OUR FATHER WHO GIVES THE GIFT OF GRACE

The Apostle Paul, continuing in Romans Chapter 5 verses 12 - 17, further explains the compounded benefits of being in the life of Christ through faith.

When Adam transgressed, being the first man, sin and death entered the world and affected all humans with the same malady of sinfulness. So sinfullness existed but was not definable because there was no law but even so, sin reigned from Adam till when Moses was given the law.  Even those who sinned in different ways than Adam did sinned but had no map for it until the coming of the law which demonstrated the scope of mankindˋs corruption.

The law was the mechanism of condemnation of the sinfulness of man in all its forms.

 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WITH WHOM WE HAVE  PEACE THROUGH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

The book of Romans chapter 5 verses 1 - 11 continues with the Apostle Paulˋs exposition of what happens to us believers as a result of being justified by faith;

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Paul list the sequence of milestones we pass as we progress in the life of faith;

• We get peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ

•  We get access to Godˋs grace 

•  We rejoice in the hope of glory 

•  We are also able to rejoice in tribulations which produces:

•  Perseverance which produces;

•  Character which produces:

•  Hope which never fails but rather gives room for;

• The love of God to be poured in our hearts by the Holy Spirit             

Paul then points out that it is wonderful that all these benefits are accrued to us but all the more astonishing because it was while we still enemies of God that the Lord Jesus undertook to die for us.

6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

If we, through the death of Godˋs Son, were brough to the point of reconciliation to God thus saving us from wrath, how much more will the Life of Jesus save us unto God and beyond that as well, bring us to a joyful reunion of God.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO CALLS THOSE THINGS THAT DO NOT EXIST AS THOUGH THEY DID

Romans chapter 4 verses 13 - 25 says this;

13 For the promise that he would 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 those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

The apostle Paul explains that Abraham and his descendants were given the inheritance of the world not by following the law but by having faith by believing that God was able to fulfill the promises He made even though situations they were facing appeared hopeless when viewed at face value.

Paul delves into the mechanics of this reality by stating that if the followers of the law inherited the world by doing so, then faith was nullified and as a result, the promises of God were nullified as well because it was believing those promises in faith that made inheriting them a reality.  The promises of God and the faith to believe them were a self-contained function that did not require the law to execute.

The establishment of the law and its adherence availed nothing like an inheritance because the law yielded wrath rather than promises due to the resulting transgressions of the law which is the automatic human response to the law because of our fallen nature. 

Faith is the condition that God chose to use to make the inheritance of God available to all human beings, both Abrahamˋs natural descendants and those from the gentiles who believed.

Abraham, in the face of the deadness of his own body and the deadness of Sarahˋs womb, steadfastly believed in Godˋs ability to perform His promise of an heir and a countless procession of decendants and in doing so, he gave glory to God. Resolute belief in Godˋs power to fulfill a promise and bringing glory to God as a result, is what makes faith be accounted to him for righteousness.

16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. 

As Abrahamˋs faith in Godˋs promise resulted in righteousness being imputed to him, so too for us does our faith in the raising of the Lord Jesus from the dead having been sacrificed for our sins and raised up for us to be justified .

Jesusˋ ressurrection proved the worthiness and perfection of the sacrifice and we, who are in Christ, were raised up justified with Him.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO GIVES LIFE TO THE DEAD

In the book of Romans chapter 4 verses 13 - 25, the apostle Paul uses the example of Abrahamˋs life to elucidate how we are made righteous by faith and not by works.

13 For the promise that he would 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 those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. 

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO IS IMPARTIAL AND PROVIDES THE SAME OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SAME SALVATION THROUGH THE SAME FAITH TOALL MEN

For those who were trying to assert among the believers in Rome  that circumcision was a requirement of righteousness, the Apostle Paul, in the book of Romans chapter 4 verses 9 - 12, refuted their doctrines by demonstrating that Abraham was actually confered with righteousness through faith before he was circumcised. Paul explains that the circumcision that Abraham underwent was a seal of the righteousness that was granted to him by faith. It was a visible symbol of the cutting away of the flesh and its works leaving only faith as the mechanism of gaining righteousness.

9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

Abraham, by his pre-circumcision faith, became the father of all those were uncircumcised who would believe and righteousness through faith was to be imputed to them. Abraham was also the biological father of those to whom the law came and they were of the circumcision but in their circumcision, still needed to receive righteousness by faith just as their father Abraham walked in faith prior to his circumcision. 

Amen

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OUR FATHER WHO IMPUTES RIGHTEOUSNESS APART FROM WORKS

In the book of Romans chapter 4 verses 1 - 8, the Apostle Paul says this;

4 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered;  8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

Paul, referencing Genesis chapter 15 verse 6 that says ˋAbram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.ˋ, clarifies the fact that Abraham did not gain justification by works because if he did, he would be able to take credit for some of the things that God was assembling towards the redemption of mankind.

All that Abraham did was believe God and that was credited to him for righteousness.  He did not have to do works of righteousness so that he could be paid the what was owned to him. Rather, he simply believed God and righteousness was given to Him by grace. He did not earn anything and yet was justified. 

Paul again references the old testament this time in Psalm 32 verse 1 which says, ˋ Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.ˋ Here, Paul shows another example out of the book of the law that points to the un-merited receipt of righteousness by having oneˋs transgressions forgiven and having oneˋs sins covered apart from any personal attainment of the law.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO IS THE GOD OF JEW AND GENTILE 

Having established that the law has no power to save but rather an instrument to indicate to us that we are in need of salvation,  the Apostle Paul concludes Romans chapter 3 verses 21 - 31 with an exposition of the singular means of the provision of righteousness by faith to all who believe in Jesus Christ.

Paul states that all people have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and in this condition, any person who is to be saved will be freely justified by grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood which is gained through faith.

Said another way, all humans belong to the same set as fallen beings and the universal means by which any person may be saved because their sin is no longer atrributed to them is because by grace, they are redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus which was shed as a payment or ransom for those who, by believing, have the faith to appropriate the payment made to themselves.

In this work of justification, God is shown to be righteous because Jesus, who is the exact representation of God, remained sinnless throughout His life even unto death on a cross.

And this absolute faultlessness of Jesus is what made sacrifice of His blood efficacious in providing redemption for any of mankind who believed and placed their faith in Jesus.

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

The apostle Paul then rhetorically asked if there was any credit that could be claimed by a mankind for righteousness through fulfilling any part of the law.

Paul answers his own question with  an unequivocal ˋNOˋ. He tells us that faith is the only mechanism by which righteousness is gained and therefore, no credit can be applied to any person for fulfilling any portion of their righteousness.

Because slavation for the Jews is by faith and salvation for the gentiles is by the same faith, God is the God of all mankind and has made the same provision of redemption for all of mankind.

Paul then asked if the law is nulified because of faith and to this he answered ˋNOˋ but he asserts that the law is established and meets its fulfilment through faith in Christ.

Amen

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