Romans 4:6-17
David’s Story: Enjoying Forgiveness
Romans 4 is a collection of stories about how God makes people right in His sight. Paul mentions David’s experience to illustrate how God is willing to forgive us when we repent from our rebellious ways (2 Samuel 11-12 ). David’s story shows that receiving God’s forgiveness leads to being right with Him and experiencing happiness (Romans 4:6-8).
Abraham’s Story: Living by Faith
The second story of the passage tells us that God asked Abraham to be circumcised (Genesis 17:11) after counting him as righteous (Genesis 15:6). Simply put, God only asks us to obey Him after giving us His favor and acceptance for free. Obedience should be a sign of our faith. Abraham’s story teaches us that living by faith leads to being right with God and obeying Him (Romans 4:9-12).
Our Story: Believing the Promise
The author of Romans only tells us about David and Abraham because he wants us to have the same experience. Enjoying God’s forgiveness and living by faith are only possible when we believe the promise of salvation found in Jesus. It is by believing in what Christ has done for us and accepting Him as our Savior that we are made right with God (Romans 4:13-17). It is never about us and always about Him!
Still, we need to answer the question, “How can we believe the promise of salvation we have in Christ?” Let us find the answer in Romans 4:6-17!
Reflection Questions
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In what areas of your life have you, like King David, followed your sinful heart? How much do you long to enjoy God's forgiveness?
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In your opinion, what comes first, faith or obedience? How do you feel about God giving you His favor before asking for your obedience?
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The Bible is full of many promises. What promise do you think Paul is referring to in Romans 4:16?