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4
Abraham Justified by Faith
1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has grounds for boasting, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to him who works, his wage is not credited as a gift, but as his due.
5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are they whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,
and whose sins have been covered;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall by no means impute sin.”
9 Does this blessing then come upon the circumcision, or also upon the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, 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 while in uncircumcision, so that he should be the father of all those that believe, although uncircumcised, so that righteousness should also be credited to them, 12 and the father of circumcision to those not only of circumcision, but also to those following in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while in uncircumcision.
The Promise Given Through Faith
13 For the promise that he should be heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law produces wrath; for where there is no law neither is there transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith that it may be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those of the law, but also to those of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 (just as it is written, “I have appointed you a father of many nations”) before God, whom he believed, the One who gives life to the dead and calls those things which are not as though they were; 18 who, contrary to hope, on hope believed, so that he should become a father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not weakening in faith, he did not consider his own body, already having been worn out (being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb, 20 he did not waver at the promise of God in unbelief, but was empowered by faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to do. 22 And therefore “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was credited to him, 24 but for us also, to whom it was going to be credited, those believing on Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up for our transgressions, and was raised for our justification.

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© 2014 Dr. Paul W. Esposito