| The Study of the Book of Romans |
| Chapter 4 |
| By TA Baisden |
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| In verse one Apostle Paul has chosen Abraham to use as an example to the Jews. They held Abraham as the father of their race and the earthly symbol for the beginning of their religion. Paul proves that Abraham was justified not by works but by faith. Paul by saying "Abraham our father" is telling them that he is also from the Hebrew race. When he is speaking of the flesh he means circumcision, his physical privileges and animal sacrificing. Paul is asking the Jews what did he get from these things. The word "found" means obtained or got. In verse 3 it is the same now as then, people should always ask "What does the scripture say when looking for an answer". All the Jewish people then were under the law not by choice, but because God placed them there and all were suppose to obey it. Through faith you do it willingly, you are not forced or told to obey. You have free choice. Under the old law God felt he owed the Jews because they did not have the choice to obey or not. Though faith what God blesses us with is given freely not because he owes us, its because we come to him willingly. That way it is a gift from God not a payment due. God owes us nothing because we are and will alway be undeserving of his blessing. Sin is a shame of our soul. Justification of our sins does not make the sin not to have been or not a sin but through Christ precious blood are sins are covered or washed away and God see them no more. Paul also states that if Abrham was not justified by doing of the law, then neither was he justified by the rite of circumcision. What the Jews chose not to see or did not understand was that Abraham was righteous and justified by faith many years before the rite of circumcision took place or the given of the law. Circumcision was not given to Abraham to justify him but as a seal to show he belong to God and that it was obtained because of his righteous faith not because he was Hebrew/Jewish. Abraham was made father to all that believed(seed) through faith and circumcision and the law. Jews then as now boast they are the rightful heirs to the world, because the law was given to them but we know that none were sinless or totally obedience to it, if they had been then faith would have been void. If justification could only be by works our faith would not matter at all either. Paul reminds them by having faith in God what seems or is impossible for man is very possible with God. For example he speaks of Isaac birth, it was not an ordinary course because of his parent's were way pasted the child bearing age but when God's power and grace is there all things are possible. We are all God's children through spiritual births. (Spiritual birth is through God's plan of Salvation) Abraham was not prefect but because he believed no matter what promise's God made to him, he never every doubted, hesitated, thought or reasoned whether it was logic or not, he never wonder how in the world would God do it or if God could do it. In other words there was never unbelief and because he did not stagger in his faith, his faith was strenghthen. Our faith can be weaken by doing all the things that Abraham didn't do. His FAITH won over his FEARS. Apostle Paul wrote these for all because these are the things or the ways to please God and to show us how to have stronger faith in our Father. The difference in Abraham's faith and our is he had to believed God could perform what he promised and we today are called to believe he did perform them. |
| church of Christ |
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