What is the meaning of Romans 4:22? This is why - Paul has just described Abraham “being fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised” (Romans 4:21). - The phrase points back to that unwavering faith: it was Abraham’s confident trust, not any personal merit, that triggered God’s action. - Similar faith-based reasoning appears in Hebrews 11:11, where Sarah receives power “since she considered Him faithful who had promised,” and in Galatians 3:8, where Scripture “foresees” God justifying Gentiles by faith. - The verse therefore ties the crediting of righteousness directly to Abraham’s belief, underscoring that faith is the decisive cause. It was credited - “Credited” speaks of an accounting transfer: righteousness placed in Abraham’s ledger while his sin-debt is not counted against him (Psalm 32:2; 2 Corinthians 5:19). - Romans 4:3 repeats Genesis 15:6 almost verbatim, stressing that this crediting is scriptural precedent, not a Pauline innovation. - The passive voice (“was credited”) highlights God as the One doing the counting; Abraham simply receives. - No wages are earned (Romans 4:4–5); grace moves the divine Accountant to write righteousness into an otherwise empty column. To him - The pronoun centers on Abraham, a real historical figure (Genesis 15:6), making clear that justification by faith is not theoretical. - Paul extends the principle “to him” toward every believer: “The words ‘it was credited to him’ were written… for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Romans 4:23-24). - Galatians 3:6-9 affirms that those who share Abraham’s faith are sons of Abraham, inheriting the same credited righteousness. - The personal application invites each reader to see God’s willingness to deal individually, not just generically, with sinners. As righteousness - Righteousness is more than forgiven sin; it is the positive standing God requires (Romans 3:22). - Abraham did not possess such righteousness inherently; it had to be placed “as” or “for” righteousness in God’s sight. - Philippians 3:9 echoes this truth: believers are “found in Him, not having my own righteousness… but that which is through faith in Christ.” - Thus the verse teaches imputed righteousness: God legally declares believers righteous because faith unites them to His promise-keeping character and, ultimately, to Christ Himself (Romans 5:19). Summary Romans 4:22 wraps Paul’s argument in a single statement: because Abraham believed God’s promise without wavering, God responded by crediting righteousness to his account. The verse affirms that: • Faith is the sole reason (“This is why”) for justification, • God performs the gracious accounting (“it was credited”), • The blessing is personal and transferable (“to him”), • What is granted meets God’s perfect standard (“as righteousness”). Consequently, every believer who rests in God’s promises—now centered in the risen Lord Jesus—receives the same righteous standing before God, apart from works. |
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