Thirsting Souls Bible Teaching

(Rom 4:16) “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace;….. (17)…. before Him whom he believed, even God, Who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.”   The two verses shift from Abraham (his faith) to God, for salvation is given by Him alone. It is no automatic impartation for one who understands and then believes the message. Salvation is an impartation from God Who sees and responds to the individual heart.

 (Rom 4:16) “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,”  “Faith” is believing, trusting in God’s Word – His Word as good as a promise. Law is not promise, but contract – you do this and I’ll do that. His promise demands nothing but faith, “Believe what I have said”. Grace, unmerited favor is then poured out in the form of “salvation” – everlasting life, making us children and thus fulfilling the “Promise”! 

 (Rom 4:15) “Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.”  This is not saying there are places of where there is not law, a knowledge of right and wrong before God (2:12-16). It is saying that since all have sinned (3:23), wrath (yes, hell fire) falls upon all sinners upon death. Salvation comes only through faith (faith = action; embracing Jesus as payment for our sins).

DAILY DROP OF WATER  (Rom 4:14) “For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:”  Law and faith are opposites, bringing different outcomes. The outcome of law is condemnation, for none can keep it. The outcome of faith is God’s outpouring of the promise through grace and mercy. 

(Rom 4:13) “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.”  In context – “through the [imputed] righteousness of faith”. It is not only right to have faith in God, it should be the most natural of things. He made you. He has given you repeated evidences of His existence. Why would you not have faith (trust) in Him? To do otherwise is unnatural. Oh. Mankind lives in an unnatural state, therefore righteousness must be imputed, for there is none that is natural in fallen man. 

 (Rom 4:12)  “And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.”  “…who also….”, that is, those who have made a choice to “….walk in the steps of….faith….”. This is a choice to love the Lord through obedience to whatever He has said. So many want and claim it to mean having faith He will do what I want and therefore be satisfied with me whatever I do. The one is obedience, the other is wishful thinking, treating God as a genie in one’s own personal bottle called “desire”. 

 (Rom 4:11) “ And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:”  Abraham had two types of children, those of the flesh and those of the spirit. The physical children took on the outward sign of circumcision, the spiritual the circumcision of the heart:  (Rom_2:29)  “But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”  

 (Rom 4:9) “Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. (10)  How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.” Bottom line: it is not an action that saves; it is faith in God Who saves. It is not prayer (action) that saves; it is God Who responds to the heart that saves.

(Rom 4:8) “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”  This applies to my position as a spirit born child of God possessing the Gift of Everlasting Life.  My sins have been covered by the blood and God has put me in Jesus Christ. This does not mean there is no accountability for sins I now commit. If you are a true child of God, He spanks us for willful sin – rebellion (Heb 12).

(Rom 4:6) “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, (7)  Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.”   There is only one way to have peace with God in truth. One must embrace Jesus’ sacrifice for their sins as their only means of forgiveness and salvation. Then and only then will you be blessed and have peace. For more come to www.thirstingsouls.com