or I just a single verse today,
the 16th verse, Romans 4, therefore it is of faith that it might
be by grace, or literally that 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 again at the verse part,
therefore of faith that by grace. Now, I would like to read that
verse of scripture from other versions of the translation of
God's word. First the NIV has it this way,
therefore the promise comes by faith so that it may be by grace
and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring, not only
to those that are of the law, but also to those who are of
the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. Now, let me give the verse out
of Marshall's interlinear, Greek and English interlinear of the
New Testament. It goes like this, quote, therefore,
it is of faith in order to be according to grace, for to be
firm the promise to all the seed, not only to the law, but also
to the seed and faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. Now, with those versions three
in our mind, let's introduce our study in this way. That is
that it is clear and evident from the word therefore, which
opens the 16th verse here, that Paul is drawing a conclusion
or is making an inference or making an application of something
that has gone before that so sweetly agrees with what he is
saying now. He is establishing a premise
and previously to this he has made his case for justification
by faith as we shall see in a moment and now he declares to his readers
and unto us how it is that faith so sweetly agrees with and coheres
with the grace of God. Now since this is a conclusion
or inference or application of some sort, it means that we must
consider the larger or the overall context. It means that we ought,
for our profit, to cast a backward glance over the apostles' line
of reasoning concerning this matter of righteousness and justification. And we need to begin at the premise
and the core of the book, chapter 1, verse 16 and verse 17, where
here is the premise of this great epistle, that in the gospel there
is proclaimed, in the gospel there is revealed, in the gospel
there is declared the righteousness of God, which is the power of
God unto salvation. I love to look at this passage
from Paul, how Paul unfolds his progressive reasoning of the
glory of the gospel. So I would call your attention
to chapter 1, verse 14 through 17, just for a minute, for here
is the heart, the core, and the premise of the gospel. I pray
you, verse 14, bear with me again as we trace out the reasoning
of the apostle. Look at verse 14, I am debtor,
and as such, verse 15, I am ready, or debtor, to discharge
the debt and to preach the gospel. So look what he said, I am debtor,
I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also."
He goes further, I'm ready to preach the gospel to you that
are at Rome also, for I am not ashamed of the gospel. Then he said, I'm not ashamed
of the gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation. Then he said, it is the power
of God unto salvation, for therein the gospel is revealed the righteousness
of God. How does this gospel then take
effect? How is it the power of God unto
salvation? And Paul gives us the answer. It is so to believers. It is so to everyone that believes. And look at verse 17, there is
a revelation of the righteousness of God declared in the gospel
that is revealed unto faith. It is made known unto faith. And the apostle to establish
that quotes Habakkuk chapter 2 and verse 4, the just shall
live by faith. Now this passage from Habakkuk
2-4 is quoted three times in the New Testament. It is here
in Romans 1 and verse 17. It is again in Galatians chapter
3 and verse 11 and is quoted also in Hebrews chapter 10 and
verse 38. Now, the apostle establishes
a two-fold truth here in verse 16 and 17 of chapter 1. 1 is, in the gospel is declared,
is revealed, is made known the saving, justifying righteousness
of God that Christ died bearing the sins of the elect. He endured the curse of the law
and righteousness is imputed to those that Christ died for
and to those that believe as did Abraham. Now the second thing
in that text is the revelation is made to faith. From faith unto faith. is the revelation made. Thus
we read, mostly from the Apostle Paul, by the way, the righteousness
of faith. You will find in his reading
him speaking of that righteousness which is by faith. And here it is in Romans 1, 16
and 17. Too many times they are for us
to reference this morning in our study. But the book of Romans
is laid out in very clear divisions that are very discernible to
the careful reader and studier of this book. For example, in
a section chapter 1, verse 18, down through chapter 3 and verse
20, is laid out a clear division. Because before he sets forth
a method of divine justification, beginning at 3 and 21, he first,
in chapter 1, 18, through chapter 3 and verse 20,
sets forth the universal depravity and the guilt of both the Jew
and the Gentile. Then in chapter 3, verse 9, chapter
3 and verse 20, he lumps them together. Verse 9, we prove both
Jew and Gentile all under sin. In verse 20, none righteous,
no not one. We are all together become unrighteous. Then look at verse 12 of chapter
3 also. They are together become unprofitable. so that there is then the unrighteousness
and depravity of both the Jew and the Gentile. Now, let's take
a quick survey of what I think is the heart of righteousness. That's chapter 3, verse 21 through
31, if we may cast our eyes and attention upon those few verses. One commentator, by the name
of John Brown, described as continuing, quote, a general account of the
divine method of justification, unquote. That's in chapter 3,
21 through 31. It is indeed a general account
of the divine method of justification. Now, in that section, those few
verses, notice that Paul mentions faith at least six times unless
I have miscounted. Another two times he mentions
believing. That's in verse 22 and verse
26. And in verse 24 he says, being
justified freely by His grace. So that there are at least nine
references here to faith and such like believing. Now to get
a quick overview of verse 21 through 31, I'll just give you
a skeleton outline that I got from the same John Brown. Some
of the points which Paul makes in this section of the Scripture,
again, the heart of justification. Look at verse 21. The divine
method is without the law. It is apart from law. It is separate
from law. It is independent of law. The divine method of justification
is apart from law. Then verse 21 again. However, it is witnessed by the
law and by the prophet. Then look at verse 22. in by
or through faith in Jesus Christ. Is this way of justification?
Again, look at verse 22, that it is manifested unto all, whether
Jew or Gentile. Notice also in the 22nd verse,
it is to believers. It is them that believe, that
are freely justified by the grace of God. Again in verse 22, you
will see that it makes no distinction between the Jew and the Gentile. Then in verse 24, as to its nature,
it is gratuitously bestowed. It is bestowed without any merit
on the part of the creature. It is free. It is by grace. Then look at verse 24 and 26
together. It is through the redemption
that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. This great justification has
its essence in our lives through the great redemption that is
in Christ. But we're not through yet. Look
at verse 27. The divine method of justification
absolutely excludes any and every occasion of boasting, of bragging,
and of self-righteousness. Look at then verse 28. The only
way to have a saving interest in divine justification is by
faith or believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, in verse
29 and 30, this divine method suits the need and the case of
both the Jew and of the Gentile. Then look at verse 31. something
that will be of value toward the Jew. It does not destroy
or nullify or make void the law, but it establishes it. Now that verse has given me problems
down through the years. If you have a clear apprehension,
I'm ready to hear it. But again, let us emphasize the
importance of Romans 3, 21 through 31. that in these 11 verses, not
only is there a summation of the divine method of justification,
but here is the heart and the soul of the epistle. Here is the essence of the whole
Roman letter about which the epistle is built. To take away
these 11 verses would be, as it were, to tear the heart out
of this great epistle. Then, too, here is a fuller description
of that righteousness declared back in chapter 1 and verse 17. Having only mentioned it there
in passing, he now returns to give a fuller consideration,
describing both the means and the manner by or in which It
is manifested and revealed and becomes a saving reality in the
elect. In this righteousness, God makes
no use of either the works of law or the works of men. Law is expressly and pointedly
excluded. This righteousness comes only
through the propituary death of the Savior. It is manifest,
it is revealed, it is made known unto faith. And righteousness
is imputed unto believers without works, as we see in chapter 4
of Romans. Now before we move on, let me
tell you a point that one commentator made about these 11 verses that
we have reference to. And that is that almost all of
the topics that are mentioned there in those 11 verses are
then discussed at large in the sequel in the epistle later on. So let's notice one of the first
things that Paul says about this righteousness in chapter 3 and
verse 21, that it is manifested separate and apart from the law,
but that it is witnessed by the law and the prophet. Now the
Old Testament Scripture witnesses, Paul, to this righteousness by
which they are justified. You'll see it again in Acts 26
and verse 22. Paul said, I preach nothing but
what the Old Testament scripture have said. You may see how many
different ways that Paul uses the word law in the Roman epistle. How many different meanings that
he assigns unto it. three divisions in the Old Testament
Scriptures were the law and the psalm and the prophet. And this is how the Jew distinguished
them. Now the case of Abraham confirmed
all that Paul said in Romans 3, 21 through 26. That is that
righteousness is apart from law. that it is by faith to all that
believe that it stands upon the death of Christ who died redemptively. Please, if you would, notice
again chapter 3 and verse 22, which is very clear. It is the
righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ. This is witnessed by the law
and the prophets, Paul said. He's not bringing forth anything
strange. This is witnessed by the law
and the prophet. Now, as for Abraham, a great
example, he was one of the most revered names in all of the history
among the Jew. He was their father according
to the flesh. They were the seed of Abraham,
and no Jew ever doubted that Abraham stood well and high in
the divine favor, that Abraham was a righteous man. None would
deny that Abraham was a justified man before Almighty God. And Paul brings now his Jewish
readers to consider two things about Abraham, their father,
that he hath found. Number one, the question is,
how was Abraham justified? What was the way and the manner
of Abraham's justification before God? The second question is also
a good one to consider. When? When was Abraham justified
before God? So the two things, how was Abraham
justified? When was Abraham justified before
God? Now, as to the how. Look at Romans
4 and verse 3. What does Scripture say? Oh,
brother and sister, always base it on the Scripture. Scripture
says, Abraham believed God And it was counted unto him for righteousness. This is that text in Genesis
15 and verse 6. Abraham believed what God said. Abraham received the revelation
The testimony of God considered it true and took it to be reliable
just because God said it and it was reckoned unto him for
righteousness. Repeated in verse 9, we say that
faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. Look also
down in verse 22 of chapter 4, and therefore it was imputed
to Him for righteousness. You will have it again over in
Galatians chapter 3 and verse 6. Now, let's consider a word
used multiple times here in Romans chapter 4. And sadly to say,
it is translated by three different English words, at least it is
in the King James Version, Now, the word is one that I will probably
mispronounce, but anyway, I'll point it out. Logosamahi. And
it is 40 times in the New Testament reading. And it is nearly a dozen
times in Romans chapter 4 alone. This one word that we're interested
in is some dozen times here in the fourth chapter of Romans. First of all, it is translated
as the word counted twice. in verse 3 and in verse 5. Then you look, secondly, it is
impute one time, that's in verse 8. Thirdly, it is imputed, past
tense, four times, verse 11, 22, 23, and 24. And fourthly, it is reckoned
three times. That's in verse 4, 9, and 10. And fifthly, one time in this
chapter, it is imputes, imputes. in verse 6. Now these words might
have all been translated by the same English word. It is a word that has a broad
meaning and perhaps that's why it was not so. It means things
like this. to put to the account of. It
means to accredit or to credit to one. It means to esteem. It means to suppose. It means
to think. And it means to reason. Some
show it to be from a word, logos, and we remember that word meaning
something that is said, including even the thought itself. Thus, the how that Abraham was
justified was by faith, he believed God, and righteousness was imputed
unto him. Then we have also the question,
when Abraham was justified? How he was justified, he believed
God. It was by faith. Righteousness
was imputed. Faith in the coming Savior. He
saw Christ's day and he rejoiced. But now we turn also to consider
the when Abraham was justified. This is a very important factor
in regard to the Jew and particularly to the Jew who would read this
epistle. And that's so in relation to
two things. It is important to the Jew on
two accounts. Number one, circumcision. Number two, the law, the law
of God. Now Paul shows Abraham believed
and was justified in Genesis 15 and 6 prior to receiving the
covenant of circumcision, which was not until Genesis 17. This Paul shows verse 10 through
13 of Romans chapter 4 that Abraham was a justified man prior to
God giving to him the right of circumcision. Again, for the
sake of the Jew, Abraham was justified before God prior to
the giving of the law, either moral or ceremonial. This Paul shows, verse 13 through
15 in Romans chapter 4. You can also read it in Galatians
3, verse 17 and 18. So that the promise, says Paul,
was neither to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but
was through the righteousness of faith. For if airship is by
law, Paul reasons, then faith is voided. And the promise is
made of none effect, that for the simple reason the law works
wrath. The law does not work grace. The law finds sin. and works
wrath. Does not work grace and justification,
but wrath and condemnation. The law has neither the right
nor the ability to justify a guilty sinner in the sight of God. But now coming to our text in
verse 16 of Romans chapter 4. We saw here that Paul said, since
the law works wrath, then there is absolutely no hope of being
justified by the law, therefore it is of faith. Let's notice here in verse 16,
there is again some of that progressive reasoning from the apostle that
we met with back in chapter 1, 14 through 17. We see it here in Romans 4. See,
the law works wrath, therefore it is of faith. It is of faith
that it might be by grace. It is of faith and grace that
the promise might be sure, stable, valid, guaranteed to all of the
seed. That is the Jew as well as the
Gentile. So did we follow that? The law
works wrath, so it is of faith. It is of faith in order that
it might be by grace. It is of grace and order that
the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to that
of the law, but also to that of the faith of Abraham. It is
of faith that it might be in accordance with grace. God has
appointed that sinners be justified freely by His grace through the
redemption that is in Jesus Christ. Romans 3.24, we saw that. And grace signifies two things. First of all, that it is absolutely
free and undeserved. There is no merit involved whatsoever. Secondly, that it is in accordance
with the divine purpose and the sovereignty of God. Now again,
God has appointed that faith be the only means, and when I
say means, quote unquote, of having a saving interest in Christ's
great salvation. And this faith that is said to
justify is itself not a work of man, but is itself a spiritual
grace which is worked in the elect by the Spirit of God. Faith is a gift of God, Ephesians
chapter 2 and verse 8. It is not of ourselves. Paul
says it is the faith of the operation of God, the work of God in Colossians
2 and verse 12. Now this faith is of such a nature
and such an essence, and I want to use the word it coheres With
grace, that is, it goes with, it sticks together with grace. So that salvation is really and
truly of grace, even though it is by faith that it is experienced. In fact, it is a faith that it
especially might be by the grace of God. They're mentioned together
again in that passage in Ephesians that we've all quoted a thousand
times. By grace are you saved through
faith. Faith in no way diminishes the
grace of God. Faith does not compete with grace
for the glory of salvation. Faith does not demand half honor
with grace for the saving of a sinner. Because, as the old
Puritan Thomas Goodwin put it, and I quote, there is a special
sympathy between faith and free grace, unquote. Again, Goodwin
wrote, that only faith will give free grace all of the honor that
it is due. Oh, listen to that. Only faith
will give grace all of the honor that it is due. I read another
Puritan, Thomas Manton, expressed it this way, that God has deputized
faith. That is, He has delegated faith
to be the one that against the apprehension of Christ in the
gospel, so that it is impossible that anything other than faith
espouse Christ in the gospel. Grace remain grace, the unmerited
favor of God. Nothing but faith can do so well
to let grace be grace and all of grace. If salvation be all
of grace, If it bring glory to God and Christ, if it exceed
boasting, and it does, then nothing but faith could be appointed
by God for turning the heart to God and giving a saving interest. in the blessed Lord, that Abraham
believed God. It was credited to him for righteousness,
which is why he is called the father of them that believe. And the righteousness of God
is revealed in the gospel and is revealed to faith in order
that it might be believed. and receive. And righteousness
is imputed, not based upon any work or merit in the creature. Before we move on, we must be
very, very sure that we understand that saving faith, that is, believing
to the saving of the soul, is itself a work of God's Spirit
within the elect. For only by grace do we believe,
Acts 18 and 27. We read there, of those who believe
through grace. But now, let's look at the last
act of Romans 4 and verse 16, and Paul carries his progressive
reasoning a step further. It is of faith that it might
be of grace to the end, that the promise might be sure to
all of the sea. Again, the NIV has it be guaranteed
to all of Abraham's offspring. Again, Marshall's interlinear
has it for to be firm the promise to all of the seed. It is of faith that it might
be of grace in order that the promise might be sure, stable,
valid, and realized. guaranteed to every spiritual
seed of Father Abraham. Now we noted in verse 16, it
is a conclusion drawn from the previous verses to show us how
faith is suitable to saving the Jew and the Gentile, which two
collectively make up the spiritual seed or the spiritual children
of Abraham. We're looking at the end of the
16th verse. It is added to further clarify
the matter, not to that only which is of the law, but to that
also which is of the faith of Abraham, the father of us all. Notice only and also in the verse. Not to believing Jews only, but
to believing Gentiles also, that the promise may be fulfilled
that Abraham is made the father of many nations as God promised
him. For it is only by faith that
this is so, that Abraham is the father of many nations. Therefore,
consider, O Jew, if you would, that day, that a Jew with Abraham's
circumcision and Abraham's true bloodline, but without his faith,
is not a spiritual son or daughter of Abraham. While on the other
hand, a Gentile without Abraham's circumcision and without Abraham's
bloodline, yet having Abraham's faith, being a believer, is a
child of Abraham and partaker of the blessing of the promise
to Abraham. Over in Galatians chapter 3,
verse 13 and 14, Christ, he said, has redeemed us from the curse
of the law, being made a curse for us. Now listen, that the
blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus
Christ. See how that resembles Romans
4 and 16. In Romans 4, there are two previous
statements that resemble the last part of verse 16, so that
this truth is very well established. Now, let me read them. Let's
look at them again. They are at verse 9. Read verse
9. Cometh this blessedness then
upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also,
for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness."
Now this blessedness described in verse 6 through verse 8 is
justification, imputed righteousness, and the non-imputation of sin. This is this, the exclusive privilege
of the circumcision of the Jew, of the bloodline of Abraham,
or of the Gentiles also. Yes, of the Gentiles. Now look
at verse 12. And the father of circumcision
to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the
steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had uncircumcised. Here's a distinction between
one, Jews that had circumcision only, and two, Jews that were
circumcised and had faith as well. For Abraham had faith prior
to his circumcision. Thus he is the father of believers
in a way that he is not the father of the carnal Jew of that day
or of any day. while uncircumcised Gentiles,
uncircumcised in the flesh, are by grace through faith the spiritual
children of Abraham. And bless God, they have the
better circumcision, that of the heart, that Paul talks about
in Colossians chapter 2. The Gentiles who believe are
not without a circumcision. and a better circumcision, that
of their heart." Now, in closing, the revelations made to faith
are said to be by grace. since faith is not the cause
or the condition, only the receiver of the revelation. It has no
procuring merit in itself, else would it not be said to be of
grace. Some still insist on boasting. I don't know how many people
I've you know, heard the sovereignty of God and the doctrines of grace
and said, now hold on just a minute. I had to believe. I had myself
to believe in order that it might be effectual. And I did believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ. I've heard them go further and
say God could not save me until and unless I believed. This is Arminianism, and it is
alive and well in the world today. But faith itself is the gift
of God. Faith is the fruit of the grace
of God. A work of God is necessary for
there to be true faith in any child of Adam. Therefore, for
there to be justification by faith is at the same time to
say that it is of grace. It is of faith that it might
be by grace. Thank God for that and for Paul
clearing that up for us.