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Romans 4 Part 2 - Day 1: “Faith as Old as Time” (V13-15)

Will you start your study time today by quieting your heart before the Lord in prayer?

“It was before the giving of the law, v. 13-16. The former observation is levelled against those that confined justification to the circumcision, this against those that expected it by the law; now the promise was made to long before the law.” (Matthew Henry)

Read Romans 4:13-15

Digging Deeper:

“Righteousness (or justification) by faith,” “Righteousness through faith,” Righteousness according to faith,” and now “Righteousness of faith;” All of these terms the apostle Paul has used, to convey that fundamental conviction that God exists and that He is the creator and ruler of all

1 things. He is the provider and giver of eternal salvation through Christ, and that through this conviction, we can have a complete and perfect standing before Him.

What were the conditions that God required, for Abraham and his descendants to inherit (V13) the world? Furthermore, who really gets to inherit this present world? Hasn’t the “title deed” been handed over to Satan through Adam’s sin? Would adhering to the rules and requirements of the law redeem that title deed? Not at all, Paul affirms. The way is much simpler and much older than the law. It would be done through the righteousness of faith, and the seed of Abraham, Christ Himself, would be not only the fulfillment of the law in every single detail, but more importantly, the object and culmination of our faith.

“What if?” Paul hypothesizes (V14). If righteousness is earned through obedience to the law, if the keepers of the law have the power, through that obedience, to restore themselves to a right standing before God and regain “the world,” then what? Then, Paul says, all this talk of faith is just the skin of a promise, a shell of sweetness that when bitten into, crumbles into flavorless disappointment. “Not so!” Paul would

2 say, as he continues his instruction in righteousness with verse 16.

Before he gets there, Paul reminds us (V15) of the function and intent of the law, pointing us back to :20, that “…by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Without the law, we do as we please with no awareness of wrongdoing; no lines of acceptable behavior are drawn. But when those lines are drawn through our path of behavior, we easily recognize that we have done wrong, and we have no doubt that we are deserving of punishment.

Application Questions:

1.) “The righteousness of faith,” is a term used by Paul in verse 13.

A.) What is the origin of faith? Did it come with the death of Christ on the cross? ______

3 B.) What does :1 say about the characteristics of faith? ______

C.) Reading through “The Hall of Faith,” as Hebrews 11 is often referred to, where do we see this faith first expressed? ______

2.) What do these passages speak to you about the law?

A.) :12 ______

B.) :8-12 ______

4 ______

C.) :23 ______

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Prayer for the day:

Thank you, Lord, for this work that You are doing in me through Paul. His reminders are relentless, that this letter is not just for the Jewish believers in Rome, but just as much for me today. All have sinned! Guilt isn’t measured on a sliding scale. We are all on equal ground, worthy of separation from You, and death. Thank you for making a way for me to be with You, for Your relentless and unfailing faith, and for making it available to me, from the very beginning of creation. Praise Your holy name for the plan of salvation for a wretch like me. Amen.

6 Romans 4 Part 2 – Day 2: “Righteousness through Faith” (V16-19)

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” :17

Will you start your study time today by quieting your heart before the Lord in prayer?

Read Romans 4:16-19

Digging Deeper:

(V16) Paul explains that Abraham had pleased God through Abraham’s faith alone. This was before he had ever heard about the rituals that would become so important to the Jewish people. We too are saved by faith and nothing else. It is not by simply loving God and doing good works that we are saved. It is neither by faith plus love or by faith plus good works. There are many religions that have tried multiple combinations of gaining favor with God and earning salvation. The

7 tells us that we are saved only through faith in Jesus Christ as our savior.

(V17) Abraham was considered “the father to all” as referenced in Romans 4:12. This was to ensure that both Jew and Gentile would know that God had created a path to righteousness for them. That path was delivered in the person of Jesus who would come from the blood line of Abraham. Abraham was an earthly father chosen by God but it should never be missed that God was the one who created a path of righteousness for all, through Christ. Abraham was the creation, given authority, but God is the Creator who grants authority.

(V18-19) Hope and faith were Abraham’s most valuable tools. That is not to say that Abraham sat around hoping that God would show up and make things happen. The Bible show us that he was a man who took action, but he did everything with trust and reliance on God. Abraham had hope and faith that God would show up. Charles Spurgeon once wrote that “All true believers, like Abraham, obey. Obedience is faith in action. You are to walk in the steps of the faith of father Abraham. His faith did not sit still, it took steps; and you must take these steps also by obeying God because you believe in him.”

8 Application Questions:

1.) One of the greatest examples of faith in the bible can be found in Genesis 22. Abraham was asked by God to take his only son to Mount Moriah and sacrifice Isaac as an offering to the Lord. By obedience, and trusting that God knows best, Abraham took Isaac up the mountain to be killed. The story goes to say that Abraham was about to take a knife to Isaac, but an angel of the Lord stopped him. The angel acknowledged that Abraham was a man of great faith and had a great fear of the Lord.

A.) Would you be willing or able to sacrifice your only son or daughter? Since God sent His Son Jesus as a living sacrifice for all; we do not have to make that choice, but it still presents an interesting thought. Would you have the faith of an Abraham? ______

B.) If you had to rate your “faith level” in this season of your life, where would you rate yourself? High? Low? Explain.

9 ______

C.) Romans 10:17 tells us that “faith come by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” How often are you hearing or reading the word of God? Sunday morning? Sunday and Wednesday? Or is taking in God’s word a daily part of your life? ______

2.) Even though it looked hopeless physically and logically for Abraham and , Abraham had hope. Biblically, hope is the absolute expectation of a coming good. Abraham said “From God’s perspective, His promise has already been fulfilled. So, I know with absolute certainty it will happen in me, and for me.” Now that is faith!

A.) What are you hoping for in your life? Is it a new job, a refresh in your marriage, salvation for a prodigal son or daughter or recovery from an addiction? Share what you are praying and

10 hoping for God to change in your life. ______

D.) What is “regeneration,” and where does it fit into this picture of salvation? ______

Prayer for the day:

God, all my hope and faith I place in You. I know that my works mean nothing without faith and so I ask you to guide my path each and every day. I have faith that you know what is right for me and I choose to willingly walk in your ways. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen

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