Bible Study Romans 4: 1-25

 

Commentary of the Book of the Romans

By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins

Text Used: Legacy Standard Bible

Bible Study Romans 4: 1-25

Text:

Abraham and David’s Faith Counted as Righteousness

4 What then shall we say that Abraham, [a]our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified [b]by works, he has something to boast about—but not [c]before God! 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not counted according to grace, but according to what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes upon Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

7  “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,
And whose sins have been covered.

8 Blessed is the man whose sin the [d]Lord will not take into account.”

9 Therefore, is this blessing on [e]the circumcised, or on [f]the uncircumcised also? For we say, “Faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.” 10 How then was it counted? While he was [g]circumcised, or [h]uncircumcised? Not while [i]circumcised, but while [j]uncircumcised; 11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [k]he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be counted to them, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which [l]he had while uncircumcised.

13 For the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he would be heir of the world was not [m]through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are [n]of the Law are heirs, faith has been made empty and the promise has been abolished; 15 for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no trespass.

16 For this reason it is [o]by faith, in order that it may be according to grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the seed, not only to [p]those who are of the Law, but also to [q]those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all— 17 as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”—in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and [r]calls into being that which does not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your seed be.” 19 And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to do. 22 Therefore it was also counted to him as righteousness. 23 Now not for his sake only was it written that it was counted to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be counted, as those who believe upon Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was delivered over on account of our transgressions, and was raised on account of our justification.

Verse by verse commentary:

Verse 1: “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter?”

Paul held up Abraham as the ultimate example of a righteous man, as did the Jews (John 8:39). Paul used Abraham to demonstrate justification by faith alone. This also clearly showed how Judaism, with its emphasis on works-righteousness, had strayed from the faith of the Jewish patriarchal ancestors. In a spiritual sense, Abraham was also the forerunner of the church in Rome, which was primarily Gentile.

Verse 2: “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about—but not before God!”

To be "justified by works" means to be declared righteous through human effort. However, if Abraham had been justified by his own works, he would have had reason to boast before God. This makes the hypothetical scenario in verse 2 unimaginable.

Verse 3: “For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’”

Paul highlights Abraham as proof that righteousness comes through faith, not adherence to the law, aligning with the statement in Romans 3: 27. Contrary to the idea that Abraham's righteousness stemmed from obedience, Genesis 15: 6 demonstrates he had "nothing to boast about," as his righteousness was credited to his faith. James also uses Abraham to illustrate how true faith is evidenced by works.

Verse 4: “Now to the one who works, his wage is not counted according to grace, but according to what is due.”

The apostle expands his argument from Abraham to encompass all humanity, emphasizing that God's declaration of a person as righteous is entirely separate from any human effort. If salvation were earned through personal striving, God would be obligated to grant it as a debt. However, salvation is consistently presented as a sovereignly bestowed gift of God's grace to those who repent and believe.

Verse 5: “But to the one who does not work, but believes upon Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,”

Faith is the sole prerequisite for salvation. God accepts faith in place of human efforts. While faith itself holds no inherent merit, it is the exclusive means by which one can receive God's freely given grace. Through faith, God is honored, and humanity is granted righteousness. Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness, demonstrating that his belief was accounted for something it was not—a righteousness originating from God. This distinction is crucial to comprehend. There is no faith without repentance.

Verse 6: “just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:”

David lived under the Law, unlike Abraham, who lived before it was given—the Mosaic system came about 400 years later. Despite living under the Law, David could not be saved by it because his actions were evil. Thus, David described the blessedness of God's righteousness being reckoned without works, as his works were none. Therefore, righteousness must be entirely separate from works and operate on a different principle.

Verse 7: ““Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,

And whose sins have been covered.”

These verses, a direct quotation from Psalm 32:1-2, are among David's most significant penitential psalms, alongside Psalm 51. They reflect the profound consequences of David's great sin, followed by his sincere confession and ultimate acceptance.

Verse 8: “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.”

In essence, a man is blessed when the Lord does not hold his sins against him. David, despite being a significant sinner, experienced God's forgiveness, as conveyed by Nathan: "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die" (2 Sam. 12:13). However, David still faced consequences. He unwittingly pronounced his own penalty when responding to Nathan's parable of the rich man who took the poor man's ewe lamb, stating, "And he shall restore the lamb fourfold" (2 Sam. 12:6). Consequently, four of David's children died: Bathsheba's child, Amnon (his firstborn), Absalom, and Adonijah. Throughout his life, David was plagued by sorrow. Yet, his guilt was not accounted to him because Another bore it on his behalf. It is therefore unsurprising that he could declare, "Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will in no wise put to his account."

Verse 9: “Therefore, is this blessing on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, ‘Faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.’”

Paul now returns to Abraham to demonstrate the universality of justification. The Jewish argument would be that David, who spoke of the joy of the forgiven man under law, belonged to the circumcised, and only they could expect such joy. To counter this, Paul emphasizes that Abraham was justified both before the Law was given and before he was circumcised.

Verse 10: “How then was it counted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while [d]uncircumcised;”

Abraham believed God's promise, even before any written Word existed. His faith rested solely on God's spoken word.

Verse 11: “and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be counted to them,”

Long before circumcision was introduced, God made a promise to Abraham. Abraham simply believed God; that was sufficient. Abraham is considered the racial father of all Jews (the circumcised). Spiritually, he is the father of both believing Jews and believing Gentiles.

Verse 12: “and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which [a]he had while uncircumcised.”

Abraham stands as the representative believer for both Jews and Gentiles. For Jews, his justification preceded his circumcision, making circumcision a sign of an already established faith. For Gentiles, his justification occurred independently of circumcision, demonstrating that faith is not contingent on this ritual.

Verse 13: “ For the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.”

The covenant between God and Abraham, and his descendants, is rooted in the "promise" of Christ. This covenant's ultimate fulfillment was the blessing of the entire world through Abraham's lineage (Genesis 12:3). Paul emphasizes that "the seed" specifically refers to Christ, and this promise embodies the very essence of the gospel. Consequently, all believers, through their union with Christ, inherit this promise.

Verse 14: “For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith has been made empty and the promise has been abolished;”

If the promise were exclusively for those who perfectly uphold the law—an impossible feat—then faith would be rendered meaningless. A promise made dependent on an unattainable condition essentially negates the promise itself.

Verse 15: “for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no trespass.”

The law reveals humanity's sinfulness, which, in turn, leads to wrath.

Verse 16: “For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be according to grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the seed, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all—”

The promise, which encompasses all its components, is received through faith and therefore rests upon grace. If the promise were based on works, it would have failed. Similarly, if it were contingent on circumcision, only Jews could have received it. However, because it is by faith, and thus by God's action rather than man's, it is guaranteed to extend to Abraham's true spiritual descendants—all believers, whether Jew or Gentile by birth.

Verse 17: “as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”—in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.”

This is a quote from Genesis 17: 5. Abraham experienced firsthand “who gives life to the dead” when he was able to have a child in his advanced age. Justification is from God; God declares believing sinners righteous by imputing His righteousness to them. This is similar to how God declared Jesus "sin" and punished Him, though He was not a sinner. God will conform those He justifies to the image of His Son. False Word of Faith preachers like to use the calling portion of this Scripture to teach that man can call things forth. That is an error. It is God Who calls not man.

Verse 18: “ In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, ‘So shall your seed be.’”

Abraham’s belief, even against hope, demonstrates true faith. He trusted in God’s power, as noted in verse 17, and became assured that God’s promise would be fulfilled. Paul emphasizes that genuine faith is directed towards God and His divine word, not towards human circumstances or situations. Naturally, it seemed futile for Abraham to believe Sarah would bear his child, which was the initial requirement for receiving the promise, as explained in verse 19.

Verse 19: “And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb;”

Faith weakens when doubt undermines confidence in God's Word. Sarah's womb was "dead" because, at 90 years old (just 10 years younger than Abraham), she was well past childbearing age when they were promised Isaac (Genesis 17:17).

Verse 20: “yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,”

Abraham's justification was a result of his faith, which was characterized by glorifying God. This faith was founded on God's attributes, demonstrating dependence on God's power and trust in His promises, and thereby displaying God's glory.

Verse 21: “and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to do.”

To be “fully assured” meant he was completely confident, with no room for doubt.

Verse 22: “Therefore it was also counted to him as righteousness.”

Abraham's faith was in the resurrection—life from the dead—and this is what God accepted from him, not his own righteousness, which he lacked. God declared Abraham righteous because he believed in God's promise to bring a son from the tomb of death, which was Sarah's womb. Similarly, God promises eternal life to those who believe that He raised His own Son from the tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea, the place of death.

Verse 23: “Now not for his sake only was it written that it was counted to him,”

Scripture, including Abraham's experience, has universal application. Therefore, if Abraham was justified by faith, this principle applies to everyone; all are justified on the same basis.

Verse 24: “but for our sake also, to whom it will be counted, as those who believe upon Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,”

At the chapter's conclusion, the Apostle applies the principles to us. Having extensively demonstrated Abraham's justification by faith, it is here concluded that his justification serves as the model for our own.

Verse 25: “He who was delivered over on account of our transgressions, and was raised on account of our justification.”

Paul links Abraham's justification by faith to the core of justification: Christ's work. Christ's death and resurrection are integral to a single saving act. He paid the legal penalty for our sins through His death. His resurrection validated His death as a complete, effective, and pleasing sacrifice for sin to our Holy God.