Romans 4:1-5 – Self Righteousness vs. God’s Righteousness

Topic: Self Righteousness vs. God’s Righteousness

Reading: Romans 4:1-5

Introduction and Overview

Within these few verses we see a comparison and a hint of the difference between a righteousness based upon keeping the works of the law, and the righteousness by faith that comes from God.

Those who toil at keeping the works of the law, such as the Jews did in early Biblical times, have the problem that can lead to a form of arrogance. We saw that in the words of Jesus when He gave the teaching about the Pharisee and the tax collector. (See: Luke 18:9-14) This particular teaching begins with the words, “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others” (Vs 9)

What we see in these words and in reading the parable, is that the Pharisee kept the works of the law to the most minute level of detail, even down to tithing the herbs that probably grew in the equivalent today of a window box garden. He fasted and tithed and probably did all of the other works of the law, but he also became arrogant thinking that he was a better man than the tax collector nearby.

He failed to understand the depth of the law is not about fasting, tithing, not eating certain meats, not wearing mixed fibers, and so on, all of which are doing the “works of the law.” He missed the point that Jesus made in Matthew 23:23 where He upbraided and scorned Pharisees for their lack of understanding, saying, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”

The issue we see in these scriptures is hinted at in the words of Romans 4:1-5. It shows that those who seek to be righteous under the law by doing the works of the law, as the Pharisees did, will struggle if it goes to their heads. It becomes self-righteousness, and in God’s sight, that is not righteousness at all.

Key points from reading:

1. In God’s sight no-one can boast because the true righteousness comes from God as a gift, not by anything we do
2. We are reckoned righteous by God through faith, when we believe in what God has done in the resurrection of Jesus Christ
3. True righteousness is not based upon what we do, it is based upon us trusting in God and believing in Him

Discussion:

1. Scripture: Romans 4:1-2
   • We note that in this verse Paul is considering Abraham as a man, in the flesh. He is saying that if Abraham had done anything in the flesh that would lead to righteousness, then he would have something to boast about.
   • But we cannot please God in the flesh (Read Romans 8:5-8), and there is nothing we can do in the flesh that we can boast about before God. The scripture tells us that the flesh is not important, it is of no avail (Read John 6:63). It is the spirit that gives us life, not the flesh, and God seeks people who will worship in the Spirit, not the flesh (Read John 4:23-24). Worshiping in the flesh is about those who are doing the works of the law. That is worship in the flesh. But worship in the spirit is about seeking the will of God, prayer, and learning to follow the teachings of Jesus.
   • So, we see that Abraham was not justified (made righteous) by works of law. And because it was not by anything he did, then Abraham had no cause, reason, or ability to boast in front of God.
   • It’s the same with us today. We cannot stand justified or righteous before God through anything we do. We cannot expect to receive salvation on the basis of saying, “I’m a good person.” The pathway to righteousness does not come by doing good works or by keeping the works of the law. That is the path to self-righteousness where we may think we are righteous in our own eyes, but that will not stand before God.
2. Scripture: Romans 4:3
   • Abraham believed God and and God reckoned him to be righteous. He was justified or made righteous by faith. He believed what God said, in spite of the impossibilty of what was presented to him, and so God declared Abraham righteous by faith.
   • This is an important teaching because it tells us the pathway to becoming righteous in the eyes of God, and it is the ONLY way to be righteous. The only true righteousness that we can have is when it is bestowed upon us by God as a free gift. And that gift is given on the basis of faith, not works, good deeds or anything else. It is by faith alone.
   • We are asked to believe the impossible, just as Abraham was. Abraham was asked to believe that his ninety year old wife Sarah would have a child. He had to believe that Sarah, who was barren, past menopause, and had some physical problem that prevented her from falling pregnant, would indeed become the mother of Isaac. And because Abraham believed that God could do the impossible, God reckoned Abraham righteous and Isaac was born.
   • In the same way, God is asking us today to believe in the impossible. We are asked to believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, which to any human today would be deemed impossible. It is estimated that since the beginning there have been around fifteen billion people born on this earth. Apart from those alive today, every one of them has died and none have been raised from the dead, (with a few exceptions mentioned in the Bible). No man has ever been able to come back from the dead (apart from Jesus Christ), and no man has been able to raise a dead person from the grave.
   • In the eyes of man, resurrection of the dead is impossible. But we are called to believe that God did indeed raise Jesus from the dead. This is the basis of our faith in God and when we do believe this, God declares us righteous. We are reckoned righteous, just as Abraham was.
3. Scripture: Romans 4:4
   • It is in this verse that we see the basis of the comparison between righteousness by works or by faith.
   • Someone who works receives a wage. It is their due for the energy and effort expended to do that particular work. Their reward then is not based upon the grace or kindness of the one for whom they worked, it is based upon their personal effort. It is based upon themself. And if it is upon themselves, then it is a due rather than a gift.
   • So, righteousness by works is not a gift from God but is something that is driven by “self.” Therefore such a form of righteousness is self-righteousness and it exists in the eye of the worker rather than in the eye of God. Self righteousness is proclaimed by the one doing the work.
4. Scripture: Romans 4:5
   • In contrast to self-righteousness, the righteousness received by faith from God is proclaimed by the one who gives the gift. It is proclaimed by God, not the individual.
   • And because it is a free gift from God, it is recognised by God since He has ordained it. And if it is ordained and given by God, then the free gift of righteousness is the only true righteousness that is accepted by God. It is a gift of His grace and love for those who believe in Him.
   • The free gift of righteousness is not based upon keeping the works of the law. Whether a person fasts, tithes, or whatever else the law says, is not relevant to receiving the free gift of righteousness by faith. Those things have no bearing upon whether a person is righteous or not. It is only by faith that we are made righteous, not by anything we do.
   • And this free gift of righteousness by faith depends heavily upon us trusting God. We must trust that since He said He would reckon righteous those who believe in Him and the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, then that is what will happen.
   • So, if you believe that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead, then trust in God that you are indeed righteous now by faith.

Key Takeaways:

1. Good deeds and works of the law do not make a person righteous. Yes, we need to do what is good, but they can be a trap that leads to self-righteousness if we think that way rather than believing the only true righteousness is that which is from God through faith.
2. Self-righteousness is proclaimed by the one doing the works. But the true righteousness from God is declared and proclaimed by God.
3. When we believe from the heart that God has raised Christ from the dead, we must also trust that God declares us righteous by holding this faith.

Prayer Points

1. Pray that the Lord will give you a deeper understanding of the process of righteousness by faith.
2. Pray to God confessing that Jesus is your Lord and Savior and that you believe in the fact and the truth that God has indeed raised Jesus from the dead. (This is important as it is the basis for other teachings that will unfold in Romans).
3. Pray that you don’t fall into the trap of believing that good works or keeping the works of the law lead to righteousness. They don’t. Righteousness is completely independent of what we do as it is all about what we believe. Faith is the key.