The call of Abram/Abraham set God’s redemptive activity in motion through the Jewish people.
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
“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.
“I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12.1-3).
Among the many blessings God gave to Jewish people is the opportunity to be a blessing to all the families of the earth.
Paul picked up this thought and explained in Romans 4 what God accomplished through Abraham, the father of the faith.
What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor 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 reckoned to him as righteousness.”
Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due.
But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness (Romans 4.1-5).
Once again, if we explain key terms in Paul’s argument, we will have a better understanding of his message.
(1) Works – When Paul speaks about works, he most frequently describes four boundary markers that define God’s people. They are the Torah/law, food laws, circumcision, and Sabbath observance.
Jewish people can boast of being God’s people because they keep these regulations. However, Paul wants to go beyond that and include not just Jews, but all people, not through the works of the law, but through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
(2) Reckoned – Reckoned is an accounting term. For example, we reconcile our bank statements.
When God reckons who are the people of God, He does so based on faith and not through observing the four boundary markers.
Paul referred to the time when God promised Abraham abundant descendants. He notes Abraham’s faith and God’s response.
And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness (Genesis 15.6)
It is important to note that the boundary marker of circumcision took place after Abraham’s faith and God’s reckoning of him righteousness. (see Genesis 17.1-27).
We read later in Genesis 22:1-18 how God tested Abraham’s faith and his obedience by telling him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Abraham passed the test with flying colors.
(3) Justify – Justification places ungodly people in a right relationship with God.
My favorite way of describing this is to ask the question: How does God defeat his enemies? The answer is, that he defeats his enemies by forgiving them and making them his friends.
This does not give us a license to say something like, “God and I had a deal, he likes to forgive and I like to sin.” Rather, when he loves us, that love captures our hearts and is reflected in the way we live our lives.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 