Righteousness: God’s Gift, Not Our Wage
Romans 4:4–8 (NLT)
4 When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. 5 But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. 6 David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
7 “Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sins are put out of sight.
8 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”
Message
I. Righteousness Is a Gift, Not a Wage (4–6)
We studied ‘righteousness through faith’ last week. Verse 4 contrasts ‘wages’ and ‘a gift’. When we work, they earn ‘wages’ while a gift is something given for free without working for it. Righteousness is not a wage earned by work, but a gift received through faith in God who forgives sinners (5). Paul explains this using the example of David. See verse 6.
6 David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
II. The Joy of Forgiven Sin (7–8)
See verses 7-8.
7 “Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sins are put out of sight.
8 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”
Verses 7-8 are quoted from Psalm 32:1-2 NLT.
David once sinned. Sins bring death (Romans 6:23, Ezekiel 18:4). But because he confessed and repented, he was forgiven as written in 2 Samuel 12:13 NLT.
13 Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin.”
David describes the joy of a person whose sins are forgiven. Though sin brings death, God forgives those who confess and trust Him. Their sins are no longer counted against them, and they are declared righteous by God’s grace, not by their works.
Although God forgives sin, He may still discipline His people (see 2 Samuel 12:14 NLT).
