But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
for us.
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
if we.
Romans 10:9,10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved…
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
John 3:14-16 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: …
to whom righteousness will be credited
The concept of righteousness being credited is central to Paul's argument about justification by faith. This is a legal term, implying that righteousness is accounted or imputed to believers, not based on their works but through faith. This mirrors Genesis 15:6, where Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. It underscores the doctrine of imputed righteousness, where believers are seen as righteous before God because of their faith in Christ, not because of their own merit.
for us who believe in Him
Faith is the key component here, specifically faith in God. This belief is not a general faith but a specific trust in the God who fulfills His promises. The focus on belief aligns with Hebrews 11:6, which states that without faith, it is impossible to please God. This faith is active and personal, requiring a response to the revelation of God in Christ.
who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead
The resurrection is the cornerstone of Christian faith, as it validates Jesus' divinity and the efficacy of His atoning work. The phrase highlights God's power and faithfulness, as He raised Jesus, confirming the truth of Jesus' claims and the hope of eternal life for believers. This connects to 1 Corinthians 15:17, where Paul argues that if Christ has not been raised, faith is futile. The resurrection is also a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, such as Psalm 16:10, which speaks of God not allowing His Holy One to see decay. The resurrection assures believers of their future resurrection and eternal life with Christ.
Paul has just shown how Abraham’s faith was “credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:22). Now he widens the lens: “but also for us.”
• Scripture is never merely historical record; it is written “for our instruction” (Romans 15:4).
• The promise given to Abraham did not expire with his generation; it rolls forward to every reader who trusts God’s Word today (Galatians 3:7).
The same divine bookkeeping that placed righteousness in Abraham’s account is promised to us.
• Righteousness is not earned; it is “credited” or imputed (Romans 3:24).
• This is a legal declaration: God counts the believer righteous, just as He once did Abraham (Genesis 15:6; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
• Because “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23), this credit is our only hope of right standing before a holy God.
Faith is the single, God-ordained means of receiving this credit.
• Belief is reliance, not mere assent (James 2:19).
• The object of faith matters: trusting God’s redemptive work, not personal merit (Ephesians 2:8-9).
• Paul consistently ties justification to faith alone (Galatians 2:16).
Faith focuses on the God who acted in history by raising Jesus.
• The resurrection is the Father’s public endorsement of Jesus’ atoning death (Acts 2:24; Romans 1:4).
• By naming “Jesus our Lord,” Paul personalizes salvation: the risen Christ is both Savior and sovereign (Philippians 2:9-11).
• Resurrection guarantees that those credited with righteousness will share in life beyond the grave (1 Peter 1:3-4).
Romans 4:24 anchors our confidence in the same faith-principle that justified Abraham. God promises to credit righteousness to every person who believes in Him—the One who validated Christ’s sacrifice by raising Him from the dead. The verse links past example, present promise, and future assurance, inviting us to rest fully in God’s gracious, resurrection-certified gift of righteousness.
(24) That raised up.--It is an association of ideas which leads the Apostle up to this point. The birth of Isaac resembles the resurrection of Christ in that it involved the exercise of Omnipotence, and in that Omnipotence Abraham believed and we are to believe. The Apostle is further led to allude to the Resurrection (though he has not laid so much stress upon it hitherto) because of the place which it held in his theory of the gospel.