Romans 4:2-3

Main Thought: There are many people in this day who mistakenly think there was a different way of salvation in the Old Testament than in the New Testament, believing that in the Old Testament men and women were saved by works and being obedient to the Law. Also, very sadly, most people throughout history have trusted that, in the end, it is their good works that will achieve a right standing with God, bringing them a right standing with God and eternal life. What Paul points out here is that if Abraham had somehow achieved justification, or a righteous standing with God, by his own works, then he could have boasted before men in the multitude of his good works, and the fact he had more good works than other men. However, what he is identifying in this chapter is that being justified before God does not come because of good works that we perform in the eyes of men and ourselves, but because of faith in God. The Jews of Jesus’ day boasted in the fact of being of the heritage or lineage of Abraham, and therefore being Abraham’s children, as if somehow being of his physical heritage merited something in God’s eyes (John 8:33). Jesus acknowledged they were physically of Abraham, but pointed out to them they were not of him spiritually, not loving the One whom God the Father had sent (John 8:42) and not doing the deeds of Abraham (John 8:39). Very many people in our culture think because they come from a Christian family, or because they are outwardly morally good, or because they have done good works, that they are in good standing with God. The reality is that justification, which is a righteous standing before God, comes only when someone has trusted by faith completely in the atoning death of Christ. Abraham and all the Old Testament saints believed in God and the promise of the coming Messiah who would atone for their sins (John 8:58). As New Testament believers, we look back now at the finished work of Christ on the cross and believe, just as Abraham, in Him and that His sacrifice for our sins justifies and makes us righteous before God. It is a false hope, and proud and presumptuous, to believe that somehow my good works are more satisfactory to God the Father than the shed blood of His Son. If you have trusted in Christ, and Christ alone, then you are justified before God and rejoice in that righteousness imputed by Christ. But if you are trusting in and boasting in your own works, then you are still in your sins and not justified before God. Call on Him today, trust in Him even now, and know that in believing in Him you will stand justified before God and have eternal life.