Romans 4:1-12 - Abraham's Faith Counted As Righteousness
1 But if so, what can we say about Abraham, our forefather by natural descent? 2 This, that if 'Abraham was justified on the score of what he did,' he has something to be proud of. But not to be proud of before God. 3 For what does scripture say? Abraham believed God and this was counted to him as righteousness.
4 Now a worker has his wage counted to him as a due, not as a favour; 5 but a man who instead of 'working' believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, has his faith counted as righteousness.
6 Just as David himself describes the bliss of the man who has righteousness counted to him by God apart from what he does ??7 Blessed are they whose breaches of the Law are forgiven, whose sins are covered! 8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not count to him.
9 Now is that description of bliss meant for the circumcised, or for the uncircumcised as well? Abraham's faith, I repeat, was counted to him as righteousness. 10 In what way? When he was a circumcised man or an uncircumcised man? Not when he was circumcised, but when he was uncircumcised. 11 He only got circumcision as a sign or seal of the righteousness which belonged to his faith as an uncircumcised man. The object of this was to make him the father of all who believe as uncircumcised persons and thus have righteousness counted to them, 12 as well as a father of those circumcised persons who not only share circumcision but walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had as an uncircumcised man.