CHAPTER 4

(A.D. 60)

ABRAHAM

¹What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, has found? (Having stated that the Old Testament teaches that God justifies the sinner on the Faith principle as opposed to the merit principle, the Holy Spirit now brings forward Abraham.)

²For if Abraham were justified by works (which he wasnt), he has whereof to glory; but not before God (the boasting of Salvation by works, which God will not accept).

³For what says the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for Righteousness ([Gen. 15:6] if one properly understands this Verse, he properly understands the Bible; Abraham gained Righteousness by simple Faith in God, Who would send a Redeemer into the world [Jn. 8:56]).

⁴Now to him who works (tries to earn Salvation or Righteousness) is the reward (Righteousness) not reckoned of Grace (the Grace of God), but of debt (claiming that God owes us something, which He doesnt!).

⁵But to him who works not (doesnt trust in works for Salvation or Righteousness), but believes on Him Who Justifies the ungodly (through Christ and the Cross), his faith is counted for Righteousness (God awards Righteousness only on the basis of Faith in Christ and His Finished Work).

⁶Even as David (both Abraham and David were progenitors of the Promised Messiah, and as such they held a unique place in the Faith and veneration of the Work of God) also describes the blessedness of the man (a blessed man), unto whom God imputes Righteousness without works (works will never gain the Righteousness of God),

⁷Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven ([Ps. 32:1-2] iniquities can only be forgiven by Faith in Christ), and whose sins are covered (the Cross made this possible).

⁸Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin (the Lord will not impute sin to the person who places his Faith solely in Christ and what Christ did at the Cross).

⁹Comes this blessedness then upon the Circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? (It comes on all alike!) for we say that Faith was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness (presents Faith alone as the ingredient).

¹⁰How was it then reckoned? (This may be the greatest question of all time.) when he was in Circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in Circumcision, but in uncircumcision (because of his Faith, Abraham was declared Righteous by God before the Covenant of Circumcision [Gen. 15:6]).

¹¹And he received the sign of Circumcision (Gen. 17:9-14), a seal of the Righteousness of the Faith which he had yet being uncircumcised (plainly states that his Righteousness was by Faith, and was received long before Circumcision): that he might be the father of all them who believe (Jews and Gentiles), though they be not Circumcised (places the ground or Foundation of Salvation squarely on Faith instead of works); that Righteousness might be imputed unto them also (Righteousness has never been imputed on the ground of works, but always on the ground of Faith):

¹²And the father of Circumcision to them who are not of the Circumcision only (presents Abraham as being the father of all Believers, whether Jews or Gentiles), but who also walk in the steps of that Faith of our father Abraham (refers to him simply believing God, and God accounting his Faith to him for Righteousness [Gen. 15:6]), which he had being yet uncircumcised (clinches the argument and opens up Salvation to all who come by Faith in Christ, irrespective as to whom they may be).

THE PROMISE

¹³For the Promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the Law (the Law of Moses, which had not even been given during the time of Abraham), but through the Righteousness of Faith (when Paul uses the word Faith, without exception, he is speaking of Faith in Christ and what Christ did at the Cross; in fact, Christ must never be separated from the Cross, as it regards His Redemptive Work).

¹⁴For if they which are of the Law be heirs (only those in the Law), faith is made void (Salvation cannot exist in both works and Faith; either one cancels out the other), and the Promise made of none effect (faith in works cancels out Christ and all that He has done for us):

¹⁵Because the Law works wrath (Law has a penalty, so it must work wrath): for where no Law is, there is no transgression (Christ has satisfied the Law, thereby, taking away all transgression).

¹⁶Therefore it is of Faith, that itmight be by Grace (Grace functions only on Faith, and we speak of Faith in Christ; otherwise, Grace stops); to the end the Promise might be sure to all the seed (refers to the whole of humanity, at least those who will believe); not to that only which is of the Law (Jews), but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham (everything is by Faith); who is the father of us all (proclaims the Patriarch being used as an example of Faith [Gen. 15:6]),

JUSTIFICATION

¹⁷(As it is written, I have made you a father of many nations [Gen. 12:1-3; 17:4-5],) before Him Whom he believed, even God (refers to Abraham believing God), who quickens the dead (makes spiritually alive those who are spiritually dead), and calls those things which be not as though they were (if God has said it to us personally, we can call it; otherwise, it is presumption).

¹⁸Who against hope believed in hope (a description of Abrahams Faith, as it regarded the birth of Isaac), that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken (the Promise of God), So shall your seed be (Gen. 15:5).

¹⁹And being not weak in Faith (strong Faith), he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old (no longer able to have children), neither yet the deadness of Sarahs womb (placed her in the same situation as her husband):

²⁰He staggered not at the Promise of God through unbelief (he did not allow difficulties to deter him from the intended conclusion); but was strong in Faith, giving Glory to God (his Faith came from the Word of God);

²¹And being fully persuaded (no turning back) that, what He (God) had Promised, He was able also to perform (whatever it was, God could do it!).

²²And therefore it was imputed to him for Righteousness (simple Faith in God brought Abraham a spotless Righteousness).

²³Now it was not written for his sake alone (his struggle of Faith was meant to serve as an example), that it was imputed to him (serves as the example of how we receive from God, whether it be Salvation or anything else);

²⁴But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed (we can have that which Abraham had, a perfect Righteousness), if we believe on Him Who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead (proclaims the condition for Salvation);

²⁵Who was delivered for our offences (had to do with Jesus dying on the Cross for our sins; He had no sins), and was raised again for our Justification (we were raised with Him in newness of life [Rom. 6:4-5]).