Romans 4

Written By Jordan Alessi

(1) Abraham’s good-standing came from entrusting God

Let’s consider our patriarch, Abraham: what can we say he found? Because if Abraham was put in good-standing because of his behavior, then that would give him some serious bragging rights (over everyone except for God). What do the sacred writings say?

“Abraham entrusted God and it was credited to him as righteousness” —Genesis 15:6

(4) We don’t achieve good-standing by working at it, but rather by entrusting God

Now a worker’s wages aren’t thought of as a gift, but rather as a debt that is owed. But instead of working, if we entrust the One who puts the ungodly in good-standing, then our dependence becomes accounted for as righteousness. David agrees that people are blessed when God credits them with righteousness despite their behavior:

“People are blessed when their crimes have been forgiven, and their corruption has been covered. 

People are blessed when the Existing One doesn’t take their guilt into account.”

—Psalm 32:1–2

(9) Depending on God is credited as righteousness regardless of circumcision

Is this blessing only for the circumcised Israelites? Or is it for uncircumcised non-Israelites too? We say that “dependence was credited to Abraham as righteousness,” but HOW was it credited? Was he credited as righteous AFTER he was circumcised? Or before? He was credited BEFORE he got circumcised, and then he received the sign of circumcision afterwards. So circumcision is an emblem of the righteousness that faith produced in Abraham BEFORE he became a circumcised Israelite. He received that emblem so that he would be the patriarch of all the uncircumcised non-Israelites whose dependence would be credited as righteousness. But he’s also the patriarch of all the circumcised Israelites who follow in the footsteps of our forefather Abraham’s dependence. (And he had that dependence before getting circumcised).

(13) God’s promise is inherited through dependence—not through the law

When Abraham was promised that his descendants would inherit the world, that promise wasn’t made through the law—it was made through the righteousness that comes from trust. If law-followers were the ones who will inherit the world, then trust would be rendered useless and that promise would be invalid. The law just results in anger, but if the law didn’t exist, then no one would be violating it.

That’s why dependence is the thing that makes someone an heir: so that it comes from grace and guarantees the promise to all of Abraham’s descendants (not just to the Israelites who have the Old Testament—but also for anyone who has the kind of dependence that Abraham had.) Abraham is the patriarch for all of us just like it’s written:

“I have made you a patriarch of many ethnicities”

—Genesis 17:5

(17b) Abraham trusted God 100% despite uncertainties

The promise is guaranteed in the presence of God—the same God who Abraham entrusted, who gives life to the dead, and who calls things into existence that never existed before. Abraham was full of hope when he believed he’d become a patriarch of many ethnic groups just like scripture said:

“Your descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky”

—Genesis 15:5

Abraham’s confidence didn’t even diminish when he considered his own 100-year-old body (which was as good as dead) or Sarah’s body which was too old to get pregnant. Yet he pressed into God’s promise and didn’t hesitate in disbelief. His confidence grew stronger, he gave glory to God, and he was fully assured that God was powerful enough to do whatever He promised. That’s why “it was credited to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).

When it says that “it was credited to him,” that wasn’t just for his own sake, but also for OUR sakes since we’ll be credited for entrusting the One who awakened our Master (Jesus) from death. Jesus was handed over to death for the sake of our crimes, and he was awakened for the sake of us being declared innocent. 

Jordan Alessi
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