Romans 4:1-25 (NKJV)

1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to
the flesh?
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about,
but not before God.
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was
accounted to him for righteousness.”

Paul, having made his case that all men are under sin, now lays out the answer –
righteousness is by grace through faith. In this chapter the word “inputed” or “reckoned”
is used many times – here is the break down on it.

4:3 accounted, logidzomai (log-id-zom-ahee); Strong’s #3049: Compare “logistic” and

“logarithm.” Numerically, to count, compute, calculate, sum up. Metaphorically, to consider,
reckon, reason, deem, evaluate, value. Logidzomai finalizes thought, judges matters, draws
logical conclusions, decides outcomes, and puts every action into a debit or credit position.
Spirit filled life study Bible

G3049 - accounted
Λογιζομαι logizomai
Thayer Definition:
1) to reckon, count, compute, calculate, count over
1a) to take into account, to make an account of
1a1) metaphorically to pass to one’s account, to impute
1a2) a thing is reckoned as or to be something, i.e. as availing for or equivalent to
something, as having the like force and weight
1b) to number among, reckon with
1c) to reckon or account
2) to reckon inward, count up or weigh the reasons, to deliberate
3) by reckoning up all the reasons, to gather or infer
3a) to consider, take into account, weigh, meditate on
3b) to suppose, deem, judge
3c) to determine, purpose, decide

Paul is teaching here as would any rabbi, he asks a question and then answers it – once
again proof that Paul did not “give up” his Jewishness upon becoming a Christian –
rather he used everything he had learned and kept on growing.

Rom 4:3 For what saith the Scripture?.... This answers to ‫דכתיב מאי‬, "what is that
which is written" (c)? or what does the Scripture say? which is a way of speaking used
by the Jews, when anything is proposed, which seems contrary to Scripture, as here
justification by works does. A testimony from Scripture is here produced, proving that
Abraham was justified by faith, and not by works: the place referred to is Gen_15:6; Gill

3. As a Hebrew, a rabbi, a Sanhedrinist and a Pharisee, Paul knew exactly how to settle
a Jewish argument. He could have debated the point, but instead he says, For what
saith the scripture? This is a lesson we all should learn well. Whenever we are asked for
a moral, ethical, or eternal answer, we should always ask ourselves, “What do the
Scriptures say?” KJV Bible commentary
Is that how you answer questions?

4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his
faith is accounted for righteousness,
6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes
righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

4:6 According to Jewish law, a question was settled by two or three witnesses. Paul
calls two witnesses from the Old Testament to testify to justification through faith:
one from the Law (4:1) and one from the Prophets (4:6; see also 3:21; Acts 2:29, 30
where David is called a prophet). NKJV-SB

9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the
uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for
righteousness.
10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or
uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of
the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father
of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness
might be imputed to them also,
12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the
circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father
Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

Paul makes a brilliant point here – that Abraham was justified by faith before he was
circumcised. Whatever else you may think of Paul, he knew the scriptures and he knew
how to make his case!

When it says that Abraham is the father of believing Gentiles, there is no thought of
physical descent, of course. It simply means that these believers are his children because
they imitate his faith. They are not his children by birth but by following him as their
pattern and example. Neither does the passage teach that believing Gentiles become the
Israel of God. The Israel of God is composed of those Jews who accept Jesus, the
Messiah, as their Lord and Savior. Believer's Bible Commentary

13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to
Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of
faith.
14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the
promise made of no effect,
15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is
no transgression.
Abraham’s promise of being “heir of the world” will be fulfilled when Jesus returns
and sets up His kingdom in Jerusalem. Remember, the Jews often spoke of “this
world” and “the world to come.”

16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the

promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law,
but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many 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;
18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of
many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants
be.”
19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already
dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s
womb.
20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was
strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,
21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to
perform.
22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

4:16 Many human attitudes, such as love, joy, patience, courage, and mercy, can be
somewhat worked up by our own effort. But faith occurs when we cease trying to do
something by our own efforts, and trust someone else to do it for us. Faith is the one
attitude that is exactly the opposite of trusting ourselves. Apparently this is why God
decided that faith would be the attitude of heart by which we could obtain salvation, that
it might be according to grace, that is, that it might be an entirely free gift of God, not
dependent on any merit of our own.
Spirit filled life study Bible

The illustration of Abraham’s faith here would provide its own lesson in “how to believe
God.” Let us then point out but a few things. Abraham didn’t deny what was in front of
him – he just believed God would change it. This is a crucial point and separates real
bible faith from ‘Christian science.’ Secondly, it was the bigness of God rather than the
bigness of Abraham’s faith that was key. God is the One who will perform it anyway –
faith simply requires you to trust Him.

Then we see that Abraham didn’t waver – the word is defined below:

G1252
διακρινω
diakrinō
Thayer Definition:
1) to separate, make a distinction, discriminate, to prefer
2) to learn by discrimination, to try, decide
2a) to determine, give judgment, decide a dispute
3) to withdraw from one, desert
4) to separate one’s self in a hostile spirit, to oppose, strive with dispute, contend
5) to be at variance with one’s self, hesitate, doubt

The battle in the faith realm takes place in the mind. You need to settle what you believe
before you believe. Go to the word of God and become convinced that what God said is
true – then make your stand of faith.

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him,
24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus
our Lord from the dead,
25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our
justification.

Rom. 4:23–24 Paul applies Gen. 15:6 to his readers.but for ours also. Paul sees
that, in God's plan, Scriptures as far back as Genesis were written also for the benefit
of Christians in the new covenant age. ESV-SB

Romans 4 is a beautiful illustration of why we need to read the whole bible and not just
the NT. These things were written for our benefit.

Summary

We are justified with God by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus – by His
death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead.