Book of Romans
2-15-2012 Vol. 6 Part 14
Psalms 59:1-5 A psalm of David, regarding the time Saul sent soldiers to watch David's house in order to kill him. To be sung to the tune "Do Not Destroy!" Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me. Rescue me from these criminals; save me from these murderers. They have set an ambush for me. Fierce enemies are out there waiting, LORD, though I have not sinned or offended them. I have done nothing wrong, yet they prepare to attack me. Wake up! See what is happening and help me! O LORD God of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, wake up and punish those hostile nations. Show no mercy to wicked traitors. Father we praise you, we give you all the glory. We thank you for all you do for us and ask that you bless us and our loved one. We seek your face and ask for your love and guidance in all we do. In Jesus name we pray! Amen!
Romans 4:1-12 NKJV
I’m going to change the formatting a little. Instead of stating the verses at the beginning, I’m going to state them at the beginning of each section so the verses are with the explanation instead of doubling up on stating the verses. I think it might flow better, we’ll see. Let me know what you think. Do you like it with all the verses listed together at the beginning and then listing them again with each section, or this way?
Verses 1-3: What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS."
The Jews were proud to be descendants of Abraham. Since Abraham all the laws came into existence including the Mosaic Law that Moses received from God. The Jewish people put their faith in the law by trying to live by them. Every time something would come into question, they would take it to their leaders and they would discuss it in great detail and end up creating a new law or amending and existing law. Hmmm, boy does that sound familiar. Do you suppose the leaders of the Sadducees and Pharisees represent the Democrat and Republican parties back in biblical times??? As a result there was over 600 laws that the Jewish people tried to obey. No human being is capable of abiding by so many laws. We can’t obey 10 Commandments let alone 600. Our carnal flesh won’t allow us to abide by the law, so how can anyone think they can work their way to Heaven?
Paul uses Abraham as a good example of someone who was saved by faith. Romans 4:13 NKJV For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. Paul is not saying that God's law is unimportant but that it is impossible to be saved simply by obeying it. We have discussed that in previous lessons, and the whole purpose of God’s Commandments is to point out sin. It is to condemn us when we do wrong. It is to point out the righteous paths we are to follow throughout life here on earth in obedience to God. It is to lead us to salvation by the convicting voice of the Holy Ghost.
If Abraham was justified on the grounds of his own merits, he would have reason to boast, but that’s not the case here. To show this, the apostle appeals at once to the Scriptures, to show us there was no such record that Abraham could boast that he was justified by his works. Romans 4:4 NKJV Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
Faith is uniformly an act of the mind. It is not something that is created and placed within the mind. It is not something that is created independently of the soul, and placed within it by almighty power. Faith is a condition in which men may be treated as righteous. Faith expresses a state of mind which demonstrates our love to God. It is affection for His cause and character. It is reconciliation and friendship. It is a state of mind that He is graciously pleased with, and leads to a promise of pardon and acceptance.
In verse three it states that Abraham believed God and he was counted righteous in God’s eyes. This was very hard for the people of Paul’s time to understand. For centuries they were taught the law and now someone was telling them all they have to do is believe in Jesus and what he did for them at the Cross. They were so involved in their laws they couldn’t see the simple actions and truth displayed by Abraham their forefather. This holds true today also, people get hung up on religion, rituals, doctrinal laws, denominations and lose sight of the simple thing called faith. I hear people say they have been raised in a certain religion all their life and they aren’t about to change even if they are wrong. The sad thing about these people is they may be practicing religion and not faith and the outcome will be spiritual destruction. Am I asking anyone to leave a particular church? Not at all, what I’m saying is read the Bible and seek out what you have been taught, and if you can’t find the answers to your questions in the Bible, then ask yourself if you are living by man or God’s standard.
Verses 4-8: Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS ARE FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS ARE COVERED; 8 BLESSED IS THE MAN TO WHOM THE LORD SHALL NOT IMPUTE SIN."
What is Paul talking about in verses 4 & 5, “he who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as a debt”? To put it in terms so we can understand, it means this. When we go to work at our job tomorrow our employer has a debt to pay in exchange for our services. We work and get a wage in return. What Paul is telling us is that we can’t do good deeds, be a good person, or what we think is good to earn the gift of grace from God. The gift of grace is given to us as a result of us believing in Jesus Christ and what he did on Calvary. Romans 11:6 NKJV And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. Have you ever received a gift from someone out of love on a day that wasn’t special? Like flowers or tickets to a ball game out of love. It was given and received out of love. That’s what God does. He gives us His gift of grace when we believe and accept Jesus as our Saviour.
Psalm 32 is all about verses 6-8. The whole scope and design of the psalm is to show the blessedness of the man who is forgiven, and whose sins are not charged on him, but who is freed from the punishment due to his sins. Being pardoned, he is treated as a righteous man. God regards him as one who is forgiven and adopts the individual into his family, and is treated from that time forward as though he had not sinned. This person accepts the benefits of Christ’s atonement, and is no longer treated as a sinner, but as a friend of God.
Psalms 32:1-11 NKJV A Psalm of David. A Contemplation. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. 5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. 6 For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters They shall not come near him. 7 You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. 9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you. 10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him. 11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Verses 9-12 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.
In these final verses Paul explains to the Jewish people that Abraham was accounted righteous before he was circumcised. Paul has to point this out to his listeners so that they will realize what circumcision is all about and that it has nothing to do with being saved and complying to their Jewish laws. This also reinforces what was stated in previous lessons about the Gentiles salvation. Read Genesis 15:6 through 17:10 and you will see that Abraham was deem righteous before circumcision.
What did Abraham believe in? Did you ever think or wonder what Abraham believed in to be counted righteous? Abraham believed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God preached the Gospel to Abraham when He told him; Galatians 3:8 NKJV And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." This is a direct quote from Genesis 12:3 also. I’m sure there were many other things that took place that weren’t recorded, but here’s a couple more that are. Romans 4:18-21; Hebrews 11:8-10.
So how does circumcision fit in and why? Circumcision is only a sign of being in a covenant with God. It is like a Kings signet ring that verifies a documents authenticity, or an official seal of a dignitary like a presidential seal, or a notary’s seal validating a document. Esther 8:8 NKJV You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's signet ring; for whatever is written in the king's name and sealed with the king's signet ring no one can revoke." See additional verses in verse list.
Abraham is the forefather of the Jews, but he is also our spiritual father if we are saved and share in a relationship with Jesus through our faith in what transpired at the cross. Galatians 3:7 NKJV Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. Luke 19:9; John 8:33; Galatians 3:29
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,
for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,
Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Unless you are Born Again, you cannot enter into Heaven, the Kingdom of God."
Bill
Last Week’s Trivia: Why were there temples in OT times?
Answer: Have you ever thought about why there were temples in OT times and then after Jesus death the emphasis was taken off of them? Reason being is in OT times God would go within the Holy of Holies above the Covenant of the Ark to speak to his people. We know this to be true from reading the OT. Exodus 33:9 NKJV And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses. When Jesus died on the cross for us the tabernacle veil was ripped from top to bottom signifying that it was unnecessary for a priest to make sacrificial atonement for peoples sins or communicate with God for them. All can go directly to Jesus and ask for forgiveness now and speak to Him. When we give ourselves to Jesus, our body becomes the temple for the Spirit of God to live in. 1 Corinthians 6:19 NKJV 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? John 14:16-17 NKJV And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. Hebrews 9:11-15 NKJV But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
This week’s Trivia: What messages do you harvest about Aaron’s ephod?
| Verse List: |
| · Genesis 41:42 |
| · Genesis 38:18 |
| · Exodus 28:11 |
| · Exodus 28:36 |
| · Exodus 29:6 |
| |
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