reckoned

We say, ‘Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.’ How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the ancestor of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them, and likewise the ancestor of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also follow the example of the faith that our ancestor Abraham had before he was circumcised. (Romans 4:9b-12, NRSV)

If we hold to a religious system we are trying to work our way in to the good graces of God.

Paul had to tell the Romans, that grace was a gift, not because of anything we had done. It was faith and grace that brought us to a saving relationship with God and not following a set of codes set down as a religious system.

You see Abraham did not receive his acceptance with God because of his circumcision. Abraham received his circumcision as a sign of the righteousness he received from God!

So the physical sign is not what saved Abraham, but the physical sign was a reminder to him and an outward sign of God’s inner work!

Do not be fooled by anyone that tells you that we must trust in the laws and systems of religion. Only God can save you, not following the system or trusting in any thing other than the grace we receive by faith through Jesus Christ!