Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the
ROMANS
Reference Compiled by WD Kemner June 2024
Chapter 4
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Passage: Romans 4:1-3 |
Topics: Works for Salvation |
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1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
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What did Abraham find out? Did he boast before God of all the works he did?
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Passage: Romans 4:4-5 |
Topics: Works for Salvation |
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4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
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If Abraham worked for it and therefore received justification then there was no grace involved because God owed Abraham a debt. However, if Abraham simply believed God (had FAITH) for it and did not work for it, then it was Grace of God that counted the faith of Abraham as righteous.
Consider that Abraham was a heathen when God called him. Therefore, this Grace by faith is available to all sinners whether Jew or Gentile. (Romans 3:21)
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Passage: Romans 4:6-8 |
Topics: Righteousness |
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6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
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Paul will use King David as an example. David being the most significant person in history to the Jews. David was under the law, but was also justified by his faith and belief in God’s forgiveness of sin. Psalms 51:1-13; 91:16; 103:3
Verses 7-8: Quote Psalms 32:1-2
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Passage: Romans 4:9-13 |
Topics: Righteousness not Works |
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9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
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Abraham’s circumcision had nothing to do with his being accepted and justified by God. It would be decades from the time of his call by God, before Abraham was circumcised as God would then require. Genesis 12:1-3; 17:1-19
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Passage: Romans 4:14-17 |
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14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
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Verse 14:
Law makes no provision for mercy or forgiveness. Faith is then also irrelevant and not needed.
Verse 15:
If there is no law then a person cannot be guilty of breaking any law and therefore not guilty of such.
Verse 16:
Abraham’s promise comes by faith. Grace makes it available to all the offspring whether they are under the law or not.
Verse 17:
Quoting Genesis 17:4-5
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Passage: Romans 4:18-22 |
Topics: Faith leads to Righteousness |
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18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
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The faith of Abraham determined his righteousness.
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Passage: Romans 4:23-25 |
Topics: Belief leads to Righteousness |
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23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
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The faith of Abraham and the fact that it was his righteousness was not documented only for him. It was for evidence that this is true for all that believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.