No Sign-in/All Your Information Anonymous > The Unveiling of the Book of Romans Chapter Four
Continued:
***Rom.4:5 But to him who doesn't work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. 4:6 Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works, 4:7 "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
When we work at any job or relationship we earn or should earn standing and/or respect. We deserved certain benefits and treatments, but not so, with the gift of undeserved kindness. The gift of grace is when we are found under our own power as not being able to save ourselves, that is, redeem ourselves from death. Nothing within our friendship with other humans or position can avail us from our deserved circumstances.
Psalms 49:7 none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.
Psalms 130:8 He will redeem Israel from all their sins.
It is as if to gain life we had to pick up a mountain and toss it into the sea with our own human strengthen! This than is the apostle Paul's point, no work, or works we can do within ourselves can save us, we are found at the complete mercy of God, with no way out. This than requires faith in not ourselves, or humans, but in God. Here some of David's enemies rightfully found themselves, and David pardon them undeservedly as a man with great power of life and death. Here the Jews stood condemned in murdering the Christ and/or were found complicit in their hearts in condoning his death by unrighteous men.
Act.2:32 This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.
2:33 Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear. 2:34 For David didn't ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit by my right hand, 2:35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."'{Psalm 110:1} 2:36 "Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
No! unmerited kindness is not for the self-right, those that think they have earned their own salvation from good works, the word undeserved mean nothing to them, all things are earned and accredited too them by self-efforts. But for those seeking truth and Spirit they know the truth of their own hearts, they know the truth of their daily sins, they know, nothing in them is worthy of eternal life with our Father. They are blessed, blessed with a gift so grand and wondrous that even the holy angles of God rejoice in their salvation of grace and kindness through our Lord and Savorier Christ Jesus.
Titus 3:3 For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 3:4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, 3:5 not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 3:6 whom he poured out on us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior;
3:7 that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
From this heart of appreciation comes, the fruits of Holy Spirit and the working of Christ, in this tree we find the fruits of everlasting life, which all stem from one seed, not many, but one seed of God's own planting.
1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.
Daniel a Slave of Christ Jesus
continued:
*** Rom.4:8 Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin."{Psalm 32:1-2}
Here the apostle Paul uses a legal term of being charged with a crime against God, and what is that crime? Sins against God's righteousness. Of course the ways of righteousness we should rightly walk in without sinning against God. But all have fallen short of God's own glory, all sin against God's righteousness must be charged. Being God is a God of justice He must charge those sinning against his laws. What is the charge brought to all sinners by His laws, death.
Romans 6:7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.
Romans 5:13 For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not charged when there is no law.
Not one person can find life from their sins. In other words, one cannot say: “I have not sinned you owe me life from my own merit.” No not one person, so when Paul states the above, we are blessed if God does not charge us with sinning against him, but how can He do such a thing? Well, here we have stumbled stone in which the ultimate question plaguing the Jews, but why?
Romans 5:12 Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned.
Romans 3:10 As it is written, "There is no one righteous; no, not one.
They thought righteousness came from self-effort(s), by thing found in God's righteous laws, in things like circumcision, the act of cutting off the foreskin, and in eating certain foods, and celebrating certain dates, but did it? No! Righteousness came to them from God pardoning of their sins, and how does he do this? By sinless life, by giving them a life that was innocent in his eyes, one that has not sinned against his moral laws. Hence, God gave them animal blood because no animal was created to keep moral laws of a righteous God, but man was.
Hebrews 9:22 According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.
Now once pardon by precious life being pour out they had gain mercy not by acts they had done in their flesh which is created in sin from Adam, no they could not read themselves of sin, it had to be paid for by God, they had no payment in them by something done good for God, a life must be given for their, a life God created and owned, only God could provided and did.
Romans 11:6 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.
1 Peter 3:21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you--not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Now they must put faith in God righteousness, His goodness, not their own, they must put faith in the worth of God's atonement for their sins. This is how they were blessed, but sadly the Jews, most of them missed the importance of the righteousness being in the blood, and not in their own acts . Lets us be thankful in the blood of Christ, let us not stumble upon the stone of self-righteousness like the Jews, let us properly and powerfully examine ourselves in light of God's undeserved kindness remaining in his love through the life of His Son Christ Jesus.
1Cor.11:27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord's cup in a manner unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. 11:29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn't discern the Lord's body. 11:30 For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep. 11:31 For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn't be judged. 11:32 But when we are judged, we are punished by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 11:33 Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait one for another.
Rom.9:31 but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn't arrive at the law of righteousness. 9:32 Why? Because they didn't seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone; 9:33 even as it is written, "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense; and no one who believes in him will be disappointed."{Isaiah 8:14; 28:16}
Daniel a Slave of Christ Jesus
continued:
***Rom.4:9 Is this blessing then pronounced on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 4:10 How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 4:11 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 those who believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them. 4:12 The father of circumcision to those 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.
The sinful human flesh loves to mimic a condition thinking its makes itself righteous by parroting actions of others they look up to. This power within the fallen flesh is so strong that it will do all in its power and efforts to appear righteous by title, action, dress, by some outwards appearance than to seek true righteousness by faith. The issue was not righteousness it was defending a position that the fleshly minded Jews thought made them better than others, which was being son's of Abraham.
John 1:13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 6:63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.
John 8:15 You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one.
There nothing new under the Sun when it comes to the flesh and its desires to worship by sight, sound, smiles, dress, titles, its been going on for thousand's of years from government, religion, and business acting and looking a certain way for power and control over others, its works, but not with YHWH. Abraham was loved by God for his faith in him, not because he was at some point circumcised as a sign of his faith in God. The sign was not greater that the faith of Abraham, but how many have destroyed the spiritual lives of others for a religious name?
Revelation 17:6 I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.
Revelation 18:24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on the earth."
The untold billions of lives whom faith has been destroyed by religion is countless, those making up outward signs of righteousness in their leaders, in their churches intimidating their members into submission by appearance of righteousness only to be found out later they were practicing evil like all other institutions man has created from corrupt in person seeking power and position by sight? Let each Christian's seek God with their hearts, mind and soul knowing that he sent a Son Christ Jesus not in high station, but lowly to find those seeking Him by faith and love in him, let them learn God is not impressed with outward signs of righteousness, because he has given us His righteousness in the precious blood of Christ Jesus, not in a rules of some religious group, not is works done by a religion, or in numbers of member, in building or what every else mankind thinks impresses God, because they are so easily mislead by fleshly things of sight, no, let us seek God just as Christ said, in truth and Spirit.
Matt.6:1 "Be careful that you don't do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 6:2 Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don't sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6:3 But when you do merciful deeds, don't let your left hand know what your right hand does, 6:4 so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 6:5 "When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. 6:6 But you, when you pray, enter into your inner chamber, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 6:7 In praying, don't use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. 6:8 Therefore don't be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.
Daniel a Slave of Christ Jesus
continued:
***Rom.4:13 For the promise to Abraham and to his seed that he should be heir of the world wasn't through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
What was the laws righteousness, was it man? Was its man's works of righteousness that made the law righteous, or was it the blood of innocent victims shed for sins that made a person righteous before God? Could the law make a man righteous without blood, could the law remove the sins of our flesh by keeping it?
1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
Galatians 2:21 I don't make void the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!"
Here is the confusion for many Christian's, unwittingly they believe as the Jews it was their own efforts that made them clean/righteous, but was it? No! The law was righteous mankind was not, the law was good without sin, the law was life and spiritual, but mankind could not keep it without redemption from their sins against the law. Actually the process was simple, but the hearts of mankind is not, sold under sin!
Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, "Cursed is everyone who doesn't continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them."{Deuteronomy 27:26}
Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law.
Once a sinner always a sinner unless God forgives us our sin, and/or we die. It was not the law that made the Jew's righteous by performing certain acts of law, it was God forgiveness, that is, his mercy in atonement. Here than is what a Jew must do, they must be honest, a lover of truth, and righteousness knowing they could never meet the perfection of the law by self-efforts alone, they must be purchased by God's mercy putting faith in what? God mercy which was the blood. They must still be made righteous by faith in God undeserved kindness. Now many at Paul's time and ours forget that they cannot put away the filth of their flesh, which is, inherited sins, and sometimes deliberated sins by acts of self-righteousness through some work of a religion, they must do as all people of faith have done, put their faith in God's love, found in his Son Christ Jesus, which for Christian's is the blood.
Galatians 5:4 You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace.
Ephesians 2:15 having abolished in the flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace.
1 Timothy 1:9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
The desire is there for those loving God, but the ability is not there to be perfect without sin. Many wrongly concluded that faith alone is not enough that without strong fleshly measures a person will uses their flesh for loose conduct. But the truth actually is, no one born of God wants to practice sin, they simply want too please God, but often fail because of sin. Those loving the practice of sin are not of our Father, of His righteousness.
Hebrews 7:16 who has been made, not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life:
Hebrews 9:22 According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.
James 2:8 However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself,"{Leviticus 19:18} you do well.
Daniel a Slave of Christ Jesus
continued:
Rom.4:14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.
The apostle Paul poses a truth that alludes the fleshly minded person, why? Because in the world of the fleshly minded person it is a merit world, a world where every thing from work to love is earned by what it possess, what it has obtain too through works of law (business laws, governmental laws, and religious laws). Even gifts are given to others by how they treat a person, or do something good for the person.
Galatians 4:26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Subsequently, the thought Paul states here as a fact of truth must be explained to a Jew under works of law, and to us under works of Christianity. The foundation of Christianity which most Jews rejected and most merit Christian's reject is a gift that could not be earned, why? Simply put, no person posses enough money or influence to buy the life of another human being from the wages of sin – death!
Psalms 49:7 none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.
Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.
Factually, a Jew could not stand righteous under the law, without the gift of life, although, a lesser life of animal blood, but nevertheless, a gift they could not created nor take without God's permission. In other words, the gift was given freely, the gift of life to the sinner, and that life took the place for the sins of the person so they could have life before God as right, or in a right standing. Here the Jews as well as many Christian's put all the emphasis and power on their good works done according to laws of their bibles, or religion making faith and the free gift of God void, because that is the world of those walking in their flesh.
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Christ, let us press on to perfection--not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God,
Now once this is understood a basic teaching of the bible than a person can start to appreciated giving freely to others, the word unmerited kindness, and/or undeserved kindness. Moreover, they can than understand why there can be no competition in Christ, why each member is placed in the body of Christ not because of their good works or talent, but as God Himself pleases. Furthermore, because the gift of life is freely given by our Heavenly Father we can concluded we are in no position to judge others if they are worthy or not of this precious gift given freely by the rules of our religious group.
Romans 14:13 Therefore let's not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother's way, or an occasion for falling.
Does our heavenly Father re-neg on his free gift too us? Does he when we are not good enough in meeting Christian's principal than say: “You must earn salvation, the blood of Christ, paying me a price through your own efforts to keep it?” No he does not revert as many false religion teach, he does not go back to works of law, he does not fail, he is love. So when we make God into a man, swing from light to darkness into returning evil for good, dear friend that is our own hearts, not God's.
James.1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him. 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. 1:14 But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 1:15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. 1:16 Don't be deceived, my beloved brothers. 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow. 1:18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 1:19 So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; 1:20 for the anger of man doesn't produce the righteousness of God.
Daniel a Slave of Christ Jesus
contnued:
***Rom.4:15 For the law works wrath, for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.
Many sincere Christian's have no idea how God's righteous and good law caused wrath? Some think it means towards those not obeying the law it caused them God's wrath, but they'd be wrong! In context who's wrath, what wrath, and toward whom? First judgment of sin is wrath, why, because God passed judgment on sin when Adam and Eve both sinned in the garden paradise. At this point sin entered into them and was passed on by them into all the human race born from the first human couple.
Romans 5:12 Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned.
Judgment of sin is God's wrath for sinning, what is the wrath of God for sinning is it eternal life or death? All sin and fall short of God's glory, thus, all are dying because of sin. That is God's judgment of sin. If there were no judgment of God it would mean there is no law against sinning and no death, but if there is a law against sinning than each person wittingly or unwittingly would be under God's wrath, but why? Simply put, man was created in God's love not God's judgment, which judgment causes wrath. When we human judge each other it creates what between the parties? Wrath, and anger, not peace, and love, not freedom from judgment but wrath.
Ephesians 2:15 having abolished in the flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace.
Now that we have this in context lets get to apostles Paul's point in his letter to the Roman's, Paul here spoke of the righteous and good law of God, what did it do for those under it, and being judged by God's laws? It caused a wall of division, it caused wrath, and fear of God. Judgment causes wrath between two parties if there were no law than there would be no judgment, and/or wrath. Now in this context Christ had removed that wall of judgment causing peace between man and God. He torn down the wall by his own righteous life, that is, his blood.
Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition.
Man could not stop being a sinner because he is born of sin, and the wages of sin is death. Hence, it took a perfect life without sin to purchase our lives from God's judgment of sin, and/or wrath, but how? None of us will get around the wages of sin, God's justice will hold true, we all must die, because nothing good comes from sin, which is, corruption. God is not taking a little yeast of sin and building an uncorrupted Kingdom out of it, that is not biblical and it is a lie! God is taking the perfect sinless life of his Son and establishing a Kingdom that will remove sin from this world.
1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place.
Daniel 2:44 In the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 2:45 Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the king what shall happen hereafter:
Subsequently, all those being purchased by the life of Christ by his sinless life must die in Christ, their life, that is, their old life of sin is judged dead to God. They are raised into a new life, and judged no more in their flesh, which was put to death – gone in Christ. Now in this new life there is no flesh to be judged it has been abolished before God (hence, peace between God and man), so a new law must also be instituted over the new person what is that new law? It is the law of the spirit and not the of sinful flesh, the law of love, and/or the new covenant. Now Paul's words make sense here in Christ there are no fleshly laws for the sinful flesh because it is dead. Where there is no law neither is there God's judgment, and if there is no judgment neither is there God's wrath.
Romans 6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin. 6:7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.
Romans 6:11 Thus consider yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Roman.8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.{NU omits "who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit"} 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.
Daniel a Slave of Christ Jesus
continued:
***Rom.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.
Why is faith according to grace? Really think about Paul's statement here because it is legally conclusive? grace is a gift, it is an unearned gift one mankind cannot obtain to by works they do. Grace can only be grace if it is accept as a gift from God expressing his love towards mankind. How does a human accept this gift, is it by performing certain legal acts according to the rules of a religion, or our bibles, no!
John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
It can only be accepted by putting faith in the giver of it, God YHWH, it cannot be earned for doing some good work, but why? First each person must understand the legal truth of God's standards for everlasting life, that is, eternal life, which Adam lost for the human race, and what is that? Eternal life comes from meeting God's standards, which standards are perfect that is without sin. How does a person whom is born into sin, become sinless? Is it through meeting rules, is it by doing good works, is it by saying certain words from our bibles, no, no, and no!
Acts 15:11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus,{TR adds "Christ"} just as they are."
Romans 3:24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 3:21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you--not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
It is by redemption from dead work into life, redemption mean being dead to God for our sins unable to commune with the source of life being separated into a state of spiritual death. Redemption buys a person from sin they cannot get read of by doing good works putting them into a living position before God. Who than provides the price for this redemption is it within mankind power, or God's? If it stand with God only, than God must give it freely because no human being can provide such a redemption.
Psalms 49:8 For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough.
Ephesians 1:7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.
Paul simply states the truth the Jews and Christian's should know as a foundation stone of their faith, that its by God's promises all will be saved, not by a religion, not by a good service towards mankind, but a priceless free gift of God's love too mankind the Son of God Jesus Christ. This gift is the corner stone of all truth for the human race, it is God's goodness, righteousness and love that we are saved. We do not save ourselves, as much as our fallen flesh cannot believe that in justifying its every action and reaction in this life. It is not by our works, it is factually and everlastingly by a gift of God too us, if we have faith in God's goodness setting aside mankind's goodness through religion, government, and commerce we have life just as Christ promised thousand's of years ago!
John 5:39 "You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. 40 Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life.
John 6:47 Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal life.
Rom. 10:1 Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. 10:2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 10:3 For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn't subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 10:4 For Christ is the fulfillment{or, completion, or end} of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Daniel a Slave of Christ Jesus
continued:
Rom.4:17 As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations."{Genesis 17:5} This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were. 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 will your seed be."{Genesis 15:5} 4:19 Without being weakened in faith, he didn't consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. 4:20 Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn't waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God, 4:21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 4:22 Therefore it also was "reckoned to him for righteousness."{Genesis 15:6} 4:23 Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone, 4:24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead, 4:25 who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.
How beautiful is righteousness from faith? It is so beautiful that God provided us the impossible grand story of Abraham's remarkable life. Here Paul ties to very important points together for us which are our love for God, i.e., faith, and His justification of us by our trust in him. What human does not justify those that love them and puts faith in their words? Abraham walked on water, putting trust in the unseen, he knew Jehovah God like a Father, he knew his goodness and love, so unlike many of the Jews that knew God from law, Abraham knew God from his heart. To think at 100-years old God would provide him a seed, a beloved child, is remarkable when his wife was past child bearing years, to think God would call from nothing creating an entire nation from Abraham, was indeed a love for God that is worthy of recording, but why such a powerful story when Paul is speaking here about our own justification from sin in Christ Jesus?
Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns!
Many take justification as one more legal act, but is it, or is it God's love for us? Does God call from the dead, that is, something that cannot produce life - eternal life, living? Not only living, but producing nations of righteous people, children from a barren woman us? Yes, he does, but still there more, and what is that? It is that those loving truth and Spirit know by their thoughts and actions, they are not worthy, they have to go beyond self with all their strength believing like Abraham that God is good, he is their Father, and because we love him, he will do what is righteous, and good towards us, but not only us every living thing under heavens, and in heaven.
1John 3:19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and persuade our hearts before him, 3:20 because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
Romans 6:14 For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace.
Romans 4:8 Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin."{Psalm 32:1-2}
This is the power of faith, hoping beyond all hope, knowing God is real, and his promises will not fail us. Although, heaven and earth be shaken yet once more our love of God is a foundation that will not be shaken removing the highest, and greatest mountain before us and for us. This is Paul's summation in this part of his letter where he has argued legally the law now he translates for us legal reasoning into the kingdom of Christ love, the power of loving God, and how it moves God to justify us from sins that cannot be removed without our death. Than Paul says the judgments of God are removed, the very law of God was fulfilled in Christ Jesus, something unheard of! A nation removing its primary laws for its citizen so they are no longer are judged in their flesh, but accepted as son's of the living God without sin, and why? Faith! Yes, faith like Abraham, what undeserved kind word from our Father!
Romans 8:10 If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
Galatians 3:22 But the Scriptures imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice{"atoning sacrifice" is from the Greek "hilasmos," an appeasing, propitiating, or the means of appeasement or propitiation--the sacrifice that turns away God's wrath because of our sin.} for our sins.
Completed: June 01, 2014
By: Daniel a Slave of Christ
Daniel a Slave of Christ Jesus
The book of Romans
Chapter 4
Rom.4:1 What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh? 4:2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God. 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."{Genesis 15:6} 4:4 Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as debt.
There could be no greater humbling witnesses given to mankind, than grace, and/or undeserved kindness. Those that judged themselves correctly by God's righteous laws, and those honest enough with themselves are overwhelmed in being forgiven freely, that is, in God's own love, when they know the truth of their own failings!
1Cor.11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. 11:29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn't discern the Lord's body. 11:30 For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep. 11:31 For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn't be judged. 11:32 But when we are judged, we are punished by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
Here is Paul's simplistic and yet profound point in chapter four of his letter to the Roman's, which is how can this be, grace? We as Christian's can intellectualize undeserved kindness, we can legalize it in our fleshly mind, but it cannot be contain within us for it is larger than all in a Christian's life, it is greater, and stronger than anything on this earth or in heaven it is saving us not by works, but in a gift which we as humans are incapable of copying or practicing in our fallen condition.
John 12:47 If anyone listens to my sayings, and doesn't believe, I don't judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
1 Timothy 1:15 The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Hebrews 7:25 Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them.
The life in our flesh is about works, works that judges us good or bad, as worthy of certain things, and privileges in this world. We live this reality everyday, and we breathe it until the day we die. These works have built every institution of mankind since sin enter into our world, and will continue until Christ comes to take us out the field from the weeds. The world cannot understand grace, and neither can our fallen flesh, it fights against it on every level, judging and condemning ourselves and others, not even realizing it is our salvation, it is not our understanding of doctrine or even the bible, but one act of kindness on God's part to freely forgive us, when every law, and thought of our flesh convicts us of deserving of death from sinning!
Rom.7:24 What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death? 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So then with the mind, I myself serve God's law, but with the flesh, the sin's law.
Matt. 25:44 "Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?' 25:45 "Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me.' 25:46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
It is this one act of kindness that brings us to God; to love him with all our hearts, mind, and soul. Our flesh will often and continuously fail us in meeting obligation of rule of law, but God's free gift of grace cannot fail us, do you know why? Because we did nothing of ourselves to earn it, so how can we fail in a gift? A gift so grand and wondrous that heaven itself cannot contain it let alone our earth.
2 Chronicles 2:6 But who is able to build him a house, seeing heaven and the heaven of heavens can't contain him? who am I then, that I should build him a house, save only to burn incense before him?
2 Chronicles 6:18 But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can't contain you; how much less this house which I have built!
1Cor.3:16 Don't you know that you are a temple of God, and that God's Spirit lives in you?
2Cor. 3:4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God;
3:5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; 3:6 who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
This is the profound and simplistic thought of Paul here about Abraham putting faith in God, making him righteous before God. In other words, Abraham did not put faith in his own credential as earning a righteous standing with God, rather he deduced that God is great and is love, and found this simple truth by faith; trusting all God told him to do. Abraham did not put faith in himself, his understanding, but in God, which is all that any human must do to find God is true, and the Father of all putting faith in him through Jesus Christ.
John 20:31 but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
No we cannot put away the works/filth of our flesh, but we do so desire to be perfect as he is perfect, we desire to by kind and found in love towards all, but such is not the case in this world, but let us remember we have a clean conscience, by God's great gift, we love righteousness, and long for a new heavens and earth, but let us not sell short the truth of grace.
Proverbs 3:34 Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble.
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
1 Peter 5:10 But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action,{literally, "gird up the waist of your mind"} be sober and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ--
Here Christian's must understand the start of the spiritual life is a gift of Christ as God's greatest love, and the completion of their faith is still a gift of God's love, and the uniting of all things is in saying: “You alone are worthy let heaven and earth rejoice in God's greatness towards all loving him!”
1 Peter 3:21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you--not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 5:4 And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look in it.
Revelation 5:9 They sang a new song, saying, "You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,
Revelation 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints. Amen.