Credited Righteousness

2 June 2013 AM – Romans 4:1-25 – Scott Childs

Introduction: At the end of Romans 3, Paul tells us that righteousness is of God by faith in the blood of Christ. Many religious people in Paul’s day (and in our day) struggle to grasp this truth. They wondered, “How can a person become righteous without doing good deeds?” and that is a good question.

Now in Romans 4, Paul answers this question by illustrating from the life of Abraham. The Jews greatly respected their ancestor Abraham, but most of them had missed an important fact. Abraham did not do good deeds to become right with God.

Transition: This morning we are going to learn from the example of Abraham how we can receive credited righteousness.

I.              The Record of Abraham’s Faith

A.     Abraham was a childless old man

1.      Abraham grew up in Ur of the Chaldees but moved to Haran with his father sometime after he got married.

2.      When Abraham was 75 years old, God told him to leave Haran and move to a land that He would show him. This was a big step of faith.

Genesis 12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

3.      When he arrived in Canaan, God promised Abraham that one day this land would belong to his seed or children, yet he had no children and Sarah his wife was old.

Genesis 12:7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

B.     Abraham believed God

1.      The book of Hebrews records Abraham’s faith to move and his faith to sojourn (temporarily live) in a land that he did not yet own.

Hebrews 11:8-9 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

2.      While living in Canaan, God spoke to Abraham a second time about his seed. This time he promised that his children would be countless in number.

Genesis 15:5-6 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

3.      His son by a second wife, Hagar, was not God’s will. (Gen 16)

4.      Eventually, when Abraham was 99 years old and Sarah was 90 years old, God told Abraham clearly that Sarah would have a son.

Genesis 18:10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

5.      In all this, God saw Abraham as a man of faith. He believed God. Read Romans 4:3 again.

Faith is acting on trusted information. By faith Abraham moved. By faith, Abraham sojourned. By faith, Abraham has a son. God honours those who trust Him and obey.

II.            The Result of Abraham’s Faith

A.     God counted Abraham’s faith for righteousness (4-5)

1.      The word translated “counted” is found eleven times in Romans 4 and is translated as count, reckon, and impute. It is an accounting term that means to credit to one’s account.

2.      God accepted Abraham’s faith and credited him with righteousness. Romans 4:4-5 illustrates.

a)      On the job, your work is reckoned for payment. The boss takes into account the hours you worked and credits your account with pay. Pay is not of grace (a gift) but of debt (you earned it).

b)      Spiritually, your faith in God is reckoned for righteousness. God takes accepts your faith and credits your account with righteousness.

c)      Faith is trusting and obeying God. Faith is not doing good deeds. Righteousness is 100% by faith not by works. You cannot earn it.

B.     David spoke of God’s imputed righteousness (6-8)

1.      Only God can impute righteousness because only He is righteous. Nothing else has the authority.

2.      God is ready to forgive our sin and credit us with righteousness if we by faith will confess it to Him.

3.      Psalm 32:1-2 tells us that it is a blessing when God credits a repentant believing sinner’s account with righteousness.

a)      God forgives his iniquities (lawlessness).

b)      God covers his sins (missing the mark). God credits righteousness to the repentant sinner’s heart.

c)      God will not impute sin (and its punishment) to that person because by faith he has been cleansed and God’s righteousness has already been credited to his account. That is a blessing!

If you have a sin that has been haunting you, God will forgive that sin and give you righteousness if you will by faith confess it to him.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

C.     God honoured Abraham’s faith (20-23)

1.      God said Abraham staggered not through unbelief. Evidently, his marriage to Hagar was not unbelief but confusion. He wrongly thought it was God’s plan.

2.      His faith was imputed (taken into account and credited) for righteousness.

III.           The Replica of Abraham’s Faith

We too can have a replica or copy of faith like that of Abraham, which will result in righteousness.

A.     This was written for us (23-24)

1.      God told Abraham that his faith was counted for righteousness. He did not work for it. He did not merit it by keeping the Law. God gave him righteousness because he placed his faith in God.

2.      This principle is for you and me as well.

a)      God wants to impute His righteousness on us.

b)      The requirement is that we believe. Notice the word “if” in verse 24.

B.     God will take our faith into account and credit it with righteousness if . . .

1.      . . . we will believe on God who raised up Jesus from the dead.

2.      . . . we will believe that Jesus was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification.

a)      To believe this you must admit that you have offended God and deserve judgment. Then, repent or change your mind about your sin and the way of salvation. You cannot save yourself.

b)      It is believing that Jesus was delivered to die for our offences. He died in your place.

c)      It is believing that Jesus raised again to justify or make you righteous before God.

3.      You see, believing on God is more than believing about Him. It is believing that He is your only hope of escaping hell and entering heaven.

4.      If you will by faith trust Christ to save your soul, He will accept your faith, forgive your sin, and credit you with righteousness.

Conclusion: Many people think they can get right with God by being good or doing a religious deed. Today we have learned that God must impute or credit righteousness to our account and He only does that when we place our faith in Him. Think back over your life. Can you remember a specific time that you repented of your sin and placed your faith in Jesus only to save you from hell? If not, you can do it right now.

Once you receive God’s righteousness, you cannot lose it, but you can soil it and lose your joy by doing wrong. The solution is to confess and forsake your sin.

Song: Cleanse Me – 166