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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 his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way.
For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned.
But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.
David Celebrates the Same Truth
But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
“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.
“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
And whose sins are covered;
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”
Abraham Justified Before Circumcision
Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.
Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.
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!
How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised.
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 received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also,
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.
and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.
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.
The Promise Granted Through Faith
For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless.
For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect,
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!)
because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.
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.
(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed — God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”
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.
And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.
He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,
He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.
and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.
And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded
Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him,
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.
but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,