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Yesterday I preached from Romans 4:13-15 as we continued our series through the letter penned by the apostle Paul to the church in the city of Rome. As Paul is now pointing to Abraham in chapter 4 regarding the need for justification that comes by faith alone in Christ alone—he points back to the promise and drives home the reality of a coming inheritance. The future inheritance for all people will either be eternal heaven or eternal hell, so how does a person receive such an inheritance?
Just as Luther and the Reformers stood in opposition to the Roman Catholic Church about their perversion of salvation by indulgences—preaching the message of justification by faith alone in Christ alone—Paul stood in the face of legalistic Jewish tradition and pointed them to justification by faith in Christ alone. In order to inherit heaven, a sinner must receive righteousness that isn’t performed or earned in any way. Such a righteousness comes from Jesus and is received by faith. It was counted to Abraham by faith and the same thing is true of us in our day.
The promise of Abraham involved the seed of the woman coming through him who would one day crush the head of the serpent. The promise likewise involved the blessing of all nations through one man—Abraham. Finally, the historic covenant involved a promised land. However, Paul points to the fact that Abraham will inherit the whole world. It seems clear that the promise of the land for Israel will be finally and fully realized in the New Heavens and the New Earth (Rev. 21:1-2). Just as Abraham was looking forward to a city whose maker and builder is God (Heb. 11:10). We see Jesus interpret the promise that was cited by the Psalmist (Ps. 37:11) by saying something similar to what Paul says here in Romans 4:13, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). Ultimately the promise is for both Jew and Gentile in Abraham—and this land and rest will be realized in Jesus (Matt. 11:28).
How does a person inherit hell? As Proverbs 14:12 says, there are many ways to hell. However, Paul pointed out one particular way and that was to attempt to please God by keeping the Law. Paul understood that it was an impossibility. If anyone could have boasted in Law keeping it was Paul, yet he was unable to please God (Phil. 3:4-7). Paul pointed out that through the Law comes wrath rather than grace. He had said something similar back in Romans 3:20. He communicated the same truth in his letter to the church in Galatia by saying, “yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified” (Gal. 2:16).
What about you? Are you attempting to please God in the flesh? Are you seeking to please God in your church attendance or other religious affiliation? On your very best day and in your very best attempt to please God, the only thing you could earn is hell. Our righteousness is filthy rags (Is. 64:6). We must cast ourselves upon the mercy of God and plead for his righteousness—one that comes through Jesus.
