Page 107 - TH200 Abundant Life A4 Final

Justification: Forgiveness from God

Experience of Justification

Illustration of Justification

In Romans 4, the apostle Paul discussed the experience of two men
who are outstanding examples of justification. Read this chapter and
notice especially verses 6–8:

David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of
the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never count against him.

Notice that when Paul quoted David, we do not see faith without
works, but rather faith apart from works. In this setting (vv. 1–9), works
do not come first, but faith alone. “However, to the man who does not
work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as
righteousness” (Romans 4:5).

This kind of faith, however, has accompanying works as evidence of
its vitality. Paul described the root of justification, which is faith apart
from works. And, as we have seen, James wrote of the fruit of faith,
which is good works. The fruit bears witness to the kind of root that
produces it. In this analogy, we must remember that faith is the root
which produces good works; the fruit (good works) do not produce the
root (faith).

In this masterful treatment of justification, Paul used Abraham as
a second example to illustrate justification by faith apart from ritual.
Paul asserted that Abraham was justified by faith (Genesis 15:6) before
he was circumcised (Genesis 17:10–14). In addition, he showed that
Abraham was not justified by keeping the Law: “It was not through law
that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be
heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith”
(Romans 4:13).

From these illustrations, we see God’s pattern for justification: we
come as we are and receive what He offers.

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