Romans 4: Counted Righteous

Key Verse
16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all…
 
Meditation
God’s grace “gets us right” with God through faith so that believers are counted righteous through His finished work.
 
In today’s reading, Abraham is described as “as good as dead,” and Sarah as barren. Humanly speaking, the promise seemed impossible. But God had pledged that through Abraham’s offspring all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Abraham “believed God,” and his faith was “counted to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15). 
 
“Counted” is the key word in Romans 4 (logizomai; see vv. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 22–24). The word means “to credit” or “to reckon.” Abraham’s faith was credited with righteousness. Likewise, David celebrates the blessedness of the one whose sin is not counted against him, whose transgressions are covered by grace (vv. 6-8). Abraham was declared righteous before circumcision (vv. 9-12), proving that justification is not earned by religious performance but received through promise. His faith rested on God’s life-giving power and ultimately pointed to Jesus, Abraham’s greater Offspring (vv. 18-25).
 
The amount of faith does not save; the object of faith does. God’s sovereign grace draws our trust away from ourselves and fixes it upon Jesus. Jesus died so Abraham and all his children by faith might be made alive. Jesus rose so Sarah and all her children by faith might move from barrenness to blessing. Jesus’ perfect life is credited to those who trust in Him, just as His death covers our sin.
 
The richness of Jesus’ righteousness is counted to us by faith, not achieved by our works (2 Corinthians 5:21).
 
Toda’s Reading
What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 

7    “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, 
and whose sins are covered; 
8    blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” 

9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. 

The Promise Realized Through Faith
13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 
 
16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. 
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially in the “counting righteousness” of God through faith?
 
-Do you struggle to believe your sins are not “counted” against you (6) because you do not trust that the righteousness of Jesus has been counted, or credited, to you? How does this affect your trust in God and His love?
 
-How does the reality of God’s finished work in Christ, He taking your sin to give you His righteous record, fuel your trust in His forgiveness and move you to a place of peace?
 
 
Key Verse
16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all…