Grace Offered to All.

Hebrews 11:6 says that faith is essential to please God. Many claim to have faith that helps them through difficult times. But there is a difference between religious faith and saving faith. True saving faith can calm us in the midst of earthly storms and save our souls for eternity. Salvation always comes by faith in Christ.

Hebrews 11 mentions 26 examples of Old Testament faith. Romans 4 focuses on one of them – Abraham.

Below is the outline that will organize our study of this chapter:

• Introduction: Raising Initial Questions (Romans 4:1-2)
• Our Righteousness By Faith Not Works (Romans 4:3-12)
• Our Promise By Grace and Not Law (Romans 4:13-16)
• Our Progeny By Faith (Romans 4:17-21)
• Conclusion (Romans 4:22-25)

Our Righteousness By Faith Not Works

Note how many times the words "faith" and "believe" occur in this passage! Abraham came to God the same way we do today: by faith. Whether a person looked ahead to Christ's coming or believes in Christ who has come already, salvation always comes by faith in Christ.

Human works can please other people, but they cannot please God unless we are in Christ.

Every person is included in "the ungodly" (verse 5). We cannot come to God until we recognize ourselves as sinners.

Our Promise By Grace and Not Law

No one can keep the law perfectly. Yet God sees us as perfect when we own His Son.

Next week, we will continue by looking at five virtues of saving faith that will ensure spiritual descendants.

Application Points

• Are you relying on your own works to earn you a good standing with God? You may be able to please people, but nothing less than perfection can please God. You must be found in Christ.

Tools for Further Study

Cross References to Explore

• 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 – The Gospel.

A Hymn to Encourage: "His Robes for Mine"

His robes for mine: O wonderful exchange!
Clothed in my sin, Christ suffered ‘neath God’s rage.
Draped in His righteousness, I’m justified.
In Christ I live, for in my place He died.

I cling to Christ, and marvel at the cost:
Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God.
Bought by such love, my life is not my own.
My praise – my all – shall be for Christ alone.

His robes for mine: what cause have I for dread?
God’s daunting Law Christ mastered in my stead.
Faultless I stand with righteous works not mine,
Saved by my Lord’s vicarious death and life.

His robes for mine: God’s justice is appeased.
Jesus is crushed, and thus the Father’s pleased.
Christ drank God’s wrath on sin, then cried “‘Tis done!”
Sin’s wage is paid; propitiation won.

His robes for mine: such anguish none can know.
Christ, God’s beloved, condemned as though His foe.
He, as though I, accursed and left alone;
I, as though He, embraced and welcomed home!