Answers to

Chapter 4

Review Questions:

1.     It would be easy to get caught up in the thought that working our way to heaven was the proper approach.  However, Paul uses the examples of two Old Testament men to illustrate that righteousness apart from works; righteousness through faith is the true blessing.  Name these two men.

Answer:  The two were Abraham and David 

2.     What are the two words used to describe the purpose of Abraham’s circumcision?

Answer:  It was a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith and it made him the father of all who believe. 

3.     The promise to Abraham and his descendents of the “righteousness of faith” simply “did not come through the law”  (Romans 4:13-14).  Look at the chart above and Galatians 3:17 to find out how long it was after Abraham before the law came into existence.

Answer:  The law came into existence 430 years after Abraham. 

4.     Paul calls as witness to the power of God two of the greatest acts ever done.  What were these acts that show the great power of God?

Answer:  According to Romans 4:17, the two witnesses to the power of God are seen in the resurrection (“who gives life to the dead”) of Jesus (see also Romans 1:4) and the creation (“calls into existence the things that do not exist”) of the whole universe. 

5.     In Romans 4:18-21, four descriptors of the kind of faith that Abraham had are given.  List them.

Answer:  (1) “In hope he believed against hope” – Romans 4:18 (2) “He did not weaken” in the face of impossibilities from a human standpoint – Romans 4:19 (3) “No distrust made him waver” – Romans 4:20 and (4) He was “fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised” – Romans 4:21 

6.     In Romans 4:23-24 Paul claims that the words written in the Old Testament were not written just for those individuals’ sakes but for ours also.  Read Romans 15:4.  How was something written in the Old Testament something for our sakes also?

Answer:  Just as God remained true to his word in the Old Testament, he will do the same today.  Therefore, as we read the Old Testament examples, it gives us encouragement to remain faithful, to endure as they did in the Old Testament.  In other words, these events are not recorded just to tell the story about what happened back then but rather for the sake of those of us who are trying to learn about God and how he deals with humanity today.

Click here to go to the next chapter.

Click here to email the instructor your questions or comments.