Author: The Manager of Site

Friday, 19 April 2013

…but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,… Romans 4:24

“But also for us” is tied to the previous verse which explained Genesis 15:6. Abraham simply believed God’s promise and it was accounted to him for righteousness. This written account of that declaration, according to Paul, “was not written for his sake alone.” In other words, what the Bible records about Abraham serves a another purpose which is that we too enter into the same state of righteousness.

And how will it occur? “It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.” We learn that our justification before God comes to us by an act of faith, just as it did with Abraham. The record of Abraham’s reckoning has been given to show us that the same thing will occur to us in the same way. The only difference between what occurred in Abraham and what will occur when we believe is the difference in what is known.

Abraham was given a promise and without wavering he believed. We have been given the account of Jesus and we are asked to believe it. This is the good news and it is the foundation of our faith. There are two things to note about it. First, Paul calls Jesus “Lord” and secondly he notes that He has been raised from the dead. He will call these to mind again in chapter 10 –

“….that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (verse 9).

After this, he will explain how this process works – “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (verse 10).

The pattern is set in the Old Testament and it continues and is confirmed in the New – there is only one way to be saved and works are excluded from the process. It is by faith, and faith alone that God bestows righteousness. We are to have faith that “Jesus is Lord.” This means that He is the divine Son of God – fully God and fully Man. And we are to have faith that God raised Him from the dead; He has fulfilled the law on our behalf.

Life application: What does your denomination require of you? Do they say you can’t eat pork? Do they say you must observe a Sabbath? Is there some other work that they tell you is necessary for you to prove you are saved? If so, it is time for you to find another place of worship. The Bible is clear, but we misunderstand. Call on Jesus as Lord, believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved. Nothing else is required. Now, go share this good news.

Lord God, thank You for the simplicity of the gospel. Help me to never add to the message that I am saved by grace through faith and that this is a gift. Reassure me as needed that a gift from You is an eternal bestowing of Your righteousness. When I fall short and sin, remind me that nothing can ever separate me from Your love again; that I am eternally saved through Jesus. Amen.

Thursday, 18 April 2013

Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, Romans 4:23

In 1 Corinthians 10:11, Paul says, “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” Jude’s epistle says the same basic thing in verse 1:7. The stories of the Old Testament aren’t just written for us to read without careful consideration. Instead they are written so that we have real examples of how God works in and through history and they are to be used in for our instruction and learning.

Having said this, its important to understand that these are types and pictures and so care needs to be used when evaluating them. In the case of Abraham, Paul explicitly says that what is written about how righteousness was imputed to him wasn’t “written for his sake alone.”

We have the assurance that the pattern set down in Scripture concerning imputation was one that we can apply directly to ourselves and Paul will explain it in the next two verses.

Life application: When evaluating passages in the Bible for self-application, context is king. Understanding proper context takes an immense amount of study and contemplation. Be careful not to run ahead and attempt to apply verses or passages to your own life without understanding their full intent and purpose. Unless a concept, type, or shadow is explicitly explained, use great care in how you apply it.

Heavenly Father, lead me to teachers of the Bible who will use care and right reasoning when teaching and preaching from it. Please keep me from those who would misapply verses or passages and give me right discernment in what I hear and believe. This I pray to Your honor and glory. Amen.

Wednesday, 17 April 2013

And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:22

“And therefore…” Paul sums up the thoughts of verses 9-22 (which includes an interim “therefore” that must be considered in this thought). Because of everything he has noted, clearly laying out his defense of righteousness apart from works, he cites Genesis 15:6 – “It was accounted to him for righteousness.” The word translated here is telling us that God was counting Abraham righteous because of his belief. The difference between “imputation” and “impartation” was previously detailed. Here is that difference –

Imputation: I believe the gospel and therefore I am counted as righteous.

Impartation: I believe the gospel and therefore I am righteous.

Abraham believed God and righteousness was credited to his account, even though he was still a fallible man. He knew that the Seed of the woman, promised at the fall of man, would come. Even more, he believed that He would come through him despite his circumstances. His unwavering faith in the promise of God was all that was necessary to justify him.

Life application: Take time to re-read verses 9-23 today and then store away this valuable treasure trove of information. If you have called on Jesus as Lord, then you are saved. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re lacking something necessary to please God. Let your works result from your salvation and not be an attempt to somehow merit it.

My Lord and my God, when I look at the marvel of Your creation I stand in awe of all that You have done. From you comes wonder, joy, and every good blessing. Help me to live my life in a manner worthy of Your glory and to never bring dishonor upon Your great name. Amen. 

Tuesday, 16 April 2013

…and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. Romans 4:21

Hebrews 11:1 defines what faith is – “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” It is something which one possesses, “substance” and “evidence.” Roman’s 4:21 takes this definition and describes it. Abraham was “fully convinced that what He [God] had promised He was also able to perform.” This is the substance of Abraham’s hope and it is the evidence of his faith.

Abraham’s internal conviction that God was able to perform exactly what He spoke was looked upon as an act of righteousness by God. This is the foundation of the biblical pattern for such a reckoning and it will be broken down and explained in the next verses. And the Bible will never deviate from this premise – that it is by grace through faith that one is saved. Jesus’ words confirm this precept and are worth remembering yet again –

“For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

This is the model, this is the standard, and this is the truth of the word of God. We are to be fully convinced that what He promises He will also perform.

Life application: Have faith in God and His word. It is the only thing that you can ever do which will restore you to Him. He has done the work; now accept what He has done and the promises which accompany it.

Heavenly Father, I am fully convinced that the things You have promised You are also able to perform. You have said that through Jesus my sins are forgiven and I accept that. You have said that through faith in Him I am declared righteous and I believe that. You have said that I am granted eternal life through Him and I wait patiently for that day! Great is Your faithfulness O God. Amen.

Monday, 15 April 2013

He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,… Romans 4:20

Abraham has been given as the prime example of fortitude in faith. He remained unwavering in his convictions concerning the promise of God. Unfortunately, he is too often maligned against this very premise when it comes to the account with Hagar. The man of faith is said to have weakened at that time, but this is not at all the case. Paul states very clearly here that “he did not waiver at the promise of God through unbelief.”

What occurred with Hagar was simply a man not having all the information that God has. Because of this, his actions with Hagar were done in faith, not apart from them. It was Sarah who made the proposition and Abraham acted upon it, possibly assuming this was the divine plan God spoke of. In the end, all came about exactly as God intended. Ishmael was born to meet God’s plans and later Sarah conceived Isaac, thus bringing glory to God.

Abraham’s walk was continuously one of undivided faith. The Greek word translated as “waver” indicates a mental struggle concerning the issue. In Abraham, there was no such turmoil. God spoke and he believed unwaveringly. Abraham learned early and held fast to the truth that if one looks at the circumstances around them they will falter, but if they fix their eyes on the Lord their is only surety of purpose and resoluteness in determination.

For this very reason, the Bible elsewhere implores us to “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and again to “fix our thoughts on Jesus” (Hebrews 3:1). When we look unto Him, there will be no time for mental distractions which cause us to falter.

But there is an important caveat which must be considered concerning our faith. Misapplied promises can only lead to unsatisfactory results. It is highly fashionable to take single verses out of context and make faith-based claims on them. This is both unreasonable and harmful. When quoting Scripture to build up faith, it must be taken in context and in the manner intended by God. Otherwise, it is no promise at all. Handle the word with care, especially when looking to its promises.

Life application: Who is being addressed in a letter or book? What are the circumstances of what is being said – time, place, person. Is the verse speaking directly to you or are you merely being allowed the privilege of seeing God’s promise to someone else for learning, but not self-application. Knowing and applying these and many other rules of interpretation will keep one from becoming disillusioned by promises which were never intended to be used in your own personal manner.

Lord God, give me wisdom and discernment concerning Your word and help me to rightly divide its instruction. Help me to know when a verse is being taken out of context and instead, help me to be built up by a clear understanding of the intent of what is being presented. I know that as I learn these things, my walk with You will become more sure. Amen.