Romans 4

Chapter 4
4:1 If we look at our father Abraham as an example and scrutinise his life, would you say that he discovered any reason for placing confidence in the flesh through personal contribution?
4:2 If he felt that his friendship with God was a reward for good behaviour, then surely he would have reason to recommend the recipe; but the question is would God approve?
4:3 Scripture gives a clear answer! “Abraham believed God and that concluded his righteousness.”
4:4 In principle there is a huge difference between a reward and a gift: if you have earned something through hard work; it’s your due that you receive and certainly not a gift.
4:5 It is clear then that someone who believes that God is able to justify the ungodly understands that it is his faith and not his toil that counts for righteousness.
4:6 David confirms this principle when he speaks of the blessedness of the one who discovers God’s approval without any reference to something specific he did to qualify himself.
4:7 “To be separated from transgression and to have your sins deleted is to make happy progress in life.
4:8 How blessed is the man who receives a receipt instead of an account for his sins!”
4:9 Is this blessing restricted exclusively to the circumcised or extended also to the uncircumcised? Remember we are looking at Abraham as an example; his righteousness was founded on faith.
4:10 Did circumcision play any role in Abraham’s standing before God? Certainly not, it is clear that God already calculated his faith as righteousness before he was circumcised.
4:11 Circumcision was introduced as a (prophetic) external seal to confirm the fact that Abraham’s faith already resulted in righteousness. This qualifies him to be the father of all uncircumcised people who would believe as he did in the impartation of acquittal. (The seal was not meant to be a distraction but rather a confirmation to righteousness by faith. Just like a receipt is only a reference to, and not the actual transaction.)
4:12 At the same time he also represents as father all those for whom circumcision is not merely a skin deep religious ritual, but who walk in the footprints of his faith.
4:13 Righteousness by faith prompted the promise when God announced to Abraham that he would father those who would inherit the world.
It is again a matter of embracing a gift rather than receiving a reward for keeping the law.
4:14 Faith would be emptied of its substance and the principle of promise would be meaningless if the law was still in play to qualify the heirs.
4:15 Law is bound to bring about disappointment, regret and anger; if there is no law there is nothing to break; no contract, no breach.
4:16 Therefore since faith sponsors the gift of grace, the promise is equally secured for all the children. The law has no exclusive claim on anyone (the reward system cannot match the gift) Faith is our source, and that makes Abraham our father.
4:17 When God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, He made a public statement that he would be the father of all nations. (Genesis 17:5) Here we see Abraham faced with God’s faith; the kind of faith that resurrects the dead and calls things which are not (because we still could not see them) as though they were. (The name change, similar to that of Simon to Rock, returns man to realise his original identity as son of God, hewn out of the Rock, Deut.32:18)
4:18 Faith gave substance to hope when everything seemed hopeless; the words, “so shall your seed be” conceived in him the faith of fatherhood.
4:19 Abraham’s faith would have been nullified if he were to take his own age and the deadness of Sarah’s womb into consideration. His hundred year old body did not distract him! There was nothing feeble in his faith when he considered his own body and the womb of Sarah dead! (No contribution from their side could possibly assist God in fulfilling His promise!)
4:20 While he had every reason to doubt the promise, he did not hesitate for a moment but instead empowered by faith confidence, he continued to communicate God’s opinion.
4:21 His persuasion was attached to him like a daily worn uniform; he knew beyond doubt that the power of God to perform was equal to His promise. (His faith was his visible identity and armour.)
4:22 No wonder then that his faith was reckoned to him as righteousness. There was no other logical conclusion possible!
4:23 Here is the good news, the recorded words, “It was reckoned to him…” were not written for his sake alone!
4:24 God had us in mind! The same logical conclusion is now relevant to everyone’s faith. The resurrection of our Lord Jesus from the dead is the consummation and chief ingredient of faith (This is parallel to the conception of Isaac in a dead womb!)
4:25 Why was Jesus handed over to die? Because of our sins. Why was He raised from the dead? Because we were justified! His resurrection reveals our righteousness!
NOTES
4:1 Abraham the father of the multitudes of nations.
4:7 Hebrew word ashar, blessed, means to advance/ to make progress
4:14 Faith is not in competition with the law. The life quality that faith reveals is consistent with man’s original design and confirmed by the law.
4:17 For the next 25 years Abraham’s name was his confession in the absence of Isaac.
4:18 Abraham’s case here pictures` the hopelessness of fallen man, having lost their identity.
4:20 In the Hebrew language, Abraham was not a familiar sounding name, but a meaningful sentence, a confession of faith authority, against the odds. He did not become embarrassed about his name; he did not change his name back to Abram when there seemed to be no change in his circumstances. Every time he introduced himself or someone called him by his name, it was a bold declaration and repetition of God’s promise, calling things that were not as though they were.
4:21 plerophoreo, from plero, to be completely covered in every part, + phoreo, to wear garments or armour; traditionally translated to be totally persuaded.
4:24 Rom.6:11 “Consider yourself dead indeed,” compare : 19, Abraham considered his own body dead.
4:25 This is one of the most important statements in the entire Bible. Our sins explain His death; now our righteousness and acquittal explains His resurrection. If man was still guilty after Jesus died, His resurrection would neither be possible nor relevant! This explains Acts 10:28 and 2Cor.5:14 and 16.
(Translation by Francois du Toit)