Romans 4:22

And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. AND THEREFORE IT WAS IMPUTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS - q.d., 'Let all then take notice that this was not because of anything meritorious in Abraham, but merely because he so believed.' The application of this whole argument about Abraham (Romans 4:23)...

22._And it was therefore imputed_, (149) _etc. _It becomes now more clear, how and in what manner faith brought righteousness to Abraham; and that was, because he, leaning on God’s word, rejected not the promised favor. And this connection of faith with the word ought to be well understood and carefully remembered; for faith can bring us nothing more than what it receives from the word. Hence he does not become immediately just, who is imbued only with a general and confused idea that God is true, except he reposes on the promise of his favor. “It is most true, as Paul says to the Romans, that by faith Abraham was justified, and not by _obedience_: but it is just as true what he says to the Hebrews, that it was by faith that Abraham obeyed.” — [Chalmers ]....

13-22 The promise was made to Abraham long before the law. It points at Christ, and it refers to the promise, Genesis 12:3. In Thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. The law worketh wrath, by showing that every transgressor is exposed to the Divine displeasure. As God intended to give men a title to the promised blessings, so he appointed it to be by faith, that it might be wholly of grace, to make it sure to all who were of the like precious faith with Abraham, whether Jews or Gentiles, in all ages. The justification and salvation of sinners, the taking to himself the Gentiles who had not been a people, were a gracious calling of things which are not, as though they were; and this giving a being to things that were not, proves the almighty power of God. The nature and power of Abraham's faith are shown. He believed God's testimony, and looked for the performance of his promis...

Verse 22. _AND THEREFORE IT WAS IMPUTED TO HIM FOR_ _RIGHTEOUSNESS_] The verse is thus paraphrased by Dr. Taylor: "For which reason God was graciously pleased to _place_ his faith _to_ _his account_; and to allow his fiducial reliance upon the Divine goodness, power, and faithfulness, for a _title_ to the Divine blessing, which, otherwise, having been an idolater, he had no right to." Abraham's strong faith in the promise of the coming Saviour, for this was essential to his faith, was reckoned to him for justification: for it is not said that any _righteousness_, either _his own_, or _that of another_, was imputed or reckoned to him for justification; but _it_, i.e. his _faith_ in God. His faith was fully persuaded of the most merciful intentions of God's goodness; and _this_, which, in effect, laid hold on Jesus Christ, the future Saviour, was the means of his justification; being

AND THEREFORE - His faith was so implicit, and so unwavering, that it was a demonstration that he was the firm friend of God. He was tried, and he had such confidence in God that he showed that he was supremely attached to him, and would obey and serve him. This was reckoned as a full proof of friendship; and he was recognised and treated as righteous; that is, as the friend of God. (The true sense of faith being imputed for righteousness is given in a note at the beginning of the chapter.) See the note at Romans 4:3, Romans 4:5....

EXPOSITION ROMANS 4:1 (5) _Abraham himself shown to have been justified by faith, and not by works, believers being his true heirs._ The main points of the argument may be summarized thus: When Abraham obtained a blessing to himself and to his seed for ever, it was by faith, and not by works, that he is declared to have been justified so as to obtain it. Thus the promise to his seed, as well as to himself, rested on the principle of justification by faith only. The Law, of which the principle was essentially different, could not, and did not, in itself fulfil that promise; and that its fulfilment was not dependent on circumcision, or confined to the circumcised, is further shown by the fact that it was before his own circumcision that he received the blessing and the promise, Hence the seed intended in the promise was his spiritual seed, who a

AND THEREFORE IT WAS IMPUTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Not because his faith was strong, and he had a full assurance of it, but because it was right, resting on the promise of God, and relying upon his power and faithfulness to perform it; for though the righteousness of faith is not imputed to any sort of believers, not to mere nominal ones, yet to all such as have true faith, though it may be but weak; for faith, as to nature, kind, and object, though not as to degree, is the same in all true believers, and the same righteousness is imputed to one as to another....

Romans 4:1. _What shall we say then that Abraham our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?_ What blessings did really come to Abraham, the father of the faithful? What is the nature of that covenant of grace which God made with him? Romans 4:2. _For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God._ Certainly, before God, Abraham neither gloried nor yet was justified by his works. Romans 4:3. _For what saith the scripture?_ That is the question for us always to ask, «What saith the Scripture?» Romans 4:3. Abraham believed God, and it

IMPUTED Or, reckoned, that is, put to the account of. See (Philemon 1:18); same word:...

ROMANS 4:22 @kai,# {C} In order to represent the balance of external evidence for and against the presence of kai,, the Committee decided to print it within square brackets....