Romans Chapter 4

Romans Chapter 4

What should we say that Abraham, our father who was mortal, has found?

If Abraham was justified by works then he has glory, but not before God. What do the scriptures say? It says that Abraham believed God and counted on him for his own righteousness.

However, to someone who works, isn’t the reward reckoned of debt, not of grace? (Uh, is it?)

Even David described the blessedness of man who god gave righteousness to without works. He said blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. He also said that anyone who God does not accuse of sinning is blessed.

So does is this blessing only for the circumcised, or for the uncircumcised also? Because we do say that faith was given to Abraham for his righteousness.

But, how was it given to him? Was it when he was in circumcision or not? Turns out, it was when he was uncircumcised. He then received the sign of circumcision which is a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had even though he was uncircumcised. This was done so that he could be the father of all of the believers, even though they were not circumcised, so that righteousness could be given to them to.

(Seriously, Paul is utterly obsessed with foreskin. Gross!)

Abraham was meant to be the father of anyone who was circumcised or those who were uncircumcised but walked in the steps of his faith. The promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or his seed was not made by the law, but rather, by faith.

The thing is, if folks who are of the law are heirs then faith is made void and this promise would have no effect. (Anyone see a few skipped steps in logic, here?). The problem is that the law works wrath because where there is no law, there is no transgression. (Are we back to needing only faith and no laws? I beg to differ).

It is only by faith and grace that the promise to Abe’s seeds can be kept. It’s not just the law, it’s also the faith of Abraham, and don’t you know, he was father to us all.

Paul says, “As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations”. (I can’t even begin to guess who he’s talking to here. I’m going to continue writing, but I have a feelings it’s going to sound like gibberish. I know, I know, what’s new?). Before the guy who someone believed, even God, who awakened the dead and called “those things which be not as though they were”. (Um, is he saying that God told us about make believe things? Isn’t that a little counter to the whole religious thing where everything is supposed to have really happened? I must be misinterpreting that).

Some had hope when it seemed there was none to be had. I think it was Abraham, maybe. He hoped that he might become the father of many nations, at least, according to what was spoken (rumors, I guess). So his seed should also be.

He wasn’t weak in faith. He didn’t even consider that fact that he was dead an impediment. This was around the time he was a hundred years old. Nor did he consider the Sara’s infertile womb a problem. He didn’t stagger about, or doubt God’s promise. He was strong in his faith and gave glory to God.

And, because he fully believed in all of this, he was able to perform what was promised. Therefore God gave him the bountiful gift of righteousness. But, this was not written just for Abraham’s sake. It was for all of us, so we can all be given this gift if we believe in God who raised JC from the dead and who was delivered for our sins and was raised again (JC was raised twice from the dead? News to me.) for our justification.

Quick question, is Paul saying that Abraham did the nasty and made some kids with Sara after he was dead? Man, she could NOT have enjoyed that. Gross, doing with a hundred year old is bad enough, but a dead one? Eeewww! I hope I have that wrong!