Abraham Justified by Faith
(Genesis 15:1–7; Psalms 32:1–11; Hebrews 11:8–19)
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, has discovered? Isa 51:2Rom 4:162Co 11:22Act 13:26Jhn 8:56Luk 3:8Mat 3:9Rom 7:7 If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God. 1Co 1:312Co 11:30Php 3:9Eph 2:9Gal 3:221Co 1:291Co 9:162Co 12:1-9 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 1 Gen 15:6Jas 2:23Gal 3:6-8Rom 4:9Rom 4:22-25Rom 4:5Psa 106:31Rom 4:11
Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation. Rom 11:6Rom 9:32Rom 11:35Mat 20:1-16 However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. Php 3:9Rom 3:22Tit 3:3-7Rom 10:9-10Gal 3:8-14Rom 10:3Gal 2:16-171Co 6:9-11 And David speaks likewise of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 2Ti 1:9Eph 2:8-10Php 3:9Gal 3:8-91Co 1:302Co 5:21Isa 45:24-25Rom 3:20-22
“Blessed are they whose lawless acts are forgiven, Psa 32:1-2Psa 130:3-4Luk 7:47-50Mic 7:18-20Psa 85:2Isa 40:1-2Psa 51:8-9Jer 33:8-9
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man Psa 32:21Pe 2:242Co 5:19-201Pe 3:18Isa 53:10-12Phm 1:18-19
whose sin the Lord will never count against him.” 2
Is this blessing only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. Gal 3:14Col 3:11Eph 3:8Gal 3:26-28Rom 4:3Eph 2:11-13Rom 10:12-13Rom 15:8-19 In what context was it credited? Was it after his circumcision, or before? It was not after, but before. 3 Gal 6:15Gal 5:61Co 7:18-19Gen 15:16Gen 15:5-6Gen 16:1-3Gen 17:1Gen 17:10
And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. Luk 19:9Rom 3:222Co 1:22Heb 11:7Eph 1:13Eph 4:30Gal 3:22Gal 3:29 And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. Jhn 8:39-40Pro 2:20Sng 1:81Pe 2:212Co 12:18Gal 4:22-31Job 33:11Luk 16:23-31
Abraham Receives the Promise
(Genesis 15:8–21)
For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. Gal 3:29Gen 28:14Gen 22:17-18Rom 9:8Psa 2:8Gen 17:4-6Gal 3:16-18Gen 17:16 For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless, Gal 3:18-24Heb 7:19Php 3:9Gal 2:21Heb 7:28Isa 55:11Rom 3:31Rom 4:16 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression. Rom 5:13Gal 3:101Co 15:56Rom 3:19-20Rom 7:7-25Gal 3:19Jhn 3:361Jn 3:4
Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. Rom 3:24-26Eph 2:8Rom 9:8Gal 3:22Tit 3:7Eph 2:5Isa 51:2Rom 15:8 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” 4 He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist. 1Co 1:28Gen 17:4-5Jhn 5:21Rom 8:29-30Jhn 6:631Pe 2:10Eph 2:1-5Rom 8:11
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 5 Rom 8:24Gen 15:5-6Rom 5:5Act 27:25Mrk 5:35-36Pro 13:12Ezk 37:11Rom 4:17 Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb. Heb 11:11-19Gen 17:17Rom 4:20-21Gen 18:11-14Jhn 20:27-28Mat 14:31Mat 6:30Mat 8:26 Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, Luk 1:451Co 16:132Co 12:10Dan 10:192Ti 2:1Isa 35:4Isa 7:92Ch 20:15-20 being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised. Luk 1:37Jer 32:27Heb 11:19Jer 32:17Luk 1:45Gen 18:142Ti 1:12Mat 19:26 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 6 Rom 4:3Rom 4:6
Now the words “it was credited to him” were written not only for Abraham, 1Co 10:11Rom 15:41Co 10:62Ti 3:16-171Co 9:9-10 but also for us, to whom righteousness will be credited—for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. Act 2:241Pe 1:21Act 13:30Rom 10:9-10Act 2:39Eph 1:18-20Heb 13:20-21Jhn 3:14-16 He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification. 1Jn 4:9-10Isa 53:5-61Pe 2:241Pe 3:182Co 5:21Gal 1:41Jn 2:2Eph 5:2