Romans 4.11a-Circumcision was Distinguishing Mark that Confirmed that Righteousness was Credited to Abraham by Faith
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday January 22, 2008
Romans: Romans 4:11a-Circumcision was the Distinguishing Mark that Confirmed that Righteousness was Credited to Abraham by Faith
Lesson # 122
Please turn in your Bibles to Romans 4:1.
This evening we will continue with our study of Romans chapter four.
On Sunday, we began to note Romans 4:9-12, in which Paul teaches that Abraham was justified by faith before he received the rite of circumcision.
This evening we will begin to study Romans 4:11, in which Paul reveals the two-fold purpose of circumcision.
This evening we will study Romans 4:11a, in which teaches us that the Lord’s first purpose in commanding Abraham to be circumcised was so that circumcision would be the distinguishing mark that would serve as confirmation of the divine righteousness he received by means of faith in the Lord.
Tomorrow evening, we will note Romans 4:11b, in which Paul teaches that the second purpose in the Lord commanding Abraham to circumcised himself was so that he might become the spiritual father of all the Gentiles who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.
In Romans 4:11b, Paul teaches that since Abraham was declared righteous by God before he was circumcised, it follows that he is the spiritual father of the uncircumcised who believe in Jesus Christ.
Thus, Abraham is not only the spiritual father of those Jews who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior but also those Gentiles who trust in the Lord as well.
Let’s read Romans 4:1-12 and then concentrate on verse 11.
Romans 4:1, “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?”
Romans 4:2, “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.”
Romans 4:3, “For what does the Scripture say? ‘ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.’”
Romans 4:4, “Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.”
Romans 4:5, “But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.”
Romans 4:6, “just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works.”
Romans 4:7, “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED.”
Romans 4:8, “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.”
Romans 4:9, “Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, ‘FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.’”
Romans 4:10, “How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised.”
Romans 4:11, “and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them.”
Romans 4:12, “and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.”
Let’s concentrate now on Romans 4:11.
Romans 4:11, “and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them.”
“And” is the “intensifying” or “emphatic” use of the conjunction kai (kaiV), which introduces a statement that is not new in relation to the previous statement in Romans 4:9-10 but rather is connected to it and in fact explains further this statement and completes the idea.
In Romans 4:9-10, Paul teaches that Abraham was justified before he was circumcised.
Then, in Romans 4:11, Paul completes this thought by explaining the two-fold purpose of circumcision.
Therefore, the conjunction kai introduces a statement that further explains the statement in Romans 4:9-10 and completes the thought that begun in these verses.
“He received” is the verb lambano (lambavnw) (lam-ban-o), which means, “to experience or undergo some event or state.”
Therefore, the word means that Abraham “had undergone” the distinguishing mark and surgical procedure of cutting the foreskin of his penis.
“The sign” is the noun semeion (shmeion) (say-mi-on), which refers to the distinguishing mark upon the organ of procreation among Abraham’s biological descendants who had entered into the covenant the Lord had established with Abraham through faith.
Genesis 17:9-11 records that the Lord gives Abraham and his descendants the ritual of circumcision to observe as a sign to ratify the covenant that He established with Abraham when he left Haran.
Genesis 17:9-11, “God said further to Abraham, ‘Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.’ This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised.’ And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.”
Circumcision would symbolize in a distinct way the purpose and results of the Abrahamic covenant. The emphasis of the covenant was on the Promised Seed, the Lord Jesus Christ and on the abundance of progeny, which would accrue to Abraham (Henry M. Morris, The Genesis Record, page 333).
Circumcision was a sign only to the individual concerned, his parents and his wife and was not to be shown to people in general, but was uniquely personal.
Henry M. Morris, writes, “To his parents it would confirm that they had been faithful in transmitting the seed to the son with whom God had blessed their union and that they were trying to follow God’s will in training him. To his wife, it would give assurance that he indeed was a descendant of Abraham, to whom she could joyfully submit in the marriage relation, in faith that God would bless their home and their children. To the man himself, it would be a daily testimony that he and his family were consecrated to the God of Abraham and that they shared in his calling and ministry to the world” (The Genesis Record, page 334).
The sexual act and reproductive organs and processes were created by God to be enjoyed by both the man and the woman in marriage and received the full blessing of God (Gen. 1:28; 9:1).
But with the Fall of Adam and the Woman, the sex organs and sex act became vehicles of sin and corruption since Satan led man into sexual debauchery, corrupting the institution of marriage in every conceivable way in order to stop God’s purpose for man and his redemption.
Therefore, we see that another symbolic meaning of the act of circumcision where the cutting of the foreskin spoke of a surgical removal, a complete separation, from the sins of the flesh so widely prevalent in the world around Abraham and his descendants.
The nations and tribes around Abraham were involved in sins largely centered in the misuse of the male organ in adultery, fornication and sodomy.
Circumcision symbolized to the Jewish man that he was a member of an elect nation, a peculiar people, distinctly holy before God, in relation to sexual conduct, so it came indirectly to speak of holiness in every phase of life.
Leviticus 20:7, “You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.”
Therefore, the organ of the male body that was used for procreation is consecrated to God (cf. Deut. 30:6; Jer. 4:4) and failure to submit to circumcision demonstrated one’s overt unwillingness to obey the Lord.
The ordinance of circumcision could not save man but was to be the distinguishing sign of the Jewish nation from the other nations.
In Romans 4:11, the noun semeion identifies circumcision as the “distinguishing mark” upon the organ of procreation among Abraham’s biological descendants and members of his household who had not only entered into the covenant with the Lord through faith but also had been declared justified by the Lord as a result of receiving the imputation of divine righteousness through faith in the Lord.
Romans 4:11, “and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them.”
“A seal” is the noun sphragis (sfragiv$) (sfrag-ece), which means, “confirmation.”
In Romans 4:11, the noun is used in relation to Abraham undergoing the surgical procedure of circumcision.
The word denotes that the distinguishing mark, which is circumcision, was “confirmation” of the righteousness that was imputed to Abraham when he exercised faith in the Lord.
Circumcision confirmed to Abraham that he was regarded and treated by God as righteous through faith.
Circumcision did not bring righteousness, but was the visible sign to Abraham’s descendants of the righteousness that was imputed to him by faith.
Also, circumcision was God’s seal of righteousness.
Once righteousness has been imputed to the individual, it is sealed there forever.
Therefore, circumcision was a seal of the righteousness of the faith which Abraham had while uncircumcised.
Warren Wiersbe writes, “As a sign, it (circumcision) was evidence that he belonged to God and believed His promise. As a seal, it was a reminder to him that God had given the promise and would keep it. Circumcision did not add to Abraham’s salvation; it merely attested to it.” (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary 1989. Victor)
Romans 4:11, “and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them.”
“Of the righteousness” is the noun dikaiosune (dikaiosuvnh), which refers to the righteousness of God in the sense of His perfect “virtue” and “integrity,” which is imputed or credited to the sinner the moment they exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Dikaiosune refers to the Father’s perfect integrity in that His character is upright, honest, perfectly whole, undiminished, sound, unimpaired and in perfect condition.
The noun refers to the Father’s perfect virtue in that His character is perfect moral excellence, goodness, and His conduct is conformed perfectly to His own perfect standards and what He has promised to men.
The noun dikaiosune also refers to the fact that God always does right by man or treats man fairly.
“Of the faith” is the noun pistis (pivsti$) (pis-tis), which refers to Abraham’s non-meritorious decision of placing his absolute “trust” or “confidence in” the Lord.
The noun pistis functions as a “genitive of means” indicating that Abraham received the righteousness of God “by means of” faith.
Romans 4:11, “and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them.”
“Which he had while uncircumcised” refers to the specific point in time in Abraham’s life when he was uncircumcised.
Therefore, up to this point in our study of Romans 4:11, we can see that the Lord’s first purpose in commanding Abraham to be circumcised was that circumcision would be the distinguishing mark that would serve as confirmation of the divine righteousness he received by means of faith in the Lord.