Romans 4.1-25 Salvation is by Faith

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?...For what does the Scripture say? " Abraham believed  God , and it was credited to him as righteousness ." Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness...For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith...Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.Romans 4:1‭-‬25 NASB

The argument continues to be made that salvation is by faith, and not by works.

Abraham is the prime example of faith. When God told him to leave his land and go to another land that he knew nothing about, he went, believing that God would direct him. Again, when Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was 90, he believed that God would give him a son.

And the Bible says that his faith was credited to him as righteousness. Abraham was a righteous man before God, not because of his behavior, but because of his faith.

Abraham was not "religious". That is, he believed God, but wasn't tied to a religion. The Law hadn't yet been given to Moses, and the Hebrew traditions hadn't been established.

God is often referred to as "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob". He is not the God of religion. He is the God of people, and of faith. He wants us to have a relationship, not a religion.

It is clear that Abraham was not unique. Rather, he was an example for us who also believe.

But don't be fooled into thinking that a vague belief in some God will be enough. As our passage today says, righteousness is credited to "those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead."

Jesus died for our sins, and was raised for our salvation.

There are many gods in this world to believe in, but the Bible teaches us that there is only one true God, and only one name by which we must be saved. And that name is Jesus.

Romans 3.10-31 Salvation

...as it is written, " there is none righteous , not even one ; there is none who understands , there is none who seeks for  God...because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.  But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed...For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law...Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.Romans 3:10‭-‬31 NASB

 It is established that everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, as reference in Psalm 14.

Paul makes a great effort to contrast the Law versus faith. Being Jewish, and speaking to a Jewish audience, the references are to the Law of Moses as set down in the Torah.

Those of us who are not Jewish, and not subject to that Law can still apply the principle. The Law was an effort to please God with works and sacrifice; to earn a place in Heaven with God.

We who do not have the Law have religion with its rules and rituals. This religion is our effort to please God.

Many, who do not consider themselves to be religious, live by a code of conduct to distinguish right from wrong. The thinking is that, if they do more good than bad, the scales will tip in their favor, and they will go to heaven. This is just another version of the Law.

But it is impossible to please God with works. As the scripture says "By the works of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight." No matter how much we follow our rules, we will always fall short of God. God will not sit in judgment with scales weighing our good deeds against our bad. There are not enough good deeds in the universe to make us worthy of Him. Based on a religion of good deeds, we are all worthy of hell.

Romans 6.23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Therefore, God has chosen to forgive us of our sins, not because of how good we are, but because He loves us anyway. Romans 5.8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

God's own righteousness requires that we pay for our sin. This is a debt we can never pay. But Jesus, dying on the cross, shed his own blood as payment for our sin, so that we can be forgiven. Our sins have been paid for. What He asks of us is that we have faith in Him.

Romans 10.9-10 says, "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."

Lord, I confess to You that I have sinned and fallen short of Your glory. I ask that You forgive me of my sins. I believe that Jesus died for me on the cross, rose again after three days, and is now seated in Heaven with God the Father. I confess that Jesus is my Lord.

Romans 3.1-9 Jews and Gentiles

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;Romans 3:1‭-‬9 NASB

In Christ, there is no difference between Jew and gentile. All have sinned, and all need God's grace for salvation, and all receive the same Holy Spirit.

Yet, in the natural world, they are still God's chosen people. He still blesses Israel, and He still wants them all to be saved.

In the first century church, there was a tendency for Jewish believers to think that they were inherently better than the gentile believers. Paul addresses that directly by asking "Are we better than they?" (Paul was Jewish). He answers, "Not at all".

In our modern society, there is a growing tendency towards antisemitism. It is absolutely wrong to think that gentiles are in any way better than Jews, or to hate them for being Jewish. For the Christian, it is an abomination!

Any understanding of the Scriptures will show us the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Much of the New Testament is addressed to the Jews, to teach them, and lead them to a knowledge of Christ. Disregarding the Law of Moses, remember that the Jews were called through God's promise to Abraham. He has never, and will never, give up on the Jews and the nation of Israel.

So what if, for now, some have rejected the message of Christ. Our response should be to love them and pray that they will know God's love and mercy.

Romans 2:12-29 The Law

For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves...You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? For " the name of  God is blasphemed among the  gentiles  because of you ," just as it is written.  For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision...But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.   

Romans 2:12‭-‬29 NASB

At a cursory glance, and taken out of context, it would seem that those who have never heard the gospel would be saved as long as their conscience is clear. This is not the case.

Romans 3.23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Also in Roomans 3.10, "as it is written, 'there is none righteous , not even one'". So then, all of us have sinned and need God's grace.

So then, what is the point he is making?

As Paul repeatedly states, the gospel was preached first to the Jews, and then to the gentiles. At this point in the letter, Paul is addressing the Jews who who are following the Law of Moses. There was a cultural pride among the Jews that they are God's chosen people who had followed the Law for many generations. They thought that they had a spiritual advantage over the upstart gentiles who had only recently begun following the Jewish Messiah.

Through Paul's writing, God is making it clear that no one has an advantage, neither Jew nor gentile, but all are subject to God's judgment.

Romans 2.1-11 Mercy

Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things...But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?...There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.Romans 2:1‭-‬11 NASB

Jesus said, "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you." (Matt 7:1,2)

It is not a contradiction to condemn certain acts as sin, without condemning the sinner.

What we have to remember is that God is full of mercy. We can be tolerant of sinners without approving their sinful lifestyle because God was tolerant with us when we were sinners. It was the kindness and tolerance and patience of God that led us to repentance. If we go by the name of Christian, then we need to show the same kindness and tolerance and patience to the people of the world, without compromising the truth, even as we pray for God's mercy and salvation over them.

If they choose to reject the message of Christ then they will be judged, not by us, but by God. If they choose to accept Christ, then they will receive glory and honor and peace from God.

Romans 1.24-32 Sinful Behavior

Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them...For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.  And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

Romans 1:24‭, ‬26‭-‬28‭, ‬32 NASB

God's response to those who are determined to reject Him, exchanging the truth of God for a lie, is to give them over to their lusts and depravities. He singles out homosexuality as a prime example of that which is unnatural, indecent and depraved. Keep in mind that if you take offense at this assessment, it is not me that you are taking offense with, but God.

The attributes of a depraved mind are:

• being filled with all unrighteousness
• wickedness
• greed
• evil

He then gives a laundry list of sins committed by the depraved mind.

• envy
• murder
• strife
• deceit
• malice
• gossip
• slander
• hating God
• insolence 
• arrogance
• boastfulness
• inventing evil
• disobedient to parents
• lacking understanding
• untrustworthy
• unloving 
• unmerciful

Those who practice such things are worthy of death in God's eyes. Notice that murder is on the same list as gossip. Maybe you say, "but I'm okay. I've never murdered anybody." Or, "But I'm straight." But have you ever been boastful, or disobeyed you parents, or acted in ways that are unloving or unmerciful. There is no distinction.

Keep in mind that all scripture needs to be seen in context. Out of context this whole section may be seen as hateful and judgmental. It is not. As we continue reading in Romans, we see that God's purpose is to expose the truth, then provide hope and remedy.

For my part, I recognize the sinful behavior as the works of the flesh. I will tell you the truth as it is set forth in scripture, but it is not my place to judge or condemn any person.

Romans 1.18-23 God Revealed

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.Romans 1:18‭-‬23 NASB

God answers the question of what happens to people who have never had the opportunity to hear the gospel. Are they innocent by virtue of never having heard the truth to either accept or reject it? The answer is no. They are accountable.

God has revealed Himself to man through His creation. God has placed within the heart of everyone the ability to find and know Him. Instead, because of sin, they suppress the truth, and refuse to honor Him as God. When you see the complexity of the universe, and the diversity of life on this planet, the idea that it could all happen by accident is laughable.

What is not laughable is a world that denies creation. As He says, their speculations (i.e. big bang and evolution) are futile. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and they are without excuse. The result is that the wrath of God will be revealed from heaven against them.

Romans 1.8-17 The Preaching of the Gospel

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world...So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, " but the righteous  man  shall live by  faith ."
Romans 1:8‭-17 NASB

After greeting the church in Rome, Paul begins by expressing his desire to visit the Romans to preach the gospel.

The preaching of the gospel is not simply a retelling of the story of Jesus presented by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It is the word of God spoken in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is this power, with the Holy Spirit drawing the sinner to God, that leads to salvation for those who believe.

As we see in the book of Acts, the gospel was presented first to the Jews. And then God extended His grace to the gentiles.

In the gospel, righteousness is revealed. It is received by faith for salvation. To continue in Christ - to be sanctified - is to live by faith.

Romans 1.1-7 Greetings

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;  to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:1‭-‬7 NASB

Paul doesn't waste words. He knows who he is in Christ, and identifies himself.

• He is a bond-servant of Jesus. Some translations use the term "servant" or "slave". I prefer the term "bond-servant". 
• A servant works for another for pay. It is a job which he is free to leave at any time and for any reason.
• A slave is indentured into service; forced to work against his will.
• A bond-servant willingly offers himself into service to pay a debt. Once the agreement for service is reached, the bond-servant is not free to walk away. He must pay back the debt in full to redeem himself. The debt we owe Jesus is our very life. We may choose to be His bond-servant, or we may choose not to be, but we can never pay back the debt in full. In short, when we choose to be His, we are His forever. This is also the most common translation of the greek word 'doulos'.
• He is called to be an apostle. You can think of an apostle as a bond-servant with authority. This is not a position he chose out of personal ambition, but because he was called.
• He was set aside to preach the gospel concerning Jesus.

Regarding Jesus

• He is a descendant of David
• He is the Son of God
• This is declare to be so by the resurrection from the dead.
• Confirmed by the Holy Spirit

Apply these verses to your life by emulating Paul. Be a bond-servant of Christ, and fulfill your calling, whatever that may be.

Lord, I thank You that You have called us to Your service. I pray that you will give us wisdom to know our calling, and enable us to fulfill it.