March 12, 2018
The Simple Step to Salvation
Romans 4:1–8
Mason Graham
Central Truth
Salvation comes through faith in Christ alone and that is nothing of our doing, no matter how much we try.
Romans 4:1–8
Abraham Justified by Faith
1 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in 1 4:5 Or but trusts; compare verse 24 him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
7
“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
8
blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
Dive Deeper | Romans 4:1–8
When I was seven or eight, my dad’s company offered free tickets to a Harlem Globetrotters game to whoever did the best on a quiz about the team. I was super excited and really wanted to go to the game, so my mom helped me fill out the quiz, and we won! Because I was willing to try the quiz and work to get the tickets, I won and got to have a great time at the game with my dad and one of my brothers.
Often, this is how we approach life. The world tells us that, to get what we want, we must work. If I want good grades, then I must study. If I want to succeed in athletics, then I must practice. In this passage, Paul is telling us that this is not true in our walk with Christ. While at times we are prone to think that we must work to earn our own salvation, it is already available to us through Christ’s sacrifice! We must then have faith in God’s promise of salvation and realize that our work can do nothing to achieve that.
Paul uses the example of Abraham to reiterate this truth. “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3b, emphasis added). Abraham’s belief and trust in God’s promise to him was what justified him. The act of faith alone was not a work—it was not righteous in and of itself—but rather it was “counted as righteousness” (Romans 4:5b). Faith is the one and only way that we can attain God’s righteousness. This is what defines Paul’s doctrine of faith: we cannot be saved through works, but only through our faith in Christ (Romans 3:24-25).
How can you be saved? By grace (from God), through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9)! This means that we can’t do anything to be saved on our own, but we must have faith that God’s promises hold true now and forever and that we are saved only through trusting in Jesus and His work on the cross!
This month's memory verse
10 as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
11
no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
– Romans 3:10–11
Discussion Questions
1. Have you taken that first step to salvation?
2. What defines your relationship with Christ? Are you leaning on yourself for salvation, or are you leaning on the only One who can save you?
3. How can you strengthen your faith in God in your daily walk with Christ?