Rom 3:27-4:25, Prayer is an evidence of an unwavering faith

Rom 3:27-31 (NIV) Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. 29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.


• What does it mean that we don't nullify the law but rather uphold it if in fact no one is made righteous by the law nor does it matter if you are under the law or apart from the law?
• Righteousness by faith fulfills the demands of the law.  The law is what made Jesus death necessary
• Without the law, Jesus' death would not make sense
• The law was required for Jesus' death in order to have a vehicle to express itself
• In fact, Jesus' death then cancels the law
• Col 2:13-15 (NIV) When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
• Uphold (NIV, ESV, RSV) can also be translated as "confirm (CJB), establish (KJV, NASB), fulfill (NLT), or place"
• Paul addresses the issue of nullification head-on, but he does not fully answer the question yet
• Grk is "histemi" and means to cause of make to stand, to make firm, to set or place in a balance.  A secondary meaning is to stand by or near


Rom 4:1-3 (NIV) What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about — but not before God. 3 What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."


• So what did Abraham learn?
• He had no basis for boasting
• His righteousness was based upon his belief
• Paul's point is that there is has always only been one way of salvation, and that is by faith


Rom 4:4-12 (NIV) Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:


7 "Blessed are they
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never count against him."


9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.


• Paul starts out by contrasting faith and works.  What is the contrast?
• Work results in wages which are the person's right
• Faith results in a gift of righteousness
• To stress the importance of this point, Paul points out that at the time of the verse in Genesis, Abraham was not circumcised
• Circumcision is one of the quintessential makers of the Jewish OT Law
• Galatians is primarily written in a response to Judaizers requiring new Christian believers to be circumcised as a necessary condition of their Christian life
• Paul has used Abraham from the patriarchal period. He now brings David from the monarchial period
• A common Jewish practice is to build an argument on the basis of verbal parallels.  In this case, the word reckon (or credits or taken into account) is the key
• Psalm 32 is one of David's penitential psalms which he wrote after a great sin
• Two points are made in Psalm 32
• David believed in the forgiveness of his sins (not on the basis of any work)
• Secondly, David's sin did not cancel his salvation
• Technically, while the sins are not held against the individual, the expiation does not occur until Jesus' death.  His faith makes him righteous, but only Jesus' death pays the penalty for sin


Rom 4:13-17 (NIV) It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, 15 because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.


16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring — not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed — the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.


• Even the product or blessings of righteousness did not come from the law, but through Abraham's righteousness by faith
• In other words, it was not his obedience to the law that resulted in his being heir of the world
• The blessing was a result of faith not works
• Now, there is one distinction here.  There are specific blessings that come as a result of obeying the law.  They are summarized in Deut 28
• The major blessing, the promise of the future, came by faith
• The only promise the OT law offers is wrath
• Our inheritance in the future is guaranteed by our faith not works
• On the other hand, our position of service in the millennial is determined on our obedience to the law of grace (and no other)
• There is a distinction then between our inheritance and our reward
• One is by faith, the other is by service
• In the case of our inheritance, we are all children of Abraham, Jew and Gentile alike
• Rom 4:13-17 (CJB) For the promise to Avraham and his seed that he would inherit the world did not come through legalism but through the righteousness that trust produces. 14 For if the heirs are produced by legalism, then trust is pointless and the promise worthless. 15 For what law brings is punishment. But where there is no law, there is also no violation.  // 16 The reason the promise is based on trusting is so that it may come as God’s free gift, a promise that can be relied on by all the seed, not only those who live within the framework of the Torah, but also those with the kind of trust Avraham had — Avraham avinu for all of us. 17 This accords with the Tanakh, where it says, “I have appointed you to be a father to many nations.”  Avraham is our father in God’s sight because he trusted God as the one who gives life to the dead and calls nonexistent things into existence.
• Also, there are two aspects of Abraham's faith (verse 17). What are they?
• Abraham believes that God can give life to the dead (which will be important later on when he heads up Mount Moriah).  This is a resurrection belief
• Abraham believes that God can create things from nothing.  This is a belief in God as a creator


Rom 4:18-25 (NIV) Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."  19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead — since he was about a hundred years old — and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23 The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness — for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.


• Abraham had no cause for hope, but in hope he believed
• His body was as good as dead
• Sarah's womb was dead
• But God's promise was true
• APPLICATION: Likewise we are dead in our trespasses and sin, but God's promise of salvation is true and is our hope
• The passage says he did not waver
• To waver means to "pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness." Abraham was certain of God's word and he was willing to obey.  Consequently, he did not pause or hold back
• APPLICATION: It can be difficult to find a promise of God that is specific to ourselves and our situation.  I'm not referring to moral commands of God, but to the larger will of God issues that are not a point (only one course of action) but are represented by a circle (many possible options none of which are sinful).  On the other hand, even within the circle of God's will, we are told not to worry, not to fear, to pray, and to act prudently.  These are things I can do without pause or holding back.  And in fact, my faith is shown by my willingness to obey God in these tasks.  So, if I am exercising faith, am I praying?  If not, I am wavering.  Am I worried or fearful about the future?  Then I am wavering.  Am I acting not planning and acting prudently?  Then I am also wavering.  The latter actions, planning and prudent decisions, are usually not where we struggle, but rather with the former actions, praying and trusting (not worrying or fearing)