The Bible Study Podcast, episode 57. This is the sixth in a series on a study on the book of Romans I'm calling Christianity 101.

Welcome to the Bible study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen.

So far in Romans, we've established through Paul's writings that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

And here in chapter four, which is what we're going to start looking at today, Paul's going to deal with justification.

That is how we are made right with God.

And he's going to do it using Abraham's faith as an example.

Now Abraham's faith is very important because, one, it's what the Jewish Christians would trace their faith back to, as he's writing to the church that is both Jew and Gentile.

And two, it's very singular in the sense that there are a few times in the Bible, maybe Abraham and Noah, for instance, that God specifically calls someone and tells them to do something without mention of a previous

relationship with his people.

So Abraham is just minding his own business when God calls him and says, get up, leave your country.

And then he makes promises in a covenant with Abraham.

And then Abraham's faith is shown, for instance, in when he is even

willing to sacrifice his son Isaac, who he has waited for for years and years and years. And if

you're not familiar with that story, go back to previous episodes of the Bible study podcast.

So, starting in Romans chapter 4, verse 1, what then shall we say that Abraham

our forefather discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works,

he had something to boast about, but not before God. What does the scripture say? Abraham believed

God and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Now, when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.

However, to the man who does not work, but trust God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited

as righteousness.

David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man

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