Abraham
Justified By Faith
What
shall we say that Abraham, our forefather,
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 the Scripture say?
'ABRAHAM
BELIEVED GOD ,
AND
IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.'
4
No when a man works,
His
Wages are not credited to him as a Gift,
But
as and Obligation.
5
However, to the man who does not work
BUT
TRUSTS GOD WHO JUSTIFIES THE WICKED,
HIS
FAITH IS CREDITED AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
6
David says the same thing
When
he speaks of the blessedness
Of
the man to whom God credits Righteousness
Apart
form Works.
7
'Blessed are they whose Transgressions are forgiven,
Whose
Sins are covered.
8
Blessed is the man whose Sin
The
Lord will never count against him.'
9
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.
10
Under what circumstances was it credited?
Was
it after he was Circumcised, or before?
IT
WAS NOT AFTER BUT BEFORE!
11
AND HE RECEIVED THE SIGN OF CIRCUMCISION,
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.
12
AND HE IS ALSO THE FATHER OF THE CIRCUMCISED
WHO
NOT ONLY ARE CIRCUMCISED
BUT
WHO ALSO WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE FAITH
THAT
OUR FATHER ABRAHAM HAD BEFORE HE WAS CIRCUMCISED.
13
IT WAS NOT THROUGH 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.
14
FOR THOSE WHO LIVE BY LAW ARE HEIRS,
FAITH
HAS NO VALUE
AND
THE PROMISE IS WORTHLESS,
15
BECAUSE THE LAW BRINGS WRATH.
AND
WHERE THERE IS NO LAW THERE IS NO TRANSGRESSION.
16
THEREFORE, THE PROMISE COMES BY FAITH,
SO
THAT IT MAY BE BY GRACE
AND
MANY BE GUARANTEED
TO
ALL THOSE WHO ARE OF THE LAW
BUT
ALSO TO THOSE WHO ARE OF THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM.
17
As it is written:
'I
HAVE MADE YOU A FATHER OF MAY NATIONS.'
HE
IS OUR FATHER IN THE SIGHT OF GOD,
IN
WHOM HE BELIEVED--
THE
GOD WHO GIVES LIFE TO THE DEAD
AND
CALLS THINGS THAT ARE NOT AS THOUGH THEY WERE.
18
AGAINST ALL HOPE, ABRAHAM IN HOPE BELIEVED
AND
SO BECAME THE FATHER OF MANY NATIONS,
Just
as it has been said of him,
'SO
SHALL YOUR OFFSPRING BE.'
19
WITHOUT WEAKENING IN HIS FAITH,
HE
FACED THE FACT
THAT
HIS BODY WAS AS GOOD AS DEAD--
AND
SARAH'S WOMB WAS ALSO DEAD.
20
Yet he did not Waver through Unbelief
Regarding
the Promise of God,
BEING
FULLY PERSUADED
THAT
GOD HAD POWER TO DO WHAT HE HAD PROMISED.
21
THIS IS WHY 'IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.'
23
The words 'it was credited to him'
Were
written not for him alone,
24
But also for us,
TO
WHOM GOD WILL CREDIT RIGHTEOUSNESS--
FOR
US WHO BELIEVE IN HIM
WHO
RAISED JESUS OUR LORD FROM THE DEAD.
25
HE WAS DELIVERED OVER TO DEATH
FOR
OUR SINS
AND
WAS RAISED TO LIFE FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION.
(Romans
4)
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