https://youtu.be/kbRcSORLVfM
In our verse-by-verse study of Romans we are in Romans 4:3; where Paul quotes Gen 15:6; as the answer to the question "for what does the scripture say" "Abraham believed in God" the enclitic particle "de" (but) is used as a transitional conjunction without any intended contrast. It is translated to correspond to "vav" (now) that is translated "now" in the Hebrew. The "vav: is explained in Net note 20
Followed by the indeclinable proper noun "Abraam" (Abraham) plus the aorist active indicative of "pisteuo" (believed) the equivalent to the Hebrew perfect of "aman" (believed) in the hiphil stem. This is a constantive aorist that is often used to describe momentary action.
A constantive aorist can occur in an instant of time but it gathers the action all together into one entirety or bucket however long it takes. In this case the event of believing in Jesus Christ is gathered up in one entirety.
The active voice: Abraham produces the action of the verb at the moment he believes in Jesus Christ. The indicative mood is declarative representing the verbal action from the viewpoint of historical reality. With this is the dative of indirect object of " o Theos" (the God).
Jesus Christ is "o Theos" because "Theos" has the definite article "o" (the) preceding it and we already know who "o Theos" is. He is Jesus Christ who is YJWH, Addonai or Jehovah. The definite article is used to identify someone who we already know so this verse clearly states that the God of the Old Testament is the Lord Jesus Christ.
We also see that a simple line of quotation destroys the straw man of the previous verse. The assumption that Abraham was justified by works is refuted by quoting Gen 15:6; from the scripture that clearly states that Abraham was justified by believing.
Rom 4:3; "and it was credited to him as righteousness" the connective use of "kai" (and), plus the aorist passive indicative of "logizoma" (credited) is used commercially for crediting someone's bank account. Here it means to impute a spiritual credit to the believer's account.
The aorist tense is a culminative aorist. Salvation adjustment to God's justice in its entirety is referenced here, but emphasis is placed on the result. Then the dative singular indirect object of "autos" (his) is used as a personal pronoun to emphasize the person as being great.
This is a perfect illustration that would shut down the Judaizers in a debate because, as goes Abraham so goes the Judaizers. No Judaizer is going to argue with Abraham or Moses.
The problem with the Judaizers was that they considered themselves experts on Abraham and Moses but actually they had rejected the God of Abraham and Moses, the Lord Jesus Christ so they really knew nothing about Abraham or Moses relationship with God.
They had done the same thing with the Mosaic Law. They understood it was a description of God's perfect righteousness but they did not understand that God's purpose for it was condemnation not approval.
Then we have a dative of indirect object that means personal benefit indicating the one in whose interest the imputation of divine righteousness is performed. The prepositional phrase: "eis" (for) plus the accusative singular of "dikaiosune" (righteousness) translated "for righteousness."
Expanded Translation Rom 4:3; "For what does the scripture say? Now Abraham had believed the God (the Lord Jesus Christ), and it (faith in Jesus Christ) was credited to him (Abraham) for righteousness."
Abraham was a Semitic Gentile living in Ur of Acadia in Chaldea and instead of worshiping the moon god like everyone else Abraham was positive to the true God at the point of God-consciousness.
We don't know how he heard the Gospel but the result of his Gospel hearing is clearly stated in Gen 15:6; and quoted in Rom 4:3.
Abraham believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is instant adjustment to God's justice and Paul will amplify this in Rom 5:1.
Salvation adjustment to God's justice through believing in Jesus Christ results in receiving one half of God's integrity: God's perfect righteousness that God' s justice credited to his account.
Because he had believed in Jesus Christ Abraham possessed God's righteousness as a result of the credit so God's justice pronounced Abraham righteous.
To pronounce someone righteous is justification. Abraham is the pattern for Old Testament justification, but he is also the pattern for justification in every dispensation.
Jesus Christ was revealed in different ways in Old Testament times but no matter how He was revealed positive volition always responds in the same way by believing.
This tells us that salvation is always acquired in the same way so believing in Jesus Christ is instant adjustment to God's justice for salvation.
At the point of that instant adjustment to God's justice God's perfect, eternal righteousness is conveyed to every one who believes. The transfer of God's righteousness is called imputation. Verses 4 and 5 address the results or consequences of the antithetical systems that are proposed for justification.
God's real true system is justification by believing and satan's evil fake system is justification by human good works.
Rom 4:4; describes the result of justification by works. "Now to the one who works " the conjunctive postpositive particle "de" (now) is used to emphasize a contrast between what the Scripture says and what the legalists and satan's people who are maladjusted to God's justice do.
Plus the articular present active participle from the verb "ergazomai" (do or to do, to work or to work for) The definite article is a singular dative of indirect object that is used as a personal pronoun in order to indicate the assumption of benefit from working for salvation.
The present tense is a progressive present describing linear action. The active voice: the legalistic Judaizer produces the action of the verb by trying to keep the Mosaic Law, producing works and self-righteousness from law keeping for a long time whereby he seeks to acquire adjustment to God's justice for salvation.
The participle is a circumstantial participle for the function of legalism. "But to the one who works for (salvation)."
"his wage is not credited as grace" the translation "wage" is the nominative singular subject of "misthos" pay, gain, wages). Also the definite article "ho" is used as the possessive pronoun that describes it as "his payment, his compensation, or his wage."
Then the present passive indicative from the verb "logizomai" (credit) to someone's account. Plus the negative that denies the fact, "ou" (not) so we have "his reimbursement is not credited."
The present tense is a customary present, indicating with the negative what does not occur for salvation in this case. The action of the verb is not true in the present or in the past or ever because it is never true.
The passive voice: the legalist working for salvation by keeping the law, producing good works and self-righteousness, does not produce the action of the verb, he does not produce salvation adjustment to God's justice, he remains in his sinful condemned state.
The declarative indicative mood represents the verbal action from the viewpoint of absolute and dogmatic fact the prepositional phrase "kata" (according) plus the accusative of "charis" (grace) "not in accord with grace."
"but as what is due" - the strong adversative conjunction "alla" (but), that separates the two antithetical clauses, and then again, "kata" (according) plus the accusative, this time of "opheilhma" (debt or obligation) "but in accord with obligation."
Expanded Translation Rom 4:4; "But to him who works for salvation his compensation (reimbursement) is not credited according to grace, but according to obligation."
We see from this that the harder one works for salvation the deeper they go in debt. Deeper in debt and no closer to salvation.
Salvation adjustment to God's justice functions on the principle of grace. The principle of grace excludes human merit, human works, and human ability.
To approach God's integrity and demand adjustment through works is blasphemy.
It implies in effect that God has no integrity. In fact, it alleges that God does not even exist because God cannot exist without His integrity.
Trying to be saved by works it is like trying to pay off debt by borrowing.
Christ was judged for our sins on the cross, He cancelled the IOU that was against us- Col 2:14. Therefore it is Christ's work that provides salvation adjustment to God's justice, not ours. In effect, salvation by works is competition with Christ as an enemy of the cross.
We can only accept the work that God does for us in a non-meritorious manner, therefore faith in Christ as per the pattern of Abraham. Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3;
Anything added to faith in Christ results in maladjustment to God's justice and no salvation.
Rom 4:5; describes the antithesis: the result of justification by faith. "But to the one who does not work" - the postpositive conjunctive particle "de" (but), used to emphasize a contrast between the two clauses.
Here a contrast between God's grace system of believing in verse 5 is described in opposition to satan's legalistic system of working in verse 4. Grace and works are always mutually exclusive and incompatible.
Plus the articular present active participle of "ergazomai" (work) plus "me' (not). The definite article is in the dative of advantage singular and it is used as a personal pronoun "but to the one."
This refers to someone who has a great advantage. The present tense is the aoristic present for punctiliar action in present time. (The aorist is punctiliar action in past time).
The active voice plus the negative: the individual does not work for salvation. The participle is circumstantial. Translation: "But to the one who does not work."
"but believes in Him" the postpositive conjunctive particle "de" (but) that separates the two antithetical clauses. The present active participle of "pisteuo" (believes).
The aoristic present of "pisteuo" (believes) describes instant adjustment to God's justice for salvation. It refers to believing in Jesus Christ for an instant. The active voice describes positive volition at the point of Gospel hearing that produces the non-meritorious action of believing on Jesus.
Then a prepositional phrase epi" (on) and the definite article "ton" (Him). The definite article is used as a personal pronoun "Him" referring to Jesus Christ.