Abraham Justified by Faith

(Genesis 15:1–7; Psalm 32:1–11; Hebrews 11:8–19)

4 What then shall we say [that] Abraham, our forefather according to [the] flesh, has discovered? 2 If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what {does} the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[fn]

4 Now the wages of [the] worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the [one who] does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 And David speaks likewise of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed [are they] whose lawless acts are forgiven,

whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed [is] [the] man

[whose] sin [the] Lord will never count against him.”[fn]

9 [Is] this blessing [only] on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited [to him] as righteousness. 10 In what context was it credited? [Was it after] his circumcision, or [before]? [It was] not [after], but [before].[fn]

11 And he received [the] sign of circumcision [as] a seal of the righteousness that [he had] by faith [while] [he was still] uncircumcised. So then, he is [the] father of all who believe [but] are not circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them as well.[fn] 12 And [he is also the] father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith [that] our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.