Romans 4:1-25

Paul’s letter to the *Romans

Romans

Hilda Bright and Keith Simons

Chapter 4

Abraham’s *faith 4:1-8

v1 We shall talk about our *ancestor Abraham. He discovered how to be *righteous. v2 But he did not become *righteous because of his works. If that were correct, Abraham could *boast about it. But he could not *boast in front of God. v3 This is what the *scriptures say: ‘Abraham trusted God. God accepted Abraham’s *faith. So Abraham received *righteousness because of his *faith.’ v4 When a person works, he does not receive his pay as a gift. He receives it because he has earned it. v5 But it is different when a person receives *righteousness because of his *faith. That person does not work in order to achieve that result. Instead, he simply believes God. And God makes someone who was not *righteous, to be *righteous. v6 David says the same. He tells us how happy some people are. God makes these people *righteous. They do not have to work to earn his *righteousness. David says:

v7 ‘Happy are those people whose wicked deeds God forgives.

Happy are those people whose *sins God excuses.

v8 Happy is the person whom the *Lord never accuses of *sin.’

Verses 1-3 Paul wanted to teach about *faith. And he wanted to prove that his message about *faith was not a new message. So he explained how the *Old Testament taught the same message about *faith. Paul chose Abraham and David in order to show *faith in the *Old Testament. Abraham began the *Jewish nation. David was the most famous king of the *Jews. Paul wanted to show that they received *righteousness because of *faith, and not because of their good deeds.

Abraham was called the ‘friend of God’ (Isaiah 41:8). He was a *righteous man (Isaiah 51:1-2). He might have been able to *boast to other people. But he could not *boast to God his *Creator. God did not accept Abraham because of his (Abraham’s) good works. God accepted Abraham because he (Abraham) believed God. In other words, Abraham had *faith. Abraham believed God’s promise that he would have a son. He would have more *descendants than there are stars in the sky. Abraham had *faith that God would make this happen. He had *faith although he was an old man. His wife Sarah was old too. She was far beyond the age when women have children. God accepted Abraham’s *faith and God considered him *righteous (Genesis 15:6).

Verses 4-5 A person who works receives wages. That person has earned those wages. But a person cannot earn a right *relationship with God. *Righteousness is a free gift from God. A person receives it because of *faith. That person used to be a *sinner. But, because of God’s great love, God has changed that person’s life.

Verses 6-8 In Psalms 32, David describes the person who has real joy. This person knows that God has forgiven him. He has not obeyed God’s laws. He has failed to reach God’s standards. But then God made that person *righteous.

Jesus told a story about a tax-collector (a man whose job was to collect taxes for the government) in Luke chapter 18. That tax-collector asked God for *mercy (Luke 18:13-14). The tax-collector was humble and he was sincere. He put his trust in God. God does not accuse such a person because of his *sins. Instead, God considers him *righteous.

Abraham is the *father of all who have *faith 4:9-12

v9 This happiness is not only for *circumcised people. It is also for *uncircumcised people. We have said that God accepted Abraham’s *faith. And that is how God made Abraham *righteous. v10 God did not consider Abraham to be *righteous only after Abraham was *circumcised. No, God considered Abraham to be *righteous even before Abraham was *circumcised! v11 Abraham received the sign of *circumcision afterwards. It was the proof of the *covenant that God had made with Abraham. His *faith made him *righteous while he was still *uncircumcised. So Abraham is the *spiritual *father of everyone who believes God. Although they have not been *circumcised, Abraham is their *father. So God makes them *righteous too. v12 He is also the *spiritual *father of the *circumcised. But it is not enough if they are merely *circumcised. They have to live by the same kind of *faith that our *father Abraham had. He had that *faith before he was *circumcised.

Verses 9-11 *Jews believed that a man needed *circumcision. They did not consider anyone a real *Jew without *circumcision. A *Gentile might believe the *Jewish religion. But he could not be a proper member of the *Jewish *faith without *circumcision. This matter caused a very serious argument in the first churches. Many *Jewish Christians insisted that *Gentiles had to be *circumcised in order to become real Christians. Paul dealt with this problem in his letter to the Galatians. God considered Abraham *righteous before he received *circumcision. His genuine *faith in God began 14 years before the sign of *circumcision. *Circumcision was the proof of the *covenant that Abraham had already made with God (Genesis 15:6-21; Genesis 17:10).

Verses 11-12 True *descendants of Abraham are those who trust God in the same way as Abraham. Whether they are *circumcised or not makes no difference. ‘In *Christ, neither *circumcision nor *uncircumcision matters’ (Galatians 5:6). Abraham is the *father of *Gentiles who believe. He is also the *father of *Jews who believe. *Circumcision separated *Jews from other people. *Faith unites *Jews and *Gentiles who trust in *Christ.

God’s *grace 4:13-17

v13 God promised to Abraham and his *descendants that they would receive the world as their possession. Abraham did not receive the promise because he obeyed the law. Instead, he received it because he was *righteous. And he became *righteous because of his *faith in God. v14 If God’s promise depended on the law, *faith would have no value. And God’s promise would have no value.

v15 The law can only bring *wrath. If there were no law, there could be no *sin against the law. v16 Therefore the promise comes from God’s *grace. And people receive it by *faith. So the *descendants of Abraham will be certain to receive the things that God promised. The promise is not only to those people who have the law. It is also to all those people who have the same *faith as Abraham. Abraham is the *father of us all. v17 As the *scripture says, ‘I have made you a *father of many nations.’ God considers Abraham to be our *father. And Abraham believed God. Abraham’s God gives life to people who are dead. He also brings into life things that do not exist.

Verse 13 The *Greek word for ‘promise’ means a promise that someone makes because of love. So there must be no demand to give a promise back. God promised to Abraham that by him (Abraham) all the people on earth would receive *blessing (Genesis 12:3). God also promised that Abraham would have more *descendants than stars in the sky. But God’s promises did not depend on law. God did not give the law until 430 years later (Galatians 3:17). Abraham accepted God’s promises by *faith. That is, Abraham trusted God (Hebrews 11:8-12).

Verse 14 One must not add to God’s promise what the law orders. This would cancel the promise. Nobody can obey the law perfectly. So if the promise depended on the law, God could not carry out his promises. *Faith would no longer have any value.

Verse 15 The result of law is punishment, because people do not obey the law. So people could not receive the benefit of God’s promise by means of the law. People must receive this benefit by *faith. And they can only receive it because of God’s kindness (his *grace).

Verse 16 The promise comes from God’s *grace. Abraham and his *descendants can be sure about God’s gift. This is because they can accept it by *faith. The promise is for anyone who has the same *faith as Abraham. It is for *Jews and for those who never had the law. So Abraham became the *father of those with *faith. Paul showed that the promise came true by means of Jesus *Christ. By *faith, people all over the world receive God’s love. He cares about them. The law would say that they are guilty. But people can become *righteous by *faith in God. God forgives them because of his great love.

Verse 17 The change of Abram’s name was a sign that God had made a *covenant with him. ‘Abraham’ means ‘*father of many nations’ (Genesis 17:5). Abraham’s God can bring life to dead people. Here Paul is thinking especially about the promise of a son to Abraham. Abraham was so old that his body seemed ‘almost dead’ (Romans 4:19; Hebrews 11:11-12). But God is the powerful God who created the world from nothing. So it would be no problem for God to create many *descendants for Abraham.

The *faith of Abraham 4:18-25

v18 There was no reason for hope. But Abraham had hope because he believed God. So he became the *father of many nations, as God had promised. God had said, ‘Your children will be as many as this.’ v19 Abraham’s *faith did not become weaker. He was much too old to have children. He was about 100 years old. His wife Sarah was also too old to have children. v20 But he always believed in God’s promise. His *faith became stronger. He gave honour to God.

v21 He was sure about God’s power. He believed God’s promise. And Abraham was confident that God was able to do these things. v22 So God considered Abraham to be *righteous. v23 The words ‘considered to be *righteous’ are not only for Abraham’s benefit. v24 They are also for us. We believe in the God who raised Jesus our *Lord from death. So God will consider us *righteous too. v25 He handed over Jesus to die because of our *sins. God raised Jesus to life in order to make us *righteous.

Verses 18-21 From a human point of view, it was impossible for Abraham to have children. Both he and his wife Sarah were much too old. But Abraham believed in God’s power. He did not lose hope that God would carry out his promise. Instead, Abraham’s *faith increased. He trusted God’s promise. He was sure that God would carry it out.

Verses 22-24 It was not only Abraham whom God would consider *righteous. We believe that God raised Jesus from death. So God considers us *righteous too. Jesus becomes our *Lord.

Verse 25 The priests and Judas handed over Jesus to Pilate. The *Romans then killed Jesus on a *cross. These men thought that they had control over these events. But in fact, these events were part of God’s plan to ‘hand over’ Jesus. God ‘did not keep back (rescue) his own son, but he gave him up for us all’ (Romans 8:32). Jesus’ death was a *sacrifice to cancel the effect of human *sin. God accepted his *sacrifice and raised him from death. So if we believe in the death and *resurrection of Jesus, God considers us at *peace with himself. He considers us as *righteous.

Roman ~ a person from the city called Rome, or a description of anything that has a relationship with Rome. Rome was the most important city in the world at the time when Paul wrote this letter. It was the capital city where the Emperor lived.
Emperor ~ ruler over many countries.
faith ~ trust in someone or something; the things that Christians believe about Jesus.
ancestors ~ people or members of the family or nation in the past.
righteous ~ good, holy.
holy ~ something or someone that is special for God.
boast ~ to praise oneself.
righteousness ~ goodness; a right relationship with God.
relationship ~ a friendship; or way in which people know each other.
sin ~ evil deeds against God’s law; or to do such deeds.
Lord ~ God; the word that we may use for Jesus when we obey him; someone who rules or who is a master.'Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible. The authors of the books in the Old Testament wrote their books centuries before Christ’s birth.
Christ ~ the Greek word for Messiah, that is, Jesus.
Greek ~ the language in which the authors wrote the New Testament; or a word that describes anything that came from the country called Greece; or the people who came from Greece; or anyone who followed the same culture as people from Greece.
Messiah ~ the Jews’ word for the king who would come to rescue them; the Christ (that is, Jesus).

New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, about Jesus and the early church.

Jew, Jewish ~ a person whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people or members of the family or nation in the past.

'Jew, Jewish ~ a person whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people or members of the family or nation in the past.'Jew, Jewish ~ a person whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people or members of the family or nation in the past.
Creator ~ God, who created everything.
descendants ~ future members of a family or nation.
relationship ~ a friendship; or way in which people know each other.
righteousness ~ goodness; a right relationship with God.
relationship ~ a friendship; or way in which people know each other.
sinners ~ people who sin. God has not forgiven these people because they have not repented.
sin ~ evil deeds against God’s law; or to do such deeds.
repent ~ to change one’s mind totally; when someone who was doing wrong things begins to obey God.
mercy ~ kindness, the love that God shows when he forgives.
father ~ Abraham is called ‘father’ because all God’s people came from him. Abraham was the ancestor of the Israelites. But he is also called the ‘father’ of the Christians, because all real Christians share his faith in God.
ancestors ~ people or members of the family or nation in the past.
Israelite ~ the people that are Jews.
faith ~ trust in someone or something; the things that Christians believe about Jesus.

Jew, Jewish ~ a person whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
circumcised ~ a description of a boy or man who has received circumcision; a Jew.
circumcision ~ a sign of the covenant between God and the Jews. When a baby boy is 8 days old, the Jews circumcise that boy. They do this in order to obey the covenant between God and the Jews.

Jew, Jewish ~ a person whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
covenant ~ agreement between God and a person or people.
circumcise ~ cut off the loose skin from the end of the sex part of a boy or man. But the word ‘circumcise’ also has another meaning. By circumcision, the Jews showed that they wanted to obey God. But some people circumcised their boys merely because of tradition. Such people did not really want to obey God. So, the Bible says that these people should ‘circumcise their hearts’. In other words, they should learn how to obey God.
ancestors ~ people or members of the family or nation in the past.
uncircumcised ~ a description of someone who has not received circumcision; a Gentile.
circumcision ~ a sign of the covenant between God and the Jews. When a baby boy is 8 days old, the Jews circumcise that boy. They do this in order to obey the covenant between God and the Jews.
Gentile ~ someone hwo is not a Jew, or, a description of anything that has a relationship to people who are not Jews.
covenant ~ agreement between God and a person or people.

Jew, Jewish ~ a person whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
circumcise ~ cut off the loose skin from the end of the sex part of a boy or man. But the word ‘circumcise’ also has another meaning. By circumcision, the Jews showed that they wanted to obey God. But some people circumcised their boys merely because of tradition. Such people did not really want to obey God. So, the Bible says that these people should ‘circumcise their hearts’. In other words, they should learn how to obey God.
ancestors ~ people or members of the family or nation in the past.
circumcision ~ a sign of the covenant between God and the Jews. When a baby boy is 8 days old, the Jews circumcise that boy. They do this in order to obey the covenant between God and the Jews.
covenant ~ agreement between God and a person or people.

Jew, Jewish ~ a person whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
circumcise ~ cut off the loose skin from the end of the sex part of a boy or man. But the word ‘circumcise’ also has another meaning. By circumcision, the Jews showed that they wanted to obey God. But some people circumcised their boys merely because of tradition. Such people did not really want to obey God. So, the Bible says that these people should ‘circumcise their hearts’. In other words, they should learn how to obey God.
ancestors ~ people or members of the family or nation in the past.
covenant ~ agreement between God and a person or people.
spiritual ~ a description of something that belongs to the spirit.
Gentile ~ someone hwo is not a Jew, or, a description of anything that has a relationship to people who are not Jews.

Jew, Jewish ~ a person whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people or members of the family or nation in the past.
circumcision ~ a sign of the covenant between God and the Jews. When a baby boy is 8 days old, the Jews circumcise that boy. They do this in order to obey the covenant between God and the Jews.
covenant ~ agreement between God and a person or people.

Jew, Jewish ~ a person whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
circumcise ~ cut off the loose skin from the end of the sex part of a boy or man. But the word ‘circumcise’ also has another meaning. By circumcision, the Jews showed that they wanted to obey God. But some people circumcised their boys merely because of tradition. Such people did not really want to obey God. So, the Bible says that these people should ‘circumcise their hearts’. In other words, they should learn how to obey God.
ancestors ~ people or members of the family or nation in the past.
Christ ~ the Greek word for Messiah, that is, Jesus.
Greek ~ the language in which the authors wrote the New Testament; or a word that describes anything that came from the country called Greece; or the people who came from Greece; or anyone who followed the same culture as people from Greece.
Messiah ~ the Jews’ word for the king who would come to rescue them; the Christ (that is, Jesus).

New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, about Jesus and the early church.

Jew, Jewish ~ a person whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people or members of the family or nation in the past.
uncircumcision ~ the state of someone who has not received circumcision.
circumcision ~ a sign of the covenant between God and the Jews. When a baby boy is 8 days old, the Jews circumcise that boy. They do this in order to obey the covenant between God and the Jews.
covenant ~ agreement between God and a person or people.

Jew, Jewish ~ a person whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
circumcise ~ cut off the loose skin from the end of the sex part of a boy or man. But the word ‘circumcise’ also has another meaning. By circumcision, the Jews showed that they wanted to obey God. But some people circumcised their boys merely because of tradition. Such people did not really want to obey God. So, the Bible says that these people should ‘circumcise their hearts’. In other words, they should learn how to obey God.
ancestors ~ people or members of the family or nation in the past.
faith ~ trust in someone or something; the things that Christians believe about Jesus.
grace ~ God’s love that people do not deserve.
wrath ~ great anger; God’s anger against sin.
sin ~ evil deeds against God’s law; or to do such deeds.
Greek ~ the language in which the authors wrote the New Testament; or a word that describes anything that came from the country called Greece; or the people who came from Greece; or anyone who followed the same culture as people from Greece.

New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, about Jesus and the early church.
cross ~ two pieces of wood that people have fixed together in the shape of a cross. Soldiers would attach a criminal to a cross in order to kill that person.
sacrifice ~ something which people offer to God, especially an animal that they killed as a gift to God. Jesus’ death was the perfect sacrifice because, by his death, he freed people from sin.
sin ~ evil deeds against God’s law; or to do such deeds.
resurrection ~ when a dead person becomes alive again.
peace ~ a calm and content attitude.