counted to him as righteousness

No I.O.U. From God.

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What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” – Romans 4:1-8 ESV

God does not owe us anything. Our well-intentioned acts of self-produced righteousness do not score us brownie points with God or put Him in our debt. Paul has tried to make it perfectly clear that God’s declaration of our righteousness is based solely on faith – faith in His gospel concerning His Son. No man or woman can earn or merit favor from God. And yet, because of sin and the death penalty it carries, they find themselves desperately needing to make things right with God. That explains man’s ongoing attempt to serve and satisfy the god of his choosing. Man is always attempting to gratify whatever god he has chosen to worship by sacrificing his time, talents, and treasures to that god. It could be the god of religious or recreation. Every day, countless men and women sacrifice themselves to the gods of entertainment, work, pleasure, popularity, wealth, beauty, and power. They give everything they have to get whatever it is they are expecting their “god” to deliver. But there is only one God, and all stand before Him in the same condition. Despite their best efforts, they have failed to measure up to His righteous standards and have fallen short of the glory He demands. It doesn’t matter how religious or morally-minded you are. It doesn’t matter if you worship the right God or the wrong god. It matters if you worship the right God in the right way. And Paul says that way is by faith.

In his gospel, John writes concerning Jesus, “ The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:9-13 ESV). When Jesus came, the vast majority of the Gentiles didn’t recognize or accept Him. And even though He was a Jew and fulfilled all the prophecies concerning their coming Messiah, the Jews rejected Him. And in doing so, they rejected the gospel of God, “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16 ESV). Paul has already shown that it was not enough to be a Jew. Their privileged position as God’s chosen people gave them access to God’s law and insight into His holy standards, but it did not equip them with the ability to live up to those standards – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 ESV).

And knowing that any Jews in his audience would automatically appeal to their unique status as descendants of Abraham, and attempt to use him as an example of works-based righteousness, Paul cuts the legs out from under their argument. He states, “if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God” (Romans 4:2 ESV). He could have bragged about his righteous accomplishments before men, but not before God. His best efforts on his best day would have scored him no points with God. But Paul, quoting from the Old Testament book of Genesis, writes, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” God reminds his Hebrews readers that God had promised to make of Abraham a mighty nation. And yet, Abraham was old and his wife was barren. Both Abraham and Sarah began to wonder about God’s promise. How could Abraham father a mighty nation if he didn’t have a son? So Abraham assumed his heir would have to be one of his household servants. But God told Abraham, “‘This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.’ And he brought him outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be’” (Genesis 15:4-5 ESV). God repeated His original promise to Abraham. And the Genesis account records, “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6 ESV).

It was Abraham’s faith in the promise of God that resulted in God’s declaration of his righteous standing before Him. It had nothing to do with the works or efforts of Abraham. In fact, Paul makes it clear that when someone works, he receives his wages as a form of payment. It is not a gift. He has earned it. But “to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (Romans 4:5 ESV). Again, Paul turns to the Hebrew Scriptures to prove his point. Using Psalm 32:1-2, he writes, “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin” (Romans 4:7-8 NLT).

Our forgiveness from God is a gift, unearned and undeserved. Our salvation is made possible by His Son’s death, not by our good works. The only thing God owes man, according to Romans 6:23, is death. Our sins have earned us nothing but God’s wrath, and yet God chose to provide a way of escape, a solution to our sin problem. He sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sins and, in doing so, Jesus satisfied the wrath of God. And when anyone places their faith in God’s provision for salvation – His Son – they receive His righteousness. Their disobedience is forgiven, their sins are put out of sight, and their record of rebellion against God is cleared – once and for all.

The Righteousness of God.

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Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just. – Romans 3:1-8 ESV

As we begin chapter three, we must remember the words of Paul from chapter one: “The righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17 ESV). Paul was quoting from Habakkuk 2:4, where God had said to His prophet concerning the nation of Babylon, “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith” (Habukkuk 2:4 ESV). Faith has always been the means by which men gain access to the kind of righteousness God expects. It has never been based on human effort or achievement. All the way back in the book of Genesis, when God commanded Abraham to institute the rite of circumcision as a sign of His covenant with the people of Israel, He had said, “I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God” (Genesis 17:8 ESV). Circumcision was a sign of ownership, an outward symbol of their unique position as God’s possession. But it was not going to be circumcision that made them righteous, but their faith in the promise of God – that He would give them the land and make of them a great nation. In chapter four of Romans, Paul further explains the role of faith using Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation as an example. He clarifies that Abraham was justified before God, not because he had been circumcised, but because he had faith. “For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’” (Romans 4:3 ESV). But Paul asks the question: “How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised?” (Romans 4:10 ESV). In other words, Paul is asking whether God’s declaration of Abraham’s righteousness was pre- or post-circumcision. Was it the result of his adherence to God’s command? Paul answers his own question: “It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised” (Romans 4:10-11 ESV).

What’s the point? The point is that God has always measured man’s righteousness by faith, not works. The fact is, the Old Testament saints were expected to live by faith, just as much as we are. Paul says, “the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?” (Romans 3:2 ESV). Martin Luther writes in his commentary of Romans, “circumcision was of value to the Jews because they believed the divine promise (connected with it) and so they awaited its fulfillment” (Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans). Abraham was declared righteous because he had faith in the promises of God. Again, Paul writes in chapter four, “the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith” (Romans 4:13 ESV). The writer of Hebrews tells us, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:8-10 ESV). “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named’” (Hebrews 11:17-18 ESV). The kind of righteousness God requires has been and always will be based on faith.

The righteousness of God – the kind of righteousness He requires – is only available through faith in His promises. When God had told Abraham, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing … and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3), Abraham had no way of knowing the full extent of that promise. But he believed. He had faith. And it was counted to him as righteousness. But there were many Jews who failed to trust in the promises of God, and who falsely believed that their righteousness before God was going to be based on their own effort or merit. So Paul says, “if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say?” (Romans 3:5 ESV). In other words, it is the very fact that some failed to have faith and lived in unrighteousness that reveals the truth or reality of God’s brand of righteousness. His righteousness is faith-based, not works-dependent. The Jews had been given the promises of God, but most of them had failed to believe. They put their faith in themselves, in other nations, in false gods, and in their unique position as God’s possession. But Paul reminds us that their unfaithfulness does not nullify the faithfulness of God. He will keep His promises. He will fulfill every word He said to Abraham. In fact, Paul writes in his letter to the believers in Galatia, “Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘In you shall all the nations be blessed.’ So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith” (Galatians 3:7-9 ESV). The righteous shall live by faith.

Romans 4

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Unwavering Faith.

Romans 4

Even though there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping – believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” – Romans 4:18 NLT

Paul is still driving home his point that the key to being made right with God is based on faith, not our own efforts. He has established that both Jews and Gentiles stand before God as guilty and condemned because of their sinfulness. “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT). But he is now attempting to clear up some misunderstandings regarding Abraham, the patriarch of the people of Israel. Paul refers to him as the “founder of our Jewish nation” (Romans 4:1 NLT). In the eyes of the average Jew, Abraham held rock star status. He was worshiped and revered. They knew the stories of God’s promises to Abraham and took special pride in the fact that they were the descendants of this amazing man. But Paul wants them to understand that even Abraham was made right with God based on faith in God, not his efforts on behalf of God. Paul writes, “If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way” (Romans 4:2 NLT). The Jews believed that Abraham had somehow earned his right standing with God through his own efforts. He had obeyed God. He had made sure that all of his men had been circumcised according to God’s command. For the Jews, circumcision was like God’s Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. It was His stamp of acceptance. That’s why, even in Paul’s day, as Gentiles were coming to faith in Christ, Jewish converts to Christianity were demanding that they be circumcised. They were requiring circumcision and adherence to Jewish laws and customs as an additional step in the plan of salvation. And Paul resisted this heresy with every fiber in his being.

Referring to Abraham, Paul writes, “Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!” (Romans 4:10 NLT). You have to go all the way back to Genesis to read the account of God promising to provide a son to Abraham, and to produce from Abraham and his wife as many descendants as there were stars in the sky. The only problem? Abraham was an old man and his wife, Sarah, was barren. Abraham had resigned himself to the fact that he would have to make one of his servants his heir if he was ever going to have a family. But God had other plans. “Then the Lord said to him, ‘No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir,’ Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, ‘Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!'” (Genesis 15:4-5 NLT). Then we read the words that Paul included in his letter to the Romans, “And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith” (Genesis 15:6 NLT). This event took place long before God gave Abraham the command to be circumcised. It was long before the law was given to Moses. God’s acceptance of Abraham was based on his faith alone. He believed what God had promised. And even when everything looked bleak and as if the promise would never come to fruition, Abraham kept on believing. In fact, Paul makes the amazing and somewhat confusing statement, “And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead – and so was Sarah’s womb” (Romans 4:19 NLT). And yet, a cursory reading of Abraham’s life seems to reveal a great deal of wavering and weak faith. He tried to make his man-servant his heir. He and Sarah came up with the idea of using her maid-servant, Hagar, as a surrogate mother. There are numerous occasions when Abraham and Sarah struggled with doubt. That is normal and natural for all of us as human beings. But as time passed and Abram watched God work, his faith grew – his confidence in God increased. “In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to whatever he promises” (Romans 4:21 NLT).

Abraham’s life was intended to be an example for us. Faith was the key to Abraham’s relationship with God, and the same is true for us today. “God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over for because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God” (Romans 4:24-25 NLT). It is belief in the unbelievable that makes us right. It has nothing to do with our vain attempts to keep God’s standards or live up to some man-made set of decrees. God has asked us to believe His promise that we can be restored to a right relationship with Him through His Son’s substitionary death on the cross for us. Far-fetched? You bet. Hard to believe? No doubt about it. But it is no more impossible to believe than an old man and his barren wife producing descendants more numerous than the stars in the sky. But they believed, and God delivered. And if we believe that God can remove the penalty of our sin and replace it with the righteousness of Christ, He will deliver – and make us right with Him.

Father, what You have promised to do for us through Christ sounds incredibly far-fetched and impossible. And yet, You ask us to simply trust You. The only requirement You place on us is that of belief. And like Abraham, the longer we place our faith in You and watch You work, the stronger our faith grows. Our wavering in doubt becomes increasingly less frequent. We see You work in our lives and gain confidence in Your faithfulness to us and love for us. Never let us lose sight of the fact that it is by faith alone that we are saved, not by our own self-effort. Keep us trusting You and not ourselves. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org