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Romans 4:2-3

Romans 4:2-3

“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.”

– 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.
David Webber

David Webber

David Webber is married to Mary with four children and four grandchildren, and serves as the Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Longview, TX. He obtained a BS in History from the University of Texas at Tyler, TX, and pursued studies at Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, TX. Throughout his ministry, he has been an invited preacher and educator in numerous churches and various Bible conferences. Surrendering to the gospel ministry’s calling in 1972 at the age of 16, he received preaching licensure from Little Flock Baptist Church in Longview, Texas, in 1974. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in History from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1978, he was ordained in December of 1980 by Faith Baptist Church. Following this, he contributed his services to Faith Baptist in Longview and subsequently engaged with Grace Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, where he instructed Sunday School and delivered sermons as needed. In February of 1994, Faith Baptist invited him to lead as their pastor, a role he has faithfully held to the present day. David writes a blog for the church website and is a writer for The Art of Worship.

Faith Baptist Church: Longview, Texas
More from David Webber
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

“To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill all your good pleasure for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” – 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Matthew 16:6
Matthew 16:6

“And Jesus said to them, ‘Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” – Matthew 16:6

Philemon 1:7
Philemon 1:7

“For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” – Philemon 1:7

Hebrews 12:5-7
Hebrews 12:5-7

“And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the LORD, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the LORD loves He disciplines, and He flogs every son whom He receives.’ It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” – Hebrews 12:5-7

Isaiah 28:15-16
Isaiah 28:15-16

“Because you have said, ‘We have cut a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have made a pact. The overflowing scourge will not reach us when it passes by. For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have hidden ourselves with lying. Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, ‘Behold I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.” – Isaiah 28:15-16

Psalm 84:11-12
Psalm 84:11-12

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you.” – Psalm 84:11-12

Psalm 84:1
Psalm 84:1

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!” – Psalm 84:1

Hebrews 2:1
Hebrews 2:1

“Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” – Hebrews 2:1

John 4:13-14
John 4:13-14

“Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him, will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'” – John 4:13-14

Matthew 4:17
Matthew 4:17

“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” – Matthew 4:17

Romans 4:2-3

Psalm 92:8

“But You are on high forever, O Yahweh.”

– Psalm 92:8

Main Thought: As we see throughout the Scriptures, our worship and adoration of God is related directly to whether or not we have a high or low view of God. We find that David had a high view of the person of God, which he expresses in this brief verse, where he speaks of God’s majesty, glory, and eternal nature. He goes on to speak of this glory of God in many other Psalms. In Psalm 7:17, he speaks of singing praise to “the name of Yahweh Most High.” In Psalm 21:7 he speaks of the mercy of the Most High. In Psalm 46:4, David writes of “the holy dwelling places of the Most High”, and in Psalm 47:2 he writes “Yahweh Most High is fearsome, a great King over all the earth.” We also find this adoration, praise, and worship in the great saints of the Old and New Testaments. We see it in Noah, that when he came off the ark, he worshipped God and made a sacrifice to Him (Gen. 8:20). We find Abraham making a sacrifice and worshipping God when the covenant with Abraham was confirmed by God himself (Gen. 17:1-27). When God revealed himself to Moses from the burning bush, Moses fell down in worship before Him (Ex. 3:1-22). Then when we look into the New Testament, we see men falling in worship to Christ, because they saw Him as God revealed in flesh. The leper in Matthew 8:2, seeking cleansing from Jesus, bowed down before Him and called him Lord. In Matthew 9:18, the synagogue official, seeing Him as Lord and seeking healing for his daughter, fell down in worship at His feet. And when Jesus ascended to the Father (Luke 24:50-53), we are told His followers worshiped Him. Worship begins with our relationship with God; only those who know Him really have a desire to worship Him. However, after this, the desire and the depth of our worship are related to how we see God. Do we have a low view of God, that He is just some occasional helper, intervening in our lives only when we ask, or do we view Him as David did, the Most High God, lifted up in holiness, power, and majesty, not just a part of our lives when we invite Him, but moving in our lives in every moment of every day to perfect holiness in us, secure our eternal salvation which He has promised, and providing for us every spiritual and physical need we have? This is how David sees him here, this is how the Old Testament believers saw Him, and this is how those who saw Him in His ministry here on earth viewed Him. Do you see Him in this way, or is your view of God such that you do not worship Him as you ought, seeing worship as only an occasional necessity? If so, then read the Psalms, the Old Testament accounts of believers, and the Gospels. In these Scriptures, you will see God the Father and the Son high and lifted up in majesty and glory, and soon your soul will greatly desire to worship Him in “Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23).
David Webber

David Webber

David Webber is married to Mary with four children and four grandchildren, and serves as the Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Longview, TX. He obtained a BS in History from the University of Texas at Tyler, TX, and pursued studies at Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, TX. Throughout his ministry, he has been an invited preacher and educator in numerous churches and various Bible conferences. Surrendering to the gospel ministry’s calling in 1972 at the age of 16, he received preaching licensure from Little Flock Baptist Church in Longview, Texas, in 1974. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in History from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1978, he was ordained in December of 1980 by Faith Baptist Church. Following this, he contributed his services to Faith Baptist in Longview and subsequently engaged with Grace Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, where he instructed Sunday School and delivered sermons as needed. In February of 1994, Faith Baptist invited him to lead as their pastor, a role he has faithfully held to the present day. David writes a blog for the church website and is a writer for The Art of Worship.

Faith Baptist Church: Longview, Texas
More from David Webber
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

“To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill all your good pleasure for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” – 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Matthew 16:6
Matthew 16:6

“And Jesus said to them, ‘Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” – Matthew 16:6

Philemon 1:7
Philemon 1:7

“For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” – Philemon 1:7

Hebrews 12:5-7
Hebrews 12:5-7

“And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the LORD, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the LORD loves He disciplines, and He flogs every son whom He receives.’ It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” – Hebrews 12:5-7

Isaiah 28:15-16
Isaiah 28:15-16

“Because you have said, ‘We have cut a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have made a pact. The overflowing scourge will not reach us when it passes by. For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have hidden ourselves with lying. Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, ‘Behold I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.” – Isaiah 28:15-16

Psalm 84:11-12
Psalm 84:11-12

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you.” – Psalm 84:11-12

Psalm 84:1
Psalm 84:1

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!” – Psalm 84:1

Hebrews 2:1
Hebrews 2:1

“Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” – Hebrews 2:1

John 4:13-14
John 4:13-14

“Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him, will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'” – John 4:13-14

Matthew 4:17
Matthew 4:17

“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” – Matthew 4:17