Romans 4:1-13
Justification by Faith Articulated (vv. 1-3)
- “What shall we say?”
- “What does Scripture say?”
Justification by Faith Celebrated (vv. 4-8)
- The dilemma
- Debt owed, law/works
- Debt paid, grace/ faith
- The delight
Justification by Faith Calculated (vv. 9-12; see Gen. 12:1-3)
- One man +
- One nation +
- One faith =
- One salvation
More to Consider
Just before General Eisenhower died, Billy Graham was invited to visit him at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, DC He was told he could stay thirty minutes. When he went in, the general was wearing his usual big smile, even though he knew he didn't have long to live.
Later Billy Graham told what happened:
"When the thirty minutes were up, he asked me to stay longer and said to me, Billy, I want you to tell me again how can I be sure my sins were forgiven and that I am going to heaven, because nothing else matters now."I took my New Testament and read him Scriptures. I pointed out that we are not going to heaven because of our good works, or because of money we've given to the church. We are going to heaven totally and completely on the basis of the merits of what Christ did on the cross. Therefore he could rest in the comfort that Jesus paid it all!
After prayer, Ike said, "Thank you I'm ready!"
Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations
A Calcutta paper relates that a young Brahman came to the house of a missionary for an interview. In the course of the conversation, he said:
"Many things which Christianity contains are found in Hinduism, but there is one thing which Christianity has and Hinduism has not."
"What is that?" the missionary asked.
His reply was striking: "A Saviour."
Signs of the Times
The word turnpike came from an early American custom of blocking toll roads with pikes or poles. When the toll fee had been duly paid, the pikes or poles were lowered.
—Houston Times
