Romans 4:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

NIV: David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

NASB: just as David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

CSB: Just as David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

NLT: David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:

KJV: Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

NKJV: just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

Paul has held up Abraham as an example from Scripture. His intent is to show that God declares people righteous in His sight based on their faith and not on their works (Romans 4:1–5). Paul is not only seeking to prove that salvation comes through faith, not works, but that this idea is not something new. Rather, it's part of the message God has already established. Now Paul turns to something written by another hero of the Israelites: King David of the golden age of Israel.

Paul writes that David also speaks of those God declares righteous "apart from works," or in spite of their lack of works. David calls them blessed in the passage Paul will quote in the following verses. In a sense, Paul asks his readers to open their copies of Scripture to the familiar passage of Psalm 32:1–2, to read along as he further proves his point.

Romans 4:1–12 focuses on the faith of Abraham, referenced by Paul to further his case about faith. God only declares people righteous based on their faith in Him. David, as well, describes those against whom God will not count their sin as ''blessed.'' Paul insists that this blessing of being declared righteous by God is available to both the circumcised and the uncircumcised. After all, God declared Abraham righteous long before he was circumcised. In that way, he became the spiritual father of both the believing Gentiles and the believing Jews.

Romans 4 is all about the faith of Abraham. God declared Abraham righteous because of his faith, not because of his works. A declaration of righteousness was God's gift, not a payment. This righteousness is available to everyone, circumcised or not. God declared Abraham righteous many years before he was circumcised, making him the spiritual father of all who believe, whether circumcised or not, whether Jew or Gentile. God's promises to Abraham and his offspring can't be received by keeping the law, only by faith. Abraham's faith in God's promise of a son with Sarah did not waver even as he grew older. God will declare us righteous, as well, if by faith we believe in the God who delivered Jesus to die for our sins and raised Him back to life for our justification.

So far, this letter has established that every single person is guilty of sin and does not deserve God's forgiveness. Whether we know God's law explicitly, or not, we still fail to obey. Only faith in Christ can rescue us from the penalty we deserve for that sin. Romans 4 explores the example of Abraham, and God's amazing gift of declaring Abraham righteous solely on the basis of his faith. This declaration was given many years before Abraham was circumcised, causing Abraham to become the father of all who believe God by faith. Abraham's continued faith in God is a model for us. Romans will continue by exploring how Christ brings us peace with God.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.

Accessed 5/6/2024 3:43:45 AM