Abraham, The Father of Faith, Part 2: Righteousness Imputed/Put on his Account as well as on Ours:

Our last study brought us to Romans 4:1212 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.

. Today, we step back and consider the Greek word “logizomai” (G3049) in the fourth chapter of Romans and what it teaches us. It occurs 41 times in the New Testament (NT). The King James (KJV) translates it with 13 different English words: 9 times it is “think,” 8 as “impute,” 6 as “reckon,” 5 “count,” 4 “account,” twice as “suppose,” and once each as “reason,” “number,” “despise,” “conclude,” “esteem,” “think on” and “lay to (one’s) charge.” The Greek Lexicon defines it: “to occupy one’s self with reckonings or calculations. To reckon or count; to reckon anything to a person, to put it to his account, either in his favor or what he must be answerable for.” It’s found 19 times in Romans, more frequently than any other NT book and it stands out in the fourth chapter where it occurs 11 times, by far the most frequent of any chapter, where it is translated “counted,” “reckoned,” “imputeth,” “impute” and “imputed.” This is significant and behooves us to carefully consider what the Holy Spirit is teaching with it.

Following, the English words translated from the Greek “logizomai” are highlighted in each of the verses it occurs in Romans chapter 4.

1. “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” Romans 4:33 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

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

. It teaches that God put righteousness on Abraham’s account; He reckoned Abraham righteous; He imputed righteousness to Abraham …. simply because Abraham believed Him.

2. “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” Romans 4:44 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

. The reward (Greek meaning dues paid for work) is not counted of Grace; conversely, debt compounds and is imputed, i.e., put on the account of any man or woman who attempts to work by their own power to gain the righteousness of God.

3. “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted 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 is difficult for most people to believe and accept, but in truth, those who don’t try to work by their own efforts for righteousness, but simply believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, his/her faith (their believing) is counted or put on their account for righteousness.

4. “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Romans 4:6 - 76 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

. These and the following verse quote King David in Psalms 32:11 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

- 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.

. However, we note these 3 verses are not exact quotes of the words translated from what David wrote. Thus, we know that the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to give the full meaning in Romans to what David wrote in Psalms. David described how blessed a man or woman is whose iniquities (which in the Greek means their violation/s of the law) are forgiven and their sins are covered. The Greek word translated “covered” is used only here in the NT and it means to cover over, just as the Hebrew word in Psalms 32:1 translated “covered” means to “cover, clad self, close, clothe, conceal, hide, etc.”

5. “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.

. This quote from Psalms 32:22 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

teaches that the man or woman who believes God is blessed by God because He does not reckon or impute their sin to them.

Thus, from verses 6, 7 & 8 believers are assured that we are blessed by believing God: 1- with God’s righteousness without out working for it; 2- our iniquities are forgiven and sins covered; and 3- God will not impute/ put on our accounts, our sin. Paul expanded on this truth in 2 Corinthians 5:99 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

: “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing (logizomai) their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”

6. “Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.” Romans 4:99 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

. Paul turns to the Jew, most of whom thought they were blessed just because they were Jews, that is, Abraham’s descendants and they had been circumcised. He asks rhetorically, is God’s blessedness for the circumcision (Jews) only, or for the uncircumcision (Gentiles) also? He asks this because he had stated that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousness and he answers this question in the next verse.

7. “How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.” Romans 4:1010 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

. Paul asks, again rhetorically, was righteousness reckoned to Abraham after he was circumcised or before and he answers that Abraham was indeed reckoned righteous before he was circumcised.

8. “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: 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.” Romans 4:11 - 1211 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.

. This must have been disappointing to the self-righteous Jews and one of the reasons they persecuted Paul wherever he went. Abraham was counted righteous prior to being circumcised making him the father of all, even Gentiles, who believe. However, note carefully he adds, “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.” This means that being a circumcised Jew alone was/is not enough; the Jew must “also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised” in order to be imputed with God’s righteousness.

9. Romans 4:13 - 1913 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:

teaches that the promise God gave Abraham that he and his seed would be heir to the world was not through the Law God subsequently gave Moses, but it was through the righteousness of faith. This because if it had been through the law, that would have voided the righteousness that comes through faith, because the Law can only bring the wrath of judgment because if there is no law there is nothing to be judged by. Therefore, righteousness comes through faith by God’s Grace to all, who like Abraham, believe God’s Word and this makes Abraham the father of all who believe, whether Jew or Gentile. This passage continues that even though when Abraham was about 100 years old, meaning he and Sarah’s bodies were considered dead as far as producing a son, Abraham believed God’s Word that they would have a son; and “he (Abraham) staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:20 - 2220 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

. Abraham was counted or reckoned righteous before God because he believed and praised God, being totally sure God would do what He promised.

10. “Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;” Romans 4:2323 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

. God had a plan, that being that righteousness was not just imputed or reckoned for Abraham’s sake alone.

11. “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:24 - 2524 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

. The good news for us is that righteousness is imputed or reckoned or put on our account if we believe on God who raised Jesus from the dead Who died for our sins and was raised again for our justification (or righteousness).

Paul condenses all this when he documented the simple plan of salvation in his epistle to the Corinthians: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” 1 Corinthians 15:1 - 41 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

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