ROMANS
CHAPTER 4
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
OBSERVATION
STAGE
The purpose of
the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the
normative rules of language, context and logic 
which limits the observer to the content offered by the book of Romans.
This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more
importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective
comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.
Remember that
something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in
view.
Notice that 4:1
begins with "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather,
discovered in this matter?" This continues Paul's discussion of
justification by faith alone as opposed to works. Immediately below is an
excerpt from chapter three to review this:
*******************************************************************
[Excerpt from
chapter three below - or skip to verse 4:1 
]:
FAITHFUL
HUMAN DOING IS NEITHER CONTRIBUTABLE, NOR ACCEPTABLE TOWARD, NOR A SURE
RESULT OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S JUSTIFICATION UNTO ETERNAL LIFE. NOR IS IT A
RELIABLE MEASURE OF WHETHER OR NOT ONE IS SAVED
THERE
IS ONLY ONE GOSPEL AND ONE GOD FOR ALL MANKIND WHO WILL JUSTIFY THE JEW
AND THE GENTILE THROUGH A MOMENT OF FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE. ONGOING
FAITH IS NOT IN VIEW AND THEREBY EXCLUDED
THE
LAW IS THE INSTRUMENT FOR ONE TO REMEDY ONE'S FALLING SHORT OF GOD'S
STANDARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BECAUSE IT ENABLES ONE TO BECOME CONSCIOUS OF
ONES SINS BEFORE GOD AND THEN REMEDY THAT PROBLEM BY FAITH IN CHRIST'S
JESUS' PROPITIATION FOR SINS UNTO THE RECEPTION OF A RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM
GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE. THEREBY WE UPHOLD THE LAW
[End of
excerpt]
*********************************************************************
I)
[Ro 4:1]:
A)
THE QUESTION 'WHAT ADVANTAGE IS THERE IN BEING A JEW, BEING CIRCUMCISED'
CONTINUES TO BE ANSWERED BY INVESTIGATING WHAT ABRAHAM THE JEWS'
FOREFATHER HAS FOUND RELATIVE TO THE MATTER OF THE FLESH (HUMAN DOING)
AND JUSTIFICATION BEFORE GOD UNTO ETERNAL LIFE
II)
[Ro 4:2]:
A)
ABRAHAM FOUND THAT HE COULD BOAST THAT HE WAS JUSTIFIED BY WORKS NOT
BEFORE GOD BUT BEFORE MEN - ANOTHER KIND OF JUSTIFICATION THAT REFLECTS
TO MANKIND, JEWS ESPECIALLY, THAT THROUGH ABRAHAM'S WORKS ONE CAN SEE
THAT GOD HAD ALREADY JUSTIFIED HIM UNTO ETERNAL LIFE (WHICH WAS BY FAITH
ALONE)
III)
Ro 4:3]:
A)
OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD RELATIVE TO HIS
PLAN OF SALVATION THROUGH ABRAHAM'S SEED AND IT WAS RECKONED BY GOD TO
HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS, I.E., HE WAS JUSTIFIED BY GOD UNTO ETERNAL LIFE BY
FAITH ALONE APART FROM ANY WORKS
1)
God Promises That Abram Will Be Father Of A Great Nation Leading To
Blessings To Abram And All People Through Abram And His Seed, Who Is
Christ
a)
[Compare Gen 12:1-7]:
i)
The Seed Is Christ
[Compare
Gal 3:16]:
ii)
God Promises Eternal Life To Abram
[Compare
Gen 12:3]:
[Compare
John 8:56]:
2)
God Repeats His Promise To Abram
a)
[Compare Gen 13:14-15]:
3)
Abram Believes In God's Promise And God Credits It To Abram As
Righteousness Unto Eternal Life
a)
[Compare Gen 15:1-6]:
IV)
[Ro 4:4-5]:
A)
NO HUMAN DOING CAN BE A REQUIREMENT FOR JUSTIFICATION BEFORE GOD UNTO
ETERNAL LIFE BECAUSE HUMAN DOING CANNOT BE RECKONED AS UNMERITED FAVOR,
BY GRACE, A FREE GIFT - EXCLUSIVE OF INDEBTEDNESS, WHICH IS HOW GOD HAS
DECLARED HE PROVIDES ETERNAL LIFE
B)
GOD'S PROVISION OF SALVATION UNTO ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JUSTIFICATION BY
A MOMENT OF FAITH ALONE IN JESUS CHRIST ALONE PERMITS NO HUMAN INPUT
WHATSOEVER AT ANY TIME, ONGOING FAITH AND FAITHFULNESS IS EXCLUDED
C)
THE MOMENT OF FAITH BY WHICH JUSTIFICATION UNTO ETERNAL LIFE IS RECEIVED
IS NOT A WORK AND IT IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE ONGOING. IT IS DEFINED AS A
MOMENT OF MENTAL ASSENT OF THE INFORMATION OF THE GOSPEL
1)
English Dictionary Definition Of Faith In This Context
faith \Faith\, n.
believe \Be*liev
trust \Trust\, v. t.
2)
New Testament Greek Dictionary Definition Of Faith In This Context
D)
THERE ARE NEITHER RIGHTEOUS DEEDS REQUIRED NOR A MANDATE TO BE GODLY IN
ORDER TO BE OR STAY JUSTIFIED UNTO ETERNAL LIFE - FOR GOD JUSTIFIES THE
UNGODLY NOT BY WORKS BUT BY A MOMENT OF FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE AS
AN UNMERITED FAVOR, I.E., BY GRACE - THE GOSPEL
V)
[Ro 4:6-8]:
A)
PAUL CONTINUES TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, 'WHAT ADVANTAGE IS THERE IN BEING
A JEW, IN BEING CIRCUMCISED' BY REFERRING TO ANOTHER WELL RESPECTED JEW,
DAVID AND WHAT HE SAID IN PSALM 32. DAVID SPEAKS OF THE BLESSING UPON
THE MAN WHOM GOD RECKONS RIGHTEOUSNESS APART FROM WORKS, I.E., WHOSE
LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED -
WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. THIS BLESSING CAME ABOUT
AS A RESULT OF DAVID CONFESSING HIS SINS TO GOD. THIS KIND OF
JUSTIFICATION BEFORE GOD IS A TEMPORAL ONE WHICH IS ALSO APART FROM
WORKS
********
EXCERPT FROM PSALMS 32 *******
I)
[Ps 32:1-5 NAS]:
A)
THE THREE NOUNS IN PSALMS 32:1-2 RENDERED TRANSGRESSION, SIN AND
INIQUITY COVER EVERY KIND OF SINFUL EXPRESSION OF MANKIND
1)
"pesha' "= "transgression"
a)
[Compare Romans 4:7]:
2)
"hata' " = "sin"
3)
"'awon"
= "iniquity"
a)
Compare Romans 4:8]:
B)
COMPLETE AND ABSOLUTE FORGIVENESS OF A BELIEVER AT A PARTICULAR TIME OF
PARTICULAR SINS CONFESSED IS IN VIEW
1)
"nasa' " = "are forgiven"
2)
"kasa" = "is covered"
3)
"hashab" = "imputed"
C)
WHEN THERE IS NO DECEIT IN ONE'S HUMAN SPIRIT RELATIVE TO NOT HIDING
ONE'S CURRENT SINS BEFORE GOD, (I.E., THERE IS CONFESSION OF KNOWN SINS
TO GOD) THEN THERE IS COMPLETE AND ABSOLUTE FORGIVENESS OF ALL SINS,
INIQUITIES AND TRANSGRESSIONS AND RESTORATION OF EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL
BLESSINGS - FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
D)
VERSES 1 AND 2 REFLECT ON HOW BLESSED IS THE FORGIVENESS OF ONES SINS
BEFORE GOD IN WHOSE [HUMAN] SPIRIT THERE IS NO DECEIT RELATIVE TO SINS
COMMITTED DURING A PARTICULAR TIME; I.E., ONES SINS ARE ACKNOWLEDGED/
CONFESSED TO GOD BY A BELIEVER
1)
[Compare 2 Sam 23:5]:
E)
TEMPORAL FORGIVENESS OF A BELIEVER INCLUDES BEING BLESSED WITH AN
EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL WELL BEING - A PART OF THE BELIEVER'S RESTORATION
OF DAILY FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD WHICH OCCURS WHEN HE CONFESSES HIS SINS TO
GOD. THE RECEPTION OF ETERNAL LIFE IS NOT IN VIEW IN PSALMS 32
******** END
OF EXCERPT FROM PSALMS 32 ******
VI)
[Ro 4:9-12]:
A)
THE BLESSING OF BEING JUSTIFIED, I.E., RECKONED RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD
APART FROM ANY RULES OF HUMAN DOING IS INVESTIGATED RELATIVE TO WHAT
ADVANTAGE THERE IS IN BEING A JEW AND WHETHER THIS BLESSING IS UPON THE
UNCIRCUMCISED, (GENTILES) AS WELL. THE ANSWER IS GIVEN VIA AN
EXAMINATION OF ABRAHAM'S JUSTIFICATION BEFORE GOD APART FROM LAW, (ANY
HUMAN DOING)
B)
ABRAHAM IS THE FATHER - THE PRIMARY EXAMPLE - TO THE CIRCUMCISED (JEWS)
AND UNCIRCUMCISED (GENTILES - THE REST OF HUMANITY) SO THAT THEY MIGHT
CHOOSE TO BELIEVE IN WHAT HE BELIEVED - THE GOSPEL - SO THAT
RIGHTEOUSNESS MIGHT BE RECKONED TO ONE UNTO ETERNAL LIFE
C)
ABRAHAM'S CIRCUMCISION IS A SIGN, A SEAL - A MARK OF GOD'S ETERNAL
SECURITY - OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE FAITH HE EXERCISED IN GOD'S
PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE WHICH ETERNAL LIFE IS ETERNALLY SECURE IN ANYONE
WHO EXPRESSES THE SAME FAITH THAT ABRAHAM EXPRESSED
VII)
[Ro 4:12-13]:
A)
THE LORD'S PROMISE TO ABRAHAM AND TO THOSE OF HIS PHYSICAL DESCENDANTS,
(JEWS), WAS TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE AND BECOME ETERNAL HEIRS OF THE WORLD,
NOT THROUGH LAW, (HUMAN DOING), BUT THROUGH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH
1)
[Compare Gen 12:1-3]:
2)
[Compare Gen 15:1-7]:
3)
[Compare Gen 22:15-18]:
4)
[Compare Isa 59:20-60:22]:
VIII)
[Ro 4:14-16]:
A)
MAN IS UNABLE TO KEEP THE RIGHTEOUS STANDARD OF ANY LAW, ESPECIALLY THE
MOSAIC LAW. THIS MAKES MAN CONSCIOUS OF HIS TRANSGRESSIONS BEFORE GOD
AND OF BRING UNDER THE WRATH OF GOD
[EXCERPT
FROM CHAPTER 3 SUPPORTING THIS POINT
OR
GO TO END OF EXCERPT ]
********************************************************************************************
A)
NO MAN IS ABLE TO KEEP THE RIGHTEOUS STANDARD OF THE LAW. RATHER THROUGH
THE LAW ALL MEN BECOME CONSCIOUS OF SIN AND OF BEING UNDER THE WRATH OF
GOD
********
END OF EXCERPT *******
B)
GOD'S PROMISE TO ABRAHAM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO ETERNAL LIFE WAS NOT
THROUGH LAW, BUT THROUGH FAITH. IF IT HAD BEEN BY LAW, FAITH WOULD BE
MADE VOID AND THE PROMISE NULLIFIED; FOR LAW BRINGS WRATH, NOT ETERNAL
LIFE
C)
SINCE THE PROMISES OF ETERNAL LIFE AND HEIRSHIP OF THE WORLD ARE
RECEIVED BY FAITH ALONE WHERE THERE IS NO LAW IN VIEW, THEN MAN'S
TRANSGRESSIONS ARE NOT IN VIEW. THEREFORE THE ONE WHO BELIEVES IS NOT
HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS TRANSGRESSIONS AND THE PROMISES OF ETERNAL LIFE
AND HEIRSHIP OF THE WORLD ARE DELIVERABLE
D)
IN ORDER FOR THE PROMISES OF ETERNAL LIFE AND HEIRSHIP OF THE WORLD TO
BE CERTAIN, THEY CANNOT BE VIA ANY HUMAN DOING, BUT ONLY THROUGH FAITH
IN ACCORDANCE WITH GRACE = UNMERITED FAVOR, NO STRINGS ATTACHED
E)
GOD'S PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE FOR THOSE WHO ARE OF THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM,
I.E., BELIEVE IN GOD'S PROMISE OF A SAVIOR TO COME THROUGH ABRAHAM'S
SEED, JEW AND GENTILE ALIKE, IS CERTAIN
IX)
[Ro 4:17]:
A)
ABRAHAM IS THE FATHER OF ALL BELIEVERS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD - A
SPIRITUAL FATHERHOOD NOT LIMITED TO THOSE OF ABRAHAM'S PHYSICAL
DESCENDANTS WHO BELIEVE IN THE PROMISE
********* REVIEW
OF VERSES 4:11-12 *********
ABRAHAM
IS THE FATHER - THE PRIMARY EXAMPLE - TO THE CIRCUMCISED (JEWS) AND
UNCIRCUMCISED (GENTILES - THE REST OF HUMANITY) SO THAT THEY MIGHT
CHOOSE TO BELIEVE IN WHAT HE BELIEVED - THE GOSPEL - SO THAT
RIGHTEOUSNESS MIGHT BE RECKONED TO THEM UNTO ETERNAL LIFE
********* END
OF REVIEW OF VV. 4:11-12 *********
1)
[Compare Gen 17:1-9]:
C)
THE GOD, WHO GIVES LIFE TO THE DEAD AND CALLS INTO BEING THAT WHICH DOES
NOT EXIST, WILL CERTAINLY FULFILL HIS PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE TO THOSE
WHO BELIEVE IN HIM
X)
[Ro 4:18-22]:
A)
SINCE GOD GIVES LIFE TO THE DEAD AND CALLS INTO BEING THAT WHICH DOES
NOT EXIST, I.E., CREATES SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING, EVEN LIFE; THEN GOD'S
PROMISE TO ABRAHAM OF ETERNAL LIFE WHEN ABRAHAM BELIEVED IN A SAVIOR
COMING THROUGH HIS SEED BEGINNING WITH THE MIRACULOUS BIRTH OF ISAAC IS
CERTAIN
1)
[Compare Gen 15:1-6]:
B)
BELIEVING THAT GOD HAD THE ABILITY AND THE WILLINGNESS TO FULFILL HIS
PROMISE TO ABRAHAM OF ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH ABRAHAM'S SEED RESULTED IN
GOD ACCOUNTING ABRAHAM'S FAITH AS RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO ETERNAL LIFE
XI)
[Ro 4:23-25]:
A)
PAUL REITERATES A KEY THEME OF HIS LETTER TO THE ROMANS, FROM A
PERSPECTIVE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ACCOUNT OF ABRAHAM'S JUSTIFICATION BY
FAITH ALONE UNTO ETERNAL LIFE: THAT ANYONE, JEW OR GENTILE, WHO
EXPRESSES THE SAME FAITH THAT ABRAHAM EXPRESSED IN THE PROMISE OF GOD TO
PROVIDE THROUGH ABRAHAM'S SEED A MESSIAH/SAVIOR, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST -
THAT PERSON HAS ETERNAL LIFE
B)
SINCE JUSTIFICATION UNTO ETERNAL LIFE IS REPEATEDLY STIPULATED IN ROMANS
CHAPTERS 3, 4 AND ELSEWHERE AS RECEIVED WHEN ONE BELIEVES WHAT ABRAHAM
BELIEVED AS RECORDED IN OT SCRIPTURE, THEN AN UNDERSTANDING AND BELIEF
IN OUR LORD'S RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD AND A NUMBER OF OTHER DETAILS
NOT IN THE OT ACCOUNT OF ABRAHAM'S JUSTIFICATION BUT NEVERTHELESS
PRESENT IN LATER SCRIPTURE PASSAGES ARE NOT ESSENTIAL TO KNOW AND
BELIEVE IN ORDER TO BE JUSTIFIED UNTO ETERNAL LIFE. ON THE OTHER HAND
SINCE THESE DETAILS IMPLY THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE ITSELF THEN IF
ANY ARE REJECTED AS UNTRUE, THIS IMPLIES A REJECTION OF THE GOSPEL
ITSELF
Continue
to Romans chapter 5
