Romans: Example of Abraham

Example of Abraham

Passage: 4:1-12

Structure:

A. 4:1-2, Gain by flesh

  B. 4:3, Abraham believed, and God counted it as righteousness

    C. 4:4-5, Faith is credited as righteousness

    C’. 4:6-8, God credits righteousness apart from work

  B’. 4:9, Faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness

A’. 4:10-12, sign of circumcision AS a seal of righteousness

Commentary:

Story of Abraham

Main point: v.4-5 the one who works receives wages, what he/she earns.

The one who doesn’t work but believes in HIM (or trust HIM) Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.

Recognition of “ungodly” state/status – What binds him with God is faith/trust

 Is there any difference in English between faith and trust?

It is supported by a quote from David Ps. 32:1-2.

What do we know about David??

Then St. Paul goes back to Abraham to make a historical account straight: what happened first faith/trust or circumcision? (see, Gen. 15 and Gen 17).

Abraham as the father of all who believe – the Venn diagram from all who believes combines both those who are circumcised and those who are not circumcised.