Connect Romans 4:9 with Genesis 15:6 regarding Abraham's faith and righteousness. Abraham Believed God—Genesis 15:6 “Abram believed the LORD, and He credited it to him as righteousness.” • Abram, still childless, takes God at His word about innumerable descendants • God responds by accounting Abram righteous—no works, no ritual involved • This moment becomes the pattern for every future declaration of righteousness Paul’s Restatement—Romans 4:9 “Is this blessing then on the circumcised only, or also on the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” • Paul quotes Genesis 15:6 to anchor his gospel argument in the historical record • The “blessing” refers to forgiveness described in Psalm 32:1-2, cited earlier in Romans 4 • By stressing the timeline, Paul shows the crediting happened while Abraham was uncircumcised The Timeline Proves Faith Alone 1. Genesis 15—faith credited 2. Genesis 16—Hagar episode; still no circumcision 3. Genesis 17—circumcision instituted about fourteen years later (cf. Genesis 17:25) • Righteousness bestowed apart from any physical sign or later Mosaic law • Romans 4:10-11: “In what state was it credited? … It was not after, but before. And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.” Blessing for Every Nation • Romans 4:11-12 portrays Abraham as “father of all who believe,” Jew and Gentile alike • Galatians 3:8-9: “The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you.’” • Genesis 12:3 reveals God’s plan from the start: every family on earth to be blessed through Abraham Faith Defined: Trust in God’s Promise • Faith is reliance on God’s unbreakable word • Hebrews 11:11: Sarah “considered Him faithful who had promised” • Righteousness is credited by grace, not earned wages (Romans 4:4-5) • James 2:23 confirms Genesis 15:6 and shows real faith produces obedient works—works that flow from, not toward, justification Living in the Same Pattern • Romans 4:23-24: “The words ‘it was credited to him’ were written not only for Abraham, but also for us, to whom righteousness will be credited—to us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.” • The gospel is unchanged: believe God’s promise centered in the death and resurrection of Christ, and God declares the believer righteous • Rituals and deeds serve as outward seals, never as grounds for justification • Romans 5:1: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” |
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