“… It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:24-25 ESV).

Having explored the negative repercussions that stem from a denial of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, we can now turn our attention to the ideas presented to us in the closing verses of Romans chapter four. One of those ideas involves an uncomfortable subject: death.

In a broad sense, we can characterize “death” as a state of separation. Physical death is distinguished by the separation of one’s spirit from his or her body, for “…the body without the spirit is dead…” (James 2:26). The Biblical book of Revelation describes another type of death known as the “second death” in Revelation 20:14. This second death involves eternal separation from God in a place of torment and remorse. In essence, God will grant the desire of those who do not care to acknowledge Him in the form of this second death.

In the context of our text from Romans chapter four, we should note that death was not a component of God’s original creation. Instead, the Scriptures tell us that Adam’s transgression brought forth God’s judgment and the subsequent imposition of a death penalty. The following chapter of Romans will discuss Adam’s role in bringing death to humanity at greater length. This leads us to several foundational conclusions…

• Death, by its nature, is the inherent result of sin. As Romans 6:23 will later confirm, “…the wages of sin is death.“
• Jesus was the only sinless human being who ever lived.
• Since Jesus was unblemished by sin, death held no justifiable authority over Him.
• As such, Jesus died because our sins were imputed (or charged) to Him.
• He thus absorbed the wrath and chastisement that we deserve.

Therefore, He “…was delivered up for our trespasses” as we’re told here in Romans 4:25. The following author summarizes these ideas and their ramifications…

“By raising Christ from the dead, God the Father was in effect saying that he approved of Christ’s work of suffering and dying for our sins, that his work was completed, and that Christ no longer had any need to remain dead. There was no penalty left to pay for sin, no more wrath of God to bear, no more guilt or liability to punishment—all had been completely paid for, and no guilt remained…

When the Father in essence said to Christ, ‘All the penalty for sins has been paid and I find you not guilty but righteous in my sight,’ he was thereby making the declaration that would also apply to us once we trusted in Christ for salvation. In this way Christ’s resurrection also gave final proof that he had earned our justification.” ₍₁₎

(1) Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020). [pp. 35-36]

“…It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Romans 4:24-25).

This portion of Scripture and its reference to Jesus’ resurrection serves to underscore some essential spiritual truths. For example, these verses highlight the importance of acknowledging the factual nature of Jesus’ crucifixion and subsequent resurrection, for those historic truths are indispensable to our salvation. As our text from Romans 4:24 reminds us, Jesus was “…delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (NIV).

Paul the Apostle addressed this subject at greater length in the Biblical letter we know today as 1 Corinthians…

“…if Christ has not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe. More than that, we are shown to be lying about God, because we said that he raised Christ from death—but if it is true that the dead are not raised to life, then he did not raise Christ.

For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins. It would also mean that the believers in Christ who have died are lost. If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more, then we deserve more pity than anyone else in all the world” (1 Corinthians 15:14-19 GNB).

In these verses, Paul addressed a number of serious repercussions that arise from the notion that Jesus’ death and resurrection were not literal, historic events……

• “…all our preaching is useless and your trust in God is empty, worthless, hopeless;” (TLB).
• “If the dead won’t be raised to life, we have told lies about God by saying he raised Christ to life, when he really did not” (CEV).
• “if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either” (NIV).
• “And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins” (NLT).
• “and what’s more, those who have died in Christ are gone forever” (CEB).
• “If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone” (HCSB).

Therefore, we can say that our affirmation of Jesus’ historic death and resurrection is comparable in importance to a proper understanding of His life and teachings.

Image Attribution: Eugène Delacroix, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

“But the words ‘it was counted to him’ were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord” (Romans 4:23-24 ESV).

One beneficial method of engaging with the Scriptures involves the principles of inductive Bible study. This technique approaches a Biblical text with three concepts in mind:

• What does this portion of Scripture say?
• What does this portion of Scripture mean?
• How can I apply the answers to those questions in my life?

An inductive Bible study approach begins with observations from a Biblical passage in order to uncover the facts regarding that text. An interpretative stage then comes next. This is where we examine the context of each passage to help gain a deeper understanding of the text and determine its meaning. The final stage involves the act of applying those insights with respect to our beliefs, our behaviors, and our response to the events of daily life.

An inductive approach to the Scriptures does not obligate us to view God’s Word as a mere subject for academic study. The idea is to prayerfully immerse ourselves in a Biblical text to help derive actionable insights concerning ourselves, our relationships with others, our surroundings, and our relationship to God. The following Scriptures from the Old and New Testaments serve to support this approach…

“These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7 NET).

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16 ESV).

An inductive approach to Romans 4:23-24 tells us that Abraham’s example offers a lesson that applies to us today. For instance, Abraham’s faithful example serves as a model for us to follow. This portion of Scripture thus presents us with an observation, interpretation, and an application that we can apply in our lives…

• Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.
• Abraham’s faithful example was not recorded for his benefit alone.
• We will also be counted as righteous if we similarly “…believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord.”

“And therefore ‘it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Romans 4:22-24).

Many of Paul the Apostle’s New Testament letters share a common literary structure. These letters typically begin with a doctrinal section that establishes a foundation of spiritual truth. We are then presented with an application section that explores the practical implementation of those doctrinal principles. Here in the book of Romans, this “practical application” section appears in chapters twelve to sixteen.

Romans chapter four functions much like a miniature version of that literary structure, for Paul will now conclude his discussion of Abraham’s faith with some practical applications based on his life. The word “now” alerts us to that transition in verse twenty-two, for it marks a shift to the functional effect of Paul’s instruction regarding Abraham’s life.

Here is how one pastoral commentator addresses that transition…

“Paul is making an application to his teaching of justification by faith by presenting this example of the faith of Abraham. That application is that when we hear the Good News that God will declare us to be righteous simply because we believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we must believe God even as Abraham believed God and God gave him the gift of righteousness.” ₍₁₎

“He makes this same point when he explains the meaning of the word that tells us this righteousness was ‘accounted’ to Abraham. According to Paul, the word does not mean the righteousness was earned or deserved like wages for an honest day of work. It means precisely the opposite. This righteousness was a gift, freely bestowed on Abraham because he believed God.” ₍₂₎

So Abraham “invested” his faith in God, and God responded by “crediting his account,” so to speak. Genesis 15:6 identifies the nature of that credit when it tells us God “…counted it to him as righteousness” (ESV). A righteous person can be defined as someone who is in “right standing” with God, and our earlier text from Romans 4:20-22 explained that accreditation process in Abraham’s life: “[Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God… This is why ‘it was credited to him as righteousness’” (NIV).

This has significant implications for us today, just as Paul notes here in Romans 4:22-24. We’ll expand on those implications with a look at a valuable study tool next.

(1) Dick Woodward, Mini Bible College Booklet Twenty-Nine The Book Of Romans Verse By Verse (part one) [pg.33] https://mbc.icm.org/

(2) Woodward, Ibid. [pg.34]

“and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform” (Romans 4:21).

Paul the Apostle highlighted Abraham’s unwavering faith in God by stating that, “…He was fully convinced that God was able to do what he promised” (CEB). Paul also turned to Abraham’s example to illustrate the nature of genuine faith in his Biblical letter to the churches of Galatia…

“The Scriptures say that God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith. And so, you should understand that everyone who has faith is a child of Abraham. Long ago the Scriptures said God would accept the Gentiles because of their faith. This is why God told Abraham the good news that all nations would be blessed because of him. This means everyone who has faith will share in the blessings given to Abraham because of his faith” (Galatians 3:6-9 CEV).

One commentary provides us with a helpful perspective on these passages…

“Abraham did not know how God would fulfill His word, but that was incidental. He knew God and had every confidence that God was fully able to do what He had promised. In one way it was wonderful faith, but in another way it was the most reasonable thing to do, because God’s word is the surest thing in the universe, and for Abraham there was no risk in believing it!” ₍₁₎

This leads us to a timeless piece of wisdom that reminds us of the value of a promise: a promise is only as good as the person who makes it. The truth of that adage is undeniable, for we will inevitably encounter others who fail to deliver on their promises. However, we can rely on God’s promises, even when our external circumstances seem to suggest otherwise. To understand why, let’s consider the following attributes of God…

• God is immortal (1 Timothy 6:16).
• God is all-powerful (Genesis 1:1, Matthew 19:26).
• God is omnipresent (Psalm 139:7–12).
• God is omniscient (Psalm 139:1–4, Hebrews 4:13).
• God is immutable (or unchanging) (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17).
• God is just (Psalm 89:14)
• God is a God of truth (Deuteronomy 32:4, John 14:6).
• God is righteous (Psalm 11:7, Psalm 145:17).

While there may be some who lack the desire or ability to fulfill their promises, God is fully capable of fulfilling any promise He chooses to make. The following source addresses that reality with a comment worth considering: “Certain nouns and verbs are used in the New Testament according to Hebrew idiom. ‘Able,’ when applied to God or Christ, denotes both willingness and ability.” ₍₂₎

(1) William Macdonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary Edited by Arthur Farstad. Thomas Nelson Publishers [Romans 4:21]

(2) Smith, J. H. (2016). Romans 4:21. In The Ultimate Cross-Reference Treasury. Retrieved March 3, 2026.

“Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God” (Romans 4:20).

So, despite the obvious challenges involved in accepting God’s promise from a human perspective, “[Abraham] believed the LORD, and the LORD considered his response of faith as proof of genuine loyalty” (Genesis 15:6 NET). In this, Abraham served as a model of true, God-honoring faith. However, he also served as a testament to God’s faithfulness as well.

The following portion of the Biblical book of James reinforces these ideas…

“But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all. But when you pray, you must believe and not doubt at all. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is driven and blown about by the wind. If you are like that, unable to make up your mind and undecided in all you do, you must not think that you will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:5-8 GNT).

Abraham never “wavered through unbelief” in the sense that he never abandoned his faith in the God who had given His word. Abraham thus stood in contrast to some of Jesus’ own first-century followers. When confronted with one of Jesus’ more difficult teachings, we’re told, “Many of his disciples said, ‘This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?'” (John 6:60 NLT). Jesus then replied with further clarification, and that’s when many of His listeners responded by making a pivotal decision…

“At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, ‘Are you also going to leave?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life'” (John 6:68-69 NLT).

We should note one area of commonality in these accounts: Abraham and Jesus’ twelve disciples focused on the Person behind the message rather than the challenging nature of what they had been asked to believe. In Abraham’s case, it was the natural impossibility of bearing a child. In the case of the twelve disciples, it was a difficult teaching that caused others to desert Jesus. Each placed their faith in a Person despite their limited ability to rationalize what they were asked to accept.

Nevertheless, those who abandoned Jesus also exhibited a type of faith. Their response reflected the true object of their faith, for they placed greater faith in their ability to grasp Jesus’ teachings than in Jesus Himself. That misguided trust led them to desert the One who had “…the words that give eternal life.”

“Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead–since he was about a hundred years old–and that Sarah’s womb was also dead” (Romans 4:19 NIV).

In commenting on this portion of Scripture, one author says, “The essence of Abraham’s faith in this case was that he believed that God could make the impossible possible.” ₍₁₎ Yet, despite Abraham and Sarah’s inability to conceive a child, we should note that they were both living people. In contrast, Jesus did something more miraculous: He restored the lives of the dead on several occasions. The Gospel of Mark records one such example…

“And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.’

…Then [Jesus] came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. When He came in, He said to them, ‘Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.’ And they ridiculed Him.

But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, ‘Talitha, cumi,’ which is translated, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise.’ Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement” (Mark 5:22-23, 38-42).

We find a similar example in Luke’s Gospel…

“Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’

Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’ So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother. Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has risen up among us’; and, ‘God has visited His people'” (Luke 7:11-16).

Finally, Jesus’ resurrection of Lazarus is arguably the most prominent example of His power over death (John 11:1-44). Thus, when we face circumstances that are seemingly impossible (like Abraham and Sarah), we should remember that Jesus can even impart life to the dead.

(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.

“Abraham didn’t weaken. Through faith he regarded the facts: His body was already as good as dead now that he was about a hundred years old, and Sarah was unable to have children” (Romans 4:19 GW).

The translation quoted above reveals an important nuance in Abraham’s response that we would do well to consider: Abraham faced the facts concerning his physical limitations and those of his wife. In other words, Abraham accepted the reality of his situation and placed his trust in God and His ability to overcome those limitations.

The ability to confront the realities of life with an attitude of honesty is a virtue worth seeking in prayer. This is especially true in an era dominated by “deepfake” imagery, staged video presentations, and artificially generated content. In fact, we might argue that truth is one of our most valuable assets with respect to ourselves, our interactions with others, and the world around us. This passage thus offers a pattern to follow: Abraham faced the truth of his situation with honesty in choosing to believe God for His promises.

One author’s perspective helps us gain a greater appreciation for this aspect of Abraham’s faith…

“…Abraham looked at the facts. He faced them head-on. He considered his dead body and the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. He sat and thought about it, and he saw how hopeless the situation was. There was no chance at all! His body was a hundred years old and Sarah’s womb was ninety years old and had never borne children. She was far past the age of childbearing. It was hopeless.

There was no hope, yet Abraham believed in hope. How? Because when he looked at his dead body he remembered that he had a God who raises the dead. And when he thought about Sarah’s barren womb, he remembered that he had a God who calls into existence the things that do not exist. That would take care of everything, wouldn’t it? And so, against all hope, he believed in hope, because of the God in whom his faith was fixed.” ₍₁₎

So, in speaking of the physical challenges that seemingly made it impossible for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, an author from an earlier generation offers the following insight…

“…the R.V. says that he looked them all quietly in the face, as though taking into account all their significance and force. Then he looked to the promise; and after balancing one against the other, he decided absolutely and confidently that the Word of God must stand, however great and forbidding the difficulties in the way. He was fully persuaded that what God had promised he was able to perform. ₍₂₎

(1) Excerpted with permission from The Faith of our Father © 1976 by Ray Stedman Ministries. All rights reserved. Visit www.RayStedman.org for the complete library of Ray Stedman material. Please direct any questions to webmaster@RayStedman.org. https://www.raystedman.org/new-testament/romans/the-faith-of-our-father

(2) Romans 4 – F.B. Meyer’s “Through the Bible” commentary – StudyLight.org. (n.d.). https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/fbm/romans-4.html

“And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Romans 4:19).

From a human perspective, Abraham’s situation was seemingly beyond hope. But Abraham did not place his trust in human capability or potential. Instead, Abraham invested his faith in God’s ability to fulfill His agenda.

In a sense, Abraham had to weigh two pieces of testimony. One piece of testimony involved his advanced physical age and that of his wife. That placed them well beyond their normal childbearing years. The other piece of testimony was offered by the all-powerful God who vowed to provide him with a biological son to serve as his heir. When viewed from this perspective, Abraham wisely chose to place his faith in the God who could bring His promises to fruition.

Of course, Abraham is not the only Biblical personality who exhibited this type of faith. For instance, many are familiar with the Biblical account of Jesus’ birth, but how many stop to consider the faith exhibited by Jesus’ mother, Mary, and His adoptive father, Joseph? For instance, God dispatched an angelic representative to visit Mary with the following message…

“…’Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.’ …Mary asked the angel, ‘How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?’ The angel replied to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God'” (Luke 1:30-31, 34-35 CSB).

Mary’s response to that announcement tells us that she possessed the same type of faith her ancestor Abraham exhibited…

“‘See, I am the Lord’s servant,’ said Mary. ‘May it happen to me as you have said’…” (Luke 1:38 CSB).

Later, we learn of Joseph’s reaction to the news of Mary’s pregnancy…

“Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.’

…Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus” (Matthew 1:19-20, 24-25).

These faithful role models thus provide us with the right example to follow in our relationship with God.

“who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, ‘So shall your descendants be'” (Romans 4:18).

Abraham exhibited the type of faith that actively relied on God’s ability to fulfill His promises. That faith subsequently influenced the direction of his life. While there were some imperfections in Abraham’s faith, he genuinely believed God and His ability to enact His will.

Nevertheless, Romans 4:18 contains a curious reference: “Against hope Abraham believed in hope…” (NET). This statement may seem difficult to reconcile, but several Biblical translations have worked to express the idea behind this statement with greater clarity…

• “Abraham believed and hoped, even when there was no reason for hoping…” (GNT).
• “…when it all seemed hopeless, Abraham still had faith in God” (CEV).
• “Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, ‘That’s how many descendants you will have!'” (NLT).

The following source explores this idea in a manner that is worthy of a lengthy excerpt…

“Two other aspects of faith emerge in Paul’s description of Abraham’s own faith in verses 18– 21. They are beautifully summarized in the seemingly paradoxical verse 18a: ‘contrary to hope, in hope [Abraham] believed.…’ How could Abraham’s faith be both ‘contrary to hope’ and ‘in hope’? In these verses, Paul refers to the way Abraham responded to God’s promise that he would father a child who would be the heir to the promises. When God made that promise, Abraham was a hundred years old and Sarah was 90—and barren (Gen. 17:15–17; Rom. 4:19). Truly, God’s promise seemed to fly in the face of all the ‘evidence.’ Yet Abraham did not let the apparent facts of the matter stand in the way of his faith. He believed ‘contrary to hope’—he believed despite the fact that, from a human point of view, there was no hope that he could ever father a child.

Stressing this ‘contrary to hope’ nature of faith, some theologians have compared faith to a ‘leap in the dark.’ But this is an unbalanced assessment, for Abraham also believed ‘in hope.’ He did not dream up the idea that he would have a child; his conviction was no wish fulfillment. God had promised. It was because Abraham was ‘fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform’ (Rom. 4:21) that he believed. When assessing God’s promise to him, Abraham looked not at the physical evidence—he looked at the God who had promised.” ₍₁₎

(1) Douglas J. Moo. (2002). Aspects of Faith. Tabletalk Magazine. Retrieved March 6, 2026, from https://tabletalkmagazine.com/daily-study/2002/03/aspects-of-faith/