{"id":487,"date":"2017-05-15T11:03:47","date_gmt":"2017-05-15T11:03:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/revfosu.com\/?p=487"},"modified":"2017-05-15T11:32:30","modified_gmt":"2017-05-15T11:32:30","slug":"amazing-grace-baptist-church-hamburg-bible-study-material-lesson-9-by-rev-john-kwasi-fosu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amazinggbc.de\/de\/2017\/05\/15\/amazing-grace-baptist-church-hamburg-bible-study-material-lesson-9-by-rev-john-kwasi-fosu\/","title":{"rendered":"AMAZING GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH, HAMBURG BIBLE STUDY MATERIAL \u2013 LESSON 9, BY REV, JOHN KWASI FOSU"},"content":{"rendered":"

Topic: Justification Explained using the example<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>of Abraham<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Text:<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>Romans 4:1-25<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Memory verse: Rom 4:25<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Einleitung<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

From the last week lesson on Romans 3:21-31, the Good News of justification by\u00a0faith was introduced and explained. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Its related terms of sanctification, redemption and propitiation were further introduced. In Rom 4 & 5, the theme of justification is given a detailed explanation. Today\u2019s lesson seeks to throw more light on the theme of justification using the life of Abraham as an example. The main purpose of Romans 4:1-25 is therefore to explain that Justification is by faith. Here, the chapter elaborates how God justifies (declares righteous ungodly people) through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Using the example of Abraham, three great facts about justification by faith that have been elaborated in Rom 4 include: <\/span>justification is by faith and not works<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>justification is by grace and not law,<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>justification is by resurrection power and not human effort<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b>Justification is by Faith, Not works (4:1-8)<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Every Jew revered Abraham and from Gen. 15:6 knew that Abraham had been justified before God. Abraham\u2019s acceptance by God was so certain that they referred to heaven as Abraham\u2019s bosom. Paul therefore chooses Abraham to illustrate the concept of justification by faith. He makes it very clear that Abraham was declared righteous because of his faith and not by works (see Gen. 15:1-6). The gift of righteousness came, not by works, but by faith in God\u2019s revealed Word.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Paul used the words reckon, impute, and count in his argument (vv. 3-6, 8-11, 22-24). These words all mean the same thing: to put to a person\u2019s account. Justification means righteousness imputed (put to our account) and gives us a right standing before God. Sanctification means righteousness imparted (made a part of our life) and gives us a right standing before men, so they believe we are Christians (cf. James 2:14-26).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Verse 5:<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>states that God justifies the ungodly through faith and not works. The Jews thought that God justified religious people on the basis of their works; but Paul argues differently pointing out that Abraham was saved simply on the basis of faith. Then Paul refers to David and quotes Ps. 32:1-2,<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>proving that the great king taught justification by faith, apart from works. God does not impute sin to our account, because that was charged to Christ\u2019s account (2 Cor. 5:21, Philemon 18). Rather, He imputes Christ\u2019s righteousness to our account purely on the basis of grace! What a wonderful salvation we have.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span>II.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b>Justification is by Grace, Not Law (4:9-17).<\/span><\/span><\/b>If justification according to Paul is by faith, then what about the law? What about the covenant God made with Abraham? Paul answers this question by pointing out that Abraham\u2019s faith and salvation took place fourteen years before he was circumcised! Circumcision was the seal of the covenant, the rite that made a Jewish child a part of the system of law.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Circumcision was merely an outward sign of a spiritual relationship, as baptism is today.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n