THE FOOTSTEPS OF ABRAHAM

Passage: Romans 4:9-12

Key verse: 12b

NIV

9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised?(A) We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.(B) 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.(C) So then, he is the father(D) of all who believe(E) but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

9 Is this blessing then only for (A)the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? (B)For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 (C)He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was (D)to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. The father of all who believe in Jesus (9-11)

Abraham lived some 2,

years before Christ, but he is the ancestor of our faith. He sets the standard of faith for all God's people down through the ages. So we must learn faith from him. Circumcision is the rite that marks a Jew. This rite began with Abraham. It was a sign of his obedience and faith, and of his covenant with God. But this rite did not make Abraham righteous. Once, before he was circumcised, Abraham was fearful and full of doubt. God showed him the stars and promised him a son. He believed God's word of promise. God forgave him and credited his faith as righteousness (Ge 15:6).

2. The father of Jews who believe (12)

Abraham is the physical ancestor of the Jews. But Jews only become his true descendants when they walk in the footsteps of his faith. A real Jew is one who accepts God's new covenant in Jesus' blood by faith.

Prayer: Lord, help me not to depend on dead ritual, but to live by obedient faith.

One Word: Walk in Abraham's footsteps