What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, hath found according to the flesh? [The word "found" means "obtained" (Hebrews 9:12) or "got" (Luke 9:12) Knowing that the Jew would resist and controvert his conclusion that the Jew would have to be justified by faith, just as the Gentile, Paul f... [ Continue Reading ]
For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God.... [ Continue Reading ]
For what saith the scripture? [Genesis 15:6] _And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness_. [Now, of course, Abraham was some way justified. If he was justified by works, as you Jews suppose, he has ground for glorying toward God, for he can claim his justification from... [ Continue Reading ]
Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt.... [ Continue Reading ]
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. [Let us illustrate our point by the case of a workman. If the workman does all he agreed to do, then his reward or hire is due him, not as a matter of grace or favor, but as a just... [ Continue Reading ]
Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works,... [ Continue Reading ]
saying [Psalms 32:1-2], _Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin. [The quotation from David does not show a positive imputation of righteousness, but a negative one--a refusal to reckon the unrighteous. "It is implied," says Alford, "by Paul, that the remission of sin is equivalent to the imputation of right... [ Continue Reading ]
Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness.... [ Continue Reading ]
How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision [Do the words of David apply only to the Jews, the circumcised, or do they likewise apply also to the Gentiles, the uncircumcised? Surely they apply to the uncircumcised, for they... [ Continue Reading ]
and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them;... [ Continue Reading ]
and the father of circumcision to them who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had in uncircumcision. [Now, circumcision was not given to Abraham to justify him, but as a seal, or token, that he had obtained righteousness by f... [ Continue Reading ]
For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith. [In this third division of his argument Paul shows that Abraham did not obtain the promise of heirship for himself and his seed through the agency of the law... [ Continue Reading ]
For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect :... [ Continue Reading ]
for the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. [Abraham had, by reason of his human nature, to be justified by his faith. If justification had to be earned, and men had to seek it by the works of the law, then faith--all the things which we hope for and believe... [ Continue Reading ]
For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all... [ Continue Reading ]
(as it is written [Genesis 17:5], _A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom ye believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Who in hope believe against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be. [Now, since a righteousness of law is unattainable by men, the inheritance was bestowed because of a righteousness of faith, that it might be a f... [ Continue Reading ]
And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb;... [ Continue Reading ]
yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God,... [ Continue Reading ]
and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. [This paragraph explains the clause in verse 18, which sets forth how Abraham "in hope believed against hope." God promised Abraham a son, and though nature told him that it was now impossible for him to have a son, by r... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. [Abraham, like all others, could not honor God by rendering perfect obedience to his will, but he could honor him by being fully persuaded that he would keep his word, though to do so might seemingly involve an impossibility. It was this act... [ Continue Reading ]
Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned unto him;... [ Continue Reading ]
but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,... [ Continue Reading ]
who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification. [Now, Moses, when he recorded the fact that Abraham was accounted righteous for his faith, did not do so for the sole purpose of giving Abraham the honor due him, but he also recorded the fact for our sakes also, unto who... [ Continue Reading ]