- Read: Romans 4:1-25
- Memorize: Romans 4:25
Circumcision was and is a major source of pride for Jewish men. They would tell you that in order to get to heaven that a man has to be circumcised. Paul (a Jewish man who was circumcised) tells us a different story in Romans chapter 4. If there is anything Jewish men take more pride in than circumcision it is their forefather, Abraham, so Paul goes right to the source in countering their error.
Paul says that there are two problems with requiring circumcision for salvation:
- If we do any kind of work, then salvation becomes a wage, or payment that God owes to us, and it is no longer a gift.
- Abraham was credited with (or given) righteousness prior to becoming circumcised.
So if Abraham, the greatest of the Jewish ancestors, could be freely given a righteousness that was not his own, apart from circumcision or any work, then so can we. And God makes it clear that nobody besides Jesus could earn his own righteousness, that's why we need Jesus to offer his to us as a free gift.
Now when Abraham was alive, Jesus hadn't died yet, but Abraham believed God and had faith that he would fulfill his promises to give descendants and ultimately a descendant that would crush Satan and redeem his people from sin. This same faith that Abraham had for future events we can have for past events because Jesus has come and has conquered sin by living perfectly, dying voluntarily and rising in power. So "The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."
Comment:
Now when Abraham was alive, Jesus hadn't died yet, but Abraham believed God and had faith that he would fulfill his promises to give descendants and ultimately a descendant that would crush Satan and redeem his people from sin. This same faith that Abraham had for future events we can have for past events because Jesus has come and has conquered sin by living perfectly, dying voluntarily and rising in power. So "The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."
Comment:
- What are the two problems with requiring circumcision to be saved?
- Why is it important for us to understand the meaning of the words "it was credited to him as righteousness"?
1. If we do work then salvationm becomes a wage instead of a gift. Abraham was credited rightesnous before being circuimcised.
ReplyDelete2. We need to understand that God gave it to him, and that he did'nt get it on his own.
there are nobody?
ReplyDelete1.a)You miss the point of being saved, if you get cirrcumsised to be saved, you've missed the point entirely.
b)Many people go to heaven, even when they weren't cirrcumsied.
2. He didn't earn it, it was given to him.
1. salvation is by God's grace alone. if we had to work for it, it wouldn't be a gift, it would be a reward. and since Abraham was credited with righteousness without being circumcised that goes to show that since he was 'righteous' without doing works, everyone else can be as well.
ReplyDelete2. because it's applicable to us also. when we believe, we are credited with righteousness as well.