Romans 4:9-10 - A Double Transfer

Romans 4:9-10 - 9 Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” 10 How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;

Message: How was righteousness credited?

Time: The date of the book is probably 60 A.D. written from Corinth on Paul's third missionary journey. The church in Rome seems to be established and Romans does not speak of any one error in the church that he is addressing. The church had a large Jewish element, but also filled with Gentile converts from paganism, both free as well as slaves. 

What the Lord is Saying: Paul continues in these verses to explain how justification by faith is not a new concept invented by him or by anyone else in New Testament times, but has been around and was around in the Old Testament. He takes his audience back to Abraham and David, his two witnesses to this truth and has shown thus far that a person who has faith in Jesus Christ, who believes that he took our punishment, was our ransom for us, that God credits that man with righteousness and all of that persons sins are now forgiven.

For the Jew in chapter 2, Paul addressed two core beliefs for the Jew in that they believed (1) because they were called a Jew and were a Jew that they had special privileges and had been collectively grafted into salvation for the Law had been given to them and (2) through the act of circumcision, a commandment given only to the Jew that by practicing this circumcision they had the components necessary to be seen as accepted by God. Paul addresses each of these in the latter half of chapter 2 bringing attention to the Jew that (1) though they have the Law they have not practiced it and have transgressed and (2) clarifies that circumcision is a commandment that is given by God, but circumcision in and of itself doesn't save a person, but is something that exhibits our faith.

On the heals of the message of David and the quotation of Psalm 32:1-2 which stated, "How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit!", Paul once again states to the Jew that circumcision does not make a person righteous but righteousness comes about when a person is really uncircumcised.

Verse 9 states, "Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also?" Blessing is being reckoned or credited with righteousness apart from works. So, is the blessing of being credited righteousness apart from works there once the requirement of circumcision has been performed. In essence, does this blessing come with it an expectation of an act being performed? But also what is being asked is whether or not the blessing is limited to Abraham's descendants. Abraham and David's examples have been given, so is their now a connecting between the descendant or Jew and circumcision and thereby the blessing? Must a person be a circumcised Jew to inherit the blessing of righteousness being reckoned apart from works?

Paul here anticipated what his Jewish readers would be thinking.

This is an example of how it is important to understand the beliefs of the person we are speaking with about the Gospel. It is important to understand what they believe because a component of sharing truth is exposing false truth.

Verse 10 states, "How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised." This is really simple and logical. How was Abraham credited with righteousness? Was it while he was a Jew or while he was a Gentile (not circumcised)?

This text is really important because many people are told that God accepts them and they consider themselves to be religious because they have been baptized (sprinkled) or go to church or grew up going to church. Or even because they simple confess their sins once or twice a week to a priest. What makes us a Christian is not what we do, but what Christ has done for us. This is a foreign concept to many and expresses why it is so important for true followers of Christ to preach the good news of Jesus Christ.

Promise: Faith is the Lord's chosen means of transferring the grounds for His declaration to our account. Abraham was declared righteous before He was circumcised.