Romans 4: Abraham, The Father of Faith: Part 1:

Both Muslims and Jews reverence Abraham as their father. Unfortunately, all Muslims and I dare say the majority of Jews reverence him after the flesh only, which does not make them righteous before God. They fail to recognize him as the father of Faith - the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe.

Our last study examined the 9 occasions of the word “faith” in the 3rd chapter of Romans, which teaches that no one can be justified by the works of the law, Romans 3:2020 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

, and the only way anyone, from the time of Adam to the last person living when the rapture occurs, can be righteous before God is by: “… “the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe,” Romans 3:2222 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

. This is a good place to note that God’s Word in the original is perfectly constructed, the Holy Spirit having inspired the Jewish men who wrote it, exactly when and where to use each individual word. There is evidence of this in Romans with the following words:

• Law (G3451) occurs 75 times in Romans, by far the most frequent in the New Testament (NT); generally referring to the Law of Moses; 19 in Romans chapter 2, 11 in chapter 3 and 5 in chapter 4;*

• Faith (G4002) 40 in Romans, the most frequent in the NT, 10 in chapter 4;**

• Abraham (G11) 9 in Romans, 7 in chapter 4;***

• Believe (G4000) 39 in Romans, 6 in chapter 4;

• Circumcision (G3961) 15 in Romans, the most frequent in the NT, 6 in Chapter 4;****

• Uncircumcision (G203) 11 in Romans, the most frequent in the NT, 5 in Chapter 4;

• Work (G2041) 18 in Romans, the second most frequent in the NT, 2 in Chapter 4:

• Worketh (G2038) 4 in Romans, 2 in Chapter 4;

• Righteousness (G1343) 36 in Romans, the most frequent in the NT, 8 in Chapter 4;

• Impute (G3049) 19 in Romans, by far the most frequent in the NT (also translated think, reckon, count, account, conclude and esteem), 11 of which are in Chapter 4 where the Greek is translated impute, reckon and count;

• Justified (G1344) 15 in Romans, the most frequent in the NT, 2 in Chapter 4 (definition: to render or pronounce righteous);****

• Grace (G5385) 25 in Romans, the most frequent in the NT, 2 in Chapter 4;

In the 4th chapter, Paul points out that it is only by faith in God’s Word that anyone can be righteous and identifies Abraham as the father of all who believe. The chapter begins with the fact Abraham could do nothing in his flesh, i.e., by works, to obtain the righteousness required by God, Romans 4:1 - 21 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

. But God counted (imputed or reckoned) him righteous because he believed God, Romans 4:33 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

, quoting Genesis 15:66 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

. These truths apply universally because all works of the flesh are reckoned (counted or imputed) as “debt” and not of “grace” Romans 4:44 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

. The Greek word translated debt (G3683) in verse 4 is only found one other place in the NT, that being in what is commonly known as the Lord’s prayer, Matthew 6:1212 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” It means “something owed, a due, morally a fault.” Thus, all works we do of the flesh are reckoned or counted as debt and not counted of “grace,” that is, to our benefit or favor.

Before God changed his name to Abraham, he was called Abram and was an example of how the works of the flesh only bring debt. God had promised to make from him, that is from his seed, a great nation by which all the nations of the earth will be blessed, Genesis 12:2 - 32 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

; Genesis 15:4 - 54 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

. Abram believed God’s promise but as time passed and when his wife Sarai (later Sarah) didn’t become pregnant he took it upon himself by the works of his flesh, to do what God promised him. Upon Sarai’s encouragement, he impregnated her handmaiden Hagar who bore Ishmael, a son of his flesh, when he was 86 years old, Genesis 16:3 - 43 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

; Genesis 16:1616 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

. This work of his flesh has been catastrophic ever since as many of Ishmael’s seed still plague the world as terrorists, Genesis 16:1212 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

. Never-the-less, God had made a promise that Abram believed and God always honors His promises. So, in spite of Abram’s fleshly mistake, when he was 99 years old, God sealed His promise with a covenant marked by the rite of physical circumcision, Genesis 17:10 - 1210 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

and changed his name to Abraham and Sarai’s to Sarah. Then, after the old works of the flesh were cut off, signified by physical circumcision,100-year-old Abraham, by God’s grace and power, impregnated Sarah and she bare Isaac, the son of promise, Genesis 21:1 - 51 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.

5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

. Believers today must learn from Abraham that we can’t do God’s work with our old sinful flesh and that we are circumcised “… with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:” Colossians 2:1111 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

, “… we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:1010 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

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Paul further explains this later in Romans: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:1 - 111 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

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Back to the next verse in the 4th chapter: “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted (imputed or reckoned) for righteousness” Romans 4:55 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

. This verse recaps or summarizes the next 2 verses, which quote King David: “Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin,” Romans 4:7 - 87 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

, from Psalms 32:1 - 21 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

. When David wrote these words, he was describing himself as being blessed by God Who imputed or counted righteousness on his account without works. He had sinned terribly by adultery and murder, but he wrote Psalms 32:1 - 2 by faith, that is, he believed God’s Word to him that his sins were forgiven and covered, even if he didn’t know how God accomplished it. That was not revealed until Paul wrote “…by faith of Jesus Christ unto and upon all who believe…” Who “God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” Romans 3:21 - 2521 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

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After quoting David: “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin,” Romans 4:88 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

, Paul asks: “Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision (Jews) only, or upon the uncircumcision (Gentiles) also? for we say that faith was reckoned (imputed or counted) to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned (imputed or counted)? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision?” Romans 4:9 - 109 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

. And Paul answers: “Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he (Abraham) received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed (reckoned or counted) unto them also:” Romans 4:10 - 1110 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

. Before Paul was saved Peter had preached to the Jews: “Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, and in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.” Acts 3:2525 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

, quoting Genesis 22:1818 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

. However, it should be noted that up until it was revealed to Paul, even though Peter and all Jews who believed Jesus was their Messiah believed that the seed of Abraham would bless all kindreds of the earth, they were unaware it was actually by Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection that righteousness was available to everyone, Jew and Gentile, Romans 3:22 - 2522 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

. Abraham received the promise and believed God prior to being circumcised, Romans 4:10 - 1210 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

, and the revelation the risen Lord Jesus Christ gave to Paul made clear: “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” Romans 2:28 - 2928 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

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To be continued.

*The word Law occurs 32 times in Galatians, the second most often in any NT book.

**The word Faith occurs 14 times in Galatians 3; 24 in Hebrews 11; and 13 in James 2.

***Abraham’s name is used 8 times in Galatians 3.

****Circumcision & justified occur the second most frequently in Galatians.