Romans
4:9-12 - Outline and Summary
By appealing to the order of events in Abraham’s life, Paul demonstrates that (in addition to being the physical Father of Israel, see Romans 4:1) Abraham is the spiritual Father of all believers - both the uncircumcised (i.e. believing Gentiles) and the circumcised (believing Jews) (Romans 4:9-12)
•
In Romans
4:9a Paul opens with a question:
–
Is this
blessedness [of which David wrote, see
verses 6-8, namely of having righteousness credited by faith
apart from works or merit]
•
only for the
circumcised [i.e.
the Jews], or
•
also
for the uncircumcised [i.e. the Gentiles]?
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Romans 4:9b restates
the point of Paul’s argument:
–
We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him
as righteousness.
Abraham’s
Call
Genesis 12:1-4
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Justified by
Faith
Genesis 15:1-6
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Received
Circumcision
Genesis 17:1-24
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| The Promise 1. Land (vs.1) 2. Seed (vs.2a) 3. Blessing (vs.2b-3) |
Genesis 15:6 - Abram believed the LORD, and He credited it to him as righteousness. |
Genesis 17:24 - Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised
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•
In Romans
–
Under what circumstances was it
[i.e. righteousness] credited [to Abraham]?
–
Was it after he was circumcised, or before?
–
It was not after, but before!
•
Romans 4:11-12 explains what circumcision
symbolized and why God justified Abraham by faith first
and had him circumcised 14 years later.
– And [Abraham] received the
sign of circumcision, a
seal of the righteousness
that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.
•
Why this order?
There was a twofold purpose:
–
So Abraham could
be
“The
Father of all who believe but have
not
been circumcised
[i.e. the Gentiles], in order that righteousness might be credited to them.”
(Romans
4:11b)
–
And
also “The father of the
circumcised [the Jews] . . . Who
also walk in the footsteps of faith that our Father Abraham had before he was
circumcised”
(Romans