Minnetonka

Monday
Evening
Bible Study
The Apostle
Paul’s Letter to
the Romans
 Romans 4:1-8
What then shall we say? Have we found Abraham to be
our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham
was declared righteous from deeds he has a ground for
boasting, but not with God. 3 For what does Scripture
say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to
him for righteousness.” 4 But to the one who works, the
wage is not reckoned according to grace but
according to debt. 5 But to the one who does not work
but believes upon him who declares the ungodly to be
righteous, that one’s faith is reckoned for
righteousness, 6 just as also David says concerning the
blessing of the man to whom God reckons
righteousness apart from deeds. 7 “Blessed are those
whose Lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are
covered. 8 Blessed is the man whose sins the Lord will
not reckon against him.”
Romans 4:1-25
The Pattern of
Justification:
Abraham & His Children
 Romans 4 in Context
• The Ground of Justification: Jesus Christ's
Faithfulness (3:21-31).
– Jesus Christ’s Faithfulness—The Justification of God (3:21-
26).
– Jesus Christ’s Faithfulness—The Justification of the Law
(3:27-31).
• The Pattern of Justification: Abraham and His Children
(4:1-25).
– What Kind of Descendant from Abraham does God
the Righteous Judge Justify: One of the Law or One
of Faithfulness? (4:1-8).
– When did God the Righteous Judge Justify
Abraham: Before or After Abraham was
Circumcised? (4:9-12).
– Who are Heirs of the Promise made by God the
Righteous Judge: Those of the Law or Those of
Faithfulness? (4:13-25).
Interpretive Decision
Necessary
What then shall we say that
Abraham, our forefather,
discovered in this matter?
(NIV)

What then shall we say?

Have we found Abraham to
be our forefather according
to the flesh?
(CPV)
Uses of the same question
throughout Romans
Romans 4:1 Tiv ou\n ejrou`men eujrhkev/nai jAbraa;m to;n propav/tora hJmw`n kata;
sa/rkav;
What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to
the flesh? (NIV)

Romans 6:1 Tiv ou\n ejrou`men;

What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may
abound?

Romans 7:7 Tiv ou\n ejrou`men;

What then should we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not
been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is
to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet.”

Romans 8:31 Tiv ou\n ejrou`men pro;~ tau`ta;

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against
us?

Romans 9:14 Tiv ou\n ejrou`men;

What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means!

Romans 9:30 Tiv ou\n ejrou`men;

What then are we to say? Gentiles, who did not strive for righteousness, have
attained it, that is, righteousness through faith;
Romans 4:1 Tiv ou\n ejrou`men; eujrhkev/nai jAbraa;m to;n propav/tora hJmw`n kata;
sa/rkav;
What then are we to say? Have we found Abraham to be our forefather
according to the flesh? (CPV)

Romans 6:1 Tiv ou\n ejrou`men;

What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may
abound?

Romans 7:7 Tiv ou\n ejrou`men;

What then should we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not
been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is
to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet.”

Romans 8:31 Tiv ou\n ejrou`men pro;~ tau`ta;

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against
us?

Romans 9:14 Tiv ou\n ejrou`men;

What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means!

Romans 9:30 Tiv ou\n ejrou`men;

What then are we to say? Gentiles, who did not strive for righteousness, have
attained it, that is, righteousness through faith;
 Interpretive Decision
Necessary

Recognizing that Paul is asking two questions

rather than one, as the NIV and other
modern translations represent the text,
preserves a greater link with what precedes
and follows.
 What Kind of Descendant
from Abraham does God the
Righteous Judge Justify:
One of the Law or One of
Faithfulness?
(4:1-8)
 Romans 4:1-8
What then shall we say? Have we found Abraham to be
our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham
was declared righteous from deeds he has a ground for
boasting, but not with God. 3 For what does Scripture
say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to
him for righteousness.” 4 But to the one who works, the
wage is not reckoned according to grace but
according to debt. 5 But to the one who does not work
but believes upon him who declares the ungodly to be
righteous, that one’s faith is reckoned for
righteousness, 6 just as also David says concerning the
blessing of the man to whom God reckons
righteousness apart from deeds. 7 “Blessed are those
whose Lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are
covered. 8 Blessed is the man whose sins the Lord will
not reckon against him.”
 Genesis 15:1-6
1After these things the word of the LORD came to
Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a
shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.” 2Abram
said, “O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am
childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of
Damascus?” 3And Abram said, "Since You have given
no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir."
4Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him,

saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who will
come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir."
5And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward

the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to

count them " And He said to him, “So shall your
descendants be.” 6 Then he believed in the LORD; and
He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
 Psalm 32:1-2
1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
2How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not

impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!
3When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted

away
Through my groaning all day long.
4For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;

My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat

of summer. Selah.
5I acknowledged my sin to You,

And my iniquity I did not hide;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the
LORD”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.