EXAMPLES OF IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS Romans 4:1-8
ABRAHAM’S FAITH RECALLED
Hebrews 11:8-19
v. 8 “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out…not knowing where he was going
v. 9 “By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise” – for 100 years
v. 11 “By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive…since she considered Him faithful who had promised”
v. 13-16 They all died in faith but knowing that God had something better in store for them. They lived and died knowing that this was not their home. They had faith in “a better country, that is, a heavenly one.”
v. 17-19 “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac…He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead.”
A PRECEDENT FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH
Galatians 3:6-14
v. 7 Those of faith are sons of Abraham and therefore heirs (3:29).
v. 8 Gospel preached to Abraham – the promise of blessing declared
v. 9 Those of faith are blessed with Abraham
v. 10 The law brought curses because all have sinned
v. 11 Habakkuk speaks of the righteous living by faith
v. 12 The Law is not of faith but of works!
v. 13 Christ became a curse to redeem us from the curse
v. 14 The promise then is for all who are of faith
James 2:23 Abraham’s belief permitted him to be a “friend of God”
NOT JUSTIFIED BY WORKS
“Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due” (v. 4).
If our salvation is a result of works than it cannot be by grace, rather it is due. Like a paycheck is the result of our time and effort for the week, so heaven would be the result of our time and effort on earth. Paul is affirming boldly that this is not the case. Salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). Because salvation is not a result of works done in the flesh but rather by the grace of God, than it is through faith. It is evident that no one will be justified by law (Galatians 3:11). No amount of “good” behavior will make us acceptable to God or approved by Him. But we are acceptable and approved and justified by our faith in Him.
“But the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness” (v. 5). So rather than trying to earn our way to heaven we rest in the working of God. We trust that God will justify us by our believing in Him. We trust that Jesus’ sacrifice will be our atonement and propitiation before God. We trust God will help us to live a holy life by the indwelling of the Spirit. We trust that we will be able to stand before God on the day of judgment not because of what we have done but because of what God has done for us and in us. When God sees our faith he concludes that we are righteous, blameless, unblemished, acceptable. Then our works can be pleasing to Him because they are done in faith in His ability and not our own.
An Apparent Contradiction or Complimenting Assessment – James 2:18-26
v. 18 Works evidence our faith
v. 19 Believing that God is one is not enough to justify
v. 20 Faith without works is useless
v. 21 Abraham was justified by works when he offered up Isaac. Why? Because he did so by faith in God to be able to raise him up again.
v. 22 This verse clears it all up “faith was working with his works, and as a result of works, faith was perfected.” Because Abraham lived by faith, his works are accepted. Abraham would never have been seen as a man of faith if he disobeyed God because he didn’t believe God could raise the dead.
v. 23 The Scripture was fulfilled when he walked by faith, when he put his belief into action.
v. 24 “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
v. 25 Rahab (Joshua 2) believed the God blessed Israel and gave them the land and therefore “received the messengers and sent them out by another way.” This work justified her because she did it by faith in God.
v. 26 If the spirit goes, we are dead. If works go, our faith is dead.
DAVID SPEAKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS CREDITED APART FROM WORKS
Keeping in mind that righteousness is being right with God and having unblemished character, David affirms that the man who is righteous is blessed. The man who is righteous is not a moral superman or a pure and sinless man but rather is blessed because the wickedness that he has done and will do is not going to be taken into account. Rather, righteousness is taken into account because faith is present.
God credits righteousness, which is to say that He gives it. It is not as though it is already there and God just recognizes it, on the contrary unrighteousness is there and God ignores that. God gives this righteousness not from our earning it or working for it, but He gives it by His grace.
SIN NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT
Here the doctrine of imputation is made clear. Lawless deeds should be recognized, sin should be made known and taken into account and the individual must pay for his debt. But for the Christian, sin is not imputed. This is why David declares “Blessed is the man who sin the Lord will not take into account.” What a blessing that is! Instead of God taking into account our sin, he credits righteousness because of our faith. Grace is more powerful and prominent than sin. For “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). Oh, the riches of His grace.