:29)

Other verses clarify the necessity of inward circumcision rather than an outward work:

"Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn." (Deuteronomy 10:16)

"In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ" (Colossians 2:11)

"For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians 3:3)

Philippians 3 goes on to say in verse 9 that I have not "a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith". Clearly, nothing I can do could ever earn me favor with God. It never did in the Old Testament - as was the case with David and Abraham - and it never will now.

b) Heir of the world (vs.13-15)

John Piper helps to clarify what is means to be an "heir of the world". He writes this:

"Abraham and his descendants will inherit the land; Abraham will rise from the dead and cannot be defeated by death; Abraham and his descendants will be triumphant over all their foes." (Desiring God)

These are promised in Genesis 17:7-8 and Genesis 22:17. Heirs of the world find these promises as shown in the Abrahamic covenant. And once again, we see these things "did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith" (vs.13)

For some reason, we believe we have these things through what we do. Old Testament believers had the same issue the Pharisees had in the New Testament, they believe God only wanted their adherence to the law rather than the change in their hearts. But what kept them out of the promised land and what kept Pharisees from gaining the kingdom of Heaven was their stubborn hearts that would not submit. They could not be heirs of the world, because even if they could completely be "adherents of the law", they had not the thing that qualified them to have the world.

More specifically the "world to come": the salvation that is promised to Abraham and all his offspring who are grafted into the family of God through faith.

Paul writes this encouragement for the believers in Corinth, but it is true for us today:

"So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's." (1 Corinthians 3:21-23)

Remember, the law only condemns us. It shows us our need for something other than our good works for righteousness. Our adherence to the law for salvation would only make "faith...null and the promise...void" (vs.14). But everything is ours through the promise of faith.

c) Father of many nations (vs.16-22)

Abraham had another promise under his belt, that seems to continue into the New Testament, for we know salvation comes in no other name than Jesus. And we are told that if we "share the faith of Abraham", "the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring" (vs.16).

Abraham puts his trust in a God he knows is life-creating and life-giving. He not only "calls into existence the things that do not exist", but he "gives life to the dead" (vs.17). And unto this God, Abraham believes in God's promise to make him the "father of many nations" (vs.17-18).

But more than knowing the God he serves and knowing he can trust them, he also grows in His faith. Paul writes that Abraham "did not weaken in faith...but he grew strong in his faith" (vs.19-20). All to give "glory to God" (vs.20). And unlike those who failed to inherit the Promised land, nor enter the kingdom of God, Abraham believed in the promise God made to him, knowing "that God was able to do what he had promised" (vs.21).

God promises to bring about salvation for His children. I believe Abraham knew that the implications of these promises to him were more than just physical inheritance, but spiritual as well. He becomes a bulwark of the promises God makes towards His children. The promise of faith becomes our promise of righteousness in God.

Abraham, the father of many nations, means God has not secluded this promise to just Old Testament Israel. It means it is extended to all of us and has more than material benefits. It reaps Spiritual reward. We are a continuation of the promises made to Abraham that may not have been clearly understood, but have always existed in the mind of a God who is kind to reveal to us.

Conclusion (vs.23-25)

And most clearly, overtime, we have seen the culmination of this promise, this fulfillment in the person of Jesus. The righteousness counted to Abraham was the righteousness of Christ whom had not yet come, but in whom Abraham still believed. He had faith in the Spiritual promise of God to make him righteous.

So, this is our promise:

"But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification" (Romans 4:23-25)

The God who makes promises to Abraham clearly makes promises to His children as well. Counted to us is the righteousness of Christ, who came to this earth, whom we have seen, of whom we have evidence, and yet faith and surety in what we cannot see right now. We can have the faith of Abraham, provided God works in us that faith that He promises to all His elect.

Clear as day, I cannot separate Old Testament believers from those of the New Testament, because we serve a God of promise and covenant. We serve a God who never fails and has never changed and has always made a way for people to come to Himself. He is a God of relationship, from beginning to end.

Romans 4 just clearly shows me how my perception of God is often flawed, but nevertheless, his promise still stands. The immutable Spirit changes my heart and softens it to believe, so I might be declared righteous in the sight of God.

Praise God that the faith He gives as promised leads to my right-standing with Him!