04:01 .. what then shall we say that Abraham .. our forefather according to the flesh .. has found 04:02 .. for if Abraham was justified by works .. he has something to boast about .. but not before God 04:03 .. for what does the Scripture say . . . Abraham believed God .. and it was credited to him as righteousness 04:04 .. now to the one who works .. his wage is not credited as a favor .. but as what is due 04:05 .. but to the one who does not work .. but believes in him who justifies the ungodly .. his faith is credited as righteousness 04:06 .. just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works 04:07 .. blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven .. and whose sins have been covered 04:08 .. blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account
04:09 .. Is this blessing then on the circumcised .. or on the uncircumcised also .. for we say . . . faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness 04:10 .. how then was it credited .. while he was circumcised .. or uncircumcised .. not while circumcised .. but while uncircumcised 04:11 .. 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 04:12 .. 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
04:13 .. for the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law .. ......... but through the righteousness of faith 04:14 .. for if those who are of the Law are heirs .. faith is made void and the promise is nullified 04:15 .. for the Law brings about wrath .. but where there is no law .. there also is no violation 04:16 .. for this reason it is by faith .. in order that it may be in accordance with grace .. so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants .. ......... not only to those who are of the Law .. but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham .. who is the father of us all 04:17 .. (as it is written . . . a father of many nations have I made you) .. in the presence of him whom he believed .. even God .. ......... who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist
04:18 .. In hope against hope he believed .. so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken .. ......... so shall your descendants be 04:19 .. without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body .. now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old .. ......... and the deadness of Sarah’s womb 04:20 .. yet .. with respect to the promise of God .. he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith .. giving glory to God 04:21 .. and being fully assured that what God had promised .. he was able also to perform 04:22 .. therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness 04:23 .. now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him 04:24 .. but for our sake also .. to whom it will be credited .. as those who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead 04:25 .. he who was delivered over because of our transgressions .. and was raised because of our justification
No man can pretend to merit eternal life .. nor show any worth in his work which may answer such a reward .. disclaiming any pretension he must cast himself wholly upon the free grace of God by faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ .. to such a one faith is counted for righteousness . . . . v 24-25 Christ’s death and resurrection are the two main hinges on which the door of salvation turns .. he was delivered as our sacrifice for sin .. he was raised for the perfecting and completing of our justification