14 Justified By Faith – Part 2

Paul had previously established as foundation, that the believer is justified by faith, and not by works performed in the flesh. In the second section of chapter 4, he would use Abraham as an example to further prove his point.

Paul showed how Abraham was justified before the Lord, prior to his circumcision:

1 Abraham Justified Before Circumcision

Romans 4:9-12

God had promised Abraham and Sarah, who were both advanced in years, that they would be parents to more descendants than could be numbered. God considered Abraham was justified because he believed the words the Lord declared:

Genesis 15:6

God’s promise to Abaraham preceded the covenant of circumcision by approximately 14 or 15 years.

Paul already spoken about those whom the Lord had forgiven, as being especially blessed:

Romans 4:7-8

The Jews would have considered those blessings to have been reserved only for those under the Old Covenant. Yet again, Paul was using Abraham as his example, because Abraham predated the Old Covenant, as the Law was given to Moses.

The idea of righteousness happening outside of the Covenant, meant that God’s grace extended to Gentiles as well.

In verse 10, Paul emphasized the fact that Abraham was accounted righteous while he was still uncircumcised. This shows how man cannot do anything to earn salvation or acceptance by God.

Those who attempt to include or “add” the Law to what God has done, therefore becomes a “debtor” to the whole Law:

Galatians 5:3-4

In that passage, Paul was showing that those who desire to keep “any” aspect of the Law, are therefore in debt, or under the power of the whole Law.

In verse 11, Paul shows that circumcision was simply a “seal” of the righteousness received even while uncircumcised. Therefore, circumcision is an outward sign of what had already taken place inwardly. 

The same idea is applicable to baptism under the New Covenant. No one is saved by the rite, which is only an outward proclamation of what has already taken place in the believer’s life.

Whether referring to circumcision or baptism, if the inner work has not taken place, then anything done in the flesh, is completely meaningless.

In verse 12, Paul shows that by exercising his faith, Abraham would become the father of all who would then live by faith, whether they were circumcised or not.

2 God’s Promise by Faith

Paul then continued discussing how the Lord’s promise to Abraham (and to his seed) didn’t come through the Law, but because of his faith:

Romans 4:13-15

In the Jewish mindset, they believed that circumcision and the Mosaic Law, determined their standing before God. Which is why in verse 13, Paul once again stated that God’s promise didn’t come through the Law, but rather through faith:

Romans 4:13

Paul had previously mentioned Paul’s response to God’s promise which was recorded in Genesis 15. But that wasn’t the first occasion where the Lord had promised him:

Genesis 12:1-3

In another epistle, Paul showed how this promise occurred more than four centuries before the Law was given:

Galatians 3:17

In verse 13, Paul referred to Abraham as “heir of the world” which comes from the passage in Genesis previously mentioned:

Genesis 12:3

Verse 14 shows that the Law itself isn’t bad, but rather the Law does not (and cannot) fulfill, since the Law itself is not complete.

Even so, the problem attached to the Law, is that man is incapable of keeping it.

However, our inability to keep the Law doesn’t nullify it:

2 Corinthians 1:20

In verse 15, Paul shows how the Law brings about God’s wrath (judgment). The reason is because the Law reveals both our sinfulness, and out inability to keep it.

Next, Paul made a statement which some have looked upon as difficult to understand, and therefore some avoid teaching it.

He said, “for where there is no law there is no transgression”.

As shown previously, the purpose of the Law is to reveal the transgression, which means “the failure to keep a law or regulation”.

Paul isn’t suggesting that those outside of the Law are not sinners, and therefore not subject to judgment, since he’d already discussed the outpouring of God’s wrath upon unbelievers.