Faith Not Works: Back To The Beginning, Part 1

Romans 4:1-12
[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 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.”

[9] Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. [10] How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. [11] He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, [12] and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

DEEP SHEET: Sermon Study   Faith Not Works: Back to the Beginning, Part 1   (Rom 4:1-12)
1.   Why should the doctrine of justification by faith humble us?
2.   Why do you think Paul chooses to use Abraham as an illustration? In general, how did the Jews view him?
3.   What does Genesis 15:6 say about Abraham’s righteousness?
4.   How does the text make clear that Abraham’s faith was not meritorious? Discuss why faith cannot be characterized as a work.
5.   What is so problematic about works-righteousness? What does this passage (particularly v. 5) teach us about the nature of saving/justifying faith?

References: Romans 3:28; Matthew 1:2; Isaiah 51:1-2; Genesis 15:6; Galatians 3:6; Hebrews 11:8; Romans 4:16; Ephesians 2:3; Joshua 24:2-3; Romans 3:25.