Romans 4
The Example of
Abraham |
1 |
What shall we say then that Abraham our
father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
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2 |
For if Abraham were justified by works,
he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
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3 |
For what saith the Scripture? Abraham
believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Gen.
15.6 · Gal.
3.6
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4 |
Now to him that worketh is the reward not
reckoned of grace, but of debt.
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5 |
But to him that worketh not, but
believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted
for righteousness.
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6 |
Even as David also describeth the
blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without
works,
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7 |
saying,
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Blessed are they whose iniquities are
fogiven, and whose sins are
covered. |
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8 |
Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin. Ps. 32.1, 2
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9 |
Cometh this blessedness then
upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also?
for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for
righteousness.
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10 |
How was it then reckoned? when he was in
circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in
uncircumcision.
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11 |
And he received the sign of circumcision, Gen. 17.10 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:
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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.
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The Promise Realized
through Faith |
13 |
For the promise, Gen. 17.4-6 · Gal. 3.29 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.
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14 |
For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none
effect: Gal. 3.18
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15 |
because the law worketh wrath: for where
no law is, there is no transgression.
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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, Gal.
3.7
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17 |
(as it is written, I have made thee a
father of many nations, Gen. 17.5 ) before him whom he believed, even God, who
quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though
they were:
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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. Gen. 15.5
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19 |
And being not weak in faith, he
considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred
years old, Gen. 17.17 neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:
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20 |
he staggered not at the promise of God
through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to
God;
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21 |
and being fully persuaded, that what he
had promised, he was able also to perform.
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22 |
And therefore it was imputed to him for
righteousness.
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23 |
Now it was not written for his sake
alone, that it was imputed to him;
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24 |
but for us also, to whom it shall be
imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the
dead;
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25 |
who was delivered for our offenses, and
was raised again for our justification.
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