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A STUDY IN COVENANT THEOLOGY

AN EXPOSITION OF THE BOOK OF ROMANS

(RASV-1901)

ROMANS

Chapter 4

   ROMANS 4:1, 2 "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has whereof to glory; but not toward God."

   aaron-The value of our own works, with respect to God’s covenant of grace, is being evaluated: And we are told, that with respect to individual justification, our own works have absolutely no value whatsoever. God’s free and unmerited grace must stand completely alone.

   Romans 4:3 "For what do the Scriptures say? And Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness."

   aaron-We find the balance of the answer right here. The only thing that matters is the believing faith that Abraham received from God. We, just like Abraham, need only take God at His word to receive all that He has freely offered.

   Romans 4:4, 5 "Now to him that works, the reward is not counted as of grace, but as of debt. But to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."

   aaron-Every work that one can suppose to do toward this relationship with God, must be, as a matter of conscience, cast off to the side when we consider justification. Though there may appear to be a measure of works involved in our initiation into the legal side of the Covenant of Grace, for grace to be grace, we can bring absolutely nothing at all into this relationship. Again, any and all works that we might suppose to do toward this relationship, only serve to place a needless burden upon each of us—a burden that neither our forefathers nor we could ever hope to bear:

   Romans 4:6-8 "Even as David also pronounced blessing upon the man, unto whom God counted righteousness apart from works, saying: Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin." Ref.Ps.32:1, 2a

   aaron-This passage is the simplest and best definition of God’s Covenant of Grace that one will find in the entire Bible. This is not suggesting that man does not sin, but that God’s imputation for that sin is being graciously withheld. So whether you stand in the legal relationship or in the communion of life matters very little, because it is only God who secures your place within His promised grace.

   Romans 4:9 "Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? For we say, To Abraham his faith was counted for righteousness."

   aaron-Our attention is yet again directed toward the universal character of God’s reconciliation. This question fully reveals God’s original intent: It was to extend His reconciliation far beyond His first peoples Israel.

   Romans 4:10 "How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision:"

   aaron-Our attention is now shifted back to the state of father Abraham. We are told that Abraham was yet in uncircumcision when God’s grace was first imputed unto him. This might be describing the exact time that Abraham’s heart was circumcised: That time when Abraham was regenerated as the progenitor of the Messianic line. This clearly reveals that the universal character of God’s reconciliation was initially included in His Abrahamic Covenant of Grace.

   Romans 4:11, 12 "And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision. That he might be the father of all them that believe though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be counted unto them. And the father of the circumcision to them who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had in uncircumcision."

   aaron-The discussion is now expanded to incorporate both God’s visible dispositions and God’s invisible dispositions within His program of reconciliation. [1] Interpreting "the sign of circumcision", as simply the visible circumcision of the flesh. The visible initiatory rite for the Covenant of Grace that God established with Abraham and his descendants. Which was also the visible representation of [2] the invisible "seal of the righteousness of the faith that he (Abraham) had while he was in uncircumcision": The invisible circumcision of the heart that Abraham received while he was yet in uncircumcision. Then this invisible initiatory rite for the Messianic Covenant line; the invisible Covenant of Promise, is to be seen as an addition to the visible initiatory rite. The invisible initiatory rite is God’s method for selectively choosing His mystical priestly line that was to flow only through the lineage of Isaac. The complexity here is awesome. God is attempting, within these few short verses, to give us an overview of His entire program of reconciliation. That is, even though His Covenant of Grace is founded here in Abraham and then in this tiny nation of Israel, He is showing us that His original intent was to incorporate every nation of the world into this Covenant of Grace as well. Abraham, being justified while he was “in uncircumcision”, is defined as the father of all. The most important thing for us do here, is to maintain some perspective with respect to both God’s visible dispositions and to God’s invisible dispositions. Then being mindful of the complex character that is involved in the correct identification of God’s peoples.

 Romans 4:13 "For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith."

   aaron-What we are told here, is that the whole efficacy of God’s reconciliation is always founded on His grace alone. This benefit is efficacious only because of the "righteousness of faith" that we now claim and have; which is the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ that He exhibited through His propitiatory work on the cross. Ref.Rom.3:22

   Romans 4:14, 15 "For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect. For the law works wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there any transgression."

   aaron-This passage is speaking about God’s selective approach to the creation of the invisible Covenant of Promise, and that the visible peoples of Israel, “they that are of the law”, were not to be automatically included within this select group. We must remember that God’s visible dispositions had to be neutralized in a limited sense before His plan could be fully realized. We must also add that the law was instituted to expose transgressions. Ref.Rom.3:20 "But before faith came to us, we were all kept under the law." Gal.3:23a

   Romans 4:16, 17 "For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may 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 (as it is written, A father of many nations have I made you) before him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were."

   aaron-We are again reminded of the complete universality in God’s program of reconciliation; the Abrahamic Covenant of Grace. And that this Covenant of Grace was to be effective not only toward those of visible Israel—“that only which is of the law”, but it was to be effective toward all of the other Nations as well. This universality is also evident from these two analogizes: "that only which is of the law" is analogous to "the dead", as "that also which is of the faith of Abraham" is analogous to "calls the things that are not, as though they were". Showing us once again, the intended universality within God’s reconciliation. It should be noted that His elect “seed” would be gathered out from among both of these people groups.

   Romans 4:18 "Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall your seed be."

   Romans 4:19-22 "And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. Yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. Wherefore also it was counted unto him for righteousness."

   aaron-Here, we have another clear example of faith.

   Romans 4:23-25 "Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was counted unto him; but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be counted. Who believe on him (God) that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification."