Gospel Equality-Romans 4:9-25
Last week: Gospel Humility (Romans 4:1-8). This week: Gospel Equality (Romans 4:9-25).
What is Romans 4 (and 3:27-31) about?
Romans is “the autobiography of a man who has been justified by faith.” F.F. Bruce, Romans, 1985.
“You must be righteous and holy, before you can live a righteous and holy life.” William Gurnall (1617-1679, Anglican).
“God has nothing to say to the self-righteous.” Dwight L. Moody.
“Self-righteousness is the devil’s masterpiece to make us think well of ourselves.” Thomas Adams.
“There are only two kinds of men: the righteous who know they are sinners and the sinners who think they are righteous.” Blaise Pascal.
“The righteous do good and forget about having done it! The unrighteous however, keep a mental record of all the good that they have done.” Zac Poonen (b. 1939).
Paul’s single main point/thrust of repeated emphatic enthusiastic emphasis (in 1:18-4:25) is JBF(A) or NBF (justification by faith [alone]; nothing but faith).
What are the practical implications and application of JBF/NBF? How do we live out the gospel on the basis of JBF? What makes JBF/NBF unpleasant and difficult to accept or embrace? Why might “extreme” conservatives (Jews) and liberals (Gentiles) feel or react very strongly to this?
- It is a polemic (a strong/aggressive/ferocious verbal or written/spoken attack/criticism for or against someone or something/a particular belief/opinion).
- It is a diatribe (a forceful and bitter verbal denunciation/attack against someone or something).
- It challenges one thing: _______.
- In Paul’s context, he was challenging ________.
- It challenges, provokes, instigates, presses anyone who thinks or feels that they are better or superior than others in anything (looks, success, intelligence, knowledge, opinion, preference, perspective, assessment, politics, godliness, spirituality, doctrinal/practical superiority, etc).
I. The Gospel – Introduction (1:1-17): The gospel is the power of God (Rom 1:16). The righteous by faith shall live (Rom 1:17).
II. The Gospel – Justification by Faith (1:18-4:25). “Righteousness,” “justify,” and “righteous” occur 24 times; “faith” and “believe” 27 times.
III. The Gospel – The Power of God for Salvation (5:1-8:39). [Detailed outline below.]
Notice Paul’s emphasis on faith (In part II (1:18-4:25), faith and belief occur 27 times; emphasis on faith occur 33 times, cf. only 3 times in ch. 5-8):
Romans 1:17: “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”
Romans 3:21-23, 24-26: “But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known… 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short…” “…and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this … so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”
Romans 3:27-28, 30: “Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. … because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.”
Romans 4:3-6: “What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.”
Romans 4:9, 11-12: “We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised … who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had…”
Romans 4:13-14: “It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise … but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless…”
Romans 4:16-17: “Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. …He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed…”
Romans 4:18-25: “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why ‘it was credited to him as righteousness.’ 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”
Romans 5:1-2: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.”
Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Quotes:
“The righteousness of Christ is magnified – when the righteousness of a Christian is not mentioned.” William Secker (17th century preacher).
“Beware of self-righteousness. The black devil of licentiousness destroys his hundreds, but the white devil of self-righteousness destroys his thousands.” Charles Spurgeon.
“Beware of self-righteousness in every possible shape and form. Some people get as much harm from their ‘virtues’ as others do from their sins.” J. C. Ryle (1816-1900, Anglican bishop).
“God is none other than the Savior of our wretchedness. So we can only know God well by knowing our iniquities… Those who have known God without knowing their wretchedness have not glorified Him, but have glorified themselves.” Blaise Pascal.
“If there be ground for you to trust in your own righteousness, then, all that Christ did to purchase salvation and all that God did to prepare the way for it is in vain.” Jonathan Edwards.
“This life therefore is not righteousness, but growth in righteousness, not health, but healing, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it, the process is not yet finished, but it is going on, this is not the end, but it is the road. All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified.” Martin Luther.
“If you would convince a man that he does wrong, do right. But do not care to convince him. Men will believe what they see. Let them see.” Henry David Thoreau.
“God will not go forth with that man who marches in his own strength.” Charles Spurgeon.
“Do you know what you imply when you say that you are a Christian? It is that you are as guiltless in God’s sight as Christ Himself.” G.V. Wigram (1805-1879, English bible scholar and theologian). “That which of all things unfits man for the reception of Christ as a Savior, is not gross profligacy and outward, vehement transgression, but it is self-complacency, fatal self-righteousness and self-sufficiency.” Alexander MacLaren (1826-1910, Scottish minister).”Most believers assume an attitude of self-righteousness, though often it is scarcely detectable. They hold tenaciously to their minute opinions … we ought to lay aside the small differences and pursue the common objective.” Watchman Nee.
Outline of Romans 1-7:
I. The Gospel – Introduction (1:1-17): The righteous by faith shall live.
–Gospel of Grace (1:1-7)
–Gospel Enthusiasm (1:8-15)
–Gospel Power, Gospel Faith (1:16-17)
II. The Gospel – Justification by Faith (1:18-4:25).
–Gospel Suppression (1:18-2:5)
–Gospel Impartiality (2:6-29)
–Gospel Accusation (3:1-20)
–Gospel Righteousness (3:21-26)
–Gospel Application (3:27-31)
–Gospel Example (4:1-25): Gospel Humility (1-8); Gospel Equality (9-25).
III. The Gospel – The Power of God for Salvation (5:1-8:39).
–Gospel Benefits (5:1-11).
–Gospel Pattern (5:12-21).
–Gospel Freedom I {from sin} (6:1-23).
–Gospel Freedom II {from the law} (7:1-25).
