9/24/23 - Sola Fide - Faith Alone! - Romans 4:1-15 - Pastor Jason Fritz

There is one central theme to Romans chapter 4 and it is this: Salvation comes by faith and not works. This is a timely message for today because there are millions of people practicing some form of religion or self actualization that teaches one must earn his or her way to enlightenment or heaven. Most believe if your good outweighs your bad then God smiles on you and the gates of heaven will be thrown open. Paul shatters this idea by using just two examples from the Old Testament. He eagerly probes at the roots of this issue by asking the question...

 

What can be learned about salvation by looking at the relationship between God and Abraham?

 

If Abraham’s relationship with God was made acceptable by his good deeds then Abraham would have something to brag about. Why? Because there was a time when God asked him to do the work of sacrificing his son. This was a test of his faith and Abraham was willing to go there. You see, if God accepted us based on our good deeds then Abraham is our winner. He defeats everyone because he was willing to do the impossible. But it doesn’t work that way. Well then what saved him? Paul explains by qouting from the original text: For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:3.) Paul’s point is that Abraham believed God before Isaac was born and therefore he was justified by faith before he did any of his great works for which he is so famous.

 

Paul uses King David as another example. David broke three of the Ten Commandments and according to the Old Testament sacrificial system the penalty was death. This is why David cried, "For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:16-17 In other words, he says there is no work he can do in order to atone for his sins. Instead, David throws himself upon the mercy of God and receives grace and forgiveness. Paul uses Israel's greatest patriarch in Abraham and Israel's greatest king in David to show there is nothing you and I can do to pay for our wrongs. Our only hope is this…

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. Romans 3:21

 

Countless millions firmly trust in some other form of religious ceremony or activity to make them right with God. What does all this mean to you and me? Take a deep breath and let it out Christian. That’s a sigh of relief. Paul could not be any clearer, your eternal destiny does not depend on you working your way toward God through acts or rituals in hope that it is enough; it’s about having faith in Jesus as the one who declares you justified because of his righteousness!