Paul Shows that God’s Way of Salvation (Namely, by Grace through Faith) Is Not a New Way
Romans 4:1-8

Lesson 10

background notes

doctrinal / teaching points

1. Abraham was justified by grace through faith.
2. David was justified by grace through faith.

practical application

Remember, righteous means righteous.

questions

1. What does “justified” mean?
2. How was Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, declared righteous by God?
3. Is Romans 4:3 a contradiction to James 2:21?
4. What is the point everyone must come to in order to be justified by God?
5. How was David justified by God?
6. What did the law have to do with Abraham and David being justified?

answers

1. Justified means to be declared righteous.
2. By faith alone, not by works.
3. No. Abraham was declared righteous by God many years before he was called to sacrifice his promised son, Isaac on the altar. By the willingness to sacrifice his son, however, Abraham showed that he had the right kind of faith, and his works of obedience proved the reality of his faith.
4. The realization that all have sinned and come short of God’s glory. This must be personalized.
5. By faith through grace alone.
6. Nothing. Abraham came before the law; David came after the law had been given. Both came by faith through grace alone.

discuss / consider

1. Do you have even the slightest tendency to justify your works before God as helping to gain your salvation? If a person is saved by works, or even partly by works, then there is something to boast about. There will be absolutely no boasting before God. Salvation is by grace alone. See Ephesians 2:8-9.
2. We still sin in practice, but our standing before God is one in righteousness. We’ve been justified and declared righteous. Remember, righteous means righteous.

challenge

Has your sin been removed from your charge account and put on Christ’s account? Is your charge account stamped righteous?

memorize

• “What does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:2
• “To him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.” Romans 4:5
• “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” Romans 4:8