Prepare: Lord help us recognize that our righteousness is without works.
Read: Romans 4:1-12
Works or faith? It is amazing how Paul proceeds to show how God's righteousness makes sinful men and women righteous through faith in what God has done for them. Paul takes up the argument of whether Abraham was saved by faith or works. To begin with, Paul shows that what is gained by works is not gift but wages. So if our salvation is God's gift then it cannot be gained by human effort. Paul goes right back to Abraham, the Father of the Jewish people. David is another ancestor of the Jews in whom they boasted. David also points out the blessedness of those who are forgiven, whose sins are covered and not reckoned. These two great forefathers of the Jews are enough to show how God counts human beings as righteous because of God's righteousness given to human beings through faith in Jesus Christ.
Blessedness of the un-circumcised and the circumcised: Paul further wants to emphasize the universality of the salvation received through faith in Jesus Christ and only through faith in Jesus Christ. He raises the question whether the righteousness spoken of as blessedness by David is only for the circumcised Jew. Paul holds in all his writings and arguments this salvation through faith is not only for the circumcised Jew but also for the uncircumcised Gentile. What is the support for this? Paul goes back to the great ancestor Abraham. When was he counted righteous before circumcision?
Respond: 'Simply to your Cross I cling'.
Read: Romans 4:1-12
Works or faith? It is amazing how Paul proceeds to show how God's righteousness makes sinful men and women righteous through faith in what God has done for them. Paul takes up the argument of whether Abraham was saved by faith or works. To begin with, Paul shows that what is gained by works is not gift but wages. So if our salvation is God's gift then it cannot be gained by human effort. Paul goes right back to Abraham, the Father of the Jewish people. David is another ancestor of the Jews in whom they boasted. David also points out the blessedness of those who are forgiven, whose sins are covered and not reckoned. These two great forefathers of the Jews are enough to show how God counts human beings as righteous because of God's righteousness given to human beings through faith in Jesus Christ.
Blessedness of the un-circumcised and the circumcised: Paul further wants to emphasize the universality of the salvation received through faith in Jesus Christ and only through faith in Jesus Christ. He raises the question whether the righteousness spoken of as blessedness by David is only for the circumcised Jew. Paul holds in all his writings and arguments this salvation through faith is not only for the circumcised Jew but also for the uncircumcised Gentile. What is the support for this? Paul goes back to the great ancestor Abraham. When was he counted righteous before circumcision?
Respond: 'Simply to your Cross I cling'.
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