Verse By Verse, Romans 4 With Commentary
Stop trying to work your way to righteousness with God. Stop trying to work in order to keep your salvation. That is NOT THE GOSPEL! I will use Romans 4 as well as other passages so you can clearly see the truth. The truth that most pulpits are not even teaching in these last days.
“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?
Here Paul is writing about Abraham. Abraham, the one called ‘the FATHER OF OUR FAITH’ by so many. Abraham who believed God’s promises so much that he went up the mountain to sacrifice his only son. Do you know what happened before Abraham and his son went up that mountain? Let us have a quick look.
In Genesis we see what Abraham says when he decides on going to the place God told him to go to Sacrifice his son Issac,
“And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. ” (Genesis 22:5 KJV)
What stands out in this verse? It is some VERY important words ‘I AND THE LAD ‘, in essence ‘WE’. You see God had taught Abraham who He really is. Abraham had complete trust in God to always be good and do the just thing. Over the years, he learned that God is faithful and can be trusted. He did have a son as promised by God, even though his wife Sarah was in her older years and baron. It was not as Abraham expected the promise to be fulfilled by God, but it was fulfilled. It increased his faith in God.
Abraham tells his young helpers that ‘we will come back to you ’ . He did not say ‘I will come back to you’. Abraham is showing his faith! That is his complete faith that God would never allow him to actually murder his son unrighteously. And even if he did, he knew that God would have to raise him from the dead because God had already promised Abraham that it is through Issac’s bloodline, ‘I will make you a great nation’. Later we see Issac asking his father Abraham,
“And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.” (Genesis 22:7-8 KJV)
Again we see Abraham exercising his full faith and assurance that God would provide a Lamb in place of his son for the sacrifice. Abraham knew this must be a test of his faith and trust in God. God has never shown him to be like this. He moved forward with full faith in God and the attributes of God.
“Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
We see this same exact truth in the book of James. A book many use to teach falsely that works are a requirement of salvation. We read in James 2,
“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and
it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the
Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by
faith only.” (James 2:23-24 KJV)“
You see, righteousness cannot be worked for to achieve! Righteousness is by BELIEF and not behaviour. Righteousness must be IMPUTED by God. That means that our perfectly Holy God, who is perfect in every way, must have a perfectly righteous and perfectly just foundation to be able to do so. That foundation is Christ Jesus on the cross, who by HIS once for all blood atoning sacrifice paid for ALL SINS of the whole world.
” Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, either hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:8-10 KJV)
“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.“
(1 John 2:2 KJV)
This is the truth of The Gospel of Grace of Grace Through Christ Crucified. This is the GOOD NEWS that all people need to hear and believe. Today we hear mostly that salvation is by being a good person and by having good works. And the Lordship Salvation heresy is rampant as well. Once we believe on Christ, good works are not required to remain being saved either. This is false by Scripture.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
When we work for our employers, we EARN our wages. We work for those hard earned wages. But when someone presents you with a GIFT, you have two options only; accept the gift or reject the gift. We do not earn salvation and we do not work to keep salvation either. Salvation is by God’s GRACE and this English translated word GRACE in the Greek has a meaning of ‘favour’. A gift is an unmerited favour. If we have to work to accept a gift, then it is no longer a gift and is something we earn through our own works.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Apostle Paul shows us that righteousness comes by BELIEVING and not BEHAVIOUR. Verse 5 here is very powerful truth because it shows that we are all UNGODLY to some extent. It only takes one sin and we are guilty. We see in this verse something that is very opposite to many pulpits in ‘christian’ church buildings in these End Times. Most pulpits are teaching are teaching the exact opposite of this verse! Paul tells us that those working for salvation is not counted as righteousness with God. Why? Because ALL HAVE SINNED and come short of the glory and righteousness of our perfect God Almighty as Paul taught in the previous chapter 3 of Romans,
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just,
and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
(Romans 3:23-26 KJV)
We also see in Romans 4:5 that God justifies THE UNGODLY! So to qualify for salvation we must be ungodly people and we all are, whether we admit it or not. Jesus Himself said that if we are anger at someone without cause, we have broken the commandment to not kill. If we even look at someone with lust, even though not taking action on it, that we have broken the commandment of adultery in our hearts. Jesus took the Law of Moses and Ten Commandments to the next level. Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees and Jews that were relying on their Law keeping for righteousness, which is an impossibility! Here we see that God justifies the UNGODLY! Now that is the best news ever. It certainly is what we would expect is it? We are all sinners who have sinned against God. We do not deserve salvation or God’s righteousness bestowed upon us. That is why salvation is said to be by God’s Grace. A FREE GIFT of UNMERITED FAVOUR from God. In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul calls relying on our self righteous works being ‘boastful’. That is the very sin that caused all this mess. The sin of Satan; the sin of PRIDE. We also see Paul teaching against the belief of modern day Lordship Salvation which back loads salvation with works required in Galatians 5,
“ Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law;
ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.”
(Galatians 5:4-5 KJV)
Paul even sternly warned against backing loading salvation with works required because it is the same sin of pride but subtly entices our fleshly thoughts and guilt of sin. The devil always uses our senses to deceive us because he cannot do anything to ‘unsave us’ or to affect our Spirit. The devil cannot touch our new born again Spirit which is the righteousness of God, in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-21) and so he tries to influence our wrong beliefs in OUR MIND. The battle for an already born again believer is in the mind (Romans 12, John 17:17) and not the Spirit. For this reason also be on guard against false ‘Deliverance for believer’ teachings. The devil cannot touch our new born gain Spirit of God! God is not ever going to share this space with the devil nor his fallen angels. The Bible says that our Spirit has been perfected (Hebrews 10:14, Colossians 2:10) and that is written in the present tense based on what Christ already accomlished on the cross in the past, 2000 years ago.
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.
Here we see Paul going back to David. David was way ahead of his time in the Gospel of Grace and the power of a believer’s righteousness. God called David man after His own heart. Wait a minute now, didn’t David have sin? Yes, David had sin. Did he ever! He had an affair with a married woman, got her pregnant and then killed her husband to cover it up. Now do not judge his behaviour without being truthful about ourselves because we too have many sins committed, even as believers. The Gnostics during the time of Jesus first coming and shortly after ward taught wrongly that a believer has no sin and John refutes this false teaching.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
(1 John 1:8-10 KJV)
John wrote ‘HIS WORD IS NOT IN US”. The same John that lived with Jesus during His Earthly ministry. The same John that seen all the miracles and heard Jesus’s teachings. So, Jesus also taught this. Jesus also taught against ‘works for salvation’ in Matthew 7:15-23 mentioning the false fruit of words coming from false prophets teaching that good works save a person. Jesus gave stern warning against this wrong belief because many will find themselves at the Great White Throne Judgment of the unsaved, who thought they would make it to heaven by their works, but will not, and to whom will hear Jesus state,
“And then will I profess unto them,
I never knew you: depart from me,
ye that work iniquity.”
Matthew 7:23 (KJV)
But David knew the truth about God’s GRACE and unmerited favour. We have consequences for our sins; absolutely. Yet, look what David believed and wrote as Paul quotes him above. BLESSED is the person whom God imputes righteousness without the person’s works to somehow erase a sin. Instead, BLESSED is the person whose sins are covered. Blessed is the person the Lord will not impute sin upon.
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:
And this wonderful amazing GIFT of Salvation by the amazing Grace of God is not just for the Jewish people as some are teaching these days. No my brothers and sisters in Christ! All that is required is for a person to believe regardless of their heritage or blood line.
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. 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.
There you have it. Plainly stated. Clearly stated. Salvation is not by being a ‘good person’, nor by having ‘many wonderful good works’. Salvation is definitely not by keeping the Law of Moses, or even the Ten Commandments. Salvation is through the righteousness of faith! Faith in what? Faith in Jesus, the Christ, who is God in the flesh (John 1) crucified, died and risen (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), having paid for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). Paul wrote ‘where no Law is’ and he is talking about us today because Jesus paid for all transgression committed against the Law.
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.
Salvation is of faith in Christ by God’s Grace. How much clearer can Apostle Paul be? Salvation is for all peoples, not just the Jewish peoples. Salvation is fully available to any person that will accept the FREE GIFT of salvation. If you move on and read the next chapter of Romans, chapter 5, you will learn that God’s free gift of grace washes over every sin we commit as believers! Christ’ sacrifice was fully sufficient as payment for our sins, though they be small sin, large sins, horrendous sins! All were paid in full by Christ.
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 Sarah’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.
Abraham BELIEVED GOD’S PROMISE to him! He was promised to have a son and that son would be the father of many nations. So did God give his son when he was still younger? When Abrahams’s wife Sarah was young? No. God chose to show His power and His promise to Abraham and his son was born when Sarah was older and barren! Yet, the power of God showed up and she conceived and bore a son. A complete miracle for all to see. Now Abraham had his son and God instructs hi to sacrifice his only son on the mountain alter. Yet, Abraham believed God would not allow it and it was his BELIEF that showed his faith in God.
Have you ever gone through hard times that make you shake your head and ask God ‘why?’, ‘what did I do?’. God’s got a plan brothers and sisters. Believe and trust God in ever circumstance in life and He will show up when you least expect it and then you will think to yourself ‘OH! That is why!’ That is true faith in God.
“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”
Verse 23 is a summary of salvation by Gods GRACE through faith (belief) in Christ Crucified died and risen. Continue reading into Romans 5 and you will see how God’s Grace wins over ever sin we commit, like waves rolling over the sands on the ocean. His grace is stronger than any sin because HE paid for all sins. He paid the full wages for our sins (Romans 6:23).
Does That Mean Our Good Works Do Not Matter?
Not at all. We have a new born again Spirit and the Holy Spirit indwells a believer in Christ. It is an inward change that moves outward in MIND RENEWING. We live outwardly as we believe in our mind. Right believing leads to right living outwardly in love for others.
“For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus UNTO GOOD WORKS, which God hath before ordained that we SHOULD walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10 KJV)
Apostle Paul wrote to ‘walk in the Spirit’ (Gal. 5:16) and to ‘renew our mind by God’s word’ (Romans 12) which will lead to right outward living. Perfectly? Not until our bodily resurrection, but most certainly increasingly if we do so. This is not about salvation which was accomplished the moment a person believes (Eph. 1:13-14, 1 Cor. 15:1-4, John 6:37-40, John 3:18, Colossians 2). This is about how we live AFTER we are born again in the Spirit and saved. The very same thing James taught in James 2.
