8. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord never counts against him." (Psalm 32:1,2)
9. Is that blessing only for those who are circumcised? Or is it also for those who are not circumcised? We have been saying that God accepted Abraham's faith, and so his faith made him right with God.
10. When did it happen? Was it after Abraham was circumcised, or before? It was before he was circumcised, not after!
11. He was circumcised as a sign of the covenant God had made with him. It showed that his faith had made him right with God before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the father of all believers who have not been circumcised. God accepts their faith. So their faith makes them right with him.
12. Abraham is also the father of the circumcised who believe. So just being circumcised is not enough. Those who are circumcised must also follow the steps of our father Abraham. He had faith before he was circumcised.
13. Abraham and his family received a promise. God promised that Abraham would receive the world. It would not come to him because he obeyed the law. It would come because of his faith, which made him right with God.
14. Do those who obey the law receive the promise? If they do, faith would have no value. God's promise would be worthless.
15. The law brings God's anger. Where there is no law, the law can't be broken.