Romans 4:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Summary

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

The sign

A seal

Righteousness

That righteousness

Romans 4:6

General references

Galatians 3:9

Bible References

The sign

This is My covenant, which you are to keep, between Me and you and your offspring after you: Every one of your males must be circumcised.

The blood on the houses where you are staying will be a distinguishing mark for you; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will be among you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

“Tell the Israelites: You must observe My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am Yahweh who sets you apart.

I also gave them My Sabbaths to serve as a sign between Me and them, so they will know that I am Yahweh who sets them apart as holy.

A seal

For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh.

The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and all your soul so that you will live.

He has also sealed us and given us the Spirit as a down payment in our hearts.

When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by Him for the day of redemption.

They were told not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green plant, or any tree, but only people who do not have God’s seal on their foreheads.

Righteousness

For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

—that is, God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ,

to all who believe, since there is no distinction.

What should we say then? Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained righteousness—namely the righteousness that comes from faith.

But the righteousness that comes from faith speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?”

that is, to bring Christ down

For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith.

By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Simeon Peter, a slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ:

To those who have obtained a faith of equal privilege with ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

That righteousness

Likewise, David also speaks of the blessing of the man God credits righteousness to apart from works:

General references

I will make you into a great nation,
I will bless you,
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.

Abraham was 99 years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised,

The flesh of his foreskin must be circumcised on the eighth day.

And no one, after drinking old wine, wants new, because he says, ‘The old is better.’”

“Can anyone withhold water and prevent these people from being baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

So those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, who had faith.