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Preaching the Living WORD through the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4:2 - |
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JUSTIFICATION AND
THE EXAMPLE OF ABRAHAM (Rom 4:1-5) 5/6/07 Pastor I. THE PERFECT EXAMPLE (1-2) A. Abraham becomes Paul’s
perfect example of justification by faith because: 1. Abraham
was the forefather (propátōr - father that comes before) of
the Jews (Rom 4:12; Jam 2:21). With the use of “forefather,” and a reference
to “boasting” (3:27), Paul is obviously referring to a Jewish audience. If
they should respect anyone’s example, it should be that of Father Abraham. 2. Abraham was in right relationship with
God because God declared him, “righteous” (Gen 15:6). If there was anyone who
could be an example of how one becomes righteous, it was Abraham. 3. Abraham’s example of the means of
righteousness is striking because it is by faith alone and apart from the
Law. Abraham’s declaration of righteousness came at least 400 years before
Moses gave the Law. 4. Abraham’s salvation teaches that
salvation in the Old and New Testament was always justification by faith. B. Paul begins with a
necessary interrogative (What therefore - tí oún - 4:1;
6:1; 7:7; 8:31; 9:14, 30) that logically anticipates the question of
Abraham’s righteous status. C. What is the conclusion that Abraham has
found (heurískō - to find; Eng “eureka”; Archimedes,
287-212 BC -Greek mathematician exclaimed, "I found it!" when he
discovered how to measure the volume of an irregular solid; gold, and remains
a principle to the present time.) The question in the balances is, “Was
Abraham righteous by his own works or by faith?” D. Paul offers a conditional proposition
stating that “if” (ei &
indicative
- First Class Condition; assumed true
for argument’s sake) Abraham was justified by
works, then, he would be able to boast (kaúchêma – vaunt, glory)
concerning his own meritorious righteousness. E. But (allá - in contrast and
reality) Abraham, though he might be able to boast before other sinful men,
would not be able to boast before God’s perfect righteousness. F. Judaism taught that Abraham had merited
his own righteousness (1Mac 2:52; Sir 44:20; PrM 1:8) and faithfulness (Hab
2:4) and it was credited to his descendants (Luk 3:8; Joh 8:39). 1. God of
the righteous, has not appointed repentance for the righteous, [or] for
Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who did not sin against you,.(Prayer of Manasseh 1:8) 2. The Rabbis taught that Abraham had a
surplus of merit from his works that was available to his descendants (Lu
3:8; John 8:39). Bible Knowledge Commentary II. THE PERFECT EVENT (3) A. God’s promises to Abraham
and the fact that Abraham could only trust in God’s provisions (not in own
works; circumcision - Rom 4:10; physical strength - Rom 4:19) makes Gen 15:6
the perfect event to explain justification by faith.. B. Paul’s final authority for truth is always
Scripture (graphế - writings; Holy Scripture), and his
expression is used some 4 times (4:3; 9:17; 10:11; 11:2; cp. 1:2 15:4;
16:26). C. The Scripture quoted is Gen 15:6 (LXX
verbatim) undeniable asserts Abraham’s justification through faith. Abraham
“believed” (aor act 1. Therefore,
the means of receiving justification is faith, faith alone, and nothing but
faith (Rom 1:17). 2. Abraham’s faith was not merely faith in
God, but in the provision of God in Christ (Joh 8:56 cp. Gen 12:3, 7; Gen
15:5; Gen 21:1-3) D. The result of Abraham’s
exercise of faith was justification. It is explained by the phrase, “CREDITED
TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 1. The word
“credit” is the Greek word logízomai, which was used in
commercial dealings and means to “put to someone’s account,” reckon, or
impute (4:3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24). It is Christ’s righteousness
that God credits, reckons or imputes (Imputation) to the believing sinner’s
account. 2. It is
a forensic (legal) act of God whereby He declares the believing sinner
righteous on the basis of the blood of Christ. (Enns, Moody Handbook of
Theology) 3. Justification is not because of any
overlooking, suspending, or altering of God’s righteous demands, but because
in Christ all of His demands have been fulfilled. Christ’s perfect life of
obedience to the law and His atoning death which paid its penalty are the
bases for our justification (Ro 5:9). Justification could never be based on
our good works, for God requires perfect obedience and this is impossible for
man. (Ryrie, Summary of Bible Doctrine) 4. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, in
which he pardons all their sins, accepts and accounts their persons righteous
in his sight; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but only
for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to
them, and received by faith alone.
(WLC 70) III. THE PREFECT EXPLANATION
(4-5) A. After speaking of
Abraham’s example of justification by faith (4:1-3 cp. Gen 15:6), Paul now
explains what the Scriptures have just stated. B. Paul’s summary begins with the man who is
attempting to work (ergázomai – work or deeds) toward his
justification. C. But the problem is that his wage (misthós
– also reward 1Co 3:8) for working is not an act of favor or grace (cháris
– unmerited favor) but an act of obligation (opheílema – 13:8; Phm 1:18). A righteous God is
never obligated to anyone, especially unrighteous men and especially in
regard to salvation. D. Paul acutely contrasts (“but” dè)
that justification comes to the one who is not attempting to work toward
justification, but is “believing upon” (pisteúonti epí)
Christ’s death on the cross. The preposition, epí (on or upon)
implies that saving faith is reliance upon the faithful promise of God and
not a mere intellectual assent (cp. pisteúōn eís - Joh
3:16. 18, 36; 6:35, 40; 11:25, 26). E. God is described as the agent who is
justifying (dikaio,w dikaioo) the ungodly (avsebh,j asebes - irreverent, godless, 2Pe 3:7).
Justification is the only way the ungodly can have removal of sins and have
righteousness judicially applied. IV. PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS A. If Abraham, the father of
faith (Rom 4:11) was justified by faith, then no person or group should seek
another way (Judaism, Roman Catholicism, any works system). 1. Protestantism
holds to Forensic (legal declaration) and Synthetic (Christ’s righteousness
added to man’s unrighteousness) Justification, while Catholicism holds to
Analytical (infused meritorious righteousness) Justification. 2. The grand irony is that they, who do not
believe in Christ’s imputed righteousness, believe in a treasury of merits
from the saints. B. If Abraham “believed God”
and was credited with righteousness, then everyone who “believes upon”
(exercises their faith) Christ and His death on the cross for their sin will
be declared righteous. C. God promised Abraham that all the families
of the earth would be blessed in Abraham’s seed (Christ), those who have
trusted Christ, no matter how sinful or ungodly, are forgiven, justified, and
truly blessed. |
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