Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (8.1)

The Epistle to the Romans

Romans 4:1-16 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

Please read this passage first once and then read the notes. Be sure that you grasp the vital concepts of (1) imputation and (2) the impossibility of salvation by obedience to the law.

Introduction

From Chapter 3:21, Apostle Paul had introduced the doctrine of salvation by faith. In this chapter he teaches us how God saves, namely, by the process of imputation of righteousness (ie. putting into one’s account).

Justification by Faith Evidenced in Old Testament

v.1 Paul chooses to use Abraham as an example because no Jew would dare question Abraham's salvation. Therefore, the question is not whether Abraham was saved but rather how he was saved.

v.2  If Abraham was justified by works, then he could glory (ie, boast) that he deserved to be saved. Then heaven would be filled with proud men – but God would not allow this to happen (“not before God”!). God wants heaven to be filled with thankful people, not proud people. Heaven would be worse than “hell” if it were filled with proud people, boasting of their achievements!

v.3 This quotation is taken from GEN 15:6. "Counted" means "imputed." Imputation is an accounting term – which means to put something into someone’s account. For example, if money is imputed into my account, I immediately become richer. Imputation changes one’s standing (account) not one’s character. In other words, if a million dollars was put into my account by a generous donor, I would immediately become a millionaire – though I may still not behave like a millionaire. When Jesus Christ died on the Cross our sins were put into His account and His righteousness was offered to be put into our account – if we trusted in Him. Therefore, when Abraham believed God, God’s righteousness was imputed into his account. That is, he became rich in righteousness (which God gave him).

v.4 If one works, then he should be paid – and his pay is due unto him. It is a debt that is due unto him. It is not given by grace. “Grace” means “undeserved reward.” If we are saved by our good works, then none of us would be thankful to God.

v.5 However, man who is not saved by his good works but by believing in God’s promises – and this faith in God’s promises obtains for him an imputation of righteousness (from God).

v.6 Paul uses David as the second example because in Jewish minds he is the second most revered man, after Abraham. David also understood this concept of imputation.

v.7,8 These verses are quoted from PSA 32:1,2. Actually, these verses teach us that our sins are imputed on the Saviour, rather than His righteousness imputed on us. Nonetheless, even an O.T. saint like David understood this important doctrine of imputation. If we don’t understand the doctrine of imputation, we don’t understand God’s salvation plan – how our faith in Christ causes us to be acceptable before a holy and just God!

v.9  Paul now sets out to prove that this imputation took place before Abraham was circumcised – to prove that salvation is available also to the Gentiles. (Jews had difficulty believing that Gentiles could be saved).

v.10 Abraham was accounted by God to be righteous before he was circumcised (see GEN 15:6).

v.11 Circumcision was given by God as a seal (ie, pledge – a token, a receipt) of His promise that He would save His people by faith. Whenever a Jew saw his circumcision, he was supposed to remember  God’s promise that He would save those who have faith in Him. However, over time this original purpose for circumcision was forgotten and the Jews thought that circumcision was a “ticket” to heaven.

The “ticket” to heaven for all men is Christ! Circumcision was to remind the Jews to trust in the Messiah – when He came.

Abraham was called the father of all them that believe because it was with Abraham that God gave this promise to save by faith. The fact that Abraham had righteousness imputed on him before being circumcised, implies that he is the spiritual father of both the circumcised (Jews) and the uncircumcised (Gentiles).

v.12 Abraham was the spiritual “father” of all that believe, whether circumcised or uncircumcised. 

v.13 God’s promise was that salvation was not by obedience to the law but through faith.

v.14 Since God had earlier promised Abraham that these promises would be obtained by faith, if He now demanded obedience to the law as the condition for salvation, then He would be going back on His promise of salvation by faith (ie, the promise made of none effect).

v.15 Strictly speaking there can be no transgression (ie, breaking of the law) unless there is first a law to break. If obedience to the law is a condition for salvation, then all of us would face God’s wrath (ie, angry judgement) because if we break one single law just once, we become outlaws. For example, if a law-abiding Singapore citizen is found with just one illegal drug, he is considered guilty and punished. He cannot tell the judge to set him free because he has committed only one crime, while throughout his life he has never broken one single law.

In other words, obedience to the law demands total obedience – not as some people say: “if my good works are more than mine sins, then I will go to heaven!” Therefore, those who think that the way to heaven is by obedience to the law are described in GAL 3:10 (“cursed is every one continueth not in all things written  in  the  book of  the  law  to  do  them").

v.16 Therefore, the only way we can be sure of our salvation is if it is of faith, not by obedience to the law. If salvation were dependent on our good works we could never be sure of our salvation! But if it were by simple faith in Christ, then we can be sure of our salvation.

Summary

1. In God’s opinion, the most “right” things that we can do is to realise that we are sinners who cannot save ourselves, and that we should depend on Him for salvation. Therefore, in God’s eyes the “righteous” man is one who trusts in His provisions for salvation. The word “righteous” comes from the word “right.”

2. The doctrine of imputation is not a strange doctrine of religion. On the contrary every time we receive a “gift” from our parents or others, we become “richer through imputation.” Every day bank transactions impute huge amounts into people’s accounts and change their financial positions. God’s donation of His Son changes our spiritual position.

3.  Most men believe that if their good works outweigh their evil works then they will get to heaven. Imagine a criminal claiming that he is innocent because his good works were more than his crimes. The judge would laugh! The nature of law is that one is expected to obey all the laws – it is not a case of obeying more, but of obeying all laws.