Romans Lesson 7 Day 4
Study of Romans 4:9-15
“Generally, the Jewish teachers of Paul’s day believed that Abraham was justified by his works, by keeping the law. Ancient passages from the rabbis say: “We find that Abraham our father had performed the whole Law before it was given” and “Abraham was perfect in all his deeds with the Lord.” The rabbis argued that Abraham kept the law perfectly before it was given, keeping it by intuition or anticipation.” (David Guzik)
9. Abraham declared righteous
Genesis 15:1-4; Genesis 17:10-14; Genesis 24:27; Galatians 3:15-18
The sequence of events in these Scriptures is important because it shows that God declared Abraham righteous before he was circumcised and long before the Law was given.
- In Genesis 15:6, 2081 BC, Abram believed God, and God counted his faith as righteousness.
- Genesis 16:16, 2080 BC, Abram was 86 when Ishmael was born.
- Genesis 21, 2066 BC, Isaac was born.
- In Genesis 17, 2067 BC, God established circumcision as a sign of the covenant—it did not make Abraham righteous. (Abraham was 99)
- Genesis 24:27 shows God continuing to keep His promises and guide Abraham’s family.
- Galatians 3 explains that God made His promise before the Law and that the Law cannot cancel it.
So, righteousness comes through faith in God and His promises, not through religious rituals or keeping rules.
According to this timeline, God established the covenant of circumcision with Abraham fourteen years after declaring him righteous.
Law of Moses given 430 years later —
“Exodus 12:40-41 states that it was 430 years after God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15:5-6) that the children of Israel came out of Egypt. It was in that same year that the Lord gave the Ten Commandments to Moses (Exodus 20). The Law didn’t annul the covenant of faith made with Abraham, but the covenant of grace through faith in Jesus does annul the covenant of Law (Hebrews 7:18).” Andrew Wommack
Through Abraham, God established the precedent of justification by faith alone.
Just as Abraham and Sarah could not have a child on their own, God knew that we could not become righteous through our own efforts. That is why He provided the ultimate sacrifice—His only Son, Jesus Christ.
It’s a recurring biblical pattern: God often waits until human strength, ability, and every apparent solution have been exhausted—then He acts in a way that makes His power and faithfulness unmistakable. The impossibility becomes the backdrop against which His role is revealed.
10a. Some believe they are saved by faith and their own efforts.
True righteousness comes through faith—not through human effort.
Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.
Signs like baptism and communion are only tangible/visual representations and reminders of spiritual realities.
Just as Abraham and Sarah could not have a child on their own, God knew that we could not become righteous through our own efforts. That is why He provided the ultimate sacrifice—His only Son, Jesus Christ.
“That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,” (Romans 4:16 ESV)
10b. Following Abraham’s example of faithful living
Living with integrity before God and others—seeking to align our thoughts, choices, relationships, and actions with God’s character and teachings.
It includes:
- Faithfulness to God: trusting Him, worshiping Him, and putting Him first.
- Moral integrity: choosing honesty, purity, self-control, and justice even when no one is watching.
- Love for others: treating people with compassion, humility, forgiveness, and dignity.
- Obedience: applying Jesus’ teachings rather than merely agreeing with them.
- Repentance: confessing sin, turning from it, and receiving God’s forgiveness.
- Consistency: living the same way privately as publicly.
- Dependence on grace: not trying to earn salvation through good behavior, but allowing gratitude for God’s grace to produce a changed life.
Christian uprightness is not moral perfection. It is a sincere direction in life—continually turning toward God, growing in holiness, and seeking to do what is right. As Micah 6:8 summarizes it: to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.
11. Am I righteous?
“For by grace [I] have been saved through faith. And this is not [my] own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8 ESV)
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him [I] might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— (Galatians 3:13 ESV)
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1 ESV)
“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life. . .” (1 John 5:11-12 ESV)
These are my answers and research for BSF study questions BSF Romans Lesson 7 Day 4
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