Romans 4:9-12 "God’s Grace Is For All People"

Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? 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 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 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.

Video Notes:

Circumcision was the mark all Jewish men were given as a baby to indicate they were one of God’s chosen people.
There were people in the church who were Jewish who thought that salvation was for the Jews only. They insisted that the gentiles who became Christian didn’t just have to believe in Jesus, they had to become Jewish and live by the Jewish rules. This included that the men had to be circumcised.
This passage is arguing that God’s gift of salvation is for all people, Jews and gentiles.
Abraham had faith, and that was credited to him as righteousness. He was not circumcised until later and that was not credited to him as righteousness. So, circumcision, in the end, while required by God, was of no value for righteousness because what was really needed was not the outward sign of circumcision, but faith.
Sometimes church’s today demand outward signs. Whether circumcision or the outward signs church’s demand today, it does nothing before God.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Romans 4:9-12 "God’s Grace Is For All People"

Video Notes:

Faith Lutheran Church in Wesley Chapel, FL serving Lutz, Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes, and New Tampa, FL