J U LY17|ROMANS 4:1-12Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover aboutbeing made right with God? 2If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would havehad something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. 3For the Scriptures tell us, “Abrahambelieved God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”4When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. 5But peopleare counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. 6David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:78“Oh, what joy for thosewhose disobedience is forgiven,whose sins are put out of sight.Yes, what joy for thosewhose record the LORD has cleared of sin.”9Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we havebeen saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. 10But howdid this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it beforehe was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!11Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already acceptedhim and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is thespiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted asrighteous because of their faith. 12And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who havebeen circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he wascircumcised.217
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