I’m Justified

For the past few weeks, the U.S. Supreme court, as is tradition, has been rendering decisions on cases it has agreed to hear. Many followers of the court have learned to listen intently to the proceedings of the court as those who are bringing legal arguments are asked questions by and respond to the Justices. The answers provided to the Justices are often accompanied by illustrations of the key principle in order to help the justices understand the logical application of the ruling that the lawyer is seeking. In the same way, Paul presents supreme court level arguments throughout the book of Romans, making the case for what would become fundamental Christian doctrines. These include: justification and righteousness by faith; salvation that comes only by grace and not through the law or by works; and the applicability of these important doctrines to everyone (Jews and Gentiles). In Roman's 4:1-12, Paul highlights God's response to Abraham's faith to illustrate the importance of our faith in the process of justification (God's declaration of righteousness in His sight). I pray that you would demonstrate the faith of Abraham and that God would bless you for eternity because of that.

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Rom. 4:1-3) Paul continued making the case for the key doctrine of justification by faith, to the Christians at the church in Rome. This passage was a continuation starting from Rom. 3:21 of Paul's argument around the subjects of justification, righteousness and faith. Here Paul supported his argument by using an example: Abraham gained justification from God because of his faith (not because of works), and God credited it to him as righteousness. You don't have anything to boast about. You have been credited as righteous by God only because of His grace, not because you earned it... Remember that the next time you look down on someone and question whether they are worthy of God's grace!

Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.” (Rom. 4:4-8) Paul further pushed the distinction between grace and works. The person who works is owed something by the person he worked for (ie, there is an obligation to pay). But God freely gives the credits us as righteous if we have faith. He is under no obligation, because it is not something that we have earned. Notably, Paul pointed out that God decides to justify us and give us (in His grace) salvation...even while we are still in an ungodly state of being! In Rom. 5:8, Paul said it this way... While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Paul further cites David as saying that we are blessed if God forgives our sin (ie, an act of grace, not works). In David and Abraham, Paul used two persons that he knew were revered by the Jewish audience to whom he was writing. Are you aware that being good is not enough to save you? Only by God's grace (given, not earned) through faith in Jesus are we saved.

Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. (Rom. 4:9-12) Paul went on to establish that through his faith, God credited Abraham as righteous before he was ever circumcised. To Jewish people, circumcision was a token representing the covenant promise they enjoyed with God through Abraham. Paul pointed out that the basis for God's covenant was never circumcision, but Abraham's righteousness credited to him because of his faith. So all who have that same faith (whether circumcised/uncircumcised, Jew/Gentile) can look to Abraham as their "father", and through their faith, also expect that God would credit it to them as righteousness. Do you have the faith of Abraham that is willing to follow God and believe in His promises for your life?

The book of Romans is very important to Christians. It lays out the case for our justification and salvation by grace through faith in Jesus. Martin Luther would one day read Paul's letter to the Roman church and it would completely change his life and his understanding of the basis of salvation. It would become the spark that would lead Martin Luther to begin the reformation movement. In Romans 4:1-12, we are disabused of the notion that our lineage, our own efforts, our heritage or any other factor apart from faith in Christ determines our salvation from a gracious God. By faith, we are justified and credited as righteous by God. And He graciously saves us. And if you're like me and you know that you have fallen short of the glory of God... that's good news!

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith... (Eph. 2:8)

Blessings,

Rev. Glenn