Comprehensive Doctrine of Justification (17)
[Romans 4:9-12]
We are contemplating nine sub-themes under the overarching theme of "Comprehensive Doctrine of Justification": (1) The first sub-theme is "The Necessity of Justification." Because "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23), "everyone" unequivocally needs justification. (2) The second sub-theme is "The Originator of Justification." The originator of justification is God the Father, who is declared righteous (v. 2). (3) The third sub-theme is "The Foundation of Justification." The foundation of justification is solely Jesus Christ. God the Father declares sinners righteous based on the atoning sacrifice and propitiation of Jesus Christ. (4) The fourth sub-theme is "The Method of Justification." We receive the justification provided by God the Father through faith alone (v. 22). (5) The fifth sub-theme is "The Universality of Justification." Since God the Father is just, His justification (righteousness) given to "all who believe in Jesus Christ" is without discrimination (v. 22). (6) The sixth sub-theme is "The Purpose of Justification." The dual purpose of justification is to manifest that God is righteous and to justify those who believe in Jesus Christ (v. 26). (7) The seventh sub-theme is "The Evidence of Justification." Here, "evidence" means, for example, bearing witness. We reflected on the example of "Abraham," who received justification from God the Father as the origin of justification, centered on Romans 4:1-8 during last Wednesday's worship service.
In Romans 4:1-8, the apostle Paul mentions two individuals who received justification from God the Father: "Abraham" and "David." Although there were others in the Bible who accomplished remarkable deeds as evidence of justification, such as Moses and Elijah, Paul chose to emphasize Abraham when addressing the Roman Church. Perhaps this choice was influenced by the understanding that the Roman Church consisted of both circumcised Jews and uncircumcised Gentiles. Thus, Paul used Abraham as an example of justification to testify to the Roman Church that Abraham received the blessing of justification from God through faith. This blessing, as mentioned in Romans 4:9, is not exclusive to "those who are circumcised" but is also available to "those who are uncircumcised" (v. 9, Modern Korean Bible). Paul informed the Roman Church that Abraham, though he was the "ancestor of the Jews" by lineage, received justification through faith before being circumcised (v. 10). He regarded Abraham as the "ancestor of faith" even for the uncircumcised Gentiles. Paul further emphasized that Abraham, like all people who had sinned and fallen short of God's glory (3:23), needed justification. In Genesis 15:1-3, Abraham's two sins are mentioned: he was a "fearful person" (Rev. 21:8) and did not fully believe God's promise given in Genesis 12:2. Despite these sins, Paul affirmed that Abraham received the blessing of justification from God the Father through the gift of faith (Eph. 2:8). Paul highlighted Abraham as an example of justification, illustrating that even a sinner like Abraham was in absolute need of justification from God the Father. Through the grace of faith, God gifted Abraham, who sinned, with the promise of being the father of a great nation and having descendants as numerous as the stars (Gen. 15:4-5). In conclusion, Abraham's sins, as identified in Genesis 15:1-3 and interpreted by Revelation 21:8, were sins that could only lead to being cast into the lake of fire and sulfur (hell). Therefore, Abraham was undoubtedly a person in absolute need of justification from God the Father. God, in His mercy, granted the gift of faith to Abraham (Eph. 2:8) and, as a result, considered him righteous for believing in God and God's covenant (Rom. 4:6). This is the essence of the evidence of justification.
Today, I want to continue to meditate on this evidence of justification and seek to receive the grace and teachings it provides. Romans 4:9 says: "Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.” The conjunction "so" connects the preceding verses (vv. 7-8) with the following verse (v. 9). And the "blessing" mentioned in verse 9 is the same blessing discussed in verses 7-8: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin." In essence, this "blessing" is the blessing of redemption, specifically the forgiveness of sins, which is the foundation of righteousness provided by God the Father in Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; cf. Rev. 21:8). This blessing of forgiveness is the highest and eternal blessing. We have received this remarkable blessing through God's grace. Deuteronomy 33:29 in the Modern Korean Bible states: ‘How happy you are, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord?’ This is the lyric 1 and the chorus of hymn “I Have a Song I Love to Sing”: I have a song I love to sing, Since I have been redeemed, Of my Redeemer, Savior, King, Since I have been redeemed (3x) I will glory in His name, Since I have been redeemed, I will glory in my Savior's name. Look at Romans 4:9 – “Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness.” Apostle Paul, writing to the Roman Church consisting of both Jewish and Gentile believers, states that the blessing of "forgiveness of sins" or the "blessing of righteousness" that Abraham received from God is not limited to those who are circumcised but is also available to those who are not circumcised. This is because circumcision is not a prerequisite for justification; rather, it is a symbol or seal of the justified person. Paul goes on to explain that Abraham's faith was considered righteousness before he was circumcised. He asks whether Abraham's faith was recognized and declared as righteous after or before circumcision, asserting that it was before (Rom. 4:9-10). Paul mentions that Abraham received the promise about his descendants at the age of 75 (Gen. 12:4) and received justification from God at the age of 85 (15:6). And then, approximately 14 years later, at the age of 99 (17:1), God spoke to Abraham, saying, "Every male among you shall be circumcised" (v. 10). In response to God's command, Abraham, in accordance with what God had spoken to him, took all the males in his household, including his son Ishmael and all those born in his house or acquired with money, and circumcised them (v. 23). Abraham was 99 years old at that time (v. 24). In other words, Abraham underwent circumcision at the age of 99, but it's essential to note that he had already received justification from God at the age of 85, fourteen years earlier [(15:6): "And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness"]. This illustrates that Abraham received justification from God before undergoing circumcision. Therefore, by God's grace, even those of us who are uncircumcised have received justification by believing in Jesus Christ. Consequently, Abraham is considered the ancestor of our faith.
How great a blessing is it that we have received justification from God? The blessing of justification that we have received cannot be compared to anything in this world (e.g., wealth, honor, power, and not even our own lives). God has bestowed upon us this tremendous blessing freely and without cost. We can never fully count and appreciate this astonishing blessing throughout our lives. Therefore, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we pray that we may deeply and widely comprehend, through the Scriptures, the magnitude and wonder of this blessing, so that in any challenging situation, we may find strength, comfort, and victory through faith. May we continually offer praise and worship to God, giving Him glory in all circumstances.