BIBLE STUDY MANUALS: ROMANS CHAPTER 4

ROMANS CHAPTER 4

INTRODUCTION

[Dr. John Danish states, (Audio Sermon Tape #77RO-34 side 2, given at Berean Memorial Church, Irving, Tx, 1977)]:

"Paul in this 4th chapter of Romans has begun a new segment of this letter. A letter which by and large is a formal dissertation on the subject of salvation. He takes up at this point the example from Israel's history to show that salvation in the Old Testament was by faith just as it is in the New Testament - not by works. Abraham is the key personality, of course, in Jewish history because he was the father of the Jewish people... ...He is viewed, consequently as the pattern for the Jews in their own personal salvation. Now the Jews, because of the Mosaic Law, had made a very serious mistake: the fact that they had concluded that salvation was via keeping the works of the Mosaic system. This is what Paul is trying to straighten out once and for all in this letter. People in Paul's day fell into the false notion relative to the works idea just as people in our day do. So we need this information because earning salvation is the natural inclination of the unbeliever's thinking."

[Ro 4:1]:

"What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?"

"What then shall we say..." = Paul refers back to what he has concluded at the end of chapter three which we summarize here:

[Ro 3:27-28]:

(v. 27) "Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of Works? No, but by a law of faith.

(v. 28) For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law."

...Paul concludes that the law of faith states that boasting about one's justification is absolutely excluded as a possibility because salvation unto eternal life is received outside of anything an individual does:

[Eph 2:8-9]:

(v. 8) "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this [salvation is] not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -

(v. 9) not by works so that no one can boast."

[Ro 3:29-30]:

(v. 29) " Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also -

(v. 30) if indeed God is one - and He will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith."

...And Paul concludes that salvation is the same for all peoples - the same for Jew and Gentile alike: by faith alone in Christ alone.

[Ro 3:31]:

"Do we then nullify the Law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the Law."

...And finally, Paul concludes that the purpose of the Law is to bring Jew and Gentile alike to the realization that each one of us cannot continually keep nor never break a single statute of a perfect standard such as the Law of Moses. Thus eternal life in heaven is NOT attainable through the Mosaic Law or any standard of behavior. When that point is attained in the mind of an individual and then that individual depends solely upon the mercy of God through faith alone in Christ alone, then the purpose of the Law is upheld.

[Compare Gal 3:21-25]:

(v. 21) "Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart [eternal] life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law [i.e., some code of behavior].

(v. 22) But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised [eternal life], being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

(v. 23) Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the [Mosaic] Law, locked up until faith should be revealed.

["Locked up until faith should be revealed" = Locked up in sin and condemnation because no one can perfectly keep the Law. So an individual faced mounting acts of sin and inevitable condemnation in the Lake of Fire for all eternity! But when it is revealed to an individual by God the Holy Spirit that he can resolve his "locked up" and hopeless condition of sin and condemnation through faith in Christ, the gate to eternal life in heaven is unlocked and a place is secured in heaven simply by trusting alone in Christ alone as Savior.

Scripture teaches that

(1) unbelievers are hopelessly blinded to the truth of the gospel of faith alone in Christ alone unto eternal life.

(2)Therefore, God the Holy Spirit provides, on an individual basis, the revelation of the truth of the gospel and

(3) the gift of faith to appropriate its benefits:

(a) [2 Cor 4:3-4]:

(v. 3) "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,

(v. 4) in whose case the god of this world [Satan, (Eph 6:12)] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God."

(b) [1 Cor 2:9-10]:

(v. 9) "But just as it is written,

'Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,

and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has perpared for those who love Him.'

(v. 10) For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God."

(c) [Phil 1:29]:

"For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake."

[Gal 3:21-25 cont.]:

(v. 24) "So the Law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.

(v, 25) Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the Law."

So how is the Law upheld in any age, i.e., how is its purpose fulfilled?

Answer: By a one time expression of faith alone in Christ alone as Savior. So the "supervision of the Law", serves as a reminder of how impossible it is to be absolutely perfect in order to have eternal life. The purpose of the Law is upheld when the individual comes to the realization that he cannot continually and perfectly live by such a standard of behavior as the Mosaic Law and therefore comes to an end of himself and depends solely upon the mercy of God to save him:

[Titus 3:5]:

"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit."

God then declares an individual absolutely and perfectly righteous at the moment that he expresss his faith alone in Christ alone as Savior:

[Ro 3:21-22]:

(v. 21) "But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets;

(v. 22) even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe..."

God's declaration of a believer's being as absolutely righteous as Jesus Christ is, however, a positional one. For that believer's lifestyle after he is saved will certainly not be a perfect one, (Ro 7; I Jn 1:8, 10). But since the believer has appropriated what our Lord did for him on the cross, when he trusted in Christ as Savior, (1 Jn 2:1-2; 1:7), then every infraction - past, present and future - of God's standard of perfect righteousness is covered and forgiven. God, therefore, is able to declare that individual believer as perfectly righteous, even to the extent that, so far as God is concerned, that believer is already seated in heaven no matter what he does:

[Eph 2:4-6]:

(v. 4) "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

(v. 5) even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

(v. 6) and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus."

[Ro 4:1 cont.]:

"What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?"

"That Abraham, our forefather" = This passage is not just directed to Jews as sons of Abraham, but to all peoples - all individuals who have trusted in God's plan of salvation. The word forefather as the Apostle Paul uses it here is well defined in The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, abridged edition, Geoffrey W. Bromiley author, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1992, p. 813:

"Abraham is father as a believer, and this means that all believers are his children [Jew and Gentile alike]. What counts is not blood relationship but a genealogy of faith. He is Israel's father only if she believes as he did." (Just as he is all Gentiles' father only as they believe in God's plan of salvation).

[Compare Gal 3:7]:

"Therefore, be sure that it is [all] those who are of faith that are sons of Abraham."

[Compare Ro 4:11-13]:

(v. 11) "and he [Abraham] received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be reckoned to them,

(v. 12) and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.

(v. 13) For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith."

["Through the righteousness of [i.e., which came as a result of] faith" = Through the absolutely perfect Righteousness of Christ - of God - which is only received as a gift and as a result of faith alone in Christ alone as Savior, (Eph 2:8-9; Ro 3:21-22)]

[Ro 4:1 cont.]:

"What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?"

"according to the flesh..." = according to human action.

So Paul, in the light of what he has established at the end of chapter 3, begins chapter 4 with a question which he will then answer which is, 'What then can we say about Abraham, our father - the father of all believers - relative to works and justification?' And the answer begins with the next verse:

[Ro 4:2]:

"For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God."

[Compare Ro 4:5]:

"But to the one who does not work [for justification, (v. 2)] but believes in Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness."

[And then compare Phil 3:9]:

"And [I, Paul, (v. 8) and all believers, (v. 3)] may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from law [any code of behavior], but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."

So according to Ro 4:5 and Phil 3:9 this justification - this righteousness "which comes from God" is received "on the basis of faith" alone in Christ alone and not through anything of value within oneself, (cp. Ro 3:21-22). And being justified is to be considered according to Scripture as being saved unto eternal life:

[Ro 5:8-9]:

(v. 8) "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

(v. 9) Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."

[Ro 4:2 cont.]:

"For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God."

"For if Abraham was justified by works" =

So Paul examines the possibility, (note the word "if"), of Abraham doing something with the result of his being justified unto eternal life by something that Abraham humanly does. And then Paul considers what that would then imply:

"he has something to boast about" = The first possibility if Abraham was justified unto eternal life by something that he did is that Abraham would have something to boast about. For it would be a considerable accomplishment for an individual to be declared that he was as righteous as God is as a result of his actions. But this possibility is excluded before God:

"For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God." = So Abraham's justification by his own actions would NOT be something he could boast about before God because justification unto eternal life by human doing is not possible:

[Compare Eph 2:8-9]:

(v. 8) "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that [salvation is] not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

(v. 9) not as a result of works, that no one can boast."

This leaves the second possibility of Abraham's boasting solely in the realm of fellow man and for something other than achieving eternal life himself. So Abraham could justify himself in the eyes of men and even boast about it to mankind if his actions demonstrated that he was already in eternal fellowship with God by faith alone in Christ alone - that he was the friend of God, (Jas 2:23), through the grace of God performing actions which were directed by God Himself in order to prove out his faith and glorify God in the process.

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And whatever boasting is to be done is to be done of Christ NOT of oneself:

[2 Cor 10:17]:

"But he who boasts, Let him boast let him boast in the Lord."

[Compare Jas 2:23-24]:

(v. 23) "And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'And Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,' and he was called the friend of God.

(v. 24) You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone."

[(v. 24a) "You see that a man is justified by [his] works..." = According to Scripture, a man is justified in a number of ways. One way is taught in James 2:24a: namely justification of one's faith in Christ to men by works in order to demonstrate ones eternal relationship with God, mature one's faith and by DOING something which has divine good value.

(v. 24b) "and not by faith alone" = and another way one is justified, according to James 2:24b is by faith alone in Christ alone which results in eternal life in heaven. This part of verse 24 teaches the other kind of justification - unto eternal life which is by faith alone, no works permitted, (Eph 2:8-9 & Ro 11:6).

So James says in Jas 2:24 that there are two kinds of justification. One which comes by faith alone which results in salvation unto eternal life and one which comes by works which results in the believer's eternal relationship with God being demonstrated to men and God's work being accomplished through the believer providing additional rewards in heaven when the believer gets there.

Note that James does not say here that there is only one kind of justification which is by works and faith combined.

Let's review verse 24 grammatically and etymologically from the Greek to verify this:

[Jas 2:24 cont.]:

(v. 24) "You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone."

The Greek word "monon" which is translated "alone" in English is an adverb which must then modify the verb "is justified" and not the noun "faith". "Faith" is feminine in gender and the adverb "alone" is neuter. So from the grammar of the original Greek Bible you know that the word "alone" is not talking about faith!! ... So verse 24 does not say:

"You see that a man is justified not only by faith alone but he must add works to that faith in order to be justified to eternal life."

Verse 24 does not say this - it cannot say this - because the word translated "alone" is a neuter adverb which therefore cannot modify the Greek word for "faith" which is a feminine noun. The adverb "not alone" modifies the verb "is justified" and means "not alone" i.e. not just one kind of justification. Verse 2:24 says, 'A man isn't to have just one kind of justification which is by faith, (this kind resulting in eternal life); rather, he is also to have another kind of justification which is by works,

(this second kind resulting in rewards in heaven as a result of his works testifying to mankind that God has provided eternal life for him as a free gift).

Matthew 5:16 provides a further perspective about those things which a faithful believer does in his service to God:

[Mt 5:16]:

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Who is in heaven."

Notice that the divine good service which a faithful believer performs glorifies God, testifying that that individual indeed has an eternal relationship with God - just as Abraham's deeds testified to his intimate and eternal friendship with God.

And these deeds are such as are appointed by God for the believer to perform in his faithful walk with God:

[Compare 1 Cor 3:5]:

"What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe - as the Lord has assigned to each [believer] his task."

[Finally, compare Eph 2:10]:

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

[Kenneth S. Wuest states, (Wuest's Word Studies, From the Greek New Testament, Vol. 1, EPHESIANS AND COLOSSIANS, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1973), p. 70]:

'''Commenting on the words, "For we are His workmanship," Vincent says: 'A reason why no man should glory. If we are God's workmanship, our salvation cannot be of ourselves.' Expositors comments: 'We ourselves are at work, the handiwork of God, made anew by Him, and our salvation, therefore, is due to Him, not to ourselves.'''...

...We are God's spiritual handiwork in the sense that we were created by Him, made a new spiritual creature by Him when His grace made us Christians. [2 Cor 5:17] This new creation was in Christ so that except by union between Him and us it could not have

taken place (Eph. 2:15, 4:24, 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; Col. 3:10). Also it was with a view to good works... We ourselves then having been created anew by God, and good works being the object to which that new creation looked, not the cause that led to it [underlining mine] all must be of grace - not of deeds, and there can be no room for boasting.' '''

[Compare Titus 3:5 and 2:14]:

We were saved solely by the mercy of God and not by any good works such as water baptism, church going, repentance, from an unfaithful lifestyle, etc:

[Titus 3:5]:

"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit"

And God saved us so that we could then be enabled by His grace to perform His preordained good works:

[Titus 2:14]:

"Who [Jesus Christ] gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed...

[i.e., first comes salvation and then come the good works]:

...and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds."

So what an individual is to do once he does get saved is to move on into a life of study, acceptance and obedience to God's Word - a life which is controlled more and more by God the Holy Spirit unto good works resulting in rewards in heaven.

[Ro 4:2-3]:

(v. 2) "For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God.

(v. 3) For what does the Scripture say? 'And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to Him as righteousness.' " (Gen 15:6)

[Compare Gen 15:1-6]:

(v. 1) After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying,

'Do not fear, Abram,

I am a shield to you;

Your reward shall be very great.'

(v. 2) And Abram said, 'O Lord God, what wilt Thou give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?'

(v. 3) And Abram said, 'Since Thou hast given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir'

(v. 4) Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him saying, 'This man will not be your heir; but one who shall come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.'

(v. 5) And He took him outside and said, 'Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.' And He said to him, 'So shall your descendants be.'

(v. 6) Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness."

So God presents a visual image to Abraham along with His promise of an heir - an actual physical heir who was to come through the loins of Abraham, (Gen 15:4). This image was painted by God across the star studded night time heavens. Billions of stars were visible to Abraham; and God promised that just as the universe contained such an innumerable number of stars, so would be numbered the descendants of Abraham. This picture gave to Abraham the concept of him seeing countless numbers of descendants - a picture of his having eternal life in order for this to be possible. The number of stars in the sky were in fact so numerous as to be virtually uncountable - representing to Abraham an infinite number. And so, Abraham was promised by God to have an infinite number of descendants obviously over an infinitely long lifetime, i.e., eternal life. In other words, God promised eternal life to Abraham. Abraham believed God's promise. And God then declared Abraham to have the position of being perfectly righteous as a result of Abraham's faith, thus qualfying him for spending the rest of eternity with God in His kingdom. This was not just an image of Abraham's countless descendants living long after he died and had gone into oblivion. What would be the purpose of that if Abraham would never see them - being condemned to the Lake of Fire? Why would God make such a promise to Abraham if Abraham had no chance of ever seeing them in person, i.e., having eternal life? So this indeed was a picture of God's promise to Abraham of eternal life - eternal life with countless descendants over an eternity of time. And when Abraham believed in this spectacular promise of God, then God accounted to Abraham the gift of absolutely perfect righteousness - that kind of righteousness that God requires that a man must possess in order to spend eternal life with Him, (Gen 15:6; Phil 3:9; Ro 3:21-22). So Abraham was now qualified to have eternal life by being credited by God with the absolutely perfect Righteousness of Jesus Christ as a result of his faith alone in God's plan alone of eternal life. And this eternal life would be through God's promise of providing a physical heir to Abraham whose descendancy would lead to the Messiah/Savior through Whom all the promises would be fulfilled::

[Compare Gen 13:14-15]:

(v. 14) "And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, 'Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward;

(v. 15) for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your seed forever."

And later on the Apostle Paul adds some detail and revelation relative to Abraham in his letter to the Galatians:

[Gal 3:6-8, 16]:

(v. 6) "Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

(v. 7) Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith that are sons of Abraham.

(v. 8) And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'All the nations shall be blessed in you.'

(v. 16) Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, 'AND TO SEEDS,' as referring to many, but rather to one, 'AND TO YOUR SEED,' that is, Christ."

[So the promise of eternal life which was granted to Abraham as a result of his faith in what God promised through the seed of Abraham would be demonstrated by innumerable descendants through the Seed of Abraham - Who is Christ the Saviour Himself as further detailed in Gen 13:14-15 and explained by the Apostle Paul in Gal 3:16]

[Compare Jn 8:56 to verify that Abraham was indeed looking forward to Jesus Christ as the Author and Perfecter of God's plan of salvation for him, (Ref. Heb 12:2)]:

[Jn 8:56 - Jesus said to a group of hostile unbelieving Jews, (v. 48)]:

"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day; and he saw it, and was glad."

[Everett F. Harrison states, (EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE COMMENTARY, Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Vol. 10, 1976, p. 48)]:

"The nature of Abraham's faith was essentially the same as that of the NT believer despite the difference in time. (Abraham looked forward to something God would do, whereas the Christian looks back to what God has provided, in Christ). Can we go further and say that the object of faith is the same, implicit in the promise to Abraham, explicit in the gospel? It does seem that we are warranted in concluding that Abraham trusted in a promise that pointed to Christ (John 8:56; Gal 3:16)..."

[Ro 4:3-5]:

(v. 3) "For what does the Scripture say? 'And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.'

(v. 4) Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor but as what is due.

(v. 5) But to the one who does not work, [for salvation unto eternal life] but believes in Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness."

["his wage is not reckoned as a favor" = The word "favor" = "charin" in Ro 4:4 is the same word which is rendered "grace" in Eph 2:8-9 which clearly defines this "charin" as a gift which is not in any way related to what a man does:

[Eph 2:8-9]:

(v. 8) "For by grace ["charin"] you have been saved through faith; and that [salvation is] not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

(v. 9) not as a result of works, that no one can boast."

So salvation is solely on the basis of God's grace, His unmerited, i.e., His undeserved favor.

[Ro 4:3-5 cont.]:

(v. 3) "For what does the Scripture say? 'And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.'

(v. 4) Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor but as what is due.

(v. 5) But to the one who does not work, [for salvation unto eternal life] but believes in Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness."

"Now to the one who works [for salvation], his wage is not reckoned as a favor but as what is due." = Now to the one who works to achieve his own salvation, what he receives is not accounted to him as a free gift but as a payment due for his efforts. For salvation is either all of God - all free grace - or it is all by human effort - all by works. Grace and works, therefore, are mutually exclusive.

Verse four establishes God's sovereign inviolable principle: that a benefit cannot be received both, (i.e., partially), as a gift and a wage. It must be received completely as a gift, otherwise completely as wages due.

[Compare Ro 11:6]:

"But if [salvation, (v. 5)] is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."

Sad to say that whatever attempts are made toward earning or 'maintaining' one's salvation will be futile attempts because such efforts are inevitably motivated by one's contaminating sin nature which permeates the unbeliever's entire being. Since God cannot pay an individual anything for contaminated deeds, every attempt to please God relative to salvation will fail: Paul has already established this previously in his letter to the Romans:

Paul has already established this previously in his letter to the Romans:

[Ro 3:9-12]:

(v. 9) "What then? Are we [religious Jews, (3:1)] better than they? [the rest of the world, (v. 6)] Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; [i.e., totally depraved and unable to contribute anything toward salvation]

(v. 10) as it is written [in Old Testament Scripture: Ps 14:1-3; 53:1-4]: 'There is none righteous, not even one;

(v. 11) there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God;

(v. 12) all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.' "

[Ro 8:8]:

"and those who are in the flesh [unbelievers or carnal believers] cannot please God."[with their deeds. Therefore anything done toward salvation would not be effectual]

[Compare Isa 64:6]:

"For all of us have become like one who is unclean,

And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment, and all of us wither like a leaf,

And our iniquities, like wind, take us away."

[Ref: Ro 6:20; Job 14:1-4; Jer 17:9; Ps 51:5]

[Compare Gal 3:21b-22]:

(v. 21b) "For if a law.."

[Notice: if a law. In the original Greek Bible there is no article before "law" in Gal 3:21b. When the article is omitted in the Greek it signifies the quality of the noun rather than a specific concept of law like the Mosaic Law when a definite article is then used. Here at the beginning of the last part of Galatians 3:21, the quality of law is being referred to meaning any kind of law or rules of human conduct. Therefore the word "law" in verse 21b refers to the behavior of men - laws of moral conduct, codes and acts of moral behavior, etc. It is therefore a general statement referring to any set of deeds which an individual must perform, (not just the Law of Moses); for example, water baptism, repentant behavior, good deeds, church going, giving, etc.

(Compare Romans 3:21: same grammatical construction and context)

[Gal 3:21b-22 cont.]:

(v. 21b) "For if a law [i.e., rules of human conduct] had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law"

[For if any kind of rules of human conduct could result in salvation then certainly the Mosaic Law would have been able to do the same. But God's Word is saying here that righteousness and eternal life are not based on any set of rules of conduct]

(v. 22) But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, [i.e., totally depraved and unable to contribute anything toward salvation] so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe."So in view of this, if everything a man does to gain favor with God toward one's salvation is viewed by God as filthy rags - as sin, then instead of accepting eternal life as a free gift the individual must be paid his wages due for his efforts: eternal death in the Lake of fire

[Compare Ro 6:23]:

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

[Ro 4:3-5 cont.]:

(v. 3) "For what does the Scripture say? 'And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.'

(v. 4) Now to the one who does not work, [for salvation] his wage is not reckoned as a favor but as what is due.

(v. 5) But to the one who does not work [for salvation] but believes in Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness."

"But to the one who does not work" = 'But to the one who does not work for salvation' = The subject of this passage is how to receive salvation unto eternal life.

"But to the one who does not work [for salvation unto eternal life] but believes in Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness." = Paul now moves from the one who sadly attempts to earn his way into heaven with failed results to the one who does nothing of that sort at all, but instead relies on God to do it all, i.e., exercises his faith alone in Christ alone unto eternal life with the result of being declared righteous enough to go to heaven.

The word "ungodly" = "asebe" = the irreligious, impious. "Ungodly" is a key word which points out that God's salvation by grace through faith alone in Christ alone extends throughout all of humanity even to the worst element - the irreligious, impious, and ungodly individuals - those who continually perform willful acts of transgression against God.

[Ro 4:6-8]:

(v. 6) "Just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works:

(v. 7) 'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered.

(v. 8) Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.'

"Just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works:" = Paul continues on the same theme with David as he did with Abraham: justification unto eternal life by faith alone - apart from works. This is especially signified by the phrase "Just as" = kathaper" = 'In the same way.'

After Abraham comes David in the esteem of the Jewish people, (Mk 11:10). And recall that David was in the royal line of the Messiah Jesus Christ - the Savior of the world, (Mt 1:1; Jer 23:5-6; 2 Sam 7:12-16). Furthermore, David was an individual who lived in Old Testament times under the universally respected Mosaic Law with its circumcision, rituals and numerous statutes governing the conduct of human behavior - a rule of life. And most Jews falsely believed that they could somehow properly observe the Law and thereby receive eternal life. Many even held to the belief that the only way to heaven was through observance of the Law's statutes, not the least of which was to be circumcised as a Jew. So Paul investigates in his letter to the Romans how such a man as King David was saved unto eternal life. Keep in mind that nearest to the heart of Paul is the salvation of his people, (Ro 10:1). But more than that, Paul is not only establishing the means by which a Jew is to be justified, he is at the same time establishing how Gentiles are also to be saved, (vv. 10-12). So Paul, offers another example of a man being justified by the grace of God through faith apart from works - a man who lived under the Law of Moses with its circumcision and all the other statutes. He refers to the content of David's Psalm (#32) about how David, a believer, received forgiveness and cancellation of the death penalty for his transgressions = willful and deliberate sins of murder and adultery - acts for which the Law of Moses had no provision for except death by being stoned, (Lev 20:10; Num 35:12-31). And not only that, David expounds on the fact that all of his sins and even his very nature, his "sin", i.e., his sin nature which continues to produce acts of sin will not be taken into account. For this there is no provision in the Mosaic Law or any code of behavior either - without penalty. The only way such an accounting could occur is by faith in the once for all time sacrifice for sins of the Messiah/Savior Jesus Christ.

[Compare David's words from Ps 32:1-5]:

(v. 1) "How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

Whose sin is covered!

(v. 2) How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,

And in whose spirit there is no deceit!"

[David was including himself in the category of receiving such eternal and temporal blessings, (v. 5). He wrote this Psalm just after he had been forgiven by God of the sins of murder and adultery, (refs 2 Sam 11ff; 12:13), as the next few verses indicate]:

[Ps 32:1-5]:

(v. 3) "When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away

Through my groaning all day long.

(v. 4) For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me;

My vitality was drained away as with the fever-heat of summer.

(v. 5) I acknowledged my sin to Thee,

And my iniquity I did not hide;

I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD' ''

And Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin." (Compare Ps 51).

[Ro 4:6-8 cont.]:

(v. 6) "Just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works:

(v. 7) 'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered.

(v. 8) Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.' "

'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven' =

"lawless deeds" = "anomiai' = deliberate and willful violations of a law, i.e., of a code of conduct; transgressions.

"forgiven" = "aphethesan" = lit., sent away, i.e., removed. This connotes the blessings received as a result of God's complete removal from His reckoning against an individual of ALL of his deliberate and willful acts which violate God's code of behavior. The picture here is of God not remembering such deliberately lawless deeds. This cannot be accomplished without a sacrifice being made - a penalty being paid. But there was no provision within the Mosaic Law or any code of behavior that provided forgiveness for such heinous acts as murder and adultery. Yet David has received forgiveness for such as stipulated from God through the prophet Nathan:

[2 Sam 12:13-14]:

(v. 13) "Then David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the LORD.' And Nathan said to David, 'The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not [physically] die [i.e., be executed - via two counts of capital punishment, (Lev 20:10; Num 35:12-31)]

There was only one way for David to receive forgiveness for these heinous transgressions: if Someone Else, (Jesus Christ), would provide a covering for them so that God would not forgive such transgressions without a penalty being paid and thus impugn His own integrity by winking at such sins - permitting them to go unpunished while sending others to the Lake of Fire who sinned even less. And in the rest of verse 7 this is indicated:

(Ro 4:7b) "And whose sins have been covered" =

"sins" = plural, "hamartiai" = a missing of the mark of God's standard of righteousness relative to an individual's thoughts, words and deeds. In the context of this passage in Romans chapter 4, it refers to all thoughts, words and deeds that fall short of God's absolute holiness and righteousness - willful and unintentional.

"covered" = "epekaluphthesan" = lit., to be covered over; accounted for in the sense of being forgiven. In the Mosaic Law sacrificial system, there was a temporary - yearly - covering for sins, (Heb 10:1-4), but never a permanent one. And a permanent condition of forgiveness is what is indicated in Ro 4:6-8, resulting in eternal life. Only through faith in a once for all time sacrifice can lawless deeds be forgiven, sins completely covered and the sin nature never taken into account. And this condition of forgiveness of sins and eternal life is what God bestowed upon David and which David is speaking of in Psalm 32.

[Compare Heb 10:4, 10-13, 17-18]:

(v. 4) "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

(v. 10) By this [i.e., the will of God to sacrifice His Son, v. 9)] will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

(v. 11) And every [Levitical] priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;

(v. 12) but He, [Jesus Christ] having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God.

(v. 13) For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

(v. 17) 'And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.'

(v. 18) Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin."

[Compare 1 Jn 2:2]:

"And He Himself [Jesus Christ, (v. 1)] is the propitiation [the mercy seat: the satisifaction - the satisfactory sacrifice] for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world."

[Compare Acts 10:43]:

"Of Him [Jesus Christ, (v. 36)] all the prophets [i.e., Old Testament Scriptures] bear witness that through His name every one who believes in Him has received forgiveness of sins."

[Ro 4:6-8 cont.]:

(v. 6) "Just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works:

(v. 7) 'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered.

(v. 8) Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.' "

"Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account." = "sin" = sin nature which the LORD will not take into account.

"sin" = singular = sin nature = Paul calls this inherant evil nature which permeates every part of an individual and produces acts of sin the "old self", (Ro 6:6; 7:14-25), or the old sin nature.

"will not take into account" =

"ou me logisetai" = Absolutely will not put to the account of. An accounting term which when used here is a picture of an offense not even being written down onto an accounting sheet.

"not" = "ou me" = The word "not" in the Greek Bible is the strong double negative which signifies an emphatic "absolutely not" = God will "absolutely not" take an individual's depraved nature, his old sin nature which produces nothing but sinfully motivated actions into account. Thus, any future wrongful acts coming out of that sin nature could not be taken into account either.

The critical point that Paul is emphasizing in verses 6-8 of Romans chapter 4 is that, as a result of an individual like David's faith in God's plan of eternal life apart from works - just like Abraham - there was a blessedness that was received:

that of the individual's lawless deeds being removed from God's memory,

that of all of his acts of sin, past, present and future being covered,

and that of his sin nature - his inherant capacity/nature to commit sins - being "absolutely not" taken into account. And the emphatic double negative indicates that David was covered, i.e., forgiven, to the extent that he was credited with the absolutely opposite condition: that of the absolute righteousness of God. For if God decclares that absolutely nothing wrong can be held against an individual, then the only other alternative is a declaration of the position of absolute righteousness. And this was arrived at Paul emphasizes "apart from works." - leaving the only other way: faith alone in God's plan alone. So in the case of Abraham, God's absolute righteousness unto eternal life was credited to him apart from works on the basis of faith. And in the case of David, since no good work was involved, but rather grievous sins instead; his transgressions, sins and sin nature were "absolutely not" held against him as a result of his faith in God's plan of salvation unto eternal life. This faith resulted in eternal life as indicated in Psalm 89 of God's eventually fulfilling His covenant with David of an everlasting throne:

[Ps 89:3-4]:

(v. 3) "You said, 'I have made a covenant with My chosen one,

I have sworn to David My servant,

(v. 4) I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.' "

Consider that God would never establish His ruling throne on earth "through all generations", i.e., eternity, through a man who was not saved but instead condemned to spend the rest of eternity in the Lake of Fire while his descendant Jesus Christ ruled an everlasting rule on earth on the throne of an unsaved man, (Isa 9:6-7).

Furthermore, because of David's status of eternal life - of having all of his sins covered and accounted for, past, present and future by God's future sacrifice of His Son - the consequence of execution for his sins of adultery and murder, (II Sam 11), could be and were canceled upon confession to God of those grievous offences, (2 Sam 12:13a). This also resulted in temporal, (daily), forgiveness of all of his unrighteousness up to that point and restoration of his fellowship with God, (2 Sam 12:13b; Pr 28:13; Ps 32:5). Recall, however, that there were grievous consequences of David's sins of adultery and murder from which David was NOT spared:

The sword never departed from David's house. He would always have war and bloodshed in his life, (2 Sam 12:10).

The baby born out of David's adultery was struck by God with a terminal illness and the child died, (2 Sam 12:14-20).

David's son, Amnon raped his sister Tamar, (2 Sam 13:1-22).

David's son, Absalom took revenge for raping his sister by murdering Amnon, (2 Sam 13:20-31).

Absalom organized a vicious revolt against his father David, attempting to usurp David's throne and kill David in the process. And he almost succeeded in both. He even fornicated with David's wives in public in order to shame his father. Absolom was killed in the end and David's grief became nearly unbearable, (2 Sam 12: 11; 16:21-22; 15-18).

Just as with David, forgiveness, restoration of fellowship with God and possible cancellation of certain consequences of ones sins is available to believers of all ages:

Upon confession to God and God alone, a believer's sins will be forgiven relative to ones daily or temporal relationship with God. (The eternal relationship has already been settled for the believer: he is heavenbound). Furthermore, temporal fellowship with God will be restored and certain consequences of ones sins may be canceled depending upon the sovereignty of God:

[Compare 1 Jn 1:9, 7]:

First of all comes the confession and temporal, (daily), forgiveness:

(v. 9) "If we [believers, v. 2:1] confess ["homolog omen" = acknowledge] our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us these sins [that we confessed] and [furthermore] to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

And then what follows is restored temporal, (daily), fellowship with Almighty God:

(v. 7) "But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light,

[i.e., if we let the light of God's absolute holiness shine on our lives and expose our sins - i.e., acknowledge, (confess) them]

we [God and the confessing believer] have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."

(Cp. Ps 32:5; Pr 28:13).

Note that before restoration of temporal, (daily), fellowship with God is possible, one must have already appropriated what our Lord did for him on the cross through faith in Him alone just as David and Abraham did. Then "the blood of Jesus" will indeed cleanse him from all sin.

Now that David has entered the picture relative to what is required in order to receive eternal life, author Paul will begin equating forgiveness of sins which David called "blessing" with what Abraham received which Paul describes as "faith... reckoned to Abraham as righteousness":

[Ro 4:9-12]:

(v. 9) "Is this blessing upon the circumcised, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say, 'faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.' "

(v. 10) How then was it reckoned? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;

(v. 11) and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness... [which came by] the faith which he had while uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be reckoned to them,

(v. 12) and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised."

(v. 9) "Is this blessing upon the circumcised, or upon the uncircumcised also?" =

"Is this blessing..." = 'Is this blessedness of being declared absolutely righteous unto eternal life in the eyes of God...'

"Is this blessing [of eternal life] upon the circumcised, or upon the uncircumcised also?" =

[Compare Ro 3:1]:

"Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?"

The question is again raised about the blessedness of eternal life: of whether circumcision is part of the basis for receiving it or not. So the focus is directly on the basis of eternal life. And Jews, ("the circumcised"), and Gentiles, ('the uncircumcised"), are directly effected by the answer.

[Compare Ro 3:21-24]:

(v. 21) "But now apart from the Law [which includes the rite of circumcision] the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets; [i.e., God's Word, the Bible]

(v. 22) even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no difference;

(v. 23) for all have sinned and are constantly falling short of the glory of God,

(v. 24) and [all men who are justified] are [only] justified freely by His grace."

Verse 24 of Romans chapter 3 as constructed in the Greek says that all men who are "justified" are justified in only one way - by the grace gift of God, which is a free gift in which man does nothing to receive it or keep it. Man, therefore, this verse says, is justified in no other way but by the free grace gift of God, (cp Ro 6:23). To be justified is also to be saved unto eternal life, (Ro 5:9). This does not say that all men are automatically justified as some will maintain. The context does not support this conclusion nor do other Scriptural passages. Not all men will be saved, (Mt 7:13-14). Rather the phrase in Ro 3:24, "and [all men] are justified freely by His grace.." follows Ro 3:22 which states that "There is no difference" among men as to how one is justified. Jews and Gentiles, religious and non-religious, moral and immoral are all justified only in the one way. So this phrase says "and [all men] are justified [in one way only:] by His [God's] grace." If a man is justified at all he can only be justified by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone as Savior-no other way: by the free grace gift of God through faith in Christ.

[Compare Jn 14:6]:

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me [i.e., through faith alone in Christ alone, cp Jn 6:26-29]

[Ro 4:9-12 cont.]:

(v. 9) "Is this blessing [of being declared righteous by God, vv. 6-8] upon the circumcised [the Jew], or upon the uncircumcised [Gentiles] also? For we say, 'Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.'

(v. 10) How then was it reckoned? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised"

"For we say, 'Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.' How then was it reckoned? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised." =

Paul continues to look at Abraham's justification, examining it from the point of when he became a believer. This examination is now in the light of just having looked at how David, a circumcised Jew, held high in the esteem of the Jews and the world, was "blessed" with having his sins covered. This information is critical because Paul identifies Abraham's justification unto eternal life to a time BEFORE he was circumcised and became a Jew. So such circumcision and his consequent existence as a Jew was not essential to being justified. And in fact Abraham was a Gentile when he was saved unto eternal life - apart from circumcision. If this is so, then Paul's question of whether "this blessing" of eternal life is available "upon the uncircumcised also" is answered in the affirmative.

Recall from Gen 15:6, 16:16 and 17:24 that Abraham was justified unto eternal life before he was 86 - before Ishmael was born to Hagar and before he was circumcised at 99:

[Gen 15:6]:

"Then he [Abraham] believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness."

And then a number of undetermined years later:

[Gen 16:16]:

"And Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him."

And finally, when Abraham was 99 years old, more than 13 years after he was justified unto eternal life, he was circumcised and became a Jew:

[Gen 17:24]:

"Now Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin."

[Ro 4:9-12 cont.]:

(v. 9) "Is this blessing upon the circumcised, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say, 'Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.'

(v. 10) How then was it reckoned? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;

(v. 11) and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness...[which came by] the faith which he had while uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be reckoned to them.

(v. 12) and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised."

(v. 11) and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness...[which came by] the faith which he had while uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be reckoned to them. =

"and he received the sign of circumcision"=

"sign" = "semeion" = a distinguishing mark. In this context of this passage, the word rendered "sign" refers to an actual physical sign on the body of the male Jew, marking him as a special beneficiary of the temporal, (daily), blessings under the Abrahamic Covenant, ((Gen 17:7-11, Acts 7:8 and subsequent covenants, (Mosaic, Davidic and New Covenants: Dt 28:1-14; 2 Sam 7: 8-16, 12-13; and Jer 31:31-40; 32:39-40; Ex 36:24-28 respectively)). And any male Jew who did not have this sign of the circumcision on his body was himself and his immediate family cut off from these temporal, (daily), blessings, (Gen 17:14). Note that, according to God's Word, an individual's salvation unto eternal life was never dependant upon this rite or any rite for that matter, (Eph 2:8-9, Gal 3:21b-22). Circumcision was a mark of one belonging to the privileged nation, Israel. Furthermore, it symbolized that justification by faith was available to those who trusted alone in God's plan alone of eternal life through the Seed of Abraham, the Messiah/Savior Jesus Christ. However, many who were physically circumcised falsely viewed it as essential to salvation rather than as a symbol of justification by faith. This is similar to how some undergo the ritual of water baptism today in order to be saved and do not view it as a symbol of justification by faith through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Recall that the real circumcision which has eternal consequences was one of the heart through faith and not a physical ritual:

[Ro 2:29]:

"But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God."

[Col 2:11]:

"And in Him [Christ, (v. 8)] you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ."

...i.e., by the removal of the control of the old sin nature, through our Lord's redeeming work on the cross, (Ro 6:1-6), which is appropriated by faith alone in Him alone.

So physical circumcision was designed by God as a sign, a symbol of the removal of the control of the old sin nature; while real circumcision of the 'heart' actually removed this control through the work of God the Holy Spirit in regeneration. It also was a sign which permitted a Jew to enter into the temporal, (daily), blessings provided by observance of the statutes of the Mosaic Law, ((material blessings, children, good health, longer life, security, etc., etc., (Dt 28:1-14)).

[Ro 4:9-12 cont.]:

(v. 11 cont.) "And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness...[which came by] the faith which he had while uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be reckoned to them."

"And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness...[which came by] the faith which he had" =

"the righteousness...[which came by] the faith which he had" =

" the faith" = "tes pisteos", genetive, (possessive), feminine, noun which indicates that particular righteousness which belongs to the particular faith that Abraham expressed in God, (Gen 15:6). So this part of the verse is best rendered: "the righteousness...[which came by] the faith which he had..."

"And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness...[which came by] the faith which he had" =

Not only was physical circumcision a sign, according to Paul in Romans chapter 4, but it was a seal, "a seal of the righteousness of the faith."

"seal" = "sphragis" = The sign represented by physical circumcision becomes a seal when it follows the pattern of Abraham's faith alone in God's plan alone unto God's absolute righteousness, i.e., eternal life. And the seal of God is an eternally secure one - since it represents the authority and character of God Himself. So the eternal destiny in heaven for the believer of any age is secure forever.

Compare Eph 1:13 which uses the verb form of the same word rendered "seal" in Romans 4:11:

[Eph 1:13]:

"In Him, [Jesus Christ, (v. 12)] you also, after listening to the message of the truth, the gospel of your salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise." (Cp. Eph 4:30)

"in Him..you were sealed" =

"en O.... esphragisthete" ...= in Christ you were sealed unto eternal life. This indicates that the believer is forever sealed into Jesus Christ Himself unto eternal life. And in the Church Age this is by God the Holy Spirit Himself as it says in Eph 1:13-14 and Eph 4:30!]

[Ro 4:9-12 cont.]:

(v. 11) "and he [Abraham] received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness...[which came by] the faith which he had while uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be reckoned to them."

"which he had while uncircumcised" = Paul repeats this all important point: Abraham was declared righteous, even sealed forever, unto eternal life before he was circumcised

"that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be reckoned to them. =

In other words, even though an individual cannot claim to be a physical descendant of Abraham - which many Jews falsely claim is essential to attaining eternal life - he can claim Abraham as his father spiritually on the basis of having placed his faith alone in Christ alone as Savior just as Abraham did. So as a result of this, the believer, in effect, becomes a spiritual descendant, a child of Abraham - one of those innumerable stars of faith in the skies above which God first showed to Abraham thousands of years ago.

[Ro 4:13-17]:

(v. 13) "For the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he would be heir of the world was not through law, but through the righteousness...[that comes by] faith.

"For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world." =

[Compare Gen 12:1-3 which Paul has in view in this passage]: (v. 1) "Now the LORD said to Abram,

Go forth from your country,

And from your relatives

And from your father's house,

To the land which I will show you;

(v. 2) And I will make you a great nation,

And I will bless you,

And make your name great;

And so you shall be a blessing;

(v. 3) And I will bless those who bless you,

And the one who curses you I will curse.

And in you all peoples on earth shall be blessed."

[Compare Gen 22:15-18]:

(v. 15) "Then the Angel of the LORD [the preincarnate Jesus Christ, (v. 16)] called to Abraham a second time from heaven,

(v. 16) and said, 'By Myself I have sworn,' says the LORD, 'because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, [Isaac - referring to Abraham's obedience to God in moving to sacrifice Isaac]

(v. 17) indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.

(v. 18) And in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.' "

So in view of verse 13 of Ro 4 which reads "For the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he would be heir of the world..." and in light of the just quoted passages in Genesis we examine the following phrase:

"heir of the world" = Paul, under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, sheds further light on the promises of blessing in Gen 12:1-3 and Gen 22:15-18 with verse 13 of Romans chapter 4. Recall that God gave mankind dominion, i.e., heirship, over all of the world:

[Gen 1:26]:

"Then God said, 'Let Us...

[Notice that the Trinity is indicated here with the use of plural pronouns

"Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our Likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.' "

But because of the Fall, Satan gained control of mankind and usurped man's dominion over the earth and is now in control of the world, (Eph 2:1-2). But God's promise of returning dominion to mankind through the seed of the woman, (Gen 3:14-15), Jesus Christ, Who is to come through the line of Abraham and David will restore mankind's dominion, i.e., heirship, over the earth forever, (Isa 9:6-7), for those who are of Abraham's seed of the "righteousness [which comes from] faith", (Ro 4:13). Hence, as Gen 12:3 and 22:18 indicate, God promised Abraham that through him "all peoples on earth shall be blessed". In other words, all those of all nations who have believed in the same way that Abraham believed...

- believed in God's plan of reconciliation and salvation unto eternal life exclusively through His Seed, Jesus Christ, which will come through Abraham -

...they will have the dominion over the world restored to them. Each and every believer - from every nation - will be an "heir of the world".

[Compare Gal 3:6-9]:

(v. 6) "Even so Abraham 'Believed God, and it was reckoned as righteousness.' [Gen 15:6].

(v. 7) Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith that are sons of Abraham.

(v. 8) And the Scripture, forseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'All the nations shall be blessed in you.'

(v. 9) So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer."

In answer to objectors who point to Gen 22:18 and thereby demand that obedience is also required of an individual in order to receive blessings stated in the Abrahamic covenant which includes eternal life, we present the following examination of the Abrahamic Covenant:

First to look at is the verse in question:

[Gen 22:18]:

"And in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed My voice.'"

MOVE TO STUDY ON THE ABRHAMAIC COVENANT	OR CONTINUE STUDY OF ROMANS CHAPTER 4
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[Ro 4:13-17 cont.]:

(v. 13 cont.) "For the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he would be heir of the world was not through law [i.e., some code of behavior], but through the righteousness...[that comes by] faith." =

"alla dia

"but through [the]

dikaiosun es pisteos."

righteousness of faith."

[that comes by faith]

"faith" = "pisteos.", genetive, (possessive = of faith), feminine, noun which indicates that particular righteousness which belongs to that particular faith which Abraham expressed in God unto eternal life, (Ro 4:11; Gen 15:6). So this part of the verse is best rendered: "But through [the] righteousness... [which comes by] faith."

[Ro 4:14]:

(v. 13) "For the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he would be heir of the world was not through law, but through the righteousness...[that comes by] faith.

(v. 14) For if those who live by law [unto eternal life, (v. 13)] are heirs [inheritors of eternal life, (v. 13)], faith has no value and the promise is worthless."

"Ei ..gar oi ......ek ................................nomou"

"For if ...those out of (who live by)...... law. =

For if those who endeavor to uphold a code of behavior, (law w/o def. article = a code of rules), in order to inherit eternal life.

Especially in view in this passage are Jews attempting to live by the Mosaic Law in order to gain eternal life. And the distinction is constantly being made between works and faith as it is again in verse 14 which is paraphrased as follows:

"For if those who live by law in order to attain eternal life rather than by faith alone thereby 'are heirs' of eternal life then faith has indeed no value and the promise of salvation through faith is worthless."

"are heirs" = are inheritors of the world, (v. 13), through receiving eternal life. Since the subject of this passage is justification unto eternal life, then the phrase "are heirs" refers to the subject of how to inherit eternal life which thereby restores mankinds dominion over the world in eternity future, (Gen 1:26; Rev 21 & 22, esp. 21:7, 24 & 22:1-5).

The context in verse 14 repeats that of the previous verse which is that faith alone is the basis of God's promise of righteousness and eternal life thus making one who receives such righteousness an heir or inheritor of eternal life.

[Ro 4:14 cont.]:

(v. 14 cont.) "For if those who live by law are heirs [of eternal life] faith has no value and the promise is worthless."

"faith has no value" = If those who live by some code of behavior can earn salvation unto eternal life partially or fully, then faith in God's promise to provide eternal life by faith alone in what He has provided through the sacrifice of His Son is of no value, for they have secured it on their own merits, rather than on God's promise.

"and the promise is worthless" = so the promise of eternal life which God grants on the basis of faith alone in His plan alone is worthless. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross to pay for the sins of the world, (1 Jn 2:2), is to no avail - an empty gesture. Our Lord's sacrifice was not enough or was even a worthless effort.

"For if those who [attempt to] live by Law [in order to attain eternal life, (v. 13)] are heirs [inheritors of eternal life, (v. 13)], faith has no value and the promise is worthless." =

This is another affirmation that works of law, (works of any code of behavior - including obeying God relative to the Mosaic Law), are mutually exclusive of faith. Faith and works cannot be mixed. If salvation is dependent upon even one single work then faith is null and void:

[Compare Ro 11:6]:

"But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."

[Ro 4:15]:

(v. 14) "For if those who live by Law [unto eternal life, (v. 13)] are heirs [inheritors of eternal life, (v. 13)], faith has no value and the promise is worthless.

(v. 15) because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression."

"And where there is no law there is no transgression" = transgression = a deliberate and willful violation of a law, i.e., of a code of conduct.

[John A. Witmer states, Bible Knowledge Commentary, Walvoord and Zuck, editors, Victor Books, USA & Canada, 1988, p. 454]:

"A person may still be sinning in his action, but if there is no command prohibiting it his action does not have the character of a transgression, an overstepping of a prohibition..."

[Compare Ro 5:13-14]:

(Ro 5:13) "For before the [Mosaic] Law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law."

[Witmer, op. cit., p. 458]:

"This does not mean that sin does not exist unless there is a Law. It means that sin does not have the character of being a transgression [a deliberate violation of a law] ...and therefore sin is not taken into account (lit., 'imputed, reckoned') as such [because there are no rules]."

[Ro 4:15 cont.]:

(v. 14) "For if those who live by Law [unto eternal life, (v. 13)] are heirs [inheritors of eternal life, (v. 13)], faith has no value and the promise is worthless.

(v. 15) because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression."

"because law brings wrath" = because any code of behavior by which one chooses to live in order to please God only brings failure and inevitably the wrath of God instead of His approval. This results in forfeiture of what was promised: eternal life and consequent heirship of the world. So lawkeeping = eternal disaster. This is so because no one is able to perfectly follow any code of behavior, especially the Mosaic Law. And in addition to that, whenever rules are imposed on individuals, their sin natures start working overtime at finding every excuse imaginable for justifying the breaking of those rules:

[Compare Ro 7:7-8]:

(v. 7) "What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, 'You shall not covet.'

(v. 8) But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead."

[Compare Ro 3:20]:

"Because by the works of law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through law comes the knowledge of sin."

[Compare Ro 5:20-21]:

(v. 20) "The Law [of Moses] was added so that the trespass [the deliberate violation of God's will] might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,

(v. 21) so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

[Everett H. Harrison states in his commentary on Romans, THE EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE COMMENTARY, Frank E. Gaebelein, editor, Vol. 10, p. 51-65]:

"The apostle is not maintaining that the purpose of the giving of the law is exclusively 'that the trespass might increase,' because he makes room for the law as a revelation of the will of God and therefore a positive benefit (7:12). The Law also serves to restrain evil in the world (implied in 6:15; stated in 1 Tim 1:9-11). Paul says the Law 'was added.' Similar language is used in Galatians 3:19, where the Law is regarded as something temporary, designed to disclose the transgression aspect of sin and prepare the way for the coming of Christ by demonstrating the dire need for his saving work.... From the Sermon on the Mount... it appears that Jesus sought to apply the Law in just this way, to awaken a sense of sin in those who fancied they were keeping the Law tolerably well but had underestimated its searching demands and the sinfulness of their own hearts.....

To make the promise [of eternal life] conditional on law observance would pit the God of grace against the God of judgment, an intolerable impasse. Where there is no law, there may indeed be sin, but not transgression [a deliberate violation of known rules of conduct]. In case the promise had been conditioned by law keeping, the human inability to observe the law with complete fidelity would have occasioned disobedience and consequently the operation of wrath, resulting in forfeiture of what was promised. In summary, to introduce law keeping as a condition for receiving the promise would have two disastrous effects. It would put a question mark over the character of God for adding a condition and it would make the realization of the promise impossible for men, since no one has been able fully to keep the Law (see vv. 14, 15)."

[Ro 4:16]:

(v. 14) "For if those who live by Law [unto eternal life] are heirs [inheritors of eternal life] faith has no value and the promise is worthless.

(v. 15) because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.

(v. 16) Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by 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."

"Therefore the promise [of eternal life] comes by faith, so that it may be by grace" = So in conclusion, Paul, having established that there is absolutely nothing man can do toward receiving salvation, begins verse 16 with the words "dia touto" = "through wherefore", i.e., therefore; and then he draws his conclusion:

God's promise of eternal life with Him in heaven can ONLY come by a one time simple act of faith - a mental assent - so that it is received EXCLUSIVELY on the basis of 'TOTAL UNDESERVEDNESS' - by grace alone. Verse 16 is a summary verse especially considering its eliptical construction, that is to say, that Paul has eliminated all but essential words so that we literally have translated in English:

"dia touto ek pisteos, ina kata Charin"

'Therefore of faith that by grace.'

This construction makes Paul's point climactic and very emphatic: Salvation is of faith (nothing else!) so that it can be by grace.

[Dr. John Danish, Audio Taped Sermon # 77 RO-40 side 1]:

"Since God saves only on the basis of a grace gift [cp Eph 2:8-9], salvation has to be received by faith. If it's a grace gift, [then] it's something you have to take - you just have to accept it. And you cannot work for it. And that's the point:

"Therefore of faith that by grace."

If you do not approach God on the basis of faith, then God cannot save you by grace. If you approach Him by works, you cannot be saved by grace... [Ro 11:6] ...And if you cannot be saved by grace, you will not be saved at all. God... [cannot] ...compromise His essence [by permitting human contribution toward one's salvation which is inevitably contaminated with motivation from one's sin nature]. God will not compromise His plan of salvation just because it seems more reasonable to contaminated human viewpoint..."

[Ro 4:16 cont.]:

(v. 16) "Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by 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."

"Therefore the promise [of eternal life] comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring...." = The underlined portion refers to all of Abraham's offspring relative to salvation - to Jews and Gentiles alike TO ALL INDIVIDUALS who trust alone in Christ alone as Savior as Abraham did.

[Compare Ro 4:11]:

(v. 11) "And he [Abraham] received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be reckoned to them."

[And compare Ro 9:8]:

"That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise [who] are regarded as descendants."

[And finally, cp Jn 1:12]:

"But as many as received [Christ], to them [God] gave the right to become children of God, [that is to say] to those who believe in His name."

"and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring...." (cont.) =

[Dr. John Danish, ibid]:

"So the promise of the Abrahamic Covenant [relative to salvation] was certain of fulfillment... Paul points out... ...because it was a promise that was based on a grace gift relationship... The grace/faith system makes it all depend... on God's character and His doing. That's why it's permanent. As long as it's grace/faith, then it's all dependent [upon Who] ...God is.. and on...what He does. It does not depend [upon] the kind of people we are, or ever will be, or anything that we do. And that's the point: the eternal security in salvation is true, therefore, for everyone [who believes], because of this basis - whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, everyone is saved by faith because it depends upon the character of God and God's doing relative to provision for paying for our sins which He did on the cross through His Son - our salvation is secure, it is certain, it is eternal...

Abraham, because he was such a man of faith and was saved by faith [alone] is described as the father of all of us who are saved in the same way he was."

And the last part of verse 16 verifies this and moves into verse 17:

[Ro 4:16 cont.]:

"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." = This is not to suggest that the promises to Abraham come to an individual who keeps the Law as well as to one who appropriates it by faith. Rather, the phrase "to those who are of the Law." refers to the category of people who are Jews - who are under the Mosaic Law provisions.

"(As it is written, 'A father of many nations have I made you' " = This is a parenthetical statement from Gen 17:5 between "He is the father of us all" and "in the sight of [God] Whom [Abraham] believed" which we will refer to later, since the two phrases which are divided by the Genesis reference are interconnected in meaning as the following shows:

"He [Abraham] is the father of us all...[v. 16d] ...in the sight of Him [God] Whom he [Abraham] believed [v. 17b]" = So, Paul's final argument that salvation for Jews and Gentiles alike comes by faith alone just as it did with Abraham is herein made: that it is God Who stipulated and guaranteed the condition to meet for salvation when He justified Abraham. And this stipulation of faith alone in Christ alone unto eternal life and the guarantee of ones eternal destiny is referred to by Paul in his parenthetical reference to Gen 17:5 which follows:

[Ro 4:17]:

(v. 17) (As it is written, 'A father of many nations have I made you') in the sight of [God] Whom [Abraham] believed, even God, Who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist."

(v. 16d) "He is the father of us all.

(v. 17) (As it is written, 'A father of many nations have I made you') in the sight of [God] Whom [Abraham] believed [unto eternal life]..." =

Author Paul again refers to Old Testament Scripture:

[Compare Gen 17:5-7]:

(v. 5) "No longer shall your name be called Abram [= exalted father],

But your name shall be Abraham [= father of a multitude];

For I will make you the father of a multitude of nations.

(v. 6) And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come forth from you.

(v. 7) And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you."

In Genesis 17:5-7, God encourages Abraham to hold on to his faith by reminding him of His promise of blessing and "everlasting" life which was guaranteed to him earlier:

[Ref. Gen 15:4-6]:

(v. 5) "And [God] took [Abraham] outside and said, 'Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.' And He said to him, 'So shall your descendants be.'

(v. 6) Then [Abraham] believed in the LORD; and [God] reckoned it to [Abraham] as righteousness [unto eternal life, (Ref. Ro 4:1-3)]."

And Abraham had a clear understanding of the Messiah to come to which our LORD Jesus Christ Himself testifies:

[Jn 8:56]:

"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day; and he saw it and was glad.' "

And Paul points out in the next part of Romans chapter 4 that the Covenant which God made with Abraham applies to all humanity who are of the faith of Abraham - who trusted alone in Christ alone as Savior:

(Ro 4:16d...17b) "He is the father of us all....in the sight of [God] Whom [Abraham] believed..." =

[Recall Ro 4:13]:

"For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through law, but through the righteousness [which comes by] faith."

[Ro 4:17 cont.]

"As it is written, 'A father of many nations have I made you' in the sight of [God] Whom [Abraham] believed, even God, Who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist." =

Paul certifies his claim that eternal life is secured for all believers on the basis of faith alone in God's promise to Abraham and through Abraham's Seed, Jesus Christ, to all mankind, (ref. Gal 3:16). And He authenticates God as:

(1) being the ultimate and unquestionable authority in this matter and

(2) being absolutely trustworthy.

This Paul does when he writes that God is the Creator God of the Universe Who has the power of life and death and Who spoke the universe into existence out of nothing, (cp Gen 1 & 2; Is 42:5).

So if God is Creator, having the power of life and death, surely He can keep His promise of eternal life to all who believe in Christ as Savior.

Salvation thus depends solely upon God's character and has nothing to do with anyone else.

[Ro 4:18]:

(v. 18) In hope against hope he believed [in God], in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, 'So shall your descendants be.' "

"In hope against hope he believed. [in God]" =

"Os par' elipida"

"Who against hope"

contrary to in the natural (a futile hope)

ep elipidi episteusen."

in hope believed."

(aorist active)

So Abraham, against what he could see - against what hope he had in the natural - acted with hope in God because he trusted in what God promised to do instead of what he was capable of doing.

"Against hope" has to do with the fact that Abraham is looking at the impossibility of having a son at his and Sarah's ages, Sarah being barren all these years. In this case Abraham is against all hope in procreating the son through whom will come eternal life and consequent blessings which God spoke to Abraham about, (Gen 12:2-3; 13:14-16; 17:4-8; 17:19, 21). On the other hand, "In hope" has to do with Abraham trusting in God's power and faithfulness to "give life", (v. 17), to Abraham and Sarah's deadened condition in order to produce the son of the Promise.

Just as Abraham had to come to the realization that his situation was totally helpless relative to his having a son with Sarah through which son was God's promise of eternal life and consequent blessing, so we must come to the realization that our situation is likewise totally helpless relative to attaining eternal life with God in heaven. It is totally up to the mercy of God and not up to any 'righteous' deeds that we do:

[Cp. Titus 3:5]:

"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit..."

So the phrase "In hope against hope he believed [in God] is saying that Abraham placed his hope in God against the futile hope of being able to do something in order to be saved. Abraham especially exemplified his total reliance on God when his ability to have a son with Sarah was impossible - a son through whom he would receive eternal life, but a son which could not possibly be born to him unless God was to perform a miracle. It was all up to God.

[Harrison, op. cit., p. 52-53]:

"The final value of Abraham in respect to justification is that his faith becomes the standard for all believers. 'Against all hope,' this man believed. In view of his 'deadened' condition (and that of Sarah likewise) because of advanced age, the situation seemed past hope...

[Compare Gen 17:17-19; 18:11]:

(Gen 17:17) "Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, 'Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?'

(Gen 17:18) And Abraham said to God, 'If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!' [Thus indicating Abraham's faith in God's promise of blessing]

(Gen 17:19) Then God said, 'Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.'"

(Gen 18:11) "Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing."]

[Harrison, cont.]:

...Nevertheless, [Abraham] believed the promise of God that offspring would be given. 'In hope' takes account of the great change that came over his outlook due to the pledge God gave him. After making the original promise (Gen 15:5), God waited until it was physically impossible for this couple to have children. Then he repeated his pledge (Gen 17:5). Abraham's act of faith was essentially the same as on the previous occasion, but meanwhile circumstances had made the fulfillment of the promise impossible apart from supernatural intervention [which eternal life for all men is likewise received as a supernatural intervention by God alone]. He was shut up to God and was able to rest his faith there.

He 'faced the fact' of his physical condition and that of Sarah and 'did not waver through unbelief, (Ro 4:20).' ...That he really trusted God for the fulfillment of the promise is seen in his readiness to proceed with circumcision for himself and his household before Isaac was conceived (Gen 17:23-27). This act in itself could be construed as giving 'glory to God,' and as an expression of trust in the power of the Almighty to make good His promise. Moreover, it was an open testimony to others of his trust in God's faithfulness to His word. If God should fail in this matter, Abraham would be an object of pity by some, of ridicule by others.

As far as Abraham was concerned, he was not taking a chance. He was 'fully persuaded' that God's power would match His promise. This man of God was called on to believe in a special divine intervention - not after it occurred, as the Jews were challenged to do concerning the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 2-5), but before. His faith is the more commendable because it was exercised in the face of apparent lack of necessity. Would not Ishmael do as the desired progeny? He had been born to Abraham through Hagar in the interval between the original promise (Gen 15) and its renewal (Gen 17). Abraham was willing to rest in the wisdom as well as in the will of God."

The rest of verse 18 sums it all up:

[Ro 4:18 cont.]:

(v. 18) "In hope against hope he believed [in God], in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, 'So shall your descendants be.' "

Paul states that it is God's sovereign purpose to have Abraham in a hopeless, faith only, position "in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, 'So shall your descendants be.' " = This part of verse 18 refers to God's picture to Abraham of a wholly blessed eternal existence which was presented earlier to Abraham as a countless number of stars in the evening sky.

And the phrase '' 'So shall your descendants be.' " confirms Abraham's salvation on the basis of faith alone in Christ alone:

[Ref. Gen 15:5-6]:

(v. 5) "And [God] took [Abraham] outside and said, 'Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.' And He said to him, 'So shall your descendants be.'

[And then God accounted righteousness unto eternal life to Abraham when he believed]:

(v. 6) Then [Abraham] believed in the LORD; and [God] reckoned it to him as righteousness [unto eternal life, Ro 4:1-3]."

And just as Abraham was completely unable to contribute anything toward his salvation, not even able to bear a son through whom his Messiah would be born, so we can only respond as Abraham did: with "hope against hope", trusting in God to do it all for us. And with that first moment of trust just as it occurred with Abraham in Gen 15:6, comes the accounting by God of the Righteousness of Christ unto eternal life to every believer:

[Ro 3:22]:

"Even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe..." (cp Phil 3:9).

[Ro 4:19]:

"And not being weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb.."

"kai me asthenesas

"And not being weak

aorist participle

te pistel"

in the faith."

"Not being weak" is in an aorist particple form which places Abraham's exercise of his faith in God unto eternal life at a point in time, (aorist), BEFORE Abraham "contemplated his own [dead] body."

So first came Abraham's faith in God which enabled him to look at his hopeless circumstance, (relative to procreating a son with Sarah), and react to it in a godly way. He never could have done that without the faith coming first. The rest of verse 19 plus verse 20 paints the picture of Abraham's impossible circumstance contrasted with his trust in God to make good on His Promise of eternal life through a son to be born of him and Sarah:

[Ro 4:19-20]:

(v. 19) "And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb;

(v. 20) yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God..."

"yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief." = Yet with respect to God's promise of eternal life through a firstborn son to him and Sarah, Abraham did not waiver in his faith that God would inevitably fulfill His promise. There were moments in which Abraham 'refigured' how God would fulfill His promise, (Gen 15:3; 16:1-4), but never any moments that God would fail him.

[Ro 4:19-20 cont.]:

(v. 19) "And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb;

(v. 20) yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God..."

"But grew strong in the faith, giving glory to God"

"Giving glory to God" = The verb giving is in participle form thus indicating that as a result of Abraham's attitude toward God, an attitude of faith in the capability and trustworthiness of God, Abraham did not waiver in his faith unto God's promise, but rather, grew stronger in his faith.

"glory" = "doxan" = having a favorable opinion about God - which is praiseworthy and full of honor.

A principle is thus reiterated here: that constantly giving glory to God strengthens one's faith in God. The aorist participle phrase, "giving glory to God" is set grammatically and therefore in time before the phrases "he did not waiver in unbelief" and "[he] grew strong in the faith." Thus, it is established that the practice of giving glory to God - trusting in His infinite love and fidelity - increases the faith of a believer.

And one final time, before going on to chapter 5 and the subject of the results of being justified as opposed to what it takes to be justified, Paul states that salvation is solely by faith in God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ alone for all individuals. Faith alone, he states in vv. 21-22 is what resulted in Abraham's being credited with God's Absolute Righteousness unto eternal life:

[Ro 4:21-22]:

(v. 21) and [Abraham] being fully assured that what [God] had promised, He was able also to perform.

(v. 22) Therefore also 'it was reckoned to him as righteousness.', (Gen 15:6)

And the same is true for all mankind as stipulated again at the end of chapter 4:

[Ro 4:23-25]:

(v. 23) Now not for his sake only was it written, that 'It was reckoned to him,'

(v. 24) but for our sake also, to whom it will be reckoned, as those who believe in Him Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

(v. 25) Him who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification."

Everett F. Harrison, states, op. cit., pp. 53-54:

"Having dealt with Abraham's situation, the apostle turns finally to applying God's dealings with the patriarch to the readers of the Epistle. This procedure accords with his observation that 'everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope' [hope = a sure hope in the Greek (Ro 15:4)]. There are differences between Abraham's case and the position of the readers. Yet the basic simliarity in God's dealings with both is unmistakable. Both believe in God as the one who acts in their behalf; both receive justification."

Just as Paul begins Romans chapter 4 with the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith - that it is not right living - but right believing in God that counts with God relative to being declared righteous unto eternal life through faith alone in His Son alone, so Paul ends the chapter in the same way.

So in the beginning of Romans chapter 4, we have the first three verses which focus on justification by faith alone as God stipulated it to Abraham in Gen 15:6:

[Ro 4:1-3]:

(v. 1) "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according the the flesh, has found?

(v. 2) For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God.

(v. 3) For what does the Scripture say? 'And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to Him as righteousness.' [Gen 15:6]"

And then at the end of Romans chapter 4, we have a view of the same Old Testament passage:

[Ro 4:22]:

"Therefore also 'It was reckoned to him as righteousness,' "

And Paul extends this to all mankind in the final verses of chapter 4, especially verse 24:

[Ro 4:24]:

"But for our sake also, to whom [righteousness] will be reckoned as those who believe in [God] Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead"

[W. R. Newell states, "Romans Verse by Verse,, Kregel, Grand Rapids, Mi, 1994, p. 153]:

"Faith is the only faculty by which we can lay hold of God. 'Let Him take hold of my strength' is God's command, (Isa 27:5). But we cannot reach His greatness. We are dust. We cannot look upon His face for He dwelleth in light unapproachable... We cannot apprehend His wisdom for it is infinite, incomprehensible. Reasonings of the wise regarding God are vain. Then how should we lay hold of God at all? By believing Him. The weakest of men can believe what God tells him. Praise be to His name. Faith, simple faith connects us with the mighty One.

So Paul begins and ends chapter 4 with, "Therefore it was imputed to Abraham for righteousness."

"it" = Abraham's faith alone in God's plan alone of eternal life through Abraham's Seed Who is Christ, (Gal 3:16). And by that faith, and that faith alone, Abaham and all men who believe would be saved.

[John Witmer states, op. cit., p. 455]:

"Mentioning the Lord Jesus led Paul to state again the Savior's central place in God's program of providing righteousness for sinful people by grace through faith. Both Christ's death and His resurrection are essential to that work of justification. He was delivered over (by God the Father; cf. 8:32) to death for our sins (lit., 'on account of or because of''... 'our trespasses'. Though not a direct quotation, these words in substance are taken from Isaiah 53:12 (cf. Isa. 53:4-6). Also He was raised to life for ('on account of' or 'because of'... our justification. Christ's death as God's sacrificial Lamb {cf. John 1:29} was to pay the redemptive price for the sins of all people (Rom 3:24) so that God might be free to forgive those who respond by faith to that provision. Christ's resurrection was the proof (or demonstration and vindication) of God's acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice (cf. 1:4)...

[The resurrection of Christ was essential for the exercise of faith of an individual unto eternal life, otherwise there would have been no evidence to which one could testify relative to our Lord's completeing His mission of paying for the sins of the whole world]

...Thus because He lives, God can credit His provided righteousness to the account of every person who responds by faith to that offer.

In chapter 4, Paul presented several irrefutable reasons why justification is by faith:

(1) Since justification is a gift, it cannot be earned by works (vv. 1-8).

(2) Since Abraham was justified before he was circumcised, circumcision has no relationship to justification (vv. 9-12).

(3) Since Abraham was justified centuries before the Law, justification is not based on the Law (vv. 13-17).

(4) Abraham was justified because of his faith in God, not because of his works (vv. 18-25)."

Now on to Romans chapter 5