Sermon Tone Analysis

Romans 4:9-12

Paul had finished almost 3 chapters of teaching that man is a sinner.

He proved that everyone is a sinner before God.

the moral man is a sinner

The religious man is a sinner

the Jews were sinners just like the Gentiles.

And he showed them that man cannot be justified by works, but only through faith in Jesus Christ.

He then began showing us through illustrations the truth of what he taught in chapter 3.

Within chapter four, Paul uses five arguments to refute the commonly held view that Abraham was justified by good works:

vs. 1-5 - Theological - where he picks apart theological ideas

vs. 6-8 - Hermeneutical - dealing with the interpretation of OT scripture.

We looked at those two last week.

vs. 9-12 - Historical - Looking at historical facts to illustrate his point.

vs. 13-17a - Logical - Logically applied the same faith that Abraham, how would that not be the same to those who would be his heirs?

vs. 17b-25 - Experiential - Paul pointed to the experiences of Abraham and faith, and then Paul’s own experiences.

Paul now turns to his third illustration that he uses…The Historical illustration.

There was some confusion here.

Paul was anticipating objections brought by the Jewish audience.

The Jews saw much more significance with circumcision because it was part of their heritage, their culture.

It was a mark of salvation to them, because they had been saved so many times in their history.

Many rabbi’s have said, “No circumcised man will ever see hell.”

They attached their eternal security to the rite of circumcision.

We see the same mindset in our world today.

It’s not about circumcision, but people attach spiritual significance to other things, baptism, communion, good works, speaking in tongues (in some areas of Christendom).

There is too much confusion, but if they will honestly and openly read the Word of God they will see that justification has nothing to do with any action we take other than yielding to God in belief!

Here Paul discusses Abraham’s righteousness in relation to his obedience in circumcision.

Was he righteous because of that obedience.

No, he was called righteous before he obeyed.

Because he had faith!

I.

A Blessing

v. 9a

“Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also?

Who received this blessedness?

The Jew - the circumcised?

No it was to all that had faith!

The blessed man is the man who is justified by faith:

Who is counted righteous without works.

Whose sins are forgiven and covered.

whose sins are not counted against him.

We are blessed beyond imagination!

But Paul asks the Roman Christians, is this blessing of forgiveness intended...

for the circumcised only, or for the uncirumcised also?

for the Jew only, or for the Gentile also

for the religious only, or for the non-religious also?

for the baptized only, or for the unbaptized also?

for the saved only, or for the unsaved also?

for the church member only, or for the unchurched also?

Is the blessing of forgiveness—being justified by faith alone—for only a few people or for all people everywhere?

Abraham’s experience illustrates this answer.

II.

A Reckoning

v. 9b

"for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.”

His faith was reckoned for righteousness

Again, this word reckoned means to credit, to count, to deposit, to put on one’s account, to impute.

Abraham’s faith was counted for righteousness or credited as righteous.

He was forgiven, and justified by faith!

He was not justified

by being religious

by performing good deeds

by doing good works

by being good and virtuous

by submitting to a ritual

by joining some body of believers.

III.

A Sign

v. 10

“How was it then reckoned?

when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision?

Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.”

Abraham was counted righteous before the ritual of circumcision was instituted!

This is vital to this argument, and it is very clearly seen!

Abraham made his decision to follow God at least 14 years before he was circumcised.

But the story of of circumcision is two chapters and 14 years later.

What was circumcision called?

A TOKEN OF THE COVENANT

Just as baptism does not save - it is just an outward symbol of what has happened inside.

just as communion does not save - it is an outward symbol of what Christ did for us.

God did not count Abraham as righteous because of circumcision, nor because:

of any ritual

or any ceremony

or any ordinance

or any good work

or any religious, or moral life

God accepted Abraham and counted him righteous because he believed God and His promises.

Salvation is not about what we do, it is about who we are!

If you have trusted the Lord as your Savior then you are saved, you are forgiven, you are adopted into the family of God and declared righteous.

Salvation is not found in anything other than faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ!

IV.

An Example

Abraham’s circumcision was an example of obedience to us believers!

v. 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 received circumcision as a sign or symbol only.

This word seal can be confused as saying that is what sealed the deal…but that is not the meaning of the word.

The word seal here, sphragis, means a token, or proof.

Circumcision was not the road to God, it was not what made Abraham acceptable to God.

Circumcision did not confer righteousness on him; it only was the sign that he was righteous.

It bore testimony that he was righteous.