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Abraham Justified by Faith
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter?
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter?
The Faith of Abraham
Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God?
Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God?
If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about — but not before God.
If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way.
Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.
When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned.
However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.
David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
“Blessed are those
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
“Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sins are put out of sight.
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sins are put out of sight.
Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.
Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!
But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!
And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.
Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous — even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith.
And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.
It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith.
For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,
If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless.
because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring — not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.
Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead — since he was about a hundred years old — and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.
And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead — and so was Sarah’s womb.
Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.
being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.
This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.
The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone,
And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded
but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness — for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.