Paul is discussing this question
in the light of the experience of Abraham. And so he's talking
about Abraham, and we're not gonna read it all because we're
gonna be referring to a lot of things today. We'll look back
at it, but let's begin in verse 14, remembering that he is discussing
the man Abraham, the father of the faithful and of the Jew. So he's discussing that. I'm sorry, it's verse 13. For
the promise that he, that is Abraham, should be heir of the
world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but
through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are
of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made
of none effect, because the law worketh wrath. For where no law
is, there is no transgression. Now here's our text, verse 16. Therefore it is of faith that
it might be by grace, to the end the promise might 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. Now look in the middle of that
verse, or rather the beginning of that verse, Therefore it is
of faith that it might be by grace. You're aware, I know,
that the scripture teaches that one must have a proper righteousness
in order to stand before God and be accepted and approved
of him. One must have a proper righteousness
in order to be saved, to go to heaven, to spend a life of happiness
in the presence of the Lord. Paul says so in 1 Corinthians
chapter 6 and verse 9. The unrighteous shall not inherit
the kingdom of God. Then he names some things there
that fall under the heading of unrighteousness. Get it again? The unrighteous shall not inherit
the kingdom of heaven. Again, in Galatians 5, this time
in verse 11, after listing several works of the flesh that are to
be avoided, Paul says, they which do such things shall not inherit
the kingdom of God. Again in Ephesians chapter 5
and verse 5 for this you know that nor whoremonger which refers
to a person who is sexually immoral and the word can be translated
fornication as we have it a soul word porno I believe it is and
nor unclean person nor greedy person who is an idolater has
any inheritance in the kingdom of God and of Christ. And what's more, there is none
righteous before God, no not one. As we read in Romans chapter
3 and verse 10, quoted from Psalm 14, Psalm chapter 53. Isaiah 64 and verse 6 crowns
it for us, I think, our righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight
of God. Putrid, filthy rags in the sight
of Almighty God. Then in Matthew 5 verse 20, our
Lord in speaking in the Sermon on the Mount told his hearers
something very, very interesting. He said, except your righteousness
exceed that of the scribes and of the Pharisees. Now these men
were the most religious and the most devoted and the most conscientious
of their day, but Christ said, Unless you have a righteousness
that excels there, you shall in no case, by no means, in any
way, enter into the kingdom of heaven. In Romans chapter 10
and verse 3, of the Jew and of their blind zeal and search for
a self-righteousness, their blind and ignorant zeal. Being ignorant,
Paul said, of the righteousness of God, here's what they did.
Going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted
themselves unto the righteousness of God. Now one more example,
if I might. Paul, or Saul, aka as Paul, listed
the things in which he once trusted to stand him good in the sight
of God. You have it in Philippians chapter
3 and verse 5 and verse 6. You have it again in Romans chapter
11 and verse 1. Paul could boast. that he was
an Israelite indeed. He was a seed of Abraham. He had come out of the loins
of that good man, of the beloved tribe of Benjamin, seemingly
a favorite tribe. He was a pure Hebrew. He had
been circumcised on the eighth day, the appointed day for circumcision. And on top of that, He belonged
to the strictest sect of the Jew there was. He was a Pharisee. In his zeal against Christianity,
he fought it with everything in him and then considered himself
to be blameless before the law. He said there in Philippians
chapter 3, before the law blameless. He thought himself blameless
and those who knew him thought himself blameless before the
Lord. But then when that same man was
called by Christ and saved by the grace of God and appointed
to be a minister and an apostle of the Gentile, after all those
things which he had trusted in, and had counted as his righteousness. He counts them all off, he said. He counts them even dung, refuse,
or trash to be thrown out. And there's what Paul said in
Philippians 3 and verse 9. And being found in him not having
mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which
is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of
God by faith." Now be sure that you catch the contrast in that
passage of Scripture. not having mine own righteousness,
but having the righteousness of God. And that righteousness
he described as being by faith. Hence Paul has very well validated
our subject for today, the righteousness of faith and how men and women
and sinners become righteous. by faith, have the righteousness
of faith. And we remember that 1 Corinthians
1.30 said, Christ is made unto us righteousness. Christ is our
righteousness. And that he bore our sin. He
was made sin that we might be made the righteousness of God
in him. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse
21. Now perhaps now it's time to
ask and seek to answer the question, what exactly is righteousness? What does it mean to be righteous?
What righteousness is it that is spoken of? What does it mean? to be a righteous person in the
sight of God. And of course, we're speaking
not from the moors of society, but from the standpoint of the
scripture. We speak of a justifying, saving
righteousness that will stand one good in the sight of God,
and they will be saved thereby. How to define righteousness? What is the meaning? What is
it when one is righteous? By the way, the words righteous
and righteousness are very common in the New Testament and are
dozens of times in the Pauline Epistle. It comes from a Greek
word meaning equity, or right, or just, and so some express
the meaning as righteousness. And how close are the two words
that we meet in the scripture, righteous and justified? It's hard to separate them and
unlink them in the scripture. For to justify is to regard one
as innocent or just before God, and so that the two, justification
and righteousness, cannot be really separated. For if one
is counted righteous, just as one is righteous, then they are
justified, literally justified by an imputed righteousness as
was given to Abraham here in Romans chapter 4. Now, only the
scripture, only God, can define what is righteous. Not some man,
not society, and not some commentator, though he be ever so good. We
cannot determine what is righteous and what righteousness is except
by the scripture. Because you see, the opinions
of men fluctuate. They ebb and they flow. and they
change, and standards change with the time and with the generation. What is righteous in the eyes
of one generation may not be in the eyes of another, and vice
versa. And to prove the point, consider
this if you might. What is a sin to one generation
or to one person may not be to another, and they may do it without
impunity. I might give you two examples,
homosexuality and abortion. Thus, only God, only the scripture
can set forth a standard of what is righteous, and that standard
never changes, though the world stand ever so long. That righteousness
will be God's righteousness forever and forever. Now, coming to our
verse and our chapter, we notice something about verse 16, that
it opens with the word, therefore. Therefore it is of faith. Therefore of faith. For this
reason it is of faith. And then notice something else.
That or in order that so that it might be in accordance with
grace. Now get that. It is of faith
in order that it might be by grace or be a matter of grace. Robert Haldane, a good commentary
on Roman, wrote on this verse, and I'm quoting, in no other
way than by faith could salvation have been by grace, unquote. Can you think of another way
that grace might have stood and carried the day except that it
is by grace? Grace is not slighted at all
by faith, that is, by true faith, by the faith of God's elect,
as it would be if righteousness were by the law or by works or
by merit or by ancestry. But then notice in our verse,
Paul adds another connection in the end of our verse. Why is it by faith that it might
be a matter of grace, and indeed must be? which is only in this
way, that it is by faith and a matter of grace, only in this
way can the promise made to Abraham be made sure, stable, valid,
it might stand be realized fulfilled to all of the seed of Abraham
only in this way if it were by the law the Gentiles would not
have an access when he says it is by faith in order that it
might remain a matter of grace, that the promise might be realized
unto all of the seed, not only to the Jew, but also to the Gentile
as well. But, verse 17, Abraham was also
the father of many nations. That is, he was also a father
of the nations or of the Gentile. Of course, we realize that Paul
has reference here primarily to the spiritual seed of Abraham. And this included not just Jews
after flesh and nationality, but an elect number of Gentiles
as well, or the spiritual children of Abraham. For Paul says clearly
in Galatians 3 and 29, Those who are Christ are Abraham's
children. Those who are Abraham's children
are Christ, on the other hand. And therefore, they are heirs
of the promise made unto Abraham. They that are in Christ and are
Christ, they certainly are heirs according to the promise. Now,
again, putting our focus on the opening words of chapter 4 and
verse 16, therefore it is of faith. And the therefore, as
is often the case, refers to something said earlier or is
drawing or making a conclusion. So what is the it? that Paul says is by faith. It is by faith. Is it justification? Is it righteousness? Is it salvation? True, all of
these are revealed to you and they are experienced by faith. Though the first cause of all
of these and all like blessing are traceable to the will and
the decree and the covenant and the purpose of God before the
foundation of the world. They're traceable there. In the
immediate context here, in Romans chapter 4, Paul cites the case
of Abraham to show that he, that is, Abraham, was justified by
faith and that righteousness was imputed unto him. And he makes two good and important
points. That is, before the law came
and before Abraham was ever circumcised, he believed God and was justified
by faith and righteousness was imputed unto him prior to circumcision
or the giving of the law. The two things the Jews trusted
in, perhaps, more than anything else. Now, Paul's proof text
for justification in Abraham is found in Genesis 15 and verse
6. Abraham believed God, and it
was counted unto him for righteousness. Something else is taught us there
in the Old Testament account of Abraham. Two things, I guess. Number A, Spiritual. He was to have a spiritual fatherhood. He was to be the spiritual father
of many. That is, of them that believe. And then be to those many nations. He was to be a father, and we
find that in Genesis chapter 17. I will make thee a father
of many nations. So, let's look back a few verses
here from Romans chapter 4 and verse 16. I call your attention
back to verse 11. Looking at the end of verse 11,
that he might be the father of all of them that believe, though
they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed
under them also. Imputed means to put it to their
account or to credit it under them. Then look at verse 12 of
the same chapter. The father of them who walk in
the steps of the faith of our father Abraham. Now, in verse
13, I'm sorry, in chapter 4, let me please read verse 13 through
15 again. For the promise that he should
be heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed, or
to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness
of faith. For if they which are of the
law be heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of none
effect. Because the law worketh right. Where there is no law, there
is no transgression. Now Paul mentions especially
two things in these verses. Number one, the promise. Number
two, airship, the promise and airship. We should not lose sight
of how often it is that the scripture speaks of the promise of God
made unto Abraham, especially in the epistles of Romans and
Galatians, and again in the book of Hebrew. And when God made
promise to Abraham, Because he could swear by no greater, he
swear by himself. Hebrews 6 and verse 13 and Genesis
22 and verse 16. Now, what was the essence of
the promise made unto Abraham by God? Well, it was this, that
he should be heir of many nations, Genesis 17, 4 and 5, Romans 4,
17 and 18, but also that he should be heir of the world. And you find that in Genesis
17, verse 6 and here in Romans 4 and verse 13. Now what does this include? That
Abraham is said to be the heir of the world. That his seed would
be greatly multiplied as the stars of heaven and as the sand
of the sea. Genesis 22 and 17 and Hebrews
11 and verse 12. But another promise to Abraham
was also most blessed and that is that his seed would be called
in Isaac. God willing we're going to look
in the second service at Abraham offering up Isaac. But his seed
was to be called in Isaac Genesis 21 12 Romans 9 and verse 7 and
therefore it affects not the promise that Ishmael is sent
away and is sent out of the house and the fact is not to be overlooked
that the children of God they elect believers those who are
regenerate and are converted they are called the children
of promise They that are in Christ are referred to as children of
promise. Romans 9 and verse 8. We are the children of promise. And only they are reckoned the
children of promise and the children of Abraham. And again in that
great kind of companion book to Romans, Galatians chapter
four, verse 28. Listen to what Paul said. Now
we brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. We brethren, as Isaac was, are
the children of promise. Now let's get to this righteousness
which is of faith. Pulling together those verses
which speak of it. Romans 4 13 we have read. that
the promise that Abraham would be heir of the world was through
the righteousness of faith. Back in chapter 3 verse 22, even
the righteousness of God by faith as that in Romans 1 and verse
17 apart from the law Romans 3 22 the righteousness revealed
in the gospel is apart from the law again you can see Paul in
Galatians rather Philippians chapter 3 and verse 9 and Romans
9 and verse 30 Romans 10 and verse 6 and Galatians verse 5
and chapter 5 and verse 5 and then that verse from Hebrews
chapter 11 and verse 7 by faith Noah being warned of the flood
to come being moved by fear that is a godly reverence of God and
what he said prepared an ark to the saving of his house with
these two results listed. Number one, he condemned the
world. He condemned the world when it
believed not that the flood would be sent from God. But secondly,
here's what I wanted, he became heir the righteousness which
is by faith no not just Abraham or Paul or New Testament scripture
but no one also became heir of the righteousness which is of
faith now this consideration as we move along when we speak
of this faith it has become necessary for a long time now but particularly
in our generation, to make some distinctions and some explanation,
such as faith is a work of God's grace. Faith is not the work
of man. It is a work of God's grace. It is a spiritual grace that
is worked in the elect and takes its rise out of regeneration
or the new birth. Faith does not cause regeneration
or the new birth, but rather regeneration gives birth unto
faith. Faith comes after one has been
quickened. It is not so. It is not so that
all persons have faith dwelling, laying dormant somewhere within
them that they just need to, quote, channel, unquote, in the
right direction as we hear people talk today. The natural man is
not capable of knowing the things of God. The natural person is
not capable of faith. and to prove the point that all
do not have faith laying down somewhere that just needs to
be stirred up or fanned or brought to life. Paul says this in 2
Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 2, that you're going to meet
a lot of resistance, Timothy, in preaching the gospel because
all have not faith. 2 Thessalonians 2 and verse 3. Not all have faith. Some are
perverse and they are evil, Paul said, and all have not faith. Remember that faith is the gift
of God in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 8 and verse 9. For by grace are you saved through
faith, that not of yourself, for it is the gift of God. In Acts 18 verse 27, we read
something interesting. We read of them that had believed
through grace. By grace, they believed the gospel,
as there is the faith of God's elect. Titus 1 and verse 1. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 1,
verse 4 through 6, Paul understands that because the gospel came
in such converting power among them that he reckons them to
be God's elect. Knowing, brethren, your election
of God For the gospel came not in word only, but also in power
and demonstration of the Spirit. And yet we read in Acts 11 and
verse 18, God also to the Gentile granted repentance unto life. Acts 13 and 48, of the Gentiles
who came to hear Paul and the gospel, it said, as many as were
ordained to eternal life believe. Think of Lydia, that woman, seller
of purple, down by the riverside in a prayer meeting. In Acts
chapter 16, and verse four, and it said this, she heard Paul,
whose heart the Lord opened that she attended, that is, that she
gave heed. She responded, she gave validity
to the things that Paul had spoken. She was probably already a proselyte,
and so she worshiped, not heathen, but the one true God. And as
J.A. Alexander wrote, in opening her
heart, God then disposed her understanding and affection so
that she gave credence as being true what she had heard from
the Apostle Paul. In Philippians 1 29, unto you
it is given in behalf of Christ to believe on him. not only to suffer, but also
to believe on him. The old Puritan writer, and a
prolific one he was, Thomas Goodman wrote, it is faith that prepares
the soul for Christ, unquote. Faith prepares the soul for Christ,
and regeneration prepares the faith for which we go to cry. And he also called it a matter
of grace. Faith is a work of grace that
sets all other graces to work. Faith is that grace that sets
all other graces in motion, if we might say it. May I call it
a mother grace. Faith is a mother grace and therefore
is so necessary. Thus we call it a necessary grace
in the scheme of salvation that God grant faith unto the elect
whom he has chosen and will call. You know, Christ said some could
not believe. You have that in John chapter
12. 38 to 41 based on Isaiah chapter 6 verse 9 and 10 and
Isaiah 53 and 1. You remember how Isaiah opened
that great prophecy? Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the
Lord revealed? Not many, not all, certainly
not the whole world. Some make it a very easy thing
to believe on Christ. They say that having faith in
Christ is as easy as falling off of a log backward. We disagree,
and so do the scripture. You can read in Ephesians 1,
19 and 20, the exceeding power of God, Paul said, that brought
us to faith and caused us to believe. I lifted some thoughts
from the Puritan Thomas Goodwin, and yet not exactly verbatim,
such as this faith, he said, is above all the faculty and
all the powers in the natural man. This faith is out of their
ability. It is above them. They cannot
have it on their own. That these faculties are natural
and are dead because of the fall. And they cannot cause one to
believe, but actually hinders their believing. What they are
by nature is a hindrance unto their believing, for faith is
the work of the mighty power of God. Goodwin wrote, there
is no principle in man that has any power to give assistance
unto faith, for it must be wrought anew, unquote. Think about that,
what a great statement. There is nothing in man to be
raised up out of his self that can give ground or being unto
faith. For it is not founded upon anything
in man's self, this saving faith, this righteousness of faith.
In other words, faith is not native to the natural heart just
waiting to be stirred up that it might channel itself toward
Christ. There can be no faith, not even
the seeds of faith that just need to be watered that they
might sprout into saving faith. It must be wrought in by God
and created by God. Now, I know someone's going to
say, either here or on the internet, but I've always, since I was
a little child, believed in God and believed in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Well, some call this historic
faith, and that's all that it might be. But the question Can
this belief, or what is called faith, can it save? Now, if it can, then they have
always been saved, have they not? Remember the devil and his
legion of demons believed this too. They believe in the one
God, and they believe in Christ, and even refer to him as the
Son of God. In James chapter 219, do you
believe there's one God, James asked them? Do you believe and
confess that there is one God? Yes, you do well in believing
such. The devils believe this and tremble,
or the word might be shudder. The devils believe in one God,
and they shudder. But Thomas Manton, another Puritan,
said, Their assent to the articles of religion does not infer true
faith exists. Unquote. We do well to remember
the words of the Legion of Demons in Mark chapter 5 and verse 7,
who addressed Jesus this way. son of the Most High God. When he came among them about
to cast them out, they referred to him as son of the Most High
God. You may remember in Acts chapter
16 and 17 the confession of a demon-possessed damsel. Was it in Ephesus, I
believe? In other words, she passed by
Paul and his party every day. But the point is she called him
the servant of the Most High God. Thou servant of the Most
High God. Now the point is this. Number
one, such confession did not necessarily save her. And then
secondly, and let's this point sink in, I think that it is shameful
when demons and the devil have a higher opinion of Christ than
so many professing Christian in our day and so many professing
preacher and so-called scholars. Isn't it a shame when the demons
have a higher opinion of our Lord than do those who profess
to be Christian? But to get to our subject again
for the final home run, the righteousness of faith. Paul mentions it in
chapter 4 and verse 13. Now one thing for us to notice
here in traversing along and pursuing the subject is that
this righteousness of faith that is mentioned here is is contrasted
with the righteousness of the law. You'll see that, Romans
4.13. You'll see it again in Philippians
3.9. And in Romans 9.30-32, you'll
see that contrasted and the difference it makes. And especially that
comparison from Paul in Romans 10.1-13, we won't take time to
read it, where Paul says, In the fifth verse, the righteousness
which is of the law says this. Here, he said, is what the righteousness
of the law says. Do this, keep this, obey this,
and you shall live. And that perfectly, by the way,
Galatians chapter 3, 10, James 2, 10, Deuteronomy 27, 26. He
that keepeth not all things written in the book of the law to do
them. While Romans 10 6, the righteousness which of faith
speaks a different language altogether. The law says one thing, do this
and live. But the righteousness of faith
speaks on this wise. And by the way, Paul is quoting
here from Deuteronomy chapter 30 verse 11 through verse 14,
as Moses spoke unto the Jew on that occasion. Now in Deuteronomy
30, 11 through 14, he gets his comparison that he makes here
in Romans 10. that the commandment given them
was not hidden, it was not hard to find, it was not hard to hear,
it was not hidden, and the commandment that God had given them was not
a far off, it was not across the sea, it was not beyond the
horizon, it was clearly made known and he said was even in
their heart and in their mouth. In other words, the commandment
was nigh unto them and they did not need to chase it down. Even
so, in Romans 10, the method of faith righteousness requires
that they add nothing to the work of Christ because it is
clearly set forth in the gospel. And that is what Paul calls the
word Faith which we preach Romans 10 and verse 8 thus the righteousness
of faith speaks this the law says do it keep it obey it and
the faith says here it is in Romans chapter 10 and verse 13
the righteousness of faith believe in my heart that God has raised
Jesus Christ from the dead and Confess with I'm out now. These
are the two things that Moses mentioned in Deuteronomy chapter
30 and then listen to Romans 10 and verse 10 for with a heart
man believeth under righteousness with a mouth confession is made
unto Salvation that is a wonderful passage of Scripture just as
Paul speaks in Philippians chapter 3 and verse 9 of that righteousness
which he cherished that which is through the faith of Christ
the righteousness which is of God by faith now notice something
a through the faith of Christ through the faith of Christ and
then be the righteousness which is of God by faith. Now two references there on the
faith. From Romans 4 we learn that man's
faith is not righteousness, but righteousness is imputed righteousness
through Jesus Christ. It is a perfect righteousness,
and it excludes all manner of boasting by the law of faith. Faith excludes boasting, Romans
327, because it is a work of grace. Says Romans 416, It is
of faith in order that it might be by grace. It is of faith for
that reason and to that end. Law righteousness is works. Faith righteousness perfectly
agrees with grace. Yea, it is by faith that it might
be all of grace. And the only way for grace to
remain grace is by faith, since faith itself is not a work, not
a merit, and is a work of the grace of God. Yes, it is given
unto you to believe, Philippians 1 and verse 29. And the revelation
of justification and righteousness therefore is made unto and is
received by faith. It is a revelation, a revelation. God must reveal this unto us. It resembles what Paul wrote
in the subject matter of this epistle, Romans 1, 16 and 17,
particularly the 17th verse, For therein, he said, that is,
in the gospel, is the righteousness of God revealed from faith unto
faith. As it is written, the just shall
live by faith. That's not easy to decipher from
faith unto faith. And the commentators are all
over the place on exactly how to interpret it. But John Eady
wrote, Paul shows that justification cannot be of law or work since
scripture Scripture declared its connection unto faith. The just shall live by faith. For the revelation, we say again,
is made to faith. And faith does not take its starting
point from the law. Paul is very clear upon that
matter. Faith does not take its starting
point from the law, for believers are justified while those that
are under the law are in bondage unto sin. And in Galatians chapter
3 and verse 12, the law is not of faith. Could anything be clearer? The law is not of faith. I close with words of J.B. Lightfoot,
The law does not take faith as its fundamental principle." Unquote. The law does not take faith as
its fundamental principle. On the other hand, the law is
rigid. and unforgiving and unbending
and unyielding. Oh yes, unforgiving. Therefore,
none are justified by the law. Never have been, never will be. Righteousness is not by the law,
it is by faith. The righteousness which is of
faith.