Romans 4

Romans 4:1-2

Romans 4:1-2 : What then shall we say that Abraham,our forefather, hath found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God. To see clearly the mean-ing of an author it is necessary that we get his background, and be able to grasp the purpose of his writing. Why did Paul labor so earnestly to set forth the distinction between the law and the gospel and to prove that men are justified by faith, and not by works of law? In much of what he said in Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, he set forth plainly that the gospel was a thing apart from the law of Moses, that the law ended at the cross, and that the gospel is God’s perfected plan for man’s redemption. But what was back of all this effort?

What special need was there for so much teaching along that line? The reader will also find some very pointed teaching along the same line in Second Corinthians, Ephesians, and Colossians. Why was it so necessary that all the churches be informed along these lines?

 

The first converts to Christ were Jews. They were so wedded to the law of Moses that they broke away from it slowly. At first they thought the gospel was for Jews only. The conversion of Cornelius convinced them that God had also granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life (Acts 11:18). But they still thought and contended that these Gentile Christians had to keep the law of Moses. After the church was planted at Antioch, “certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, saying, Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1).

When appeal was made to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit through them decreed that the Gentiles should not be required to keep the law. But this decree did not stop the mouths of some of these extreme Judaizing Christians. These went about among the churches, making much trouble in the churches where there were Gentile members. They sought to make the church a mere sect of the Jews and the gospel a sort of adjunct to the law of Moses. Judging from a human standpoint, they would have succeeded had it not been for Paul. Be-cause he fought them on every point of their contentions, they were his bitter enemies.

 

A little thought will enable one to see that Paul’s whole line of reasoning along these lines was directed against the contention of these Judaizing Christians, and not toward the unbelieving Jews. When he dealt with the unbelieving Jews, he sought to convince them that Jesus was the Christ of whom the prophets spoke. It would have been useless to argue to one who did not believe in Jesus as the Christ that the law ended at the cross and that the Jew had become dead to the law that he might be married to Christ Jesus; but it was eminently fitting to so argue to one who believed in Christ and yet held that the law was still binding. It was necessary also to indoctrinate the churches on this point so as to limit the pernicious influence of these Judaizers.

 

These Judaizers put stress on their fleshly relation to Abraham and on the fleshly mark of circumcision. In effect Paul said to them: “You put so much stress on the flesh, now tell us what Abraham obtained ac-cording to the flesh. He came out of heathenism, and therefore had no fleshly connections of which he could boast, and he was also justified before he was circumcised. He was not justified by works, and therefore could not boast toward God.” Then he quotes the Scriptures to remind them that Abraham was justified on a plan contrary to their contention.

Romans 4:3

Romans 4:3 : For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. This is a quotation from Genesis 15:6. Jehovah had just promised Abraham a son and a posterity as numberless as the stars, though he was old and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.” One of the strangest things in all the field of Bible exegesis is the contention so general-ly made that this language refers to the justification of Abraham as an alien sinner. It seems to be taken for granted that up to the time spoken of in this verse he was an unforgiven, condemned sinner. It has been argued that Paul here spoke of Abraham’s justifica-tion as a sinner and that James (James 2:21-24) spoke of his justification as a righteous man.

It is surprising that any person at all familiar with the history of Abraham would so contend, for the facts are all against such a supposition. But what are the facts? For a number of years previous to the promise to Abraham of a son and numerous posterity Abraham had been a faithful servant of God. Consider carefully the following facts:

1. God had appeared to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees and commanded him to go into a land which would be shown him, and promised to bless him, and to make a great nation of him, and to bless all families through his seed (Genesis 12:1-3; Acts 7:2-3).

 

2. “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went” (Hebrews 11:8). By faith he obeyed, and trust-ingly did as commanded, not knowing where he was going. Strange conduct for an unforgiven, condemned sinner!

 

3. When he reached the place of Shechem, in the land of Canaan, “Jehovah appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto Jehovah, who appeared unto him” (Genesis 12:6-7). Why this promise, and why this worship, if Abraham was then an unforgiven sinner?

 

4. Abraham moved on to a mountain between Bethel and Ai; “and there he builded an altar unto Jehovah, and called upon the name of Jehovah” (Genesis 12:8).

 

5. After his unfortunate visit to Egypt, he returned to the altar between Bethel and Ai; “and there Abram called on the name of Jehovah” (Genesis 13:3-4). Can anyone believe that an unforgiven sinner was thus worshiping Jehovah and calling on his name?

 

6. When he returned from the slaughter of the kings who had taken Lot captive, Melchizedek, priest of God Most High, “blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of God Most High.” As Abram was blessed, or happy, and as he was described as “Abram of God Most High,” it is certain that he was not a condemned alien sinner.

 

7. After these things and before the promise of a son, the Lord said to him: “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Genesis 15:1). That settles it. God would not tell an unforgiven sinner not to fear; neither is he the shield and exceeding great reward of such a sinner.

 

Why have not all these things been taken into consideration by our super-exegetes? It is certain therefore that the language in Genesis 15:6 and Romans 4:3 does not refer to the justification of an alien sinner, and they greatly err who so apply it. It is true that Paul was trying to convince the Jews that this justifica-tion happened before the giving of the law, but he was using this well known fact to offset their claim that a person had to be circumcised after the manner of Moses, or he could not be saved. Their own father Abraham, of whom they boasted, would be cut off by their arguments for the law.

 

An author whom I have been reading quotes Romans 4:3-6 and makes this remark:

 

“Just as Abraham was reckoned righteous, not because of his works, but because of his faith in God, so the sinner is reckoned righteous because of his faith in Christ.”

 

If the author will look a little more closely, he will see that Paul does not say that Abraham was reckoned righteous because of his faith in God. God reckons to a man only that which he has or should have. Abraham believed God, and his belief was reckoned to him, or put down to his account, or considered. Neither does the record say that faith was counted, or reckoned, as if it were righteousness, nor was it counted as a substitute for righteousness. But the record does say that Abraham’s faith was reckoned, or counted, to him for (eis, into, or in order to, or unto) righteousness. On the grounds of his faith God forgave him of whatever sins he might have been guilty, and so declared him to be righteous.

If no guilt attaches to a man, if there is no sin charged against him, he is a righteous man. If a man never sinned, he would be righteous by works if he sins and God forgives him, removes sin entirely from him, he is then righteous by grace, or favor. But the man who attains righteousness through forgiveness has no grounds for boasting. For that reason Abraham had no grounds for boasting; for the same reason none now have grounds for boasting.

 

Romans 4:1-3 connects back with the twenty-seventh verse of the third chapter, which says: “Where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? of works? Nay: but by a law of faith.” Moffatt’s rendering of this verse, as quoted by K. C. Moser, in “The Way of Salvation,” cannot justly be considered a translation at all: “Then what becomes of our boasting?

It is ruled out absolutely. On what principle? On the principle of doing deeds? No, on the principle of faith.” Much is said about the “principle of faith.” Now, faith is an act of the mind, or heart; and a per-son might as well talk about the principle of thinking or the principle of joy, as to talk about the principle of belief. Such an expression as “the principle of faith” conveys no idea, to the mind. If a man’s life were as perfect as the Pharisee imagined his to be, he could boast; but if a man sins and is forgiven, there is ground for humility, but not for boasting.

Romans 4:4

Romans 4:4 : Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. The word reckon is met with so often in this fourth chapter that it is well for us to notice carefully its significance. The reward is reckoned to the person that works, because it is his due. Paul is not condemning salvation by works in this verse; he is merely stating a truth. We can rest assured that if we could so work as to bring God in debt to us to the extent of our salvation, he would pay that debt. But for that to be true, a person’s work would have to be perfect–he would have to so live as to never sin, never incur any guilt.

But if a man sins once, salvation can never come to him as a debt. Such a man can never be justified by works of law. He needs forgiveness, and the law does not for-give; it condemns. No perfection of works will blot out, or forgive, a sin already committed, nor make void grace in the forgiveness of that sin.

 

Much random talk has been indulged in on this verse (Romans 4:4), and much of it is very hurtful. It has been made to do service in an effort to prove that a sinner could do nothing in order to be saved. Paul had no such point in view. If we keep in mind his argument, we will have no trouble in seeing his point; but if we switch his language from his line of argument and make his language refer to the conditions on which pardon is offered to an alien sinner, we misrepresent him and lose ourselves in the confusion of our own no-tions. To me it seems inexcusable that a person should so misunderstand Paul as to draw the following conclusion: “Indeed, it seems to be difficult even at the present time for many to grasp the idea of righteous-ness that does not depend on human effort.” Surely the author did not properly consider the import of his words. If a Universalist or an Ultra-Calvinist had penned such words, we would not be surprised.

Not only am I not able to grasp the idea of a righteousness that does not depend on human effort, but I do not believe there is such righteousness in any human being. If a human being is made righteous without any human effort, then why are not all righteous? It is certain that the most of them are not making any effort to at-thin to righteousness.

Romans 4:5

Romans 4:5 : But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. The reader will notice that Paul says nothing about “the one who depends on works,” nor “the one who depends not on works.” He speaks of the one who works and the one who does not work. Works must have the same significance in both cases (verses 4 and 5), for Paul had not changed his subject. Only perfect works, works without any guilt of sin, can bring salvation as a debt. The one “who worketh” is, therefore, the one whose works are so perfect that he has no guilt of sin. But no one has so lived.

Hence, to the one whose work is not perfect, but who believes in Jesus Christ, God reckons, or counts his faith for (eis, in order to) his righteousness–that is, in order that, on the basis of his faith, he may for-give his sins and thus constitute him a righteous per-son. Let us not be so unjust with Paul as to switch his language from his line of reasoning and make it apply to the acts of obedience required in the gospel. Certainly Paul did not mean to say that God makes the person righteous who will not obey him, the person who simply does nothing. If so, he puts a premium on the very thing from which the gospel is intended to save us, and contradicts other things said by him.

 

Paul did not have special reference to the salvation of alien sinners, as will be seen by observing his quota-tion from David. The connection in Psalms 32, from which Paul quotes, shows that David had special reference to his own forgiveness. He did not have in mind the forgiveness of alien sinners, but the forgiveness of a servant of God. God counts the man righteous, whose sins are forgiven. To such a man the Lord does not reckon sin, because his sins have been forgiven, and he is no longer guilty. Such a one is righteous.

 

Paul and James.

Paul says: “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness” (Romans 4:5). James says: “Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith” (James 2:24). Paul says “For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory” (Romans 4:2). James says: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?” (James 2:21). Some have thought that there is a conflict between Paul and James, but rightly considered there is not even a seeming discrepancy between them. However, James does flatly contradict the explanation sometimes given to Paul’s language. Trouble comes from misun-derstanding Paul or misapplying James, or both.

 

Paul was talking about works of law; James was talking about works of faith. Paul was showing the Judaizing Christians that no one could be righteous, or justified, by works of law, for no one kept the law perfectly, and that to be justified, or made righteous, a person must believe in Christ. To the one who does not fulfill the works of the law, but believes in God, faith is reckoned for righteousness. Paul was arguing that works without faith would not justify, and James was arguing that faith without works would not justify. To exclude either is to fail of justification. Both referred to Abraham to illustrate their points.

Abraham was justified without works of law, but he was justified by works of faith. James laid down the principle that faith without works is dead, and will not justify. He used Abraham as an illustra-tion, and then drew the broad conclusion that a man –any man–is justified by works, and not by faith only.

An effort is sometimes made to explain Paul and James by saying that Paul was talking of justification of an alien sinner, and James, about the justification of a Christian. It is argued that an alien sinner must be justified by faith only, in order that it may be by grace, and that if the sinner has to perform any conditions, his salvation is of works and not of grace. But what about the Christian? It is strange that these super-exegetes do not see that if works of faith destroy grace, then the works which they say a Christian must perform to be justified destroys all grace from the life of a Christian. Tell us, ye super-exegetes, how according to your judgment, there can be any grace in the justification of a Christian by works.

 

But the theory that Paul’s argument eliminates all conditions from the salvation of a sinner not only contradicts James, but Paul also. If all works are eliminated, faith itself is eliminated, for it is a work. “They said therefore unto him, What must we do, that we may work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28-29). And Paul tells us emphatically that eternal life is granted to those who “by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption” (Romans 2:6-7). To seek by patience in well-doing requires human effort. Again: “But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18).

They obeyed from the heart. That means that their faith expressed it-self in obedience to God.

By this obedience they were made free from sin. Here again is human effort. Grace provided the plan by which sinners are saved, or made righteous, and grace tells us how to come into possession of that salvation. If people would quit ar-raying the commands of God against the grace of God, they would have a clearer vision of the scheme of redemption. God’s grace is in every command he gives. The sinner was lost God prepared a way by which he could get out of that lost state. That was grace. But that was not enough.

He needed to know how to find that way, and how to walk in it. It is as much a matter of grace to tell him how to find that way, and how to walk in it as it is to provide the way. But when the way is fully prepared, and full directions given as to how to find the way, and how to walk in it, the next move is man’s. The whole matter is strikingly illustrated by the events of Pentecost. The way had been prepared and revealed to the people; and then, in re-sponse to their question, Peter told them how to get in that way. That was all a matter of grace. Then Peter exhorted them to save themselves. Many did what was commanded and were saved.

On God’s side their salvation was wholly a matter of grace. And the people were as prompt in their obedience as if their salvation were wholly a matter of works. And so far as anything they could do about it was concerned, their salvation was wholly a matter of works.

Romans 4:6-8

Romans 4:6-8 : Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteous-ness apart from works, saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin. The Lord does not reckon sin, but does reckon righteousness, to the person whose sins are forgiven. The Lord reckons, or imputes, sin to the person so long as he is a sinner, and because he is a sinner. But when his sins are forgiven, the Lord does not reckon them against him anymore. The forgiven man is right-ems, and hence the Lord imputes, or reckons, righteousness to him.

It has been erroneously assumed and falsely argued that to impute a thing to a person is to put to his ac-count something he does not have, or somewhat more than he has. The Presbyterian and Baptist Confessions of Faith, and a host of theologians of both schools, teach that the righteousness of Christ is imputed, or credited, to the sinner. I was sorry to see it also taught in “The Way of Salvation.” The doctrine is wholly without scriptural support. If to impute means to consider a person somewhat more than he is, or to credit him with something which belongs to another, then to impute sin to a person would be to consider him worse than he is, or to charge to him the sins of another! Righteousness belongs to character, and it is absurd to think that personal righteousness can be transferred to another. When by the power of the gospel a man has been made clean and free from sin, God reckons righteousness to him, because he is righteous.

God does not pretend that a man is righteous when he is not. The denominational doctrine of imputed righteousness reminds one of the children’s game of “play-like.” And their doctrine discredits the gospel as God’s saving power, and belittles the merits and efficacy of the blood of Christ, for it teaches that some corruption remains in the regenerate, but he is counted righteous because he is clothed with the righteousness of Christ. That is “play-like” theology.

 

But the gospel makes men righteous, just as a soiled garment may be made clean, as clean as if it had never been soiled, by carrying it through a process of cleans-ing. So the gospel takes the sin-defiled person through a process of cleansing that makes him as clean as if he had never sinned. The Lord does not “play-like” he is righteous he makes him righteous by the gospel.

Romans 4:9

Romans 4:9 : Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness. “This blessing” is the blessing mentioned in Romans 4:6-8 –the blessing of having the sins forgiven, so as to be counted righteous. “The circumcision” were the Jews; “the uncircumcision” were the Gentiles. Paul’s questions are equal to affirming that this blessing may be upon the Gentiles as well as upon Jews. “For we say”–that is, we all say. There is one thing upon which we all agree–namely, “To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness.” And what they said was based on Genesis 15:6. It shows clearly that it was his faith that was reckoned, or put to his account, for or in order to, his righteousness. As Abraham was righteous before he was required to be circumcised, so might the Gentile, of whom circum-cision had never been required, be righteous without it.

Romans 4:10

Romans 4:10 : How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. Paul had reminded the Judaizer that Abraham was justified without the works of the law. Of course, they knew this, but may not have thought of the bearing it would have on their contention. But now they might reply that he was circumcised. To that possible objection, Paul replies that he was righteous even before he was circumcised. Abraham’s case shows that a person who had not been commanded to be circumcised could be righteous with-out it, and every Jew knew that Gentiles had never been commanded to be circumcised. It was possible, therefore, for them to be righteous without it.

Romans 4:11

Romans 4:11 : “And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them. Circumcision was a sign of the covenant made with Abraham; it was to be perpetuated as a sign of membership in that covenant. It did not bring one into the covenant, as some think. Every child of Jewish parentage was a member of that covenant by virtue of his descent from Abraham. “And the un-circumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul sha” be cut off from his people; he bath broken my covenant” (Genesis 17:14). It could not be said that a person broke the covenant by failing to be circumcised, if he were not in the covenant.

 

But circumcision was more than a sign to Abraham; it was a seal of the righteousness of his faith, a stamp of God’s approval of his faith. To the Hebrews it was sign of the covenant to Abraham only was it a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had in uncircumcision.

 

Something was done that Abraham might be the father of all who believe, both of Gentiles and Jews. What was it? It does not seem possible that Paul meant that Abraham was circumcised that he might be the father of the uncircumcised believer. Evidently, it was the righteousness of the faith which he had in uncircumcision that constituted him “the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them” that is, he is the father of the Gentile believers, though they be not circumcised. And God reckons righteous-ness to them without circumcision.

Romans 4:12

Romans 4:12 : And the father of circumcision to them who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had in uncircumcision. Paul does not use the term “father Abraham” as the Jews would use it, but he uses it in its Christian sense. He does not say that Abraham is the father of the circumcision. With Paul he is not the father of Jews as such, but only of those Jews who “walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had in uncircumcision.” He is the father of the believers, whether they be Gentiles or Jews. There is no difference; “for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). This accords with what Peter said in reply to the Judaizing teachers in Jerusalem: “And he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9).

 

In a national and fleshly sense Abraham was the father of the whole Jewish nation, but that is not the sense in which Paul here uses the term “father Abraham.” God promised Abraham: “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 22:18). We do not have to guess to whom this promise refers, for Paul says: “Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ” (Galatians 3:16). Abraham’s seed, through whom the world was to be blessed, was Jesus the Christ, and none other. But there is a sense in which all Christians are Abraham’s seed. “And if ye are Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise”(Galatians 3:29). In the high gospel sense contemplated in the promise made to Abraham, he is the father of only those who believe in Christ.

A Jew, as such, has no part in this promise. The spiritual fam-ily of Abraham has superseded the fleshly family. God’s order is: the fleshly first, then the spiritual.

Romans 4:13

Romans 4:13 : For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith. The marginal reading has “through law.” The Greek has no “the” before “law” in this verse. Abraham did not receive the promise through law, evidently meaning that the promise was not given him on account of his perfectly keeping any law. That he should be the heir of the world is not definitely stated in any of the promises made to Abraham. The promise here re-ferred to cannot be the land promise, for that promise did not include the world. And Paul’s argument in the remainder of the chapter shows that he did not have the land promise in mind.

When God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees, he promised to make of him a great nation, and then added the promise that refers to Christ: “And in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3). That this promise includes all the nations is plainly declared when God renewed this promise to Abraham: “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be bless-ed” (Genesis 22:18). When God made the covenant of circumcision with Abraham, he referred to the prom-ise made to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees, saying “For the father of a multitude of nations have I made thee” (Genesis 17:5). God had already constituted him a father of a multitude of nations when circumcision was commanded. In a fleshly sense Abraham was not the father of a multitude of nations; in a spiritual sense he was. Jesus was made heir of all things.

Hebrews 1:1-2; Psalms 2:7-8 shows that it was the people to which Christ became heir.

Romans 4:14

Romans 4:14 : For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect. The world was not promised to Abraham’s natural seed. God promised to make of his natural seed a great nation, and to give them a definite territory, but they were not constituted the heirs of the world. The seed that was to bless the world was Christ. “Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed which is Christ” (Galatians 3:16). “Whom he appointed heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:2). With this agree the words of David: “I will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto me, Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee.

Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession” (Psalms 2:7-8). Now, this promise of world-wide inheritance was not made to Abraham through the righteousness of the law, but through the righteousness of faith. Paul had shown the Judaizing teachers that Abraham was not righteous by law, but by faith. Now he shows briefly that the promise of the Messiah was through the righteousness of faith, and not through the right-eousness of law.

 

“Through the law” means through the righteousness of the law, for the person who does not keep the law perfectly receives nothing through the law but punishment. “They that are of the law” means they that are righteous by law. If such are heirs, faith as a basis for righteousness is void. If the promise was made -to those who would keep the law, the promise would have been of no effect, for no one kept the law there would have been no one to whom the promise applied. All would have been subject to penalty for violating law, Instead of receiving a reward for keeping it.

Romans 4:15

Romans 4:15 : For the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. This cannot mean that the law stirs up wrath in man toward him who gave the law. The law brings wrath upon man, because he violates it. If it were kept perfectly, it would bring the rewards of righteousness but it brings punishment, for no one keeps it perfectly. Be-cause men violate law, it works wrath.

 

Paul’s statement that there is no transgression where there is no law does not mean that there ever was a people that had no law, for he had already shown that both Jews and Gentiles were all under sin. The moral law is always in force, and applies to all. What, then, does Paul mean? No one transgresses a law that has not been given. Abraham did not transgress the law of Moses, for it had not been given in his day.

 

Neither did he transgress the law of baptism or the Lord’s Supper. There were no such requirements in his day. Even the law of Moses was binding only on those to whom it was given. “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law” (Romans 3:19). The Gentiles were never under the law, and, therefore, never did transgress it. The Gentile Christians were, therefore, not guilty of any transgression in failing to be circumcised, or in failing to keep the law of Moses. For them there was no such law. Thus, in a few words, Paul refutes the contention of the Judaizing teachers, who demanded that the Gentile Christians be circumcised and keep the law of Moses.

Romans 4:16

Romans 4:16 : For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may 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. The promised inheritance, in which Christians share, is of faith, instead of through the righteousness of law, that it may be according to grace. If the promise had been made on the condition that people keep the law, it would not have been sure to any one, for no one kept the law. And, had any one kept the law perfectly and thereby come into the inheritance, it would not have been by grace, but by merit. But as it is, the promise extends to all who are of the faith of Abraham, whether they be Jews or Gentiles.

Romans 4:17

Romans 4:17 : (As it is written, a father of many nations have I made thee) before whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and called, the things that are not, as though they were. In the parenthesis is a quotation from Genesis 17:5. To see the force of the past tense of this quotation, it is necessary to go back and consider the events narrated in Genesis 17:1-14. Jehovah appeared to Abraham when Abraham was ninety-nine years old and said to him: “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make a covenant between me and thee.” Here was a covenant about to be made, and the sequel shows that it was the land covenant, with circumcision as the sign of the covenant. Be it remembered that God had (Genesis 12:1-3) promised Abraham that in his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed, and also that Peter, in Acts 3:25, quotes this promise and calls it a covenant.

That was not the covenant that God proposed to make with Abraham in Genesis 17:2. When this covenant was proposed, “Abraham fell on his face and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be the father of a multitude of nations.” “My covenant is with thee”–that is, he had already covenanted with him to make him a father of a multitude of nations. Hence, he says in the next verse: “the father of a multitude of nations have I made thee.” He had already constituted him a father of many nations. This shows that the covenant to make him the father of a multitude of nations, which was made in Ur of the Chaldees, was distinct from the land and circumcision covenant. And Paul’s use of the statement in Genesis 17:5 shows that it was fulfilled in Christ as the Savior of the world. The law of Moses, which the Judaizing teachers were so zealously seeking to fasten on the Gentile Christians, had nothing to do with the promise, or covenant, to make Abraham the father of a multitude of nations.

 

This is made still plainer in Galatians 3:16-17 : “Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law which came four hundred and thirty years after, cloth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.” Here, again, the promise to bless the world through Abraham’s seed is called a covenant, and its absolute distinction from the law of Moses is emphasized.

 

God gives life to the dead. He is the source of all life, both physical and spiritual. Dead matter comes to life at his command. At the time God constituted Abraham the father of a multitude of nations, Abraham had no son. Before Isaac was born, God changed his name from “Abram,” exalted father, to “Abra-ham,” the father of a multitude. Thus he “calleth the things that are not, as though they were.” Abraham is the father of all who walk in the steps of his faith.

 

To understand some things Paul says about Abra-ham’s faith and hope, it is necessary to bear in mind some facts and dates in the life of Abraham. Before he was seventy-five years old, “by faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance” (Hebrews 11:8). On the way to Canaan he tarried at Haran till his father died; “and Abraham was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran” (Genesis 12:4). He was eighty-six years old at the birth of Ishmael, and one hundred years old at the birth of Isaac (Genesis 16:16; Genesis 21:5).

Romans 4:18

Romans 4:18 : Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be. The promise–“so shall thy seed be” –was made to Abraham before Ishmael was born. To say that Abraham’s body was then as good as dead is to commit one to the theory that Ishmael was miraculously begotten. It is not likely that any one will take that position. Abraham was then still in possession of the full powers of his manhood. But Sarah was barren, and hence there were no natural grounds for Abraham to hope that she would ever bear a son.

Yet, God had promised to make his seed as numberless as the stars. “And he believed in Jehovah and he reckoned it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). In hope he believed against hope–believed that he would become a father in spite of Sarah’s barrenness. It seems that Abraham and Sarah tried to help God out of the seeming difficulty. “And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, Jehovah hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, into my hand-maid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai” (Genesis 16:2). As a result of this step of unbelief, a son was born to Abraham by Hagar. Evidently Abraham thought that move settled the difficulty, and that Ishmael was the one through whom the promise would be fulfilled; for when God later promised that he should have a son by Sarah, he said to God: “Oh that Ishmael might live before thee” (Genesis 17:15-18).

But when Jehovah in-formed him that his covenant would be established with the son to be born to him by Sarah, he believed Gad.

Romans 4:19-22

Romans 4:19-22 : And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform. Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. It required strong faith on the part of Abraham to accept God’s promise that he would be the father of a son by Sarah when both were incompetent; but he had been a strong believer in God so long that his faith was able to stand the test. “He wavered not through unbelief” he was not weakened in faith. Concerning this manifestation of faith Paul adds: “Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.” Just when Abraham first became a righteous man we do not know.

 

While Abraham was yet in Ur of the Chaldees, God promised him through the righteousness of faith that he should be the heir of the world (Genesis 12:1-3 Romans 4:13). How long he had been a believer in God before this promise was made through the righteousness of faith we know not. Some years later, when God prom-ised him that his seed should be as numberless as the stars, it is said that he believed in God, and he counted it to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:5-6). But it is certain that this was not the beginning of his righteousness by faith. About fifteen years later, when God promised him that Sarah should bear him a son, whom he should call Isaac, his faith did not weaken (Genesis 17:15-21). Concerning his faith at this time Paul says: “Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.” Later, perhaps twenty-five years later, God commanded him to offer up Isaac.

Again his faith failed not. Of this greatest test of his faith James says: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect; and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God” (James 2:21-23).

 

Hence, that Abraham was righteous by faith is af-firmed of him on four separate occasions, covering a period of perhaps fifty years. It is astonishing that so many Bible students have overlooked these plain and important facts. To me it seems inexcusable that any Bible student should take Genesis 15:6 as an example of the justification of an alien sinner. And it seems doubly inexcusable for the same writer to so mix events as to make Genesis 16:6 and Romans 4:22 refer to the same event, and then, though the statements refer to events fifteen years apart, use both as examples of the justification of an alien! These things were not written to show how alien sinners are justified. Paul was meeting the demands of the Judaizers, who claimed that Gentile Christians had to keep the law.

The justification of an alien sinner was not the point at issue, but whether a Gentile Christian had to keep the Jaw to be justified as a Christian. It does not appear that the Judaizers denied that the Gentile believers were saved, but their contention was that Gentile Christians must, as servants of God, keep the law to be eternally saved, or to remain in a state of salvation. To offset their contention, Paul shows that all down through Abraham’s life of service to God he was right-eous by faith. Note Paul’s next statement.

Romans 4:23-25

Romans 4:23-25 : Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned unto him; but for our sakes also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification. That Abraham’s faith was reckoned un-to him for righteousness was written for the sake of those who now believe. It is a guaranty that the be-liever’s faith will now be reckoned unto him for right-eousness. We must believe in the resurrection of Christ as well as his death, for without his resurrection his death would have availed nothing. But there must be a union of faith and works. Paul shows that works without faith cannot save, and James shows that faith without works is dead, and, therefore, worthless.

 

Summary.

The gospel is God’s power to save man, for in it is revealed a plan by which sinners may be made righteous. It is man’s only hope, for God’s wrath is revealed against all ungodliness and unright-eousness of men. Gentile and Jew were alike sinners, and could not be justified by law. But this gospel plan of righteousness was a thing apart from the law, though it was witnessed by the law and the prophets. This gospel righteousness is a state to which we attain by the forgiveness of our sins. It is, therefore, of grace and not of merit.

If a man’s works were per-fect, his reward would be as of debt. But if a man sins, his forgiveness and consequent righteousness cannot be otherwise than a matter of grace. No amount of works that a person may do will make his forgiveness any less a matter of grace. Salvation by grace through faith is open to all, for Christ died for all. Both Jew and Gentile believers are heirs of the promise made to Abraham. They are wrong who claim that Christians must keep the law of Moses to be justified, for Abraham was justified by faith without the law.