The significance of Abraham for Paul’s argument is not simply that he had faith but that he had faith, or believed, in a specific promise regarding the future of his family. Those who are currently in the right as far as God is concerned are those who believe in a very different future for his people. They are “justified” who believe that they will eventually participate in the rule of Christ over the nations of the Greek-Roman world.
What, then, shall we say? That we have found Abraham to be our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has a reason for boasting, but not before God. 3 For what does the scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.’ 4 Now to the one who works the pay is not reckoned according to grace but according to debt; 5 and to the one who does not work but believes in the one who justifies the ungodly his faith is reckoned as righteousness, 6 as also David speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: 7 ‘Blessed are those whose lawless acts were forgiven and whose sins were covered up; 8 blessed is the man to whom the Lord did not reckon sin.’
9 This “blessing” then—is it upon the circumcised or also upon the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it reckoned? To him being in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision but in uncircumcision; 11 and he received a sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of faith in the uncircumcision, in order for him to be father of all those believing through uncircumcision, in order for righteousness also to be reckoned to them, 12 and father of circumcision for those not from circumcision only but also to those walking in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham in uncircumcision.
13 For not through the Law the promise to Abraham or to his seed that it is heir of the world but through a righteousness of faith.[fn]The expectation is that the “descendants” of Abraham will inherit the world or the nations on the basis of a faith like that of Abraham.[/fn] 14 For if those of the Law are heirs, the faith has been made void and the promise invalidated. 15 For the Law produces wrath[fn]That is, the Jewish Law finally condemns persistently rebellious Israel to destruction.[/fn]; but where the Law is not, neither is there transgression.
16 Because of this from faith, that it might be according to grace, in order for the promise to be confirmed to all the seed, not only to that from the Law but also to that from the faith of Abraham, who is father of us all, 17 as it has been written that ‘I have made you father of many nations’, before whom he believed, God, who makes-alive the dead and calls the things not being as being. 18 Contrary to hope he believed in hope that he would become father of many nations according to what was spoken: ‘So shall your seed be’; 19 and not weakening in faith he considered his own body [already] put to death, being about a hundred years old, and the deadness of the womb of Sarah; 20 With respect to the promise of God he did not doubt in disbelief but was strengthened in/by faith, giving glory to God 21 and being convinced that what he has promised he is also able to do. 22 Therefore [also] “it was reckoned to him for righteousness”. 23 But it was not written for his sake alone that “it was reckoned to him”, 24 but also for our sake, to whom it will be reckoned, to those believing in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was handed over for our trespasses and raised for our justification.[fn]Paul speaks as a Jewish apostle of Israel’s resurrected and enthroned Messiah. Jesus was handed over for the trespasses of Israel and raised for the justification of those who believe that this is God’s solution to the eschatological crisis.[/fn]
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