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AUGUST 2
In the evening it is cut down and Not while circumcised, but while uncircum-
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withers. cised. And he received the sign of circumci-
sion, a seal of the righteousness of the faith
Proverbs 22:9
which he had while still uncircumcised, that he
9 He who has a generous eye will be might be the father of all those who believe,
blessed, though they are uncircumcised, that righ-
For he gives of his bread to teousness might be imputed to them also,
the poor. 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not
only are of the circumcision, but who also walk
Romans 4:1–25
in the steps of the faith which our father Abra-
What then shall we say that Abraham our ham had while still uncircumcised.
4 father has found according to the flesh?
For if Abraham was justified by works, he has
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something to boast about, but not before God.
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham
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believed God, and it was accounted to him for 4:11,12 the father of all those who believe.
Racially, Abraham is the father of all Jews (cir-
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righteousness.” Now to him who works, the cumcised); spiritually, he is the father of both
wages are not counted as grace but as debt. believing Jews (v. 12) and believing Gentiles
(uncircumcised; v. 11).
4:3 A quotation of Genesis 15:6, one of the
clearest statements in all Scripture about justi- 13 For the promise that he would be the heir
fication.believed.Abraham was a man of faith of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed
(1:16; 4:18–21; Gal. 3:6,7,9; Heb. 11:8–10). But through the law, but through the righteous-
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faith is not a meritorious work. It is never the ness of faith. For if those who are of the law
ground of justification—it is simply the chan- are heirs, faith is made void and the promise
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nel through which it is received and it,too,is a made of no effect, because the law brings
gift. accounted. vv. 5,9,10,22. Also translated about wrath; for where there is no law there is
“imputed” (vv. 6,8,11,23,24). Used in both no transgression.
financial and legal settings, this Greek word 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be accord-
means to take something that belongs to some- ing to grace, so that the promise might be sure
one and credit to another’s account. It is a one- to all the seed, not only to those who are of the
sided transaction—Abraham did nothing to law, but also to those who are of the faith of
accumulate it; God simply credited it to him. Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is
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God took His own righteousness and credited
it to Abraham as if it were actually his. This written, “I have made you a father of many
God did because Abraham believed in Him. nations”) in the presence of Him whom he
believed—God, who gives life to the dead and
calls those things which do not exist as though
they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope
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5 believed, so that he became the father of many
But to him who does not work but believes
on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is nations, according to what was spoken, “So
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accounted for righteousness, just as David shall your descendants be.” And not being
also describes the blessedness of the man to weak in faith, he did not consider his own body,
whom God imputes righteousness apart from already dead (since he was about a hundred
works: years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
20 He did not waver at the promise of God
“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith,
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are forgiven, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced
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And whose sins are covered; that what He had promised He was also able to
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Blessed is the man to whom the LORD perform. And therefore “it was accounted to
shall not impute sin.” him for righteousness.”
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone
9 Does this blessedness then come upon the cir- that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It
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cumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who
For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who
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for righteousness. How then was it accounted? was delivered up because of our offenses, and
While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? was raised because of our justification.
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