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Bro.
Turner:
 Please
discuss how Abraham’s faith took the place of righteousness.
Reference is to Rom. 4.
Reply:
Then,
for truth’s sake please look at Rom. 4. It nowhere says “his
faith took the place of righteousness.” It says his faith was
“reckoned” (put to his account) for (eis, into, in order to,
unto) righteousness. His faith was set down on the credit side
of the ledger “for” righteousness. So says Robertson. Both
Alford and Expositor’s Greek Testament accept “as”
righteousness, although all three reason that Abraham got
something not really his. They do so because they conclude Paul
is saying nothing man does could be called “righteousness.”
But is this the case??
Paul
has reasoned that man can not be justified by law because he
sins. To be “free of guilt” on a basis of law alone, one
must “do all” (Gal. 3:) i.e., render perfect
obedience. This perfect works is the only meriting
service for justification and “works” must be so understood
in this context. Abraham’s perfect life was not his
righteousness, for he had no perfect life. But his faith was
reckoned to him for or as righteousness — and that implies
mercy on God’s part, and forgiveness, for the faithful.
This is the point Paul is making — about Abraham, and about
children of God today.
Now,
what kind of “faith” was put to Abraham’s account? There
is no reference here to some moment of time when he “experienced
faith” and was changed from alien to saint. Far from it. Rom.
4:3 cites
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Gen. 15:6, so look at the record. Long before
the event here recorded Abram had been “called” and “by
faith.. .he went” (Heb. 11:8-f). “By faith he sojourned”
— built altars, called on the name of the Lord, and was
blessed by Melchizedek, priest of God Most High who said, “Blessed
be Abram of God Most High” (Gen. 14:19). Abraham was
acceptable in God’s sight long before the statement of 15:6 is
made. The “faith” of Abraham was his faithful life,
and his acceptance of God’s statement concerning his seed was
but one of many evidences of that faith. Paul himself calls
attention to that faith in Abraham’s latter life (3:17-22,
compare Heb. 11:17-19), and makes all this a part of his
argument. (See also Jas. 2:21-23).
In
Rom. 4:10-f. Paul shows Abraham was faithful, hence acceptable before
circumcision, but this was to show the Jew that Abram’s
acceptance was not dependent upon legalistic Jewish status —
that Gentiles (uncircumcised ones today) could be justified in
Christ, as well as Jews (Cf. 3:30).
There
is no room for boasting in our endeavor to live faithful
obedient lives. Such a life is imperfect at the very best, and
we are taught to continually confess our sins, and continually
look to the blood of Jesus Christ for forgiveness (1 Jn. 1:f).
But he that submits to God’s plan for making man righteous
(Rom. 10:3) doeth righteousness, and that one “is righteous”
(1 Jn. 3:7).
Commentaries
on the Roman letter are a “stacked deck” for Calvinism, but
God’s word will not be overcome.
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