Summer of Romans 2018 (Part 8): OT Grace (Part 2)

Thanks for tuning in to No Compromise Radio with pastor and author, Dr. Mike Abendroth. Today on No Compromise Radio, we'll be hearing Pastor Mike open the Word of God in a recent message he preached at Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, Massachusetts.

Now let's join Pastor Mike in progress as he preaches through the scriptures, verse by verse, with No Compromise.

David and the Blessing of Forgiveness

Oh, it's not just Abraham, but the Jews love David as well. And David speaks of this blessing too. Blessing, the approval of God. You want God's approval? How about verse seven? Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

That word there, forgiven, we have different words in the New Testament. Forgiven, this one means to be sent away. How about your deepest, darkest secrets that only you know about? How would you like them to be just gone?

Same language in Leviticus with the scapegoat. It just runs out there far, far, far away, and God doesn't even think about it anymore. You can't earn that. God has to do it. This word forgiven was used of cancellation of criminal proceedings, to release, to pardon.

No wonder Micah said, who is a God like you who pardons iniquity? He doesn't even think about it anymore. That's one missionary's translation for the word forgiveness. And Eskimo doesn't think about it anymore.

I will forgive their iniquity and their sin. I'll remember no more, Jeremiah 31. And then not only that, to have it covered. Look at the text. To put a shroud over it, to put it under some big tarp so no one sees it.

Justification, Imputation, and Grace Alone in the Old Testament

And then we come to verse eight. Friends, this is the verse that Augustine had at the bottom of his bed. So every night this man, who used to be a frequenter of prostitutes and many other horrible things, every night he went to bed.

This was the bedpost verse. We should start a new ministry here, making these bedposts. This is the last thing. We're not sick. We don't have diseases. We're not kind of ill. We are rotten sinners. But God, and here's what he had at the post of his bed.

Blessed is the man. Should be getting curses. But now, divine approval and happiness and everything else that goes along with it. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin. Lord, if you were to count iniquities, who could what?

Stand. He doesn't count them because they've been counted to Christ's ledger. That's called justification. And Christ's perfect obedience has been counted to ours. That's called imputation. First truth we've seen in verses 1 to 8 is that all the Bible, including the Old Testament, teaches grace alone through faith alone.

Secondly, the second salvation truth I want you to believe, because of Romans 4, verses 9 to 12, is believe that all the Bible, including the Old Testament, teaches you are saved apart from divinely given ordinances.

Our rites, our sacraments. You're saved apart from sacraments. Apart from ordinances. Some people make up laws. You're even saved from laws that aren't made up. They're in the New Testament. They're in the Old Testament.

Now here's what Paul's going to do. He's going to say this. What comes first? Genesis 15 or Genesis 17? It's a hard question, isn't it? They're forgetting something. Of course circumcision is going to be given in Mosaic Law as a sign and a seal of some other truth.

Tonight there's going to be a baptism, Lord willing, right there in that water. The person getting baptized is going to make a testimony that says this. Lord, you have saved me. You have made me born again.

You have justified me. You have redeemed me. You have made propitiation for me. You've done everything. You're the Savior. You've granted me faith in Christ Jesus, the risen Savior. I've repented of my sins.

And in light of that, I'm going to show you about that internal belief that I have through an external means confirming what I already believe, and that is through baptism. For some reason, if that person tonight begins to say, once I get dunked underneath this water and come up, I'm saved, then I might hold them under longer than they might expect.

Actually, I was at a very large church in Louisville, one of the largest. And they have a baptismal font. And this particular church teaches you have to be baptized to go to heaven. And so the font was beautiful.

The font was well lit and plexiglass so everyone could see. And actually, if this is the porthole of salvation, you'd make it gaudy too. And so this person gave their testimony. And so far, everything's right.

Monotheistic, Bible, Jesus, cross, resurrection. You can have almost all of it right. But as I would say to my kids, how small a thing of dog dropping do you put in the brownies before you won't eat it?

I didn't mean for you to laugh, but it's very effective. Romans 11 .6. Any little bit of work contaminates the grace of God and renders null the cross. So when that person dumped the other one into the water in Louisville and came out and that person said, Welcome to the kingdom.

What would Paul say? Verse 9. Is this blessing then only for the circumcised? By the way, Abraham was circumcised. I mean, he believed when he was a goyim, when he was Gentile for the law. Then only for the circumcised or also for the uncircumcised.

See, remember, Paul, his ministry is to the Gentiles. It doesn't mean he doesn't preach to Jews, but his ministry is to the Gentiles. How do Gentiles get saved? They have no law. Is this just for people who get circumcised or also for the uncircumcised?

Answer. For we say, we apostles sent by God that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. This is for the Jew that said, you forgot about the Old Testament. Forgot about circumcision. And Paul says, no, I didn't forget about it.

By the way, he believed in chapter 15 was circumcised in chapter 17. Just like we believe and then get baptized. Not to save us, but because we're saved. Shows that we are. Is this blessing for people that have only had literally circumcised, the foreskin cut and removed?

Well, that was a Jewish misconception. Rabbis in the New Testament time period around there said, Circumcision saves from hell. Midrash Malim taught, God swore to Abraham that no one who was circumcised should be sent to hell.

Abraham sits before the gate of hell and does not allow any circumcised Israelite to ever enter there. Whether it's ceremony, activity, rite, baptism, circumcision. Abraham was justified by faith alone.

Why did he then ask for Abraham to be circumcised? To show the internal truth that existed in his life. Verse 10, how then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? Paul in his diatribe way in verse 10 says, how then?

But he really would mean if you take the second sentence, the second question. When then was it counted? Was it before or after he'd been circumcised? Genesis 15 or 17. It was not after, but before he was circumcised.

And if it was before he was circumcised and you're a Gentile, how do you get to heaven? By faith alone. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. By faith alone. Verse 11, he received the sign of circumcision.

Not as a means of salvation, but as a seal of the righteousness that he had. He already had. By faith while he was still uncircumcised. Chapter 15. The purpose was to make him the father of what? All who believe.

Father Abraham had many sons. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised. So that righteousness would be counted to them. The Gentiles as well. Warren Wiersbe said as a sign, circumcision was evidence that he belonged to God and he believed his promise.

As a seal, it was a reminder to him that God had given the promise and would keep it. Circumcision did not add to Abraham's salvation. It merely attested to it. Doesn't that sound like baptism today too?

That's exactly why we baptize people. You don't earn salvation. It's been earned for you by Christ. Verse 12. And to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised. Not just on the outside, but on the inside.

No wonder Deuteronomy says, have your hearts circumcised. How do you circumcise your own hearts? If I told you all today, go home and circumcise your own hearts. That would be pretty gory. And you still wouldn't be able to do it.

Because it's a spiritual thing done by God. And then the skin removal is just a sign and seal of that very thing. Who are not merely circumcised externally, Paul means in verse 12. But who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father had before he was circumcised.

There's no immunity from penalty of God that you've justly earned if you've been circumcised. Externally. But only internally. Physical circumcision does not add anything to salvation. There must be faith in the living God.

And here Abraham is a trailblazer for all those who would believe. Friends, do you think you're going to get to heaven by counting on your baptism? I'm a church member, I've been baptized, I was baptized right there.

Therefore God must save me. You can't get to heaven that way. How many times have you been to a funeral? I've been to plenty of them. And the person comes in the casket down the aisle. And then the first thing that religious leader says is based on the person's baptism.

We know they're in heaven. What does Romans 4 say? Third truth found in verses 13 to 17. The third salvation truth that I want you to believe. We've seen that the Old Testament teaches faith alone for salvation.

It teaches you can't do any ordinance to earn God's favor. You do it in light of God's favor. And now number three, believe that all the Bible, including the Old Testament, teaches salvation apart from works.

So through faith alone, not through ordinances or sacraments or rites or ceremonies. Now three, salvation apart from works. That's what Paul's been saying this whole time. But Paul, like a good Bible teacher, says it more in verses 13 to 17.

No one's justified in keeping the law. Verse 13, for the promise to Abraham and his offspring. That he would be heir of the world did not come through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. It's not through the law of Sinai.

Not through adherence to the Mosaic law. Moses wasn't even given. Moses wasn't given when Abraham was probably sitting there night after night looking at the stars of the sky. And God had promised him you'd be a father of many nations.

And he's too old to have kids. She's too old to have kids. It's nothing to do with the law. It's through faith. That's why I said in the first service as well, on a side note, a pastoral note, show me people that want to keep pushing you back underneath Mosaic law all the time.

And I'm going to show you people who weren't meant to be under Mosaic law. And when you get pushed under Mosaic law to try to obey it all the time, even as a guide and helper, push back under Moses, under Moses, under Moses.

And I'll show you people who are crabby and cantankerous. Because they're not meant to be under that. It's through faith. I think this is the problem of the Jews today. Instead of holding up Abraham as the example, through faith alone, they hold up Moses.

And the only thing Moses does is show you how far you fall short. The promise from God was a gracious promise that Abraham would be an heir. Promised with no conditions. Verse 14, for if it's the inheritance of the law who are to be heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.

God did not say to Abraham, I'll make you the father of many nations if you do these things. Remember what happened in Genesis 15? Your homework tonight is read Genesis 15, 16 and 17. Remember Genesis 15?

God is going to make a promise and covenant and oath with Abraham. So how do we make those promises and oaths and covenants back in those days? Well you take a bunch of animals, cut them in half. One half's over here, one half's over here.

Make a big line like kind of hash marks on a football field. And then you get the other person you're making the promise with. And you go arm and arm through those dead animals saying what? If we break our promise to one another, what's done to those dead animals should be done to us.

But for God with Abraham, it was just a promise. Abraham, here's your job. You go over there and take a nap. And God goes through the middle of those dead animals by himself. And what does the text say?

He swears by himself. And if it's, well, when Abraham holds up the deal, then God blesses it. Then this faith is null and the promise is void. It's the empty set. Deprived of its effect. You can't achieve righteousness through morality.

That's why this whole moral majority thing that failed and tanked. It had to fail and tank. Whether you cling to the Ten Commandments or the Golden Rule or anything else. You have to cling to what Jesus did and how he fulfilled those very things.

Why? Verse 15. For the law brings wrath. It stimulates sin. It exposes sinfulness. But where there's no law, hey, it's been fulfilled by Christ. Romans 10. There's no transgression. No law, no violation.

That's what we're after. Verse 16. Don't forget this verse. You may have passed this by. This is why it depends on faith. In order that the promise may rest on grace. May rest on grace. May rest on grace.

If you've got to keep the law, it rests on you. If you have to have the law kept for you by God, it rests on grace. And be guaranteed to all his offspring. How could that happen if you had to do it? You would fail.

I've failed. Not only to the inherent of the law. But also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham. Who is the father of us all. You want to know why people are heirs of God? It rests on grace. The law says do this and live.

And we can't do it and live. Only Jesus did. Paul quotes scripture again. He says in verse 17. As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. In the presence of the God in whom he believed.

Who gives life to the dead. And calls into existence things that do not exist. Object of faith is the key. And now we come to the conclusion of chapter 4 in verses 18 through 25. Believe you're saved by faith alone.

Not through any ordinances. Apart from works in number 4. Here's what the person should be asking right now. If you've properly understood verses 1 through 17. It's by faith alone. In the work of Christ alone.

Not by my own baptism. Not by any works. It's by faith alone, by faith alone, by faith alone. And here's the question you should be asking yourself. What kind of faith is it? Do I have that kind of faith?

And so Paul talks about that right here. What kind of faith? Number 4. Believe that all the Bible including the Old Testament teaches. That the faith that justifies is like Abraham's faith. You know it very well from being at this church.

There is a faith that doesn't save. You can believe and go to hell. Because it has to be the right kind of belief. It can't just be simple credence. Simple assent. Simple knowledge. It has to be what?

It has to be a faith like Abraham's. What kind of faith was that? Let's find out. In our day and age of lowest common denominator faith. Just give me enough faith so I don't go to hell. Give me hell insurance faith.

I just want to do the least amount. I got my own life to live. Give me the least amount to do so I can still go to heaven. It's a tragic response. In hope Abraham believed against hope. It's impossible humanly.

That he should become the father of many nations. As he had been told so shall your offspring be. It's hope against hope. This is like Mary. Who says you know what? I know you said I'm going to have the Messiah.

But I'm a virgin. I know you can do it. I just don't know how. Which is a faith filled hope. Compared to John the Baptist parents. Our father in particular. You say you're going to do it. I don't know if you can.

And his lip was zipped. In judgment. He knows it can happen. He just doesn't know how. That's called faith. How is this going to happen? Verse 19. He did not weaken in faith. When he considered his own body.

He should have. A hundred years old. Ever seen a hundred year old guy? Ever see the stars of the sky? Ever see a ninety year old woman? You've got an impotent man. And a barren woman. Postmenopausal. And then together father of the nations.

Or well Elman the Abraham. He was as good as dead. Since he was about a hundred years old. We're not talking about he's almost ready to die. His physical body. Procreation. Or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.

Here's the point. Abraham just wasn't having blinders on. Oh you know whatever happens happens. I just believe in God. He'd sit there and he'd think you know what? I can't have a kid. She can't have a kid.

There's got to be some way this is going to work. I know because God said it. Good is dead. Hebrews chapter 11. Talks of Abraham. Perfect tense. The permanence of his impotence. Shall I indeed bear a child when I am so old?

Sarah said with laughter. Is anything too difficult for the Lord? And then we have verse 20 of Romans chapter 4. And if you've got a King James here like Pastor Dave. Maybe it's even more impressive. No belief made him waver.

What's it say in the King James? He staggered not. Concerning the promise of God. It should make you stagger. But he grew in faith. Excuse me. He grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God. He wasn't doubting God.

I'm just going to have to trust God. And here his faith is tested. And it grew strong. God strengthened it. This is passive voice. This isn't Abraham got his faith stronger. God strengthened his faith.

He offered endurance. And then later the supreme illustration of his outworking faith. He was tested. Offered up Isaac. And he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son. In whom it was said in Isaac your descendants shall be.

And what did Abraham do? He gave glory to God. What did the pagans do who saw the creation of the world in chapter 1 do? They didn't give what? Glory to God. They didn't glorify God. Or give him thanks.

Became futile in their hearts and in their minds. And in their speculations. Well what is faith? Would you like a definition of faith class? This is maybe the best definition of faith. Found using Bible words.

We could maybe give you some Latin with the Reformation. And fiducia. Notitia and stuff like that. How about just give you a Bible verse. What is faith? I wonder if you have this kind of faith with the right object.

Could be the most wonderful definition of faith in all the Bible. Verse 21. Fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Amen God. You said if I look to the Lord Jesus Christ with faith.

Believe in him. Turn from my sins. Salvation. I believe it. Amen. Fully convinced. Fully assured. I know you tell the truth God. Nothing is too difficult for you. I can't see it. I walk by sight. But I'm going to believe by faith.

That is why verse 22. His faith was counted to him as righteousness. Shorthand for. His faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Is the non-meritorious instrument. Where God. Credits to Abraham. The righteousness that Christ has.

Merited and earned. That's so good. But I wish it applied to me somehow. I'm not Abraham. I don't live 3 ,000 years ago. Does it apply to me? Verse 23 and following. Paul's application for us. But the words it was counted to him.

Were not written for his sake alone. Oh I'm so glad. But for ours. Also. It will be counted to us. Who believe in him. Who raised from the dead. Jesus our Lord. Do you believe? Belief isn't work. It's in stark contrast to work.

Believing in the Lordship of Christ Jesus. Who verse 25. Paul wraps it up with another great truth. Whole sermon should be preached on this. Who was delivered up. Sounds like Isaiah 53. Delivered to death.

Sounds like Romans 8. Delivered him up. To give over to some authority. He was delivered up. For our trespasses. And raised for our justification. God was so pleased with Christ Jesus. Life and death.

He raised him from. The dead. Christ paid for our debt. Christ grants. To all those who believe. His perfect righteousness. And instead of boasting in ourselves. It's time to boast. In the Lord. For such a great salvation.

Let's pray. Praise him. Praise him. Praise him. Jesus our blessed redeemer. Sing o Earth. His wonderful love proclaim. Hail him. Hail him. Highest archangels in glory. Strength and honor.

Give to his Holy. No compromise radio with Pastor Mike. Abendroth is a production of Bethlehem Bible Church. in West Boylston, Massachusetts. Bethlehem Bible Church is a Bible-teaching church firmly committed to unleashing the life-transforming power of God's Word through verse-by-verse exposition of the sacred text.

Please come and join us. Our service times are Sunday morning at 8 .30 and 11 a .m. and Sunday evenings at 6 p .m. We're located on Route 110 in West Boylston, Massachusetts. You can check us out online at bbcchurch .org or by phone at 508 -835 -3400.

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