Mar. 02, 2025

Series: Transformed: “More Than A Makeover”

“How to be Accepted by God”

Pastor Rick Robledo – March 2, 2025

  Bible Passage – Romans 4:1-16 

Romans 4:1-3 - What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? ² If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. ³ What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Is there any good thing that any of us could do that would impress God?

Job 38:4-5 - Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. ⁵ Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!

How to be Accepted/Saved by God                                ~The Case of Abraham~

1. God Does Not Accept Us Through __________ _________. 

Romans 4:3 - “For what does the Scriptures say – Abraham BELIEVED God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”     

J “BIBLE NERD NUGGET” J

Abraham “BELIEVED” God

Hebrew Lesson Time!

Hebrew: “EMET”  =  English: “Faithful & Trustworthy”

Hebrew: “AMEN”  =  English: “I agree, that is correct/truth”

Hebrew: “AMAN”  =  English: “To have confidence in, certainty, lasting, permanent, reliable, firm devotion to”

Abraham “AMAN” God. -  which also means: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

1. We cannot _____________ or ____________ for   our acceptance.  

Romans 4:4-5  ESV - And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,    

• We say, “yeah but I have to do something first!”
• But God says, “to him who believes!”

1. Being a “good person” doesn’t save you.

The only people God saves are ___________ _________!

Romans 3:10 -   “there is no one who is righteous, not even one!”    

Luke 5:32 – Jesus says – “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”    

Romans 3:23 - “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”    

1. Keeping the ______________ does not save us.  Abraham was justified by faith ____________  ___________ before the law was given to Moses.  Galatians 3:17

Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. 

He is proof that we are Justified by Faith alone!

Acceptance/Salvation is ___________________ ___________ ________ ____________ ____________! 

Amen!

How to be Accepted/Saved by God 

~The Case of David~

Romans 4:6-8 - ⁶ David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works ⁷ “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. ⁸ Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”

• Abraham came before the Law.
• David lived under the law.    But the Law still did not save him!

1. The Law only reveals that we are ___________________.

Romans 7:7 - ⁷ What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.

1. For the true believer in Christ, sin does not _________________________ our justification.   

⁸“Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”

Acceptance/Salvation is ___________________ __________________ ______ _________ ____________! Amen!

The _____________ of Righteousness is on the

 _____________________________,

The __________________ of Righteousness is on the

_____________________________!

Dependence on keeping the law for salvation 

only leads to ________________________.

Romans 4:14-15 – “¹⁴ For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, ¹⁵ because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.   

James 2:10  For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.