Study Desk

For if he was held to be righteous on the ground of his actions, he has something to boast of; but not in the presence of God.

But in the case of a man who works, pay is not reckoned a favour but a debt;

whereas in the case of a man who pleads no actions of his own, but simply believes in Him who declares the ungodly free from guilt, his faith is placed to his credit as righteousness.

and the forefather of the circumcised, namely of those who not merely are circumcised, but also walk in the steps of the faith which our forefather Abraham had while he was as yet uncircumcised.

Again, the promise that he should inherit the world did not come to Abraham or his posterity conditioned by Law, but by faith-righteousness.

For the Law inflicts punishment; but where no Law exists, there can be no violation of Law.

so that the promise should be made sure to all Abraham's true descendants; not merely to those who are righteous through the Law, but to those who are righteous through a faith like that of Abraham. Thus in the sight of God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and makes reference to things that do not exist, as though they did, Abraham is the forefather of all of us. As it is written, "I have appointed you to be the forefather of many nations."

Nor did he in unbelief stagger at God's promise, but became mighty in faith, giving glory to God,

But God gives proof of His love to us in Christ's dying for us while we were still sinners.

And not only so, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now obtained that reconciliation.

But God's free gift immeasurably outweighs the transgression. For if through the transgression of the one individual the mass of mankind have died, infinitely greater is the generosity with which God's grace, and the gift given in His grace which found expression in the one man Jesus Christ, have been bestowed on the mass of mankind.

Now Law was brought in later on, so that transgression might increase. But where sin increased, grace has overflowed;

But, seeing that we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him;

Death has no longer any power over Him. For by the death which He died He became, once for all, dead in relation to sin; but by the life which He now lives He is alive in relation to God.

In the same way you also must regard yourselves as dead in relation to sin, but as alive in relation to God, because you are in Christ Jesus.

For Sin shall not be lord over you, since you are subjects not of Law, but of grace.

Are we therefore to sin because we are no longer under the authority of Law, but under grace? No, indeed!

But thanks be to God that though you were once in thraldom to Sin, you have now yielded a hearty obedience to that system of truth in which you have been instructed.

But now that you have been set free from the tyranny of Sin, and have become the bondservants of God, you have your reward in being made holy, and you have the Life of the Ages as the final result.

For the wages paid by Sin are death; but God's free gift is the Life of the Ages bestowed upon us in Christ Jesus our Lord.