Romans 4:9-12 ‘Abraham Justified Before Circumcision’

TEXT
Rom 4:9
Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.

• Paul again anticipates his Jewish audience and asks the question – if Abraham was made righteous by faith, then since he was circumcised, then do we have to be circumcised. To this question, he asks the question – was Abraham justified while circumcised or before?

Rom 4:10
How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised.

• In fact, it was before Abraham was circumcised (as God commanded) that he is said to have been justified (in Gen 15:6). This then proves that righteousness is apart from both works and traditions/obedience.
• This carries through to today – there is no need for going to church, getting baptised, taking communion or doing anything else of either good or traditional nature as far as justification is concerned. Justification happens before any of those.

Rom 4:11
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also,

• Circumcision was merely a seal of the righteousness of faith, that is, it was an outward show of the promise that God had given, and his acceptance of it. It was what sealed Abraham into his new life. For us, perhaps a similar idea is baptism. It is a public declaration of our faith which in some way constrains or seals us to move forward and grow with God.
• Abraham is the father of all who believe – even though there were those who believed before him, in some ways Abraham is our father because it was through him that Jesus came.

Rom 4:12
and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

• Paul here makes it plain again that it is believing and walking in the steps of faith that brings us into the family, into the promise – not circumcision or an outward show or ritual.
• Interesting that he uses the phrase ‘walk in the steps of the faith’ – rather than just ‘have the faith’. It implies that having faith is a process as well, and as James says, having faith without works is dead. This is a nice balance.

 

SUMMARY
Paul extends his argument to religious forms and rituals, ie. circumcision. His argument is then that we are justified by faith alone – apart from both works and rituals (even if those rituals are in obedience to God). He is in no way denigrating the importance or need for circumcision amongst the Jews, but he is stressing that it plays no role in the act of justification, which is the promise that Abraham received. It is rather a seal of acceptance, much like baptism these days.

WHAT DO I LEARN?
I need to learn to rest on the forgiveness and grace of God for justification and all things – God loves us and by His grace He gives us what we need, through no merit of our own, and through no observance of rituals, traditions or even obedience. Traditions remind us of who He is and make us familiar with Him, and obedience stems from a willing and pure heart, but the initiation is always His unending grace. Thankyou God!