Romans 4:3

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. FOR WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE? ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT (THAT IS, HIS BELIEVING) WAS COUNTED UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS (). Romish expositors and Arminian Protestants make this to mean that God accepted Abraham's act of believing as a substitute for complete obedience. But this is at variance with the whole spirit and letter of the apostle's teaching. Throughout this whole argument, faith is set in direct opposition to works, in the matter of justification, and even in the next two verses. The meaning, therefore, cannot possibly be that the mere act of believing-which is as much a work as any other piece of commanded duty (;...

3._For what saith the Scripture? _This is a proof of the minor proposition, or of what he assumed, when he denied that Abraham had any ground for glorying: for if Abraham was justified, because he embraced, by faith, the bountiful mercy of God, it follows, that he had nothing to glory in; for he brought nothing of his own, except a confession of his misery, which is a solicitation for mercy. He, indeed, takes it as granted, that the righteousness of faith is the refuge, and, as it were, the asylum of the sinner, who is destitute of works. For if there be any righteousness by the law or by works, it must be in men themselves; but by faith they derive from another what is wanting in themselves; and hence the righteousness of faith is rightly called imputative. The passage, which is quoted, is taken from Genesis 15:6; in which the word _believe _is not to be confined to any pa

1-12 To meet the views of the Jews, the apostle first refers to the example of Abraham, in whom the Jews gloried as their most renowned forefather. However exalted in various respects, he had nothing to boast in the presence of God, being saved by grace, through faith, even as others. Without noticing the years which passed before his call, and the failures at times in his obedience, and even in his faith, it was expressly stated in Scripture that "he believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness," Genesis 15:6. From this example it is observed, that if any man could work the full measure required by the law, the reward must be reckoned as a debt, which evidently was not the case even of Abraham, seeing faith was reckoned to him for righteousness. When believers are justified by faith, "their faith being counted for righteousness," their faith does not justify them as a part...

Verse Romans 4:3. _FOR, WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE?_] The Scriptural account of this transaction, Genesis 15:6, is decisive; for there it is said, _Abraham believed God, and it was counted_, ελογισθη, _it_ _was reckoned to him for righteousness_, ειςδικαιοσυνην, _for_ _justification_....

FOR WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE? - The inspired account of Abraham’s justification. This account was final, and was to settle the question. This account is found in Genesis 15:6. ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD - In the Hebrew, “Abraham believed Yahweh.” The sense is substantially the same, as the argument turns on the act of believing. The faith which Abraham exercised was, that his posterity should be like the stars of heaven in number. This promise was made to him when he had no child, and of course when he had no prospect of such a posterity. See the strength and nature of this faith further illustrated in Romans 4:16. The reason why it was counted to him for righteousness was, that it was such a strong, direct, and unwavering act of confidence i

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

FOR WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE?.... This answers to דכתיב מאי, "what is that which is written" c? or what does the Scripture say? which is a way of speaking used by the Jews, when anything is proposed, which seems contrary to Scripture, as here justification by works does. A testimony from Scripture is here produced, proving that Abraham was justified by faith, and not by works: the place referred to is Genesis 15:6; ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD; the object of his faith and trust were not his riches, nor his righteousness, but Jehovah, the Son of God, the second person in the Trinity, styled in Genesis 15:1, "the Word of the Lord", the essential Word of God, and called his "shield", and "exceeding great reward"; characters which are very applicable to Christ: and this faith of his in the

Romans 4:1. _What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness._ He stands as the great Father of believers, and this is the charter given to him, and given to all believers in him. «Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.» Romans 4:4. _Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt._ That is to say, to him who hopes to be saved by his works, to whom salvation is of merit. He has worked for the reward. He has earned it. Do not talk about grace in that case....

GOD Jehovah. (Genesis 15:6). COUNTED Or, reckoned, or imputed, that is, put to the account of. See (Philemon 1:18); same word: RIGHTEOUSNESSS See (Romans 4:5); (Romans 4:6); (Romans 4:9); (Romans 4:11); (Romans 4:13); (Romans 4:22)....

CHAPTER 4 _ 1. The Witness of Abraham to Justification. (Romans 4:1 .)_ 2. As Confirmed also by David. (Romans 4:6 .) 3. Circumcision the Sign of the Covenant. (Romans 4:9 .) 4. Faith in Him Who Raiseth the Dead. (Romans 4:13 .) Romans 4:1 Two witnesses are summoned next in whose lives the truth of justification by faith is illustrated. The Jews boasted of Abraham as the father of their nation. “Abraham our father” is still the common phrase used by all orthodox Jews as it was in the days of John the Baptist, as he declared, “Sa