Romans 4

Passage overview

In 1 Corinthians 4, the apostle Paul explains the identities and roles of various workers in ministry, such as himself and Apollos, and aims to correct divisions and an attitude of comparison within the Corinthian church.

1verseWhat then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?

2verseFor if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God.

3verseFor what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

4verseNow to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed.

5verseBut to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.

6verseEven as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

7verse“Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

8verseBlessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin.”

9verseIs this blessing then pronounced only on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.

10verseHow then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

11verseHe received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they might be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them.

12verseHe is the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.

13verseFor the promise to Abraham and to his offspring that he would be heir of the world wasn’t through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

14verseFor if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.

15verseFor the law produces wrath; for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.

16verseFor this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the offspring, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.

17verseAs it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.

18verseAgainst hope, Abraham in hope believed, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So will your offspring be.”

19verseWithout being weakened in faith, he didn’t consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.

20verseYet, looking to the promise of God, he didn’t waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,

21verseand being fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform.

22verseTherefore it also was “credited to him for righteousness.”

23verseNow it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone,

24versebut for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

25versewho was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.

Structure and Flow

  • Verses 1–5: Ministry as God’s steward – He says that a minister should wait for God’s evaluation, not their own judgment.
  • Verses 6–13: The apostles’ humility and suffering – He presents, in contrast, that the apostles—who receive humility, service, and suffering—are not like the Corinthians who try to exalt themselves.
  • Verses 14–21: Encouragement as a spiritual father – Paul states that his correction is motivated by love, and emphasizes that the true kingdom of God is manifested not in words but in power.

Key Message

In this chapter, Paul warns against human attitudes that show up in the community of faith—such as comparison, boasting, and factionalism—urging every believer and leader to reflect humbly on their position before God. He also shows that a true leader serves rather than seeks praise, and that they may be the kind of person who endures misunderstanding and suffering.

Points to Ponder

  • Let’s think about whether I am a faithful steward in the place God has assigned me.
  • Let’s check whether I live without being swayed by people’s evaluations, while remaining aware of God’s standards and gaze.
  • Be determined to live a faithful life in the given situation, serving with humility.

Try Applying It to Me

  • Let go of the habit of paying attention to people, and focus only on how God sees me.
  • In the community I belong to, act not with factionalism or a sense of comparison, but with an attitude of respecting and encouraging one another.
  • As a leader or as a Christian, put into practice the example of someone who endures suffering and serves.

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