What if faith isn’t a leap into the dark but a steady allegiance to a trustworthy God? We open Romans 4 and discover faith as believing loyalty—a belief that leads to a lived commitment—through the lens of Abraham and David. Instead of chasing perfection or piling up spiritual achievements, Paul points to a righteousness credited by grace, received apart from the law, and confirmed by a life that grows in obedience over time.
We trace Paul’s argument step by step: Abraham was counted righteous before circumcision, proving the promise isn’t locked behind rituals or rule-keeping. David celebrates the joy of forgiveness that can’t be earned. The law shines a light on our need, but the promise stands on God’s reliability, not our performance. Abraham’s hope against hope becomes our model—facing facts honestly while trusting the God who brings life from the dead and calls things into being from nothing.
This conversation offers freedom to those exhausted by legalism and welcome to those who feel unqualified. Justification is by grace through faith, and that faith naturally grows into daily loyalty—turning from sin, choosing trust, and walking with God not out of fear but honor. We end with comfort for strugglers: God’s love is not fragile, and your setbacks don’t erase his promise. If you’re ready to trade perfectionism for allegiance, and anxiety for assurance, this deep dive into Romans 4 will help you reframe faith at its core.
If this resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can dig into Scripture with us. What part of Abraham’s story challenges your view of faith today?
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The More We Dig. The More We Find.
Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT).
Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Episode Transcript
Welcome to the Bible Breakdown Podcast.
Every day, we take one chapterof the Bible, dig deeper, and
discover that the more we dig,the more we find.
You can find out more at theBibleBreakdown.com.
Now let's grow in God's Wordtogether.
Well, hello, everybody.
Hope you are doing well.
Welcome back to the BibleBreakdown Podcast with your
host, Pastor Brandon.
(00:21):
Today, Romans chapter 4.
And today's title, I want to Iwant to re-examine the word
faith.
And I want to say it's all aboutbelieving loyalty.
Believing loyalty.
Believing something and beingloyal to it.
That's the idea of what faithis.
In a world we live in where itseems like a lot of different
words are changing theirmeaning, I think we need to come
back to understanding what faithtruly is.
(00:43):
And we're going to get into thatin just a moment.
But as always, if you like whatwe're doing here, make sure you
like, share, and subscribe tothis video.
Make sure you are commenting onit.
You are doing all the things.
All my favorite podcastlisteners, make sure you are
like, sharing, and subscribingto all of those.
Make sure you're leaving us afive-star review.
Share this with someone onsocial media as we are just
building this idea of what wouldit look like to have a community
(01:03):
of people that are reading God'sword together.
And the more we dig, the more wefind.
Which is why I also want you togo over to our Facebook group at
the Bible Breakdown Discussionand just see a lot of the stuff
they're doing over there.
It's so good.
Oh my Lord, it's so good.
And as we're getting into thisfall time of the year, I don't
know when you may be listeningto this, but right now, fall is
starting to get in the air.
(01:24):
I love it and I love all thethings about it.
And so I want you to let me knowin the comments below on the
Bible breakdown.
What is your favorite fall typeof coffee?
Are you a pumpkin spice latteperson?
Are you a chai tea person?
Or are you just like one of me?
Just give me coffee, give it tome as often as I can get it.
Go ahead and put it on tap.
Yeah, just whatever.
I am a massive fan of coffee.
(01:45):
And so while you're getting yourNLT Bible open, getting your
favorite fall drink open, let mebring you up to speed with where
we are, because Paul is slowlybuilding the foundation for this
amazing explanation of thegospel.
The apostle Paul was amissionary, and he had been all
over the known world at thetime, planting churches, you
know, seeing people come toChrist, all this amazing stuff.
(02:06):
He'd always wanted to go toRome, but he hadn't been there
yet.
He had a lot of friends who hadbeen there.
You want to skip ahead to Romanschapter 16?
It seemed like all of his rowdyfriends had already been to
Rome.
So he's shouting out everybody.
Two people in particular,Priscilla and Aquila, were two
of his friends, likely plantedthe church in Rome, possibly
with the help of Peter as well.
And Paul is now getting ready togo to Rome.
(02:28):
But before he goes, he's sendingahead of him the first sermon
likely that he would preach.
He would go to the synagogues.
Because that's what this is.
The book of Romans was actuallya letter that he sent, and it
was supposed to be read withinthe context of the assembly.
So someone would stand up andread it as though Paul were
actually talking.
(02:49):
So he is sharing with them thegospel so that they can know
this is what he's preaching.
And so he's just like a skilledorator, public speaker, is
doing, he is building his caseone chapter at a time.
Chapter one, he says that Godhas done this amazing thing
because all of us, all ofcreation, has gone our own way
and turned our backs on God.
(03:10):
Chapter two, he said, it doesn'tmatter whether you're a Jew or a
Greek, Gentile, everybody is anequal opportunity sinner.
All of us fell short of theglory of God.
It's like we all fell down in apit somewhere.
Chapter three, he says, andthat's why the law came.
The law came to show us whatGod's perfect holy standard is,
(03:31):
and showing us that we're nevergoing to get there.
Because if you've alreadysinned, you've already messed
up.
You've already, at some point inyour life, messed up the perfect
holy standard of God's law.
And so it's like we're lookingat the bottom of the pit,
looking up, going, well, messedthat up.
You know, what are we doing?
Turns out we need a savior.
That's who Jesus is.
And so the second half ofchapter three says that's why
(03:54):
Jesus came.
So that everyone who has beliefin him would have the
opportunity to receive him, andwe could have eternal life.
That is that believing loyalty.
And so today, he's going to showus what that kind of faith
looked like all the way back inthe Old Testament, even before
they had the gospel,understanding what faith really
looked like and how that turnsinto salvation.
(04:17):
Now that's why I want to sayfrom the very beginning, I want
us to relook at this word faithfor just a moment.
Because a lot of times we thinkthat faith is believing without
any evidence, or faith is havinga general idea about something.
But the word faith, especiallyin the context of the Bible, it
means believing something andthen being loyal to that belief.
(04:38):
So that's why I like the idea offaith in God as believing
loyalty.
It'd be the same thing as, youknow, I believe that my wife
loves me.
And I believe that she's mywife.
Well, if I just believe that,what does that really do?
But if that belief leads to mebeing loyal to her, then it
(04:59):
changes everything.
And that's the same thing.
I believe that Jesus died for mysins.
But then if I am loyal to thecommitment I make to following
him, that is the saving power ofChrist, that I now walk after
the goodness of God in my life.
So let's look at Romans chapter4.
If you got your Bibles ready forme, and we're going to see what
(05:20):
God's Word has to say inteaching us about what living
out a loyal faith looks like.
That it's not just happening inthe New Testament, but all the
way back in the Old Testament ithappened as well.
You ready?
Here we go.
Abraham was humanly speaking thefounder of the Jewish nation.
What did he discover about beingmade right with God?
If his good deeds had made himacceptable to God, he would have
(05:41):
had something to boast about.
But this was not God's way.
For the scripture tells us thatAbraham believed God, and God
counted him as righteous becauseof his faith.
And think of that, because ofhis believing loyalty.
Verse 4.
When people work, their wagesare not a gift, but something
they have earned.
But people who are counted asrighteous, not because of their
(06:02):
work, but because of their faithin God who forgives sinners.
David also spoke of this when hedescribed the happiness of those
who were declared righteouswithout working for it.
Oh, what joy for those whosedisobedience is forgiven, those
whose sins are put out of sight,and yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord hascleared of sin.
(06:24):
Now, is this blessing only forthe Jews, or is it for
uncircumcised Gentiles?
Well, we have been saying thatAbraham was counted as righteous
by God because of his faith,believing, loyalty.
But how did this happen?
For he was counted righteousonly after he was circumcised,
or was it before he wascircumcised?
(06:45):
Remember, circumcision was thephysical representation of the
covenant made with God.
So he's saying, how did all ofthis actually work?
Was it because he conformed tothe covenant, the law of God
that he was saved, or was itbecause of something else?
Clearly, God accepted him beforehe had obeyed all of the law.
(07:05):
Circumcision was a sign thatAbraham was all, that Abraham
already had faith that God hadalready accepted him and
declared him to be righteous.
Then, before he was circumcised,so Abraham is the spiritual
father of those who have faithbut have not been circumcised.
They are counted as righteousbecause of their faith, their
(07:27):
believing loyalty.
And Abraham is also thespiritual father of those who
have been circumcised, but onlyif they have the same kind of
faith Abraham had before he wascircumcised.
Now, make sure you remembercircumcision in this context is
an example of Jewish peopleobeying the law of God.
He's saying Abraham was acceptedby God before he got the law
(07:50):
right, because it was thebelieving loyalty.
Like I believe that God is realand I'm going to be loyal to
him.
That is what saved him, notbeing not perfectly obeying the
law.
So he is the spiritual father toall of those who that's what
that they do.
That they're they're not perfectbecause they're acting
perfectly.
They're striving for it, butthey're not there yet.
(08:12):
They're they're perfect,spiritually speaking, because of
their believing loyalty in God.
He's like the spiritual fatherof all those.
He's also the spiritual fatherto all of those who believe God.
And then now, because of theirbelief in God, they are walking
out their faith every day.
He's like he he works for both.
He's not just for one, but forboth.
Verse 13.
Clearly, God's promises are togive the whole earth to Abraham
(08:34):
and his descendants.
And it was based not on hisobedience to God's law, but on
his right relationship with Godthat comes by faith.
If God's promise is only forthose who obey the law, then
faith is not necessary, and thepromise is pointless.
For the law always bringspunishment on those who try to
obey it.
The only way to avoid breakingthe law is to have no law to
(08:56):
break.
So the promise is received byfaith.
It is given as a free gift, andwe are all certain to receive
it.
Whether or not we live accordingto the law of Moses, if we have
faith like Abraham's.
For Abraham is the father of allwho believe, have believing
loyalty.
This is what the scriptures meanwhen God told them, I have made
(09:19):
you the father of many nations.
This happened because Abrahambelieved in the God who brings
back the dead to life and whocreates all things new out of
nothing.
Even when there was no reasonfor hope, Abraham kept hoping,
believing that he would becomethe father of many nations.
For God had said to him, That'show many descendants you will
(09:41):
have.
And Abraham's faith did notweaken, even though at about a
hundred years of age he figuredhis body was as good as dead.
And so was Sarah's womb.
Abraham never wavered inbelieving God's promise.
In fact, his faith grewstronger, and in this he brought
about the glory of God.
He was fully convinced that Godis able to do whatever he
(10:02):
promises.
And because of Abraham's faith,God counted him as righteous.
Then God counted him asrighteous.
And when he counted asrighteous, it wasn't just for
Abraham's benefit.
It was recorded for our benefittoo, assuring us that God will
also count us righteous if webelieve in him and the one who
raised Jesus our Lord from thedead, and he handed uh he was
(10:25):
handed over to die because ofour sins, and he was raised to
life to make us right with God.
So there's a lot of words there,and Paul is trying to make a
point.
Notice how he said, God toldAbraham, I'm gonna make you the
father of many nations.
So not just one nation, but manynations.
And so what he's saying is thatAbraham can be the spiritual
(10:47):
father to all of those who don'tknow anything about the law and
they receive Christ.
They receive, they havebelieving loyalty.
That's good.
But here's the thingjustification is by faith alone.
But justification should notstay alone.
Once we receive Christ, then webegin walking after him.
(11:07):
We start getting the sin out ofour life.
We start cleaning up our life.
He's saying he's a spiritualfather to those people as well.
Because when God started toreveal himself to him, he
started walking more closely toGod.
And so he's saying it wasn't, itwasn't his good works that got
him saved, it was his believingloyalty that did.
That's what made him righteous.
And then he walked it out closerto God and he started walking
(11:30):
and healing more every day.
So, what does this mean for allof us today?
That is, maybe you grew upwithout any church background in
in your life.
You just grew up not having aclue.
So you don't have to unlearn anyof this.
And so the lesson for you todayis that you are made right with
God, not by your perfection, butbecause God has chosen to love
(11:50):
you and to wash away your sin.
Now, as he's already said, andhe's going to say again, that
doesn't give us the excuse tosin.
Well, God loves me so I can sin.
No, no, no, no.
It's because he loves us that wenow want to obey the law, that
we want to walk closer to him.
But the difference is it's outof joy and honor rather than
(12:11):
fear and worried about justice.
If you come from a certainenvironment, maybe you heard
this legalistic idea that if youare perfect enough, God will
save you.
If you do everything right, Godwill love you.
Well, that couldn't be furtherfrom the truth.
God loves you before you lovedhim.
And so therefore, the lesson forus here today is that we are
(12:34):
justified by God by faith inhim, by the grace of God through
faith.
But then once we are justifiedthrough by grace through faith,
that should not stay alone.
We start walking with him.
But that's a later time we startoff with justification is by the
grace of God and by believing inhim.
(12:54):
So don't let anyone ever tellyou that the only way God will
ever receive you is if you areperfect.
Because as Paul said, if wecould be perfect without the
law, we wouldn't need salvation.
But if you remember, all the wayback to chapter one, we messed
up at some point.
And when we messed up, weseparate ourselves from God.
Chapter two says it doesn'tmatter who you are, good or bad,
uh, or not good or bad, but Jewor Gentile, we all fail.
(13:17):
Chapter three says, then Godshowed us what the Holy Standard
looks like, and we looked up andrealized we couldn't get there.
But Christ could.
And then Chapter 4 says, and theway we get back there is not by
doing it ourselves, but having abelieving loyalty in Christ.
I believe that Jesus died andpaid for my sins, and then I am
loyal to him because of what hehas done for me.
(13:40):
So I hope that brings you somecomfort today to realize that if
you get it right today, you doeverything perfect today, praise
the Lord.
But if you struggle today, youget a few things wrong today,
it's not going to change God'smind about you.
He chose to love you way beforeyou ever wanted him.
And I hope that brings you somecomfort today.
Let's pray together.
Father, thank you so much foryour goodness and your mercy.
(14:03):
Thank you, God, for a systematiclook at your word.
Thank you, God, for ourspiritual father, Abraham, who
before he even knew of a law anda covenant, he chose to follow
you.
And that believing loyaltyopened the door for all of us.
Lord, I'm so thankful that eventoday, you have chosen to love
us way before we ever knew aboutyou.
(14:23):
And I'm thankful, Lord, thatyour love doesn't change,
whether we get it right or weget it wrong.
I pray you will help us to havethat believing loyalty in you.
And we will turn our hearts morefully to you every day.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
Don't forget, God's word saysthis in Romans chapter 1, verse
16.
For I am not ashamed of thisgood news about Christ.
(14:43):
For it is what?
The power of God at work, savingeveryone who believes.
I love you.
Hope you have a great day.
I can't wait to see you heretomorrow for Romans chapter 5.
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