Romans Chapter 4 Vs. 12

 

Abraham Justified by Faith

And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. Rom 4:12

And the father... He is also father of Jews who walk in his steps and who seek for justification by faith only. The covenant was made with Abraham while he was a Gentile; he became the father of Gentiles in the faith. The Jews were later made partakers of the covenant, but original justification by faith belonged to the Gentiles. When the gospel came they laid hold on it as their original right. The Jews to be saved must come under the Abrahamic covenant in which the Gentiles were originally included. This conclusion of Paul must have confounded the Jews.

walk in the steps... Greek: ichnos, a track, footstep (Rom. 4:12; 2Cor. 12:18; 1Pet. 2:21).

Just as Abraham was not justified by the rite of circumcision; neither was he justified by keeping the Mosaic law.

This just reminds us again, that Abraham is father to all who believe. For by faith are you saved.

God’s purpose was that Abraham be the father of all who believe and are thereby justified. This included both the uncircumcised (Gentiles) and the circumcised (Jews). Jews must do more than be circumcised to be right with God. They must also walk in the footsteps of… faith, like Abraham (cf. Rom. 2:28-29). Obviously, then, the rite of circumcision, which many Jews rely on for salvation, contributes in no way to one’s status before God. It gives them no special standing before Him because they must be declared righteous on the basis of faith in God.