Sermon Outline

Prepared by

Dr. Joseph P. Metoyer, Jr., Pastor/Teacher

November 4, 2001

Text:  Romans 4:1-25

Subject:  “Justification’s Modus Operandi”

Introduction:  The manner in which “Justification” operates is through “Imputation”.  Justification is a legal term describing our perfect standing before God in the righteousness of Christ.  Imputation means to put to a person’s account.  Paul uses Abraham to illustrate three great facts about justification by faith.

I.                   Imputation Provides Justification By Faith (1-8)

Justification means righteousness imputed to our account and gives us a right standing with God.  Paul points to Abraham and asks, ‘How was Abraham, our father in the flesh, justified?’  Was it by works?  No, for then he could have gloried in his accomplishment, and we have no record of such action in the OT.  What does the Scripture say?  Abraham believed God! (Gen. 15:1-6)  The gift of righteousness came, not by works, but by faith in God’s revealed Word.[1]  

A.     Paul quotes (Psalm 32:1-2) in (Romans 4:7-8) Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.  We are sinners and deserve to have our sins placed into our account with God but (when we confess them) God forgives us of our sins and imputes them or places sin’s debt in Christ’s account on our behalf.  That’s like telling your child to go to the store and buy what they want and charge it to your account.  When you do that you are imputing the debt another person made to your account. 

1.      You become fully responsible for that debt.  This is what Jesus does when God impute our sin debt to His account, He becomes completely responsible for that debt on our behalf.  (Somebody ought to thank God for “Imputation”.)

2.      Your child based upon their faith in you to pay that debt goes on about life.  All of your child’s friends become familiar with this situation and they have opinions about this behavior.  This is where sanctification comes in and complements justification.  While justification gives us a right standing before God, sanctification gives us a right standing before men and they believe we are Christians.   One other note to be made is that it was grace that the parent used to allow the child to use their charge card.  The child did not do anything to earn the privilege you just extended grace.  

3.      Knowing that Jesus Christ pays our sin debt some individuals go on about life and take very lightly what Jesus has done for them.

B.     John says, (I John 1:8-9) If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  This means that our sin debt is imputed not because of anything we do it is imputed by God’s grace.  (II Cor. 5:21) For He made Him [God made Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  [That’s grace]!

II.                Imputation Provides Justification By Grace (9-17)

In (verses 9-10) Paul uses Abraham as an example once again by recalling the history of Abraham’s salvation to the readers at Rome.  Abraham’s faith and salvation took place fourteen years prior to his circumcision.  Circumcision was only an outward sign of a spiritual relationship, as baptism is today. 

A.     No physical ceremony can produce spiritual changes it requires faith alone.

B.     God’s covenant with Abraham included promises, which were given by God’s grace alone.  (Vv. 13, 14, 16)…Paul simply says that salvation is by faith not by the law.  Just as faith and works cannot co-exist so to law and grace cannot co-exist.   Paul rightly says that justification comes by grace, through faith; and thus all people Jews and Gentiles can be saved! 

III.             Imputation Provides Justification By Resurrection Power (18-25)

The first section of this passage (vv. 1-8) contrasted faith and works; the second (vv. 9-17) contrast law and grace; and now the third (vv. 18-25) contrasts life and death. 

A.     (Vv. 19-20) Abraham was not weak in the faith.  He knew that his body was dead and so was his wife but God had promised that he would be a father of many nations.  So out of this dead body God would infuse resurrection power and he being 100 years old and his wife being 90 years old would some how have a son was a faith move on Abraham’s part.  He knew he could not depend on his dead flesh to produce nations.  (Vv. 21-23)…

B.     In (v.24) God let’s us know that we are saved the same way Abraham was;  “By faith”!  Imputation provides justification for you and I through resurrection power.  And in (v. 25) Paul explains to us the basis for our justification:  the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The fact that He died proves we were sinners; the fact that God raised Him from the dead proves His blood has justified us.

C.     (Ephesians 2:1-22)…  

Application:  (Philemon 18) 

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