23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him,
Now the apostle applied the illustration about Abraham and justification by faith in verses 23 to 25. These verses conclude the justification by faith alone section of Romans.
23 Now it was not written for his [Abraham’s] sake alone
The word “now” shifts to application of what has gone before in the chapter.
God did not write truths about Abraham for him alone. He wrote it for all to understand that justification is solely by faith.
that it was imputed to him,
The word “imputed” means to credit, to reckon. The basic idea is to calculate. This is the doctrine of imputation. God put His righteousness in place of our righteousness for a perfect standing before Him. We calculate this to be true. Notice how many times chapter four argued this point. The same object of belief that reckoned Abraham righteous is the one that accounts us as righteous as God is righteous.
PRINCIPLE:
God’s Word has universal application to all people of all time.
APPLICATION:
God’s Word applies to all people of all time. The principles of the Word of God do not change. What was true for Abraham (who lived almost 2,000 years before Christ) or Paul (who lived in the first century) is also true of us.
Ro 15:4, For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
God’s justification of Abraham is the same process by which He justifies all people of all time. It is the same way He justifies us. We can count on His Word for this.
The Word of God is the foundation of our assurance. There is no need to fear loss of our salvation or doubt that we possess it in the first place. If we trust self, there can be no assurance of salvation. If we claim the promise of God, we can have full assurance. This is why God gave us the Word.
1 Jn 5:10-13, 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.
