12/12/2021 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.
Worship leader: Luke Stoltzfus
Speaker: David Royes
Title: Always Through Faith
Scripture: Romans 4:1-12
What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." Now to the one who works, his wages are ot counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin." (Psalm 32:1-2)
Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 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. 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, 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.
Title: Always Through Faith
Paul's teaching style is to anticipate the Q+A; for example, "What about Abraham?"
The Old Testament does not offer a different means of salvation; the entire Bible offers one single means of salvation: By grace through faith in Christ.
Paul looks at Abraham as a test case: "If Abraham was justified by works, then you could expect boasting and entitlement.
This is problematic because God is indebted to nobody." Abraham was justified by trusting God, who owns everything. Abraham's faith was counted as righteousness.
