Transcript

Podcast Introduction

Our reading today is Romans 3-4. After that I’ll have a comment or two about the chapters. And I’ll tell you about my favorite spot. A place where I am both relaxed and invigorated, and how that feeling relates to today’s scripture. I’m calling the show “The Undeserved Gift.”

Comments on Romans 3 and 4 

Do you have a favorite place? Someplace on the planet that you think about when you wish you could just get away from it all? Someplace where you are both relaxed and excited at the same time?

For me, that place is a little campsite in the Yosemite wilderness. It’s a place nestled in where the Merced river takes a gentle 90 degree turn on its way down to the Yosemite valley. I love to sit, in my mind’s eye, just at that corner, amidst the pine trees, as the Stellar’s Jays call out and the occasional brown trout jumps out of the gently flowing water chasing a mosquito for dinner. Since it is in the wilderness, this spot is well away from the crushing crowds of tourists who never leave the paved paths of the valley. Only backpackers get to see this area. It’s a peaceful spot, and oh so exciting at the same time because so relatively few get to enjoy this place.

That’s how I feel about Romans, chapter four. Peaceful and excited. I love to read this chapter. The excitement comes first, for me. How can you *not* be excited to read, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Wait. What? All he did was believe God, and God credited him with righteousness??? Really? You mean old Abe didn’t have to go slay a dragon or kill 100 bulls or starve himself for a month or, or, or? He just believed God?

Yeah. That’s it.

You say that can’t be right. Surely he did something. Nope. Listen. “Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited due to grace but due to obligation. But to the one who does not work, but believes in the one who declares the ungodly righteous, his faith is credited as righteousness.”

Abraham’s faith was credited as righteousness. Not his work, because that would have been a payment of obligation. 

Well, you heard the chapter. Paul went into a fair amount of detail…all of it good. And it is all so exciting to see that it is not works that earns righteousness.

And that’s a good thing, keeping in mind what Paul wrote in chapter three. You know, where he said, “There is no one righteous, not even one, there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one.” 

Sort of sounds hopeless doesn’t it?

But back here in chapter four, we get the good news that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. What’s good about that? The closing sentences tell us, “ But the statement *it was credited to him* was not written only for Abraham’s sake, 24 but also for our sake, to whom it will be credited, those who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was given over because of our transgressions and was raised for the sake of our justification.”

This is the part of the chapter that gives me peace. I’m excited that God’s plan for man is so incredibly generous. Believe and be righteous. I find infinite peace in the knowledge that this lavish grace is extended to you and to me. When we really begin to grasp this truth, there is nothing that can steal your peace.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 3 NET; Ch. 4 NKJV

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Roman 3-4: The Undeserved Gift (LSFAB S13E008)

[TEASER – 00:00]
It’s a beautiful spot and, oh, so relaxing.

[INTRO S13E008 – 00:00]
Coming to you from Riverside, California, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. And this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, the daily podcast where we’ll read the entire Bible in a year. Our reading today is Romans 3 and 4. After that I’ll have a comment or two about the chapters. And I’ll tell you about my favorite spot on the planet, a place where I’m both relaxed and invigorated, and how that feeling relates to today’s scripture. I’m calling today’s show “The Undeserved Gift”.

Also since today’s Sunday, all share a prayer request with you.

But before we read, let’s pray.

[OPENING PRAYER – 00:47]
Our Heavenly Father, as we open your Word today, I ask you to open our ears and our hearts to hear what you have to say to us. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

All right, you ready? Let’s begin.

[ROMANS 3 (NET) – 01:01]
Romans, chapter 3.

(1) Therefore what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the value of circumcision? (2) Actually, there are many advantages. First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. (3) What then? If some did not believe, does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God? (4) Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: “so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged.”

(5) But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he? (I am speaking in human terms.) (6) Absolutely not! For otherwise how could God judge the world? (7) For if by my lie the truth of God enhances his glory, why am I still actually being judged as a sinner? (8) And why not say, “Let us do evil so that good may come of it”? – as some who slander us allege that we say. (Their condemnation is deserved!)

(9) What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin, (10) just as it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one,
(11) there is no one who understands,
there is no one who seeks God.
(12) All have turned away,
together they have become worthless;
there is no one who shows kindness, not even one.”
(13) “Their throats are open graves,
they deceive with their tongues,
the poison of asps is under their lips.”
(14) “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
(15) “Their feet are swift to shed blood,
(16) ruin and misery are in their paths,
(17) and the way of peace they have not known.”
(18) “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

(19) Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God. (20) For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. (21) But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed – (22) namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, (23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (24) But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (25) God publicly displayed him at his death as the mercy seat accessible through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed. (26) This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness.

(27) Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded! By what principle? Of works? No, but by the principle of faith! (28) For we consider that a person is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law. (29) Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the Gentiles too? Yes, of the Gentiles too! (30) Since God is one, he will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. (31) Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead we uphold the law.

[ROMANS 4 (NKJV) – 04:47]
Romans, chapter 4.

(1 )What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? (2) For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. (3) For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (4) Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

(5) But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, (6) just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

(7) “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;

(8) Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

(9) Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. (10) How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. (11) And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, (12) and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

(13) For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. (14) For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the purpose made of no effect, (15) because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

(16) Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (17) (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; (18) who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” (19) And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. (20) He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, (21) and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. (22) And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

(23) Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, (24) but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, (25) who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

[COMMENTS – 08:04]
Do you have a favorite place, some place on the planet that you think about when you wish you could just get away from it all, some place where you’re both relaxed and excited at the same time?

Well, for me, that place is a little campsite in the Yosemite Wilderness. It’s a place nestled in where the Merced River takes a gentle 90 degree turn on its way down to the Yosemite Valley. I love to sit in my mind’s eye just at that corner amidst the pine trees as the Stellar’s jays call out and the occasional brown trout jumps out of the gently flowing water, chasing a mosquito for dinner. Since it’s out in the wilderness, this spot is well away from the crushing crowds of tourists who never leave the paved paths of the Yosemite Valley. Only backpackers get to see this area. It’s a beautiful spot and, oh, so relaxing and invigorating at the same time because so relatively few get to enjoy this place.

Well, that’s how I feel about Romans, chapter 4, peaceful and Invigorated. I love to read this chapter. The excitement comes first for me. How can you not be excited or invigorated to read: “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Wait, what? All he did was believe God and God credited him with righteousness? Really? You mean old Abe didn’t have to go slay a dragon or kill a thousand bulls or starve himself for a month or… or… or anything? He just believed God?

Yeah. That’s it according to Paul, here in Romans.

You say, that can’t be right. Surely he had to do something. Nope. Listen, Paul said, “Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited due to grace, but due to obligation. But to the one who does not work but believes in the one who declares the ungodly righteous, his faith is credited as righteousness.”

Abraham’s faith was credited as righteousness, not his work, because that would’ve been a payment of obligation.

Well, you heard the chapter, Paul went into a fair amount of detail and all of it good, and it is all so exciting to see that it is not works that earns righteousness.

And that’s a good thing, keeping in mind what Paul wrote in chapter 3, you know where he said, “There is no one righteous, not even one, there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, together they’ve become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one.”

Well, that sort of sounds hopeless, doesn’t it?

But back here in chapter 4, we get the good news that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. What’s good about that? The closing sentences of chapter 4 tell us, and here are those sentences: “But the statement it was credited to him was not written only for Abraham’s sake, (24) but also for our sake to whom it will be credited. Those who believe in the one who raised Jesus, our Lord from the dead. (25) He was given over because of our transgressions and was raised for the sake of our justification.”

This is the part of the chapter that gives me peace. I’m excited that God’s plan for man is so incredibly generous. Believe and be righteous. I find infinite peace in the knowledge that this lavish grace is extended to you and to me. When we really begin to grasp this truth, there’s nothing that can steal your piece.

[COMMENT ON THE SHOW – 11:47]
Tomorrow’s Monday, so we’ll read from the Law, specifically, Genesis 4 through 7. We’ll read about the first murder ever committed and a guy by the name of Noah. If you have a comment, call the Lifespring Family Hotline at 951-732-8511, and if you’re outside the US, put a +1 at the beginning of that number.

You can also comment on the show notes page for this episode at lifespringmedia.com/s13e008, or email me at st***@*************ia.com. There’s a good chance I’ll play your audio comment or read your comment on the show.

[PRAYER REQUESTS – 12:25]
Every Wednesday and Sunday will be sharing prayer requests and praises. If you’ve got a need in your life that you’d like the Lifespring family to be praying about, or if God is doing something wonderful in your life that would be an encouragement for the rest of the family, please go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com and let me know. I’ll pray for you and rejoice with you in my daily prayer time, and I’ll share them on the show.

Today I have an update on Kathi who has had one form of cancer or another for literally decades on top of having MS. She went to the City of Hope on Friday to have more tests done and to receive her fourth dose of a new cancer drug.

This is what her husband Del sent out that afternoon. “Update: Kathi had a PET scan this morning before her fourth infusion of the new drug. The infusion was canceled because in addition to two tumors found on her scalp a few weeks ago, the scan revealed fluid in her lungs. The doctor wants to schedule a biopsy of the fluid. The results of that biopsy will determine the next steps. We appreciate everyone’s prayers.” So that’s from Del.

He told me that the biopsy results on the tumors on her scalp showed that they are the same cancer that she had several years ago, and that led to her having a double mastectomy. Evidently, that cancer was not caught soon enough and it’s spread. Now, we’ll see what the lung fluid biopsy shows sometime this week, hopefully. Um, so Kathi needs our prayers. She’s getting very tired and very discouraged. Only God knows what his plan is for her, but I know that he is capable of a complete healing for her. I’m asking God for that outcome, but at the same time, I know that he knows best.

Jesus said that you have not because you ask not, so I’m asking for healing. At the same time, I will accept whatever his will is because I trust him to do the right and the best thing.

[CLOSING PRAYER – 14:26]
Let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, I thank you, Lord, for your grace and for your mercy. Thank you for understanding how weak we are in terms of living a perfect life. And thank you for your plan to save us despite our flaws.

Lord, I pray for Kathi, right now. I know that she trusts you. In the decades that she’s been sick, I have never heard her utter a complaint against you. She’s maintained a sweet spirit, but I know that she’s getting tired. Lord, I ask you to lift her up. Put your loving strong arms around her. And Father, I’m asking you to heal her. Paul said that it is in our weakness that your strength is revealed. And Lord, we’re completely powerless to do anything against this cancer. But it only takes a word from you and darkness flees and worlds are created, so healing cancer is a trifle for you. Please, in Jesus’ name, heal Kathi.

Father, I thank you for the Lifespring family, for those that have been here for some time, and for the new Lifespring family members. Bless each one I pray. Where there are needs, whether they be health or financial or relationship or job or emotional or spiritual needs, you are able to meet everyone where they are. I lift each need up to you now. I don’t need to know them, but you know every detail of our lives, so I pray for each one. And I ask you to richly bless every person listening right now, no matter when now happens to be, I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Remember, if you have a praise or a prayer request, go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com and let me know. If you wanna remain anonymous, you can do that, prayer.lifespringmedia.com. We’ll be sharing again on this coming Wednesday.

[OUTRO S13E008 – 16:21]
Thanks to the team: Kirsty who does the newsletter, Sean who does the chapters, and Denise who corrects the transcripts.

And thanks to those of you who donate financially. I appreciate each one of you.

Comment on the show by calling the Lifespring Family Hotline at 951-732-8511, by going to comment.lifespringmedia.com or by emailing me at st***@*************ia.com. I do want to hear from you.

Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. Thank you so much for being here. I’m Steve Webb. Bye.

Transcript corrected by Denise