⁹ Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” ¹⁰ How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised…

God speaking once suffices for our attention. But God justified the patriarch Abraham (Gen 16:6), and reminds us five times—three times in this chapter (Romans 4:3, 9, 11) and also in Galatians 3:6 and James 2:23. God’s word to the prophet Habakkuk, “The righteous will live by faith” (Hab 2:4), is repeated three times in the NT (Rom 1:17, Gal 3:11, Heb 10:38). Further, the word translated “credit” in our verse today is used 19 times in this letter. Repetition signals the author’s intent (both human and Divine) that we do not miss the importance of what is being said. Clearly the concept of justification by faith, whereby righteousness is credited to the person who believes, permeates Scripture. We see it in Abraham, in David, in Habakkuk, and in the writings of Paul and James. This is no incidental trivia for academics to obsess over. God does not want us to miss this absolutely central theme of the Bible.

The sin problem is a given in the Bible. By that, we mean from the earliest portion of the biblical narrative sin has been present, marring God’s perfect creation (Gen 1:1-3:7). Man’s attempts to deal with this began with Adam and Eve attempting to cover their shame with fig leaves (Gen 3:8). God called them out and brought judgment (Gen 3:9-19) and then provided them with better coverage for their shame (Gen 3:21). The rest of the Bible portrays the constant back and forth of man’s rebellion against God, his superficial efforts to deal with his sin, God’s continually calling them out and bringing judgment, and, praise God, His message of resolution. That message, as Paul asserts, is that God provides a solution to the sin problem: we can only gain a righteousness that is not based on our human effort or merit, since we have in fact continued our own historical narrative of sin which began in the Garden.

Speaking still to the presumed Jewish objector, Paul points out concerning Abraham, whose “faith was credited” to him as righteousness, that his justification (Gen 15:6) came before the command to practice circumcision (Gen 17:10). Paul does not invent new theology but draws on the unassailable model experience of the revered Abraham. Therefore, circumcision (and all it came to represent, namely, the Law of Moses) has nothing to do with gaining righteousness. Faith is the only way. Faith is the sufficient way.

Lord, thank You for making righteousness available for all, not just the religiously devout. That is my complete basis for knowing I am justified.