• The Fact of Abraham's Justification by Faith
  • Proved by Paul's previous statement Rom 4:1-2
    • The Jew is justified by faith apart from the law — Rom 3:20-31
    • The Gentile is justified by faith apart from the law — Rom 3:20-31
  • Paul's statement is absolutely necessary
    • For converted Jews who found it difficult in breaking with Judaism
    • To clear Jewish misunderstanding of the O.T.
    • To show that God is one — His manner of giving salvation is always the same
    • This way of salvation does away with all forms of boasting
      • Even Abraham has nothing
      • No man can boast
  • The question of the text
    • "What then shall we say that Abraham our father has attained by the flesh? What is the Flesh?
      • External — not spiritual
      • The sin nature — Jhn 3:6; Rom 8:7
      • The natural human life — Phl 3:3
      • Anything that a person counts on for self-righteousness — works of any kind
    • Was Abraham justified on the grounds of his good character and good deeds?
      • If so — he can boast
      • That is impossible
    • What saith the Scripture?
      • Paul's respect for the authority of the O.T.
      • The clear statement of Gen 15:6 — Abraham is righteous because he believed God
  • What Abraham believed
    • Not in his own merit
    • He trusted God
      • God's Covenant
        • Land
        • People
        • Savior
    • Abraham believed in the plan of redemption thru Christ
    • Abraham was justified in exactly the same way we are justified now
      • Without works
      • Without merit
      • By faith alone
  • What Abraham received — "It was counted to him for righteousness"
    • The word is translated — count, reckon and impute
    • The basic meaning — to put to an account — Phl 1:8 — Our account — when we have nothing at all, God puts in the righteousness of Christ
• The Explanation of Abraham's Justification by Faith
  • A general principle of grace
    • He that works deserves payment
    • The payment is not of grace, but of debt
    • He that does no work is justified by believing
      • Description of the man
        • He has no work
        • He is ungodly
        • Abraham is ungodly
      • Description of grace
        • The man believes
        • The man is justified
  • The explanation of justification
    • Godward
      • A declaration by God that He is granting pardon and granting the righteousness of Christ to the account and declaring the person as righteous
    • Manward
      • Justification does not change the man
      • Justification does not make the man any better
• Exhibit "B" — David — Rom 4:6-8
  • The authority of the O.T.
  • The importance of David
  • The text
    • Sins forgiven
    • Sins covered
    • Sins not imputed
    • Righteousness is imputed
    • Without works
    • A blessed man
  • The Doctrine of Imputation
    • Adam's sin to us
    • Our sin to Christ
    • Christ's righteousness to us
• Justification by Faith Only

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