Grace Notes - Romans 4 v 13-16

Romans 4 v 13-16

Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!) So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe

Here in Romans chapter 4 we have a clear picture that salvation and righteousness is a free gift given by God in his mercy to all those who believe.

The law is no longer relevant to those who are In Christ.

We can either live by faith in all Christ has accomplished on our behalf or we can try to obey the law.

Faith and law do not mix.

Everything is provided through the perfect of Jesus at the cross; it is all there by grace. The Christian is no longer under the law; the law was fulfilled by Christ and has been made obsolete.

Rob Rufus here explains that the free gift of righteousness is the motivating force for the new birth.

“We are the offspring of Abraham by the way because we are in Christ. "

Received the promise that he would be the heir of the world but through a righteousness that comes by faith".

So you will have global influence by righteousness that is a gift. "For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless". You want to live under law then your faith will have no value and the promise of being an heir of the world and all the other promises are worthless". (v15) - "And where there is no law, there is no transgression". Now I can take you through all the Scriptures which say the Christian has died to the Law and we are redeemed from the law. We are not under the law. That means no wrath and no transgression. God is not counting our sins against us. We are the righteousness of God! We can approach God with boldness.

You say well what happens if we sin? We are the righteousness of God. This message when it gets into people's hearts makes them sin less and less.

When I see a Christian who is sinning a lot, I don't have any judgement any more. I say that they do not have very much faith that they are the righteousness of God. The more you realise who you are, the more you start living out who you are. But if you have got to be forced into holy behaviour by threats of hell and disapproval from God or the Church then the holiness that you go into is false.