Rom 4:3  For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. ASV

Rom 4:3  For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. KJV

**************************************************************************************

                                              COMMENTARY

First notice that the verse is missing the word "in".  It does not say; 'Abraham believed -in- God'. It says Abraham -Believed- God. That means, God uttered some propositional statement[s] and Abraham believed what He, God said. And on that basis, God Imputed Righteousness to Abraham.

Faith is not some nebulous, mystical "leaning; resting; or even Trusting" in Jesus which is void of intelligent propositional content! Faith is the giving of assent to propositions. If you shall confess with your mouth the proposition "Jesus is Lord"; and if you shall Believe in your "heart" the proposition; "God has raised Him from the dead".. you will be saved! That's all the Gospel is ladies & gentlemen; a collection of propositional statements that must be Believed and the only way -anything- is Believed is with the mind; the intellect. One does not believe something with his emotions. The reason I place "heart" in quotes is because in the Bible the term "heart" most often means the mind. The 2 are used interchangeably in several instances; e.g. compare Heb_8:10 with Heb_10:16.

Next the words 'reckoned; counted' are the Greek word that is translated  "impute"; Strong's #3049. We have here the great Biblical Doctrine of Imputation, without which no one will be saved. Justification is the activity of God whereby He says something about a person. What He says is; "This person who Believes what I say in the Scriptures, in particular the Gospel, is therefore now fully and completely Justified before me and is 100% Righteous according to My [GOD'S] moral demands." The declaration that the person is Righteous is what constitutes Imputation. God Imputes Righteousness to a person upon that person's believing what God has spoken in the Scriptures; specifically what He has said in the Gospel.

Romans

Main Index