Romans 4:16-22

16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 ¶ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Your interpretation of faith and of grace in verse 16 does not make it "sure to all the seed" but only makes it potential because it ultimately depends upon your own participation in obtaining that promise through works.

Here Paul begins to define the nature of justification "by faith" as something that makes the promise (justification) "sure to all the seed" (the father of "all that beleive).

In order to do this he presents what only God can do or the impossible in verse 17 followed by the illustration of the what neither Abraham or Sarah could help God do as their faculties for assisting God were "dead" inoperable (vv. 18-22).

1. God alone can speak of things not yet as though they are and God alone can raise the dead - He does the impossible without the assistance of creatures.

2. The birth of Isaac was impossible for Abraham and Sarah. The natural facilities were "dead' and therefore it was impossible for them to assist God in accomplishing this promise as they attemtped to assist God in the birth of Ishmael.

3. They hoped AGAINST all hope - meaning there was no POSSIBLE way the promise could be fulfilled apart from God ALONE accomplishing it.

Faith that justifies sinners is faith that embraces God and His promises as truth and RESTS in the PROMISE and in the POWER of God ALONE to fulfil his promise WITHOUT PARTICIPATION BY WORKS.

And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

There is no possible way you can ASSIST God in raising Christ from the dead - you can only embrace this truth by faith.

There is no possible way you can ASSIST Christ in being delivered for our offences - you can only embrace this truth by faith.

There is no possible way you can ASSIST Christ in justifying you as he did it "FOR YOU" and so you can only embrace it by faith.

Now, once you have been justified by faith the consequences are obedience out of love for having obtained the promise not in order to obtain the promise.

 

What makes justification by faith to be of grace is the very fact that it is the object of faith and not any actions by faith that justifies the believer. It is the righteousnes REVEALED IN THE GOSPEL (Rom. 1:17) rather than any righteousness IMPARTED through the life of the believer that justifes.

Paul presents only two POSSIBLE options for justification in Romans 3:27

1. The law of works = "according to his deeds" - Rom. 2:6
2. The law of faith = "faith IN his blood" or "beleiving IN Christ

In Romans 3:27-28 he rejects the first law as valid and that leaves justification by "the law of faith" ALONE or FAITH ONLY!

The reason that Paul called on Christians to regard other professing Christians as accursed "Let them be accursed" (Gal. 1:8-9) for teaching and preaching justification by "the law of works = "according to his deeds") is because it robs the glory from Christ, repudiates his work as sufficient, as finished and thus as a propitiation for our sins. Because it places OUR WORKS on the same level as HIS WORKS as that is what one must do to be justified by works.

It is a rejection of the cross of Christ, rejection of Biblical grace and a rejection of Jesus Christ as nothing less would call on Christians to regard other professed Christians as "accursed."

 

Sermon on the Mount and Justification by faith

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.


Matthew 5:19 is placed side by side with Matthew 5:20 other than just a numerical order. In Matthew 5:19 those already IN the kingdom can disobey the least of commandments and teach others to disobey them and yet reamain in the kingdom of heaven as "least" in contrast to the "greatest" which means there are all levels in between "least" and "greatest" without anyone's salvation being forfeited.

However, in Matthew 5:20 one cannot even "enter" the kingdom of heaven unless their righteousness EXCEEDS the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. Note this is required to "ENTER" in at the very START rather than like those in verse 19 already in.


What salvation by works advocates are blind to, is that the righeousness required to ENTER the kingdom of heaven that must EXCEED that of religious men, is the righteousness that EXCEEDS their interpretation of the righteousness of the law (vv. 21-47) so that it EQUALS the righteous of God (v. 48).

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time....but I say..... Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time...but I say....It hath been said......ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time..but I say......ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time,.....Ye have heard that it hath been said....Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. - Mt. 5:21,27, 29,31,33,38,43,48



The only place to get that kind of righteousness to ENTER the kingdom of God is by faith in Christ as the foundation "rock" as this is the will of the Father (Jn. 6:40) -

"And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.""

and this is the will of the Father at the last day being reaffirmed in Matthew 7:21-23 where some came before God attempting to be justified upon the "SAND" foundation of the MIXTURE of "Lord, Lord" PLUS "have we not
done many wonderful works."


However, those already in the kingdom because they entered in upon faith in THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD'S LAW BY CHRIST - Matthew 5:17-18 -


17 ¶ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.


the only thing that all their good works determine is REWARD in heaven "least" or "greatest" or somewhere in between." It is the rock that gets you into heaven whereas what you build upon that rock determines only rewards (I Cor. 3:11-15).