Bill Acton :: Romans 4:1-25 - Justification by Faith

Sermon Outline for Romans 4:1-25

Justification by Faith

The Story of Justification by Faith

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