Rom 4:2-3 | KingComments | STEP | . Paul now highlights two important people from Israel’s history in the Old Testament to clarify that God’s righteousness can only be obtained by faith. You also saw this in the previous section with respect to the law. God takes special care to demonstrate that man has no part in obtaining God’s righteousness. Everything comes from Him. The more you understand this, the more you will honor Him for it in your life. . Abraham is mentioned first. He was the patriarch (father) of the Jews. God traced the origin of the people of Israel to Abraham’s descendants. The Jews boasted in this fact. They even used it in their arguments with the Lord Jesus. They said: “We are Abraham’s descendants” ( ). They thought that being Abraham’s posterity, they were rather privileged. After all, the promises had been given to him. In addition the law had been too difficult for them to keep, but God would at least bless them (they thought) because they were Abraham’s posterity. . But this is not how it works. You and I are not blessed because our ancestors were blessed. If our ancestors were blessed, it is because they believed God, not because they deserved it. We too receive the blessing only through personal faith with God as its object. This was the case with Abraham and so it is with his posterity. Scripture says: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” The object of faith is not a man, but the clear word of God. In Genesis 15 God promised Abraham an heir and numerous posterity. Abraham believed this even when, humanly speaking, it was no longer possible to have children. He and Sarah were too old for that, but he still trusted God to fulfill His promise. This faith was reckoned to him as righteousness ( ). . When God was going to fulfill His promises, he was not expecting Abraham to help Him. If Abraham had been able to help in this, he would have deserved some kind of payment because he had worked for it. Just as with Abraham, so with you; you are justified by faith. You are then not honored, but God is glorified. . Your happiness is to be found in receiving God’s righteousness without having to work for it. In Psalm 32 David speaks about righteousness without works. Read in how he says: “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”” And what does God do? “And You forgave the iniquity of my sin” ( ). If we acknowledge our sins instead of covering them up, then God does exactly the reverse with them. He forgives them. He puts them where they can no longer be seen. How happy you are once you know this! God no longer imputes our confessed sins because Christ shed His blood for them. How marvelous and what grace! Words fail to express the wonder of what God has done to make us righteous. People whose sins have been forgiven are happy people. At times, we can be in difficult circumstances, but our sins are no longer a source of unease. All of this has been dealt with perfectly. God Himself is the guarantee for it because He did it Himself. Now read Romans 4:1-8 again. Reflection: Realize that God no longer thinks of your sins.

‏ Romans 4:2-3

A Happy Man

Rom 4:1. Paul now highlights two important people from Israel’s history in the Old Testament to clarify that God’s righteousness can only be obtained by faith. You also saw this in the previous section with respect to the law. God takes special care to demonstrate that man has no part in obtaining God’s righteousness. Everything comes from Him. The more you understand this, the more you will honor Him for it in your life.

Rom 4:2. Abraham is mentioned first. He was the patriarch (father) of the Jews. God traced the origin of the people of Israel to Abraham’s descendants. The Jews boasted in this fact. They even used it in their arguments with the Lord Jesus. They said: “We are Abraham’s descendants” (Jn 8:33). They thought that being Abraham’s posterity, they were rather privileged. After all, the promises had been given to him. In addition the law had been too difficult for them to keep, but God would at least bless them (they thought) because they were Abraham’s posterity.

Rom 4:2-3. But this is not how it works. You and I are not blessed because our ancestors were blessed. If our ancestors were blessed, it is because they believed God, not because they deserved it. We too receive the blessing only through personal faith with God as its object. This was the case with Abraham and so it is with his posterity. Scripture says: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

The object of faith is not a man, but the clear word of God. In Genesis 15 God promised Abraham an heir and numerous posterity. Abraham believed this even when, humanly speaking, it was no longer possible to have children. He and Sarah were too old for that, but he still trusted God to fulfill His promise. This faith was reckoned to him as righteousness (Gen 15:6).

Rom 4:4-5. When God was going to fulfill His promises, he was not expecting Abraham to help Him. If Abraham had been able to help in this, he would have deserved some kind of payment because he had worked for it. Just as with Abraham, so with you; you are justified by faith. You are then not honored, but God is glorified.

Rom 4:6-8. Your happiness is to be found in receiving God’s righteousness without having to work for it. In Psalm 32 David speaks about righteousness without works. Read in how he says: “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”” And what does God do? “And You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psa 32:5).

If we acknowledge our sins instead of covering them up, then God does exactly the reverse with them. He forgives them. He puts them where they can no longer be seen. How happy you are once you know this! God no longer imputes our confessed sins because Christ shed His blood for them. How marvelous and what grace!

Words fail to express the wonder of what God has done to make us righteous. People whose sins have been forgiven are happy people. At times, we can be in difficult circumstances, but our sins are no longer a source of unease. All of this has been dealt with perfectly. God Himself is the guarantee for it because He did it Himself.

Now read Romans 4:1-8 again.

Reflection: Realize that God no longer thinks of your sins.