Romans 4
4
1WHAT shall we say then that Abraham hath found, who is our father according to the flesh.
2For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God.
3For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.
4Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt.
5But to him that worketh not, yet believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reputed to justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God.
6As David also termeth the blessedness of a man, to whom God reputeth justice without works:
7Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin.
9This blessedness then, doth it remain in the circumcision only, or in the uncircumcision also? For we say that unto Abraham faith was reputed to justice.
10How then was it reputed? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the justice of the faith, which he had, being uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all them that believe, being uncircumcised, that unto them also it may be reputed to justice:
12And might be the father of circumcision; not to them only, that are of the circumcision, but to them also that follow the steps of the faithful, that is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham.
13For not through the law was the promise to Abraham, or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world; but through the justice of faith.
14For if they who are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, the promise is made of no effect.
15For the law worketh wrath. For where there is no law, neither is there transgression.
16Therefore is it of faith, that according to grace the promise might be firm to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
17(As it is written: I have made thee a father of many nations,) before God, whom he believed, who quickeneth the dead; and calleth those things that are not, as those that are.
18Who against hope believed in hope; that he might be made the father of many nations, according to that which was said to him: So shall thy seed be.
19And he was not weak in faith; neither did he consider his own body now dead, whereas he was almost an hundred years old, nor the dead womb of Sara.
20In the promise also of God he staggered not by distrust; but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God:
21Most fully knowing, that whatsoever he has promised, he is able also to perform.
22And therefore it was reputed to him unto justice.
23Now it is not written only for him, that it was reputed to him unto justice,
24But also for us, to whom it shall be reputed, if we believe in him, that raised up Jesus Christ, our Lord, from the dead,
25Who was delivered up for our sins, and rose again for our justification.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Romans 4
4
The Example of Abraham
1Well then, what can we say about our ancestor Abraham? 2If he became acceptable to God because of what he did, then he would have something to brag about. But he would never be able to brag about it to God. 3#Gn 15.6; Ga 3.6. The Scriptures say, “God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith in him.”
4Money paid to workers isn't a gift. It is something they earn by working. 5But you cannot make God accept you because of something you do. God accepts sinners only because they have faith in him. 6In the Scriptures David talks about the blessings that come to people who are acceptable to God, even though they don't do anything to deserve these blessings. David says,
7-8 #
Ps 32.1,2. “What a blessing
when God forgives our sins
and our evil deeds.
What a blessing
when the Lord erases our sins
from his book.”
9Are these blessings meant for circumcised people or for those who are not circumcised? Well, the Scriptures say that God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith in him. 10But when did this happen? Was it before or after Abraham was circumcised? Of course, it was before.
11 #
Gn 17.10,11. Abraham let himself be circumcised to show he had been accepted because of his faith even before he was circumcised. This makes Abraham the father of all who are acceptable to God because of their faith, even though they are not circumcised. 12This also makes Abraham the father of everyone who is circumcised and has faith in God, as Abraham did before he was circumcised.
The Promise Is for All Who Have Faith
13 #
Gn 17.4-6; 22.17,18; Ga 3.29. God promised Abraham and his descendants that he would give them the world. This promise wasn't made because Abraham had obeyed a law, but because his faith in God made him acceptable. 14#Ga 3.18. If Abraham and his descendants were given this promise because they had obeyed a law, then faith would mean nothing, and the promise would be worthless.
15God becomes angry when his Law is broken. But where there isn't a law, it cannot be broken. 16#Ga 3.7. Everything depends on having faith in God, so that God's promise is assured by his gift of undeserved grace. This promise isn't only for Abraham's descendants who have the Law. It is for all who are Abraham's descendants because they have faith, just as he did. Abraham is the ancestor of us all. 17#Gn 17.4,5. The Scriptures say that Abraham would become the ancestor of many nations. This promise was made to Abraham because he had faith in God, who raises the dead to life and creates new things.
18 #
Gn 15.5. God promised Abraham a lot of descendants. And when it all seemed hopeless, Abraham still had faith in God and became the ancestor of many nations. 19#Gn 17.17. Abraham's faith never became weak, not even when he was nearly 100 years old. He knew he was almost dead and that his wife Sarah could not have children. 20But Abraham never doubted or questioned God's promise. His faith made him strong, and he gave all the credit to God.
21Abraham was certain that God could do what he had promised. 22So God accepted him, 23just as we read in the Scriptures. But these words were not written only for Abraham. 24They were written for us, since we will also be accepted because of our faith in God, who raised our Lord Jesus to life. 25#Is 53.4,5. God gave Jesus to die for our sins, and he raised him to life, so that we would be made acceptable to God.
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