The happiness of those who are credited as righteous by God (1) (Romans 4:1-8)

The happiness of those who are credited as righteous by God (1)

 

 

[Romans 4:1-8]

 

 

 

Have you ever heard of the Happiness Quotient (HQ)?  HQ = GQ x AQ / BQ.  Here, “GQ” stands for Gratitude Quotient, “AQ” stands for Achievement Quotient, and “BQ” stands for Blame Quotient.  In 1998, as a result of measuring the HQ of 54 countries at the London School of Economics (LSE) in the UK, Bangladesh ranked first and Korea ranked 23^rd (Internet).  After that, it is said that Bangladesh took first place in the happiness formula (i.e. happiness quotient) created by British psychologist Rothwell and life counselor Cohen in 2002.  Economist Layard attributed two factors to why poor countries rank high in the happiness index: First, the fact that people too easily adapt to better conditions, and second, relative income levels.  Roswell and Cohen suggested ways to be happy, and these are the following (Internet):

 

(1)    Devote time to family, friends and yourself,

(2)    Pursue interests and hobbies,

(3)    Establish a close interpersonal relationship,

(4)    Meet new people and get out of the box.

(5)    Focus on the present and do not cling to the past or the future.

(6)    Exercise and rest.

(7)    Always do your best, but have a possible goal.

 

Among the books about happiness, there is a book called ‘Increase your happiness quotient’ (Author: Stefan Polke).  This book deals with happiness in terms of the past, values, work, relationships, goals, and wealth as determinants of happiness.  Although each person has a different view of life and interpretation of experiences, it is said that happy people can discover some common behavioral patterns and cores.  This book tells the stories of happy people about what true happiness is and how to live to meet happiness.

 

Seven stories of the world's happiest people (Internet):

 

(1)    Past: The past always exists in the present.  Happy people face their past

and accept it positively.

(2)    Value: Happy people find the value of life and pursue it.

(3)    Work: Happy people know what they have to do and make the best out of it.

(4)    Relationships: Happy people have the ability to maintain good

and strong relationships with family, friends, and partners.

(5)    Goals: Happy people set goals and are ready to reach them.

(6)    Wealth: Happy people have a clear view of money and power.

(7)    Secret of Happiness: Happy people always make others happy.

 

                Through meditation on Romans 3:19-31, we have already been taught that those who believe in the works of Jesus, who was crucified and shed His blood to forgive all our sins, are justified, not by the works of the law.  Having received the apostle Paul's teaching that we are justified only by grace, only because of Jesus, and only by faith, we can read today's text Romans 4:1-3 as an example of justification by faith.  We see that it is talking about Abraham, the forefather of faith.  Writing to the saints in Rome, he cites Abraham as an example as he further explains the truth that we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone, not by the works of the law.  Why is he citing Abraham as an example?  The reason is because among the saints in Rome who received Paul's letter, the Jewish saints boasted and respected Abraham, their forefather “according to the flesh” (v. 1).  What Paul is saying in verses 1-3 as he writes a letter to the saints in Rome, especially the Jewish saints, is that Abraham was justified by faith only (not by works).  Look at verse 3: “What does the Scripture say?  ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’”  This is what Paul is quoting from “the Scripture,” i.e., Genesis 15:6.  Then, it says that Abraham was credited to him as righteousness through his faith in God.  What is the word of God's promise that Abraham believed?  That's what Genesis 15:5 says: “And He took him outside and said, ’Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’  And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’”  Whether Abraham was justified by faith in God's word of promise, he was never justified by works (Rom. 4:2).  If Abraham was justified by works, he certainly had something to boast about.  However, Paul clearly states that even Abraham had nothing to boast before God (v. 2).  While citing Abraham as an example, Paul compares a man who works and the man who does not work and explains a little more about being justified (justification) (vv. 4-5).  In other words, just as those who work do not regard their wages as grace, but rather as a debt, those who think that they have been justified by the works of the law regard it as something they deserve and do not regard it as the grace of God.  However, those who have done nothing, that is, have been justified by believing in God who justifies ungodly sinners who have no merit or qualifications, know that they are justified entirely by God's grace.  Even though Abraham, the forefather of faith, did nothing, he was justified by God by believing in God's word of promise.  In other words, God credited Abraham's faith as righteousness, not his works (v. 5).  Therefore, Abraham never had anything to boast about (3:27).  No, he can't have anything to boast about.  We have nothing to boast about because we are never justified by human works.  After this explanation, Paul quoted David's Psalms 32:1-2 to the saints in Rome in Romans 4:6 of today's text, “David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works.” 

 

                Who do you think is true happiness?  ‘Who is the happiest person in the world?’ Britain's 'London Times' said they surveyed the happiest person for British people.  However, an unexpected result has been reported.  It is said that the four people who were selected at the top were unexpectedly simple people: 1st place is a child who completed a wonderful sandcastle on the beach, 2nd place is a mother who looks at her clear eyes after bathing her baby, 3rd place is an artist who completes a wonderful craft and shakes his hands, and 4th place is a doctor who saved a dying life with surgery.  There were no chaebol aristocratic politicians among the happy people.  And then the writer said: ‘Happiness is a precious gift given to those who have accomplished something worthwhile.  Happiness is not given to those who sit and wait’ (Internet).  What do you guys think?  Who do you think is the happiest person in the world?

 

                In today's text, Paul says that the happiest person in the world is a sinner who has done nothing and has no merit, believes in Jesus Christ by God's exclusive grace and is justified by God.  Paul says this in Romans 4:6 – “David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works.”  What is the happiness of us who are considered righteous by God without any merit?  Look at Romans 4:7-8: “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”  Our happiness is to have all our sins forgiven.  For what sins have we been forgiven in Jesus Christ?  All rebellious sins committed openly (v. 7), all sins committed out of weakness (v. 7), and all ethical sins (v. 8) (Park) are forgiven in Jesus Christ.  All our sins have been taken away and covered (v. 7), and God has blotted out our sins, not counting them as sins (v. 8).  All our sins have been blotted out through the precious blood of Jesus shed on the cross.  All our sins have been covered.  God has blotted out all our sins.  You and I have been washed away from all our sins by the precious blood of Jesus, who is Immanuel like spring water.  Therefore, we are the happiest people in this world.  We who have been justified through faith alone, by God's absolute grace, by the merits of Jesus' cross, all our sins have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus.  Let's not forget that you and I, who have been washed clean, are the happiest people in the world.