First Baptist Bible Study 9/21/21

“FAITH OF ABRAHAM”

Romans 4:1-12

The clear teaching of God’s Word is that salvation comes by faith and not by self-effort.  Works, as significant as they are to demonstrate one’s faith cannot replace faith as the means of entering God’s family.  But there is something about man’s psychological make-up that makes him choose to rebel against the fact that he is inadequate to save himself.  Unfortunately, man’s natural inclination is to praise his own works and rely on them for acceptance with God.  This week’s lesson affirms that acceptance with God is by faith and not personal merit or what good deeds we’ve done.

After teaching that all men are sinners both Jews and Gentiles, and that no one is saved by the law (see Romans 3:9-20), Paul explained that we are saved or justified or “declared right with God” by grace through faith (see Romans 3:21-31).  Then he turned to Abraham, the spiritual father of the Jews to show how we are justified or “declared right with God” by faith and not by works.