“How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised” (Romans 4:10).

The Biblical account of Abraham does not specify when God deemed him righteous on account of his faith. However, we can establish a timeline that supports this conclusion from Romans 4:10 by piecing together several events from Abraham’s life.

The first data point on our timeline comes to us from Genesis 15:6: “[Abraham] believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness” (CSB). In the following chapter, we read how Abraham fathered a son named Ishmael at his wife’s behest. Ishmael’s mother was Hagar, a maidservant who served as a type of surrogate mother. That portion of Scripture also provides us with Ishmael’s approximate date of birth: “Abram [Abraham’s former name] was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram” (Genesis 16:16).

The next stop on our timeline appears in Genesis chapter seventeen as God instructed Abraham to circumcise all the males within his household: “On that same day Abraham obeyed God by circumcising Ishmael. Abraham was also circumcised, and so were all the other men and boys in his household, including his servants and slaves. He was 99 years old at the time, and his son Ishmael was 13” (Genesis 17:23-27 CEV).

That leaves us with the following conclusion: God declared Abraham to be righteous at least fourteen years before he received the ceremonial rite of circumcision. In other words, God had already imputed righteousness to Abraham by faith long before he engaged in any ritual observance. Thus, “Circumcision was not the gateway to his right relationship with God; it was only the sign and the seal that he had already entered into it. His being accounted righteous had nothing to do with circumcision and everything to do with his act of faith.” ₍₁₎

Therefore, this passage holds great significance with respect to our spiritual observances. It also has implications for those who believe that Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross must be accompanied by other meritorious works in order to achieve salvation. In Paul the Apostle’s era, that belief was promoted by those who taught that circumcision was a necessary prerequisite to salvation. Then there were others who believed that some form of hidden knowledge held the key to eternal life. This brief observation from Romans chapter four serves to negate those beliefs.

Finally, these verses help set the right foundation for the practical teachings that will appear later in chapters twelve to sixteen. In that section, Paul will apply these concepts to specific issues that faced the first-century church, and modern-day readers by extension.

(1) Barclay, William. “Commentary on Romans 4”. “William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/romans-4.html. 1956-1959.

“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” (Romans 4:9).

After a brief foray into the life of Israel’s king David, Paul the Apostle returned to Abraham’s example to pursue another line of evidence concerning “righteousness apart from works.” He did so in the form of a question: Does salvation by faith represent a privilege that extends only to those who have undergone the ritual of circumcision? The answer to that question held interest for Jewish and non-Jewish audiences alike…

“Paul anticipated what his Jewish readers would be thinking: If Abraham was justified by his faith alone, why did God command him and his descendants to be circumcised? His response not only answers those concerned with circumcision, but the millions who still cling to some other kind of religious ceremony or activity as their basis for righteousness.” ₍₁₎

From a contemporary perspective, some may also believe that participation in a religious ritual or observance will lead to God’s acceptance or favor. Paul will address that view in the following verse…

“How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised” (Romans 4:10).

Abraham’s example demonstrates that righteousness (or right standing with God) does not come through a ritual act like circumcision. Instead, it comes through faith- specifically, faith in Christ’s sacrificial death on our behalf. A ceremonial act (in whatever form it takes) should then flow from our personal convictions and the faith that has already been credited to us as righteousness…

“The apostle pointed out that when God declared Abraham righteous, the patriarch was still ‘uncircumcised.’ He was a virtual Gentile. It was fourteen years later that Abraham underwent circumcision (Gen. 17:24-26). His circumcision was a ‘sign’ (label) of what he already possessed. This point would have encouraged Paul’s Jewish readers, who made so much of circumcision, to keep it in its proper place as secondary to faith. Paul used Abraham as more than just an example of faith, but a model.” ₍₂₎

We’ll take a closer look at the Biblical timeline that Paul references here in our next study. But before we continue, we should note that ceremonial observances (especially spiritual ones) are often deeply ingrained in the hearts and minds of individuals, families, and cultures. Those who are emotionally invested in such observances may dispute the Biblical teachings from this passage despite our best efforts to present them in a gracious and reasonable manner. Therefore, we should be diligent to pray for those who elevate such observances above the Scriptural teachings presented to us here.

(1) John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Ro 4:9–12.

(2) Dr. Thomas L. Constable, Notes on Romans 2025 Edition https://soniclight.com/tcon/notes/html/romans/romans.htm

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin” (Romans 4:7-8 ESV).

As we have already noted, our sins are imputed to Jesus (or placed on His ledger) when we accept Him and His sacrificial offering through faith. However, there is another dimension to this idea, for the doctrine of imputation also involves a reciprocal (or corresponding) exchange. By this, we mean that a parallel transfer takes place: our sins are imputed to Christ while His righteousness is credited to us.

This brings forth several implications that are truly astounding when we pause to consider them. Since Jesus’ righteousness has been imputed to us, we are endowed with all the privileges and blessings that accompany it. One Biblical dictionary summarizes the sequence of events that characterize this double transfer…

“Thus in doctrinal language (1) the sin of Adam is imputed to all his descendants, i.e., it is reckoned as theirs, and they are dealt with therefore as guilty; (2) the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them that believe in him, or so attributed to them as to be considered their own; and (3) our sins are imputed to Christ, i.e., he assumed our ‘law-place,’ undertook to answer the demands of justice for our sins. In all these cases the nature of imputation is the same (Romans 5:12-19; comp. Philemon 1:18, 19).” ₍₁₎

Therefore, we can say that our sins were crucified along with Christ, and we receive the righteousness He possessed through His perfect and complete obedience to God the Father and the Law. In short, Jesus bore the penalty for our transgressions, and His righteousness has been bestowed upon us.

Finally, it’s important to consider the events that led to the quotation from Psalm 32 that appears here in Romans 4:7-8. Those events involved Israel’s king David, a man who entered into a series of highly inappropriate decisions at one point in his monarchy (see 2 Samuel 11-12:23). Those decisions (and their aftermath) brought forth this declaration from Psalm 32.

God forgave David, and he rightfully expressed the blessedness of those (like himself), “… whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” Nevertheless, those choices brought many negative consequences, and David’s life was marked by recurring episodes of deep personal sorrow thereafter. Thus, we are reminded of an important personal truth: since Christ has borne our sins and we have received His righteousness, we should seek God daily for the will and wisdom to make choices that reflect those realities.

(1) “Imputation” M. G. Easton: Easton’s Bible Dictionary – Christian Classics Ethereal Library. (n.d.). https://www.ccel.org/ccel/easton/ebd2.html?term=imputation

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin” (Romans 4:7-8).

This quotation from Psalm 32 brings one of the great (and perhaps underappreciated) Biblical doctrines to the forefront of our discussion. That doctrine is imputation. A thorough understanding of this key Biblical concept will help bring comfort to anyone who seeks (and sometimes fails) to honor God in thought, word, or deed.

As alluded to earlier in our look at Romans 4:3, “imputation” conveys the idea of something that is counted, reckoned, or credited towards one’s account. When considering those whose sins are no longer counted against them through faith in Christ, we can begin with the actions taken by the very first human couple. The Apostle Paul will elaborate on this subject at greater length in Romans chapter five…

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).

That portion of Scripture tells us that Adam’s sin is imputed, or credited to us, his descendants. Theologians sometimes refer to this concept as “inherited sin” or “original sin.” However, that sin was imputed to Jesus (or credited to His account) when He “became sin for us” through His sacrificial death (2 Corinthians 5:21). In the words of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah, “…the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (see Isaiah 53:4-6).

Paul explained it this way in the Biblical epistle of Colossians…

“You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14 NLT, see also Galatians 2:20, and 1 Peter 2:24).

Another source analyzes the original language of the passage and offers the following insight…

“Verse 8 contains a strong DOUBLE NEGATIVE, ‘will not under any circumstances’ be imputed, reckoned, taken into account. Notice the three VERBS in this quote; all denote the acquittal of sin… This is a quote from Ps. 32:2. It is the term ‘reckon,’ ‘impute,’ or ‘deposit to another’s account,’ used in a negative sense. God does not impute sin (DOUBLE NEGATIVE) into a believer’s spiritual bank account; He imputes righteousness.” ₍₁₎

The doctrine of imputation does not assert the belief that human beings will completely disengage from sinful behaviors on this side of eternity. It means that God no longer credits or holds those sins against us because Jesus settled them through His atoning death on the cross.

(1) Dr. Bob Utley. Free Bible Commentary, Copyright © 2014 Bible Lessons International. Romans 1. (n.d.). https://www.freebiblecommentary.org/new_testament_studies/VOL05/VOL05_04.html

“just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works” (Romans 4:6).

Let’s envision a scene inside a courtroom where a legal trial is underway. The prosecutor is an unapologetic and unrepentant human being who disavows the moral authority of humanity’s Creator. The defendant is God. The indictment consists of the following charge: God is guilty of a moral deficiency (and thus lacks moral authority) in light of His association with several individuals of questionable character.

The prosecutor presses this charge against God with several pieces of evidence…

Exhibit A: Noah found favor with God according to Genesis 6:8. Yet Noah was the same man who once got so drunk that he passed out naked according to Genesis 9:18-22.

Exhibit B: Abraham is called a friend of God in James 2:23. Yet, that very same man lied about his wife to protect himself- twice.

Exhibit C: The evidence shows that God referred to Moses as “my servant” in Numbers 12:7 even though He knew Moses was guilty of murder.

Exhibit D: Israel’s king David once arranged to send a man to his death so he could marry that man’s wife. But Acts 13:22 refers to David as “…a man after [God’s] own heart.‘”

After presenting this evidence, our hypothetical prosecutor concludes with a closing argument that seems utterly devastating: “What kind of God associates with such people? What does it reveal about God’s character when He speaks this way about such individuals? A civilized human society would incarcerate people for engaging in some of these behaviors. Why then should humanity look to God for any form of moral authority?”

While this argument may seem to hold validity, we should note that God has not yet had His say in this imaginary courtroom. As Proverbs 18:17 reminds us, “Any story sounds true until someone tells the other side and sets the record straight” (TLB). For instance, let’s consider the final exhibit in this sequence: Israel’s king David. We can begin with the acknowledgment that David (as well as the others in these exhibits) was a faithful individual, not a perfect individual.

In Psalm 32, David acknowledged God’s prerogative in forgiving such behaviors (and others that are equally, or more heinous) by saying, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit” (Psalm 32:1-2). The following verses will use this Psalm to uncover the irrefutable legal defense associated with that act of forgiveness.

“However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness” (Romans 4:5 NIV).

Thus far in our journey through the book of Romans, we have never been far from the word “justification” and its derivative concepts. For example, Romans chapter one told us, “…The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). In Romans 2:13 we read, “…for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified.” Romans chapter three then followed by saying, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24).

One source adds to our discussion of this important concept with the following insight into the legal origin of this term…

“The Greek word translated ‘justify’ or ‘justification’ means ‘to acquit,’ ‘to vindicate,’ or ‘to pronounce righteous.’ These are important judicial terms, and the theological meaning is borrowed from the courtroom. In justification God clears those who have been charged with sins or failures. The Bible makes it clear that God will clear no one of the charge of sin on the basis of his or her efforts to keep the Law. One can be justified — declared righteous — only on the basis of faith.” ₍₁₎

Thus, “In justification, God solves the legal or judicial problem that we have on account of our being lawbreakers who have violated His commandments, and He does so by means of a legal declaration of our status… Clearly, when a judge acquits an innocent person, he is not changing that person but merely making a declaration about that person’s status before the law.” ₍₂₎

Another commentary presents us with a personal application: “Notice that he believes on Him who justifies the ungodly. He doesn’t come with the plea that he has tried his best, that he has lived by the Golden Rule, that he has not been as bad as others. No, he comes as an ungodly, guilty sinner and throws himself on the mercy of God.” ₍₃₎

Here in Romans chapter four, Paul the Apostle has turned to Abraham’s example to find support for this premise. But over the next few verses, Paul will focus his attention on another prominent figure from the annals of Biblical history. That person is David, the celebrated monarch of Old Testament Israel. He will serve as a corroborating witness to the spiritual truths that Paul has worked to establish over the first four chapters of this letter.

(1) Richards, L. O., & Richards, L. (1987). Bible Teacher’s Commentary. David C Cook. “Study Guide 125: Romans 4-6.”

(2) Faith and Righteousness. (2017, June 13). Ligonier Ministries. https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/faith-and-righteousness-june-2017

(3) William Macdonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary Edited by Arthur Farstad. Thomas Nelson Publishers [Romans 4:1-25]

“Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (Romans 4:4-5 ESV).

The Apostle Paul demonstrated the characteristics of a skilled communicator by turning to a familiar analogy to clarify his teaching on the subject of faith: “A person who works is paid wages, but they are not regarded as a gift; they are something that has been earned” (GNT).

A paycheck has little to do with an employer’s generosity. Instead, that obligation stems directly from the work that an employee performs on the employer’s behalf. In contrast, the Scriptures tell us that heaven is not attainable through human effort, for salvation is a gift of God. If a person could earn his or her way into heaven, then salvation would no longer be free, nor would it be a gift. It would rather be an obligation that God owes to those who deserve it.

Let’s apply this analogy to those who seek to earn salvation through their moral and/or ethical efforts. In that scenario, God would incur an obligation to save those who worked for it. Much like the employer who assumes an obligation to pay an employee for his or her labor, God would incur a similar obligation to accept us into heaven based on our works.

While some may choose to gamble their eternity on such a belief, the Scriptures categorically reject that view. In addition to what we read here in Romans chapter four, consider these excerpts from the following New Testament epistles…

“By grace you are saved through faith, and this not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

“…no one anywhere can ever brag in the presence of God. For it is from God alone that you have your life through Christ Jesus….” (1 Corinthians 1:29-30 TLB).

“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4-5).

So, the Scriptures tell us that we cannot earn our way to heaven through our efforts. Thus. we can say that salvation is not a matter of what we can do for God; it is a matter of what God has already done for us through Christ.

“Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” (Romans 4:4-5).

In contrast to an employee who labors to earn a paycheck, our text from Romans chapter four tells us that Abraham did not “earn” righteousness through his own efforts. Instead, righteousness was accounted to him through faith.

Abraham’s example serves as a remarkably informative case study, for his life included several instances where he made some highly questionable decisions. For instance…

• Abraham once misled an Egyptian Pharaoh by falsely representing his wife Sarah as his sister (Genesis 12:10–20).
• He later engaged in that same deceptive conduct with another king named Abimelech (Genesis 20).
• Abraham also heeded his wife’s ill-advised counsel and fathered a son with her maidservant (Genesis 16).

While Abraham was truly a great man of faith, these episodes from his life tell us that he was far from perfect. But to borrow Paul the Apostle’s terminology from the passage quoted above, Abraham was accounted righteous because he believed “…on Him who justifies the ungodly.”

The word “righteous” is often used in a variety of ways, some of which are far removed from its true meaning. However, the Biblical concept of righteousness denotes a state of right standing with God through Christ. As we have already seen thus far in our study of the book of Romans, God declares those who accept Christ’s atoning death to be “righteous” (or “without guilt”) in His sight. This concept is certainly not unique to the book of Romans, for Paul the Apostle expressed a similar idea in his epistle to the Philippians…

“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith” (Philippians 3:8-9).

Finally, we should take note of the following excerpt from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Those who desire to live the kind of lives that reflect the right standing we enjoy with God in Christ, have Jesus’ personal assurance that God will fully satisfy that desire.

“For what does scripture say about him? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness'” (Romans 4:3 Phillips).

Before we move on from our study of this passage, there is a key element within this verse that merits our attention. That element comprises a single word: accounted. Much like the modern-day derivative term “accountant,” the ancient version of this word conveys the idea of something that is calculated or computed to one’s account. ₍₁₎ Contemporary translations of this verse use a variety of words, including credited (NET). counted (ESV). and reckoned (RSV), to express this idea.

While it may seem unwarranted to dwell on a single word from this passage, this particular word shows up repeatedly (and in several variations) over the course of Romans chapter four. Therefore, this reference (and the spiritual truth it represents) is well worth our consideration. One commentator places this idea in a contemporary framework…

“What do we mean when we say that faith was counted unto Abraham for righteousness? The word translated ‘counted’ (Gr logizomai) is a commercial term which is used with regard to credits or debits. It means to set to one’s credit or lay to one’s charge. If you authorize your lawyer to write checks on your bank account, and he does so, although the check is written by him and money received by him, nevertheless the amount of the check is charged to you.” ₍₂₎

Another New Testament scholar offers several ways to understand this concept…

“Thus Abraham believed God, and his act of faith was placed to his account in value as righteousness. He believed God and his act of faith was credited to him for righteousness. He believed God and his act of faith was placed on deposit for him and evaluated as righteousness. He believed God and his act of faith was computed as to its value, and there was placed to his account, righteousness. He believed God, and his act of faith was credited to his account for righteousness. Finally, he believed God, and his act of faith was credited to him, resulting in righteousness.” ₍₃₎

So, much like a monetary transfer that is deposited into a financial trust fund, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith” (NLT). Abraham did not undertake any effort to facilitate that transfer; he simply took God at His word and believed He would do what He said He would do. We will return to this important idea again in Romans 4:8 when we consider another variation of this term: imputation.

(1) G3049 – logizomai – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3049/kjv/tr/0-1/
(2) Edward E. Hindson and Woodrow Michael Kroll, eds., KJV Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1994), 2223–2224.
(3) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament [Galatians 3:6] Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

“For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3).

Amidst this lengthy discussion concerning Abraham in Romans chapter four, the Apostle Paul raised an important question: “…what saith the scripture?” (KJV). While there are many information sources that contend for the opportunity to influence our opinions, the Biblical Scriptures should ultimately set the foundation for our convictions. This would encompass a wide range of areas, including our business practices, social interactions, interpersonal relationships, and other aspects of daily life. We can honor God and make wise choices in these areas whenever we pose this question from our text: “What do the Scriptures say?”

Paul advanced that question in Romans 4:3 and then proceeded to answer it himself. In contrast to those who view God’s Word as a dusty relic with little modern relevance, we should note that Paul applied Abraham’s example to a contemporary question of his day. In doing so, he offers a template that we would do well to follow. It also echoes his counsel to the ancient church at Corinth: “These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction…” (1 Corinthians 10:11 CSB).

So, Abraham believed God (and was justified by faith), long before he received the external sign of circumcision. Here again, this brief quotation from Genesis 15:6 yields some important insights regarding the nature of faith: Abraham believed God, and God subsequently credited that belief to him for righteousness. Nevertheless, we should exercise caution before we assume that a direct correlation exists between righteousness and mere belief.

Consider the following passage from the Biblical epistle of James: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” (James 2:19). In light of this, we can say that no one is righteous simply because he or she believes God exists. Even demonic beings (who are certainly not righteous) believe that. Instead, Abraham believed God. In other words, the emphasis is on the Object of his faith.

The following source offers a further explanation…

“Faith is something we exercise, but Paul does not consider it a work in the same way that obedience to the law is. Works involve the bringing of what we do to God and saying that we deserve justification. Faith involves the admission that nothing we can do makes us deserving of salvation…” ₍₁₎

So when we read that “…it was accounted to him for righteousness,” the “it” refers to Abraham’s conviction that God would do what He promised. Thus, Abraham’s faith in God Himself was the means by which he was accounted righteous.

(1) Not by works (2014, March 10). Ligonier Ministries. https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/not-works