Blessedness For All

Rom

Romans 4:9–12 NKJV

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.

The Story of Abraham

Paul is making the point that God’s plan for the healing of the human race has always been justification by faith. So he uses Abrahams story as well as this portion of David’s Psalm.

Romans 4:6–8 NKJV

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.”

Rom 4:6:

Paul is giving us here scriptural evidence of his statements in ch 3.

Romans 3:27–30 NKJV

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

Rom 3:27-

Our knowledge and understanding of God must be grounded in the scriptures. Sola Scriptura (scripture alone) was one of the key doctrines that came out of the reformation. It is that the biblical scriptures are our only rule of faith and practice. That is we don’t have teaching which is based on experience or traditions or papal decrees. Rather we test everything by the statement that Paul makes in Ch 4 vs.3 What does the scripture say?

If we as a Church will remain committed to this doctrine then we should never find ourselves too far from the path that God has for us. That doesn’t mean that we will never do anything that is not in the scriptures but that we will alway test everything by the scriptures and be willing to alter anything if we find it contrary to the scriptures.

There is a great movement in the global church away from doctrine and theology, but it will be to our detriment.

I believe it is that people don’t like the terminology. But doctrine is just teaching and theology is just Theos “God” logos “the words about” or “the study of” In its simplest form theology is just our words about God and doctrine is just when we teach those words to others. So when someone says we don’t need theology and doctrine they have just taught their doctrine of theology.

So Paul is giving us the example that our doctrine must be grounded in the scripture.

They seem to think that it is something religious and they prefer to base their faith on experience rather than scripture.

So it support of his statement in vs 30 of ch 3 “there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.” Paul now demonstrates that this is taught in the scriptures.

Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also?

In other words, is this justification for the Jews only or is it also for everyone else.

The Order

What was the order of events?

Romans 4:9–10 NKJV

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.

So Abraham was not yet Jewish when he believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness.

The Sign

Romans 4:11 NKJV

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,

Rom 4:11

The sign of his righteousness which is by faith was circumcision.

We have many signs of our righteousness which is by faith, but they are not the source of our righteousness. Good works and the fruit of the spirit is a sign and seal of our righteousness but not the source. Baptism is a sign and seal of our righteousness but it is not the source. These are important just as for Abraham circumcision was important but it is not the source of righteousness.

The order of events in Abraham’s life was no accident. He was accounted righteous through faith first and then later about 14 years later, he was circumcised so that he would not be the father of the Jews only but the father of faith

The Father of Faith

Rom 4:

Romans 4:11–12 NKJV

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.