Romans 4:24 - but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead,

Generated Verse: Romans 4:24

What does "Romans 4:24" mean?


Romans 4:24 is a pivotal verse in Paul's argument about justification by faith. Let's break it down:

"but for our sake also...": This connects back to the previous verses about Abraham. Abraham's faith wasn't just recorded for his own benefit; it's also relevant and applies to us, the readers of Romans.

"...to whom it will be accounted...": "Accounted" or "credited" means that righteousness is reckoned or imputed to us. Just as Abraham's faith was "credited to him as righteousness" (Romans 4:3), so too will righteousness be credited to us. This means God sees us as righteous, even though we are not perfectly righteous in ourselves, because of our faith.

"...who believe in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead...": This is the key to understanding how righteousness is accounted to us. Our faith isn't just any kind of belief; it's specifically faith in God who raised Jesus from the dead. This emphasizes several important points:

The Object of Our Faith is Crucial: It's not simply about believing in something. It's about believing in God.
Resurrection is Central: The resurrection of Jesus is the defining event of Christianity. It proves that God accepted Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, and it demonstrates God's power over sin and death.
"Jesus, our Lord": This acknowledges Jesus' authority and his role as the Messiah, the one who saves us from our sins. He is not just a historical figure, but our Lord.

In simpler terms, the verse means:

Righteousness is not only given to Abraham because of his faith, but it will be given to us as well. This happens because we believe in the same God who demonstrated his power and acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice by raising him from the dead. Our faith in this God, who raised our Lord Jesus, is what leads to us being declared righteous in God's eyes.

Significance within the context of Romans:

This verse is crucial to Paul's argument for justification by faith alone (sola fide). He's demonstrating that:

Justification isn't based on works or adherence to the Law (which he'll further explain later).
It's available to all who believe, regardless of their background (Jew or Gentile).
The foundation of this belief is the resurrection of Jesus, which signifies God's acceptance of his sacrifice and his power to give us new life.

The verse connects the Old Testament (Abraham's faith) with the New Testament (faith in Jesus). It shows that the principle of justification by faith is consistent throughout the Bible and that we are justified by believing in the God who raised Jesus.

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