Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God’s covenant with Abraham
4 What shall we say, then? Have we found Abraham to be our ancestor in a human, fleshly sense? 2 After all, if Abraham was reckoned “in the right” on the basis of works, he has grounds to boast—but not in God’s presence!
3 So what does the Bible say? “Abraham believed God, and it was calculated in his favor, putting him in the right.” 4 Now when someone “works,” the “reward” they get is not calculated on the basis of generosity, but on the basis of what they are owed. 5 But if someone doesn’t “work,” but simply believes in the one who declares the ungodly to be in the right, that person’s faith is calculated in their favor, putting them in the right.
6 We see the same thing when David speaks of the blessing that comes to someone whom God calculates to be in the right apart from works:
7 Blessed are those whose lawbreaking is forgiven
and whose sins have been covered over;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not calculate sin.
Abraham the father of both uncircumcised and circumcised
9 So, then, does this blessing come on circumcised people or on uncircumcised? This is the passage we quoted: “His faith was calculated to Abraham as indicating that he was in the right.” 10 How was it calculated? When he was circumcised or when he was uncircumcised? It wasn’t when he was circumcised; it was when he was uncircumcised! 11 He received circumcision as a sign and seal of the status of covenant membership, on the basis of faith, which he had when he was still uncircumcised. This was so that he could be the father of all who believe even when uncircumcised, so that the status of covenant membership can be calculated to their account as well. 12 He is also, of course, the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who follow the steps of the faith which Abraham possessed while still uncircumcised.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.