Righteousness Imputed by Faith

Theme

Righteousness, which is ours by faith and not by works.

Introduction

Romans chapter 4 sets out for us an explanation of the righteousness that is ours in Christ.

Abraham is given to us as an Old Testament example of how righteousness comes by faith and not by works.
There were people who contended that Abraham was made righteous through keeping the law, referring to his circumcision, but the Apostle Paul makes it clear that Abraham was made righteous Before his circumcision (Vs10-11) and that circumcision was given as a sign of his faith.

In the passage before us, we will study the topic of imputed righteousness and see that faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to be justified in the sight of God.

Righteousness = Equity of Character; In right standing with God.
Justification = Acquittal; just as if I’d never sinned.
Imputed = to take inventory, that is, to estimate: To lay to ones account.

Righteousness Imputed by Faith (Vs 1-3)

Abraham, the father of faith (Vs 1-2)

Abraham is the father of the Israelites.
1. Abraham is the father of the nation of Israel. He was the one to whom God made the Abrahamic covenant in which God promised to make Abrahams seed as great in number as the stars.
2. The Israelites, and the religious leaders in particular, understood Abraham to be a righteous man, but they took it to the extent that they thought Abraham had perfectly kept the Law even before the Law was given.
  1. The conclusion being that, if the Apostle Paul could show them that Abraham wasn’t justified by works, then they would have to conclude that nobody could be justified by works.
  2. The Apostle Paul starts out by stating that, if Abraham was justified by works then he would have a basis for boasting in his own efforts, but man cannot find acceptance before God on the basis of his own works.
  3. Romans 3:28 “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”
Abraham is our father in faith. (Romans 4:11)
1. In verse 11, we notice that Abraham became the father of all who believe.
2. Although there were others before Abraham who were men of faith and whom the Bible calls righteous, Abel and Noah being two examples, Abraham was called the father of those who would be heirs of righteousness by faith
  1. Scripture gives us Abraham as the first example of a man who was justified by faith.
  2. So, Abraham is not only the physical father of the nation of Israel, but he is also the spiritual father of all who are saved by grace through faith.

Abraham, made righteous by faith (Vs 3)

Abraham believed God for justification
1. Abraham was not saved by his own works.
  1. “If one believes that Abraham was saved by works, he restricts Abraham to gaining glory only from men. God will not honour the works of the flesh in the matter of salvation – even our best works are not good enough. (Isaiah 64:6) The only glory that is worth anything is the glory “before God.” All other glory is van and temporal at best.^[1]
  2. “To be saved (justified), we must be as righteous as God. Our best righteousness will not get us into heaven. Our best is detestable before God (Isaiah 64:6). Therefore, the great substance in this blessing from God is His righteousness which He imputes (gives) to us for salvation.”^[2]
2. We cannot earn our way into heaven; we can only come by faith.
  1. The sinner cannot contribute works to his salvation. Jesus Christ already did all the work necessary at Calvary. The debt has been paid.
  2. Like a man drowning in a rip tide can only reach out to the lifeguard, trusting the lifeguard to rescue him, the sinner can only hold out the arms of faith and receive the gift of salvation, trusting Christ to save him.
Abraham was made righteous by faith
1. Abraham exercised faith toward God and God counted his faith as being righteousness.
  1. “In God’s records, our faith in His grace is a direct substitute for the righteousness He demands.”^[3]
  2. When the repentant sinner exercises faith toward our saving God, the God places the righteousness of Christ in the sinner’s account.
2. The thief hanging in the cross next to the Lord Jesus could do nothing to save himself, he simply exercised faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and it was counted to him for righteousness.
We are made righteous by faith.
1. Being justified by faith without works is a great blessing indeed! If we had been saved by our own works, the new would have to keep up a perfect performance in order to remain justified in the eyes of God. How could we perform such a task?
2. Since God is the one who justifies us, without the need for good works, we have nothing to maintain. Our justification is secure.

Righteousness Imputed without Works (Vs 4-5)

Imputed righteousness is not earned (Vs 4)

In verse 4, the Apostle explains why works and faith don’t go together.
1. Paul gives is the example of a labourer who works for an income.
  1. The labourer who works for an income works the hours that have been agreed on in order to earn a monetary reward.
  2. Paul explains that, when the labourer works for his income, the employer owes him the reward money at the end of his labours.
2. The Apostle uses this picture to explain that salvation isn’t owed to us.
  1. If we could work for our salvation, then it would be owed to us as a reward for our labours. But God doesn’t owe us anything.
  2. We are the ones with a debt to pay, a sin debt which we cannot afford to pay. God doesn’t owe us salvation, and we cannot earn it either.

Imputed righteousness is by faith (Vs 5)

Faith must be placed in the right person.
1. Paul has already explained why we cannot earn our salvation, now he directs us to place our faith in the Saviour.
  1. Our faith must be pointed in the right direction.
    I know someone who never attends church, and who has no real interest in spiritual things, but when they hit on hard times they say, “well at least I’ve still got my faith.”
  2. The question is, “What faith is that, and what are placing your faith in?”
  3. The book of James tells us that faith without works is dead. Most people today have a dead faith. They will tell you they have faith in God, but they live as though He isn’t there.
2. Our faith must be placed in the one who is able to save. (Vs 5b)
  1. Notice that “It does not say here that He justifies believers, though that is true. But he justifies the ungodly.”^[4] This reinforces that fact that justification isn’t for people who, by good works, are already righteous, it is for people who need to be made righteous.
  2. Put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone can save you!
Faith is the basis of righteousness (Vs 5c)
1. Faith is counted for righteousness.
  1. This word counted is the same Greek word that is translated “imputed” in other verses in this passage.
  2. Imputed righteousness means, When God looks at me, He considers me to have His own perfect righteousness as my own personal possession.

Righteousness Imputed is Blessed (Vs 6-8)

The blessing of forgiveness (Vs 6-7)

The person in focus now switches from Abraham to King David.
1. David knew what it was to be a sinner in need of the Saviour.
  1. We all remember David’s sin of adultery with Bathsheba.
  2. David then tried to cover up his sin which ended with having Bathsheba’s husband Uriah murdered so that David could take Bathsheba as his own wife.
  3. Romans 4:8 is a direct reference to Psalm 32:1-2 which reads, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto who the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.”
2. In Psalm 51 we find David’s prayer of confession.
  1. Psalm 51:2 “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
  2. Paul gives David as an example of a man who needed the imputed righteousness of Christ which is by grace through faith.
  3. David exercised faith toward God in Psalm 51:10 saying, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

So, David shows us the blessedness of sins forgiven. Lastly, we look at the blessing of imputed righteousness.

The blessing of righteousness (Vs 8)

The man, who has received the imputed righteousness of Christ by faith, will not have his sins imputed to him.
1. As mentioned earlier, the word imputed means to have something laid to your account.
  1. If we have been made righteous in Christ, the God will not lay our sins to our account.
  2. Our account is clean and there is no more sin debt to be paid.
2. Let me give you an example of this in a story.
  1. “Some years ago, a wealthy English businessman purchased a Rolls Royce and soon afterward took his new car to France. When in the south of France, it broke down and he phoned the Rolls Royce people in Britain. The manufacturer flew a mechanic to France and the man’s car was repaired. He expected to receive a sizable bill for this unprecedented service, but as months passed and no invoice arrived the businessman wrote to the Rolls Royce company asking for his account to be rendered. By return mail he received a courteous note from the company assuring him that they had no record of anything having gone wrong with his car! In other words, the Rolls Royce company refused to acknowledge any imperfection in their product. That is exactly what happened to David in a spiritual sense. “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” When God forgives, He blots out the record.”^[5]
  2. “Everything connected with his former history of self-will has been blotted out; the Spirit witnesses that none of his sins or lawlessness will be remembered by God anymore.”
  3. This is the blessedness of imputed righteousness, when God sees his own personal righteousness and being my own personal possession, and my sins are cast away as far as the east is from the west.

Conclusion

Have you placed your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and accepted his gift of salvation and, by grace through faith, received His imputed righteousness?
As believers, are we truly thankful for the righteousness that is ours by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?

Closing Hymn: 217 – Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness

References

John G. Butler 2009, Analytical Bible Expositor, Volume 12, Pg 401; LBC Publications, Clinton, Iowa 52732 ↑
John G. Butler 2009, Analytical Bible Expositor, Volume 12, Pg 402; LBC Publications, Clinton, Iowa 52732 ↑
David Sorenson 2008, Understanding the Bible, John through Romans, Pg 659; Northstar Ministries,
1820 W. Morgan St, Duluth, MN 55811 ↑
C.A. Coates, An Outline of the Epistle to the Romans; Purnell & Sons Printers, Paulton (Somerset) and London. Pg 64 ↑
John Phillips 1969, Exploring Romans, Pg 78-80; 2002 Kregel Publications Inc, 2450 Oak Industrial Dr. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505 ↑

Sermons

Righteousness Imputed by Faith – Romans 4:1-8