What is the meaning of Romans 4:3? For what does the Scripture say? Paul’s opening question centers every argument on the written Word. • He does not appeal to human tradition or personal opinion; he turns to “the Scripture” as the decisive authority, just as Jesus did in Luke 24:27 and believers in Acts 17:2. • By quoting Genesis 15:6, Paul shows that the gospel of justification by faith is not new; it has always been God’s way. • This reliance on Scripture echoes 2 Timothy 3:16, reminding us that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction.” The lesson is clear: whatever follows in Romans 4 must be understood as God’s own testimony, not a theological experiment. Abraham believed God Before any ritual, law, or personal achievement, Abraham simply trusted the Lord. • Genesis 15:4-5 records the promise of countless descendants; verse 6 reports Abraham’s response: faith. • Hebrews 11:8-12 holds Abraham up as the pattern of obedient trust, while John 3:16 shows that the same believing response is required of everyone today. • James 2:23 recalls the very same moment, underscoring that genuine faith expresses itself in action but is never produced by action. • Galatians 3:16 points out that the ultimate focus of Abraham’s faith was Christ, the singular “Seed.” Faith, then, is wholehearted reliance on God’s promise, not mere acknowledgment of His existence. and it was credited to him as righteousness God himself placed righteousness on Abraham’s account. • The wording echoes the blessing of Psalm 32:1-2, where sin is “not counted” against the forgiven; here righteousness is positively “counted” for the believer. • Galatians 3:6 repeats the same formula, stressing that this crediting is God’s consistent method. • 2 Corinthians 5:21 explains the great exchange: Christ takes our sin, we receive His righteousness. • Philippians 3:9 contrasts this imputed righteousness with any self-made righteousness “from the law.” The picture is financial: Abraham’s spiritual ledger, once empty, is now filled with righteousness supplied entirely by God, received by faith alone. summary Romans 4:3 anchors the doctrine of justification in the unchanging testimony of Scripture. God’s Word declares that Abraham placed simple trust in Him, and in response God credited perfect righteousness to Abraham’s account. This same pattern—faith apart from works leading to full acceptance before God—remains the bedrock for every believer today. |
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