The theme of Romans, found in 1:16, is that the Gospel is God’s power to save, the Jew as well as the Greek. But to establish that point, Paul needs to show that salvation is not based on the works of the Law of Moses and, in a real sense, never has been. Salvation has always been based on faith, even as it involved, for the Jew, obedience to the law.
To establish that point, Paul uses Abraham as the example. Paul will use Abraham nine times in Romans and 4:1 was the first time. Abraham believed God’s message and God considered him righteous, based on that faith (Gen 15:6).
We pick up, now, with Romans 4:4… If you work, then what you receive is your due, your wages. But if one believes (and obeys; remember 1:5) Him who justifies the ungodly, then his faith results in righteousness. Righteousness is what is due faith rather than wages.
To illustrate what it means to be “credited” with righteousness, Paul will now quote King David from Psalm 32:1-2. That is, to be reckoned righteous (Rom 4:5) is equivalent to having lawless deeds forgiven, which is equivalent to having sins covered, which is equivalent to having sin not taken into account. That’s what being credited with righteousness means. I remind you that calling Jesus the “propitiation” for our sins (Rom 3:25) is equivalent to saying that Jesus is our “mercy seat” (from the ark, in the tabernacle) or “covering for sin.”
Beginning in verse 9, Paul points out that Abraham was considered righteous (based on Gen 15:6) before and without circumcision (which was not given until Gen 17). If Abraham could be justified without circumcision (specifically) or the law of Moses (generally), then Gentiles also might be saved in the same way!
That is why lots of company produces the drug and the availability of the medicine in the market is VigRx plus. prescription cialis cost This pill must order cialis from india only be taken by those men who might not have understood this medical term instantly. They have some evidence stating that the product works and they also have renowned experts endorsing the viagra generic uk product. Surveys found that many men in the world suffer levitra price from the difficulty of getting it up or keep it up during sexual stimulation.
In fact, rather than simply being the “father of the circumcision,” Abraham was the father of those who walk by the same faith of Abraham (Rom 4:12). Salvation is always based on faith, even as the specifics of obedience have changed from age to age.
The promise given to Abraham that he would be the father of the faithful was not given to him based on the Law of Moses, since it had not even been given yet. Rather, it was offered to him based on a righteous faith. If salvation is based on the law, then there is no point or room for faith (4:14). In fact, salvation is then merited and one is able to boast before God! None of which is true or possible since sin reigns in man’s life (see chapter 5).
Therefore, salvation is by faith so that, in accordance with grace, everyone (Jew and Greek) can be saved, who are “of the faith of Abraham” (4:16). Based on the fact that salvation is through faith, not the works of the law, then Abraham is a father of “many nations,” including Gentiles! Abraham’s faith was made complete, according to James 2:21, when he offered Isaac as a sacrifice, an event alluded to by Paul here in our text in 4:17.
–Paul Holland
