Peter Barnes | Romans 4:13-17a
SERMON NOTES
LAW AND PROMISE
(Romans 4:13-17a)
Thomas Boston on justification: ‘God the Father takes the pen, dips it in the blood of His Son, crosses the sinner’s accounts, and blots them out of His debt-book.’
1. God’s world-wide promises are fulfilled by faith.
– 4:13, 16-17a; see too Gal.3:15-17
(a) The promise and faith show that salvation is of grace (v.16a; Eph.1:3-6; Rom.11:6)
(b) It shows that the promise goes to all, to Jews and Gentiles (v.16). Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones called this ‘the great missionary charter’.
(c) This makes salvation certain (vv.16-17; the NIV and ESV have ‘guaranteed’ in verse 16); note Genesis 17:5.
2. The law cannot nullify faith.
– 4:14; Calvin: ‘faith … is the sure knowledge of divine mercy’.
3. The law brings wrath and transgression.
– 4:15; Thomas Boston says we are like the eye which sees many things but not itself; see Rom.5:13-14, 20
The terrors of law and of God
With me can have nothing to do;
My Saviour’s obedience and blood
Hide all my transgressions from view (Augustus Toplady)