https://youtu.be/fW_EMSrXKjQ
In our verse-by-verse study of Romans we are half way through Rom 4:11; with our expanded translation so far "In fact he received the ritual mark of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness from the faith that he exercised in uncircumcision."
We see from this that Abraham was uncircumcised at the time that he was saved by faith in Christ. So he was in uncircumcision when he received the potential from the imputation of God's righteousness that is one half of God's integrity resulting in His being justified.
The possession of God's righteousness is the predicate for direct blessings from God's justice that was memorialized by the ritual of circumcision in Abraham's case.
Circumcision is a ritual that memorializes Abraham's direct blessing from God's justice that came long after the imputation of God's righteousness that occurred while he was uncircumcised in Ur.
This means that circumcision had nothing to do with Abraham's salvation so the Judaizers completely misunderstood it. The same principle applies today because ritual cannot save.
Under satan's influence the Judaizers distorted salvation into a system of legalism by conflating faith in Christ and ritual circumcision for salvation.
Today satan does the same thing when he deceives people into thinking that the ritual of water baptism is required for salvation.
Satan distorts truth and creates legalism when he gets people to conflate overt ritual with doctrinal reality. Always remember that if the unbeliever can do it its not spiritual because only doctrinal truth combined with the invisible power of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is spiritual.
Rom 4:11b; "that he might be the father of all them that believe" the prepositional phrase "eis" (that) plus the accusative neuter singular of the definite article "ho" (the), plus the present active infinitive of "eimi" (to be).
The present tense is a retroactive progressive present that describes something that started in the past and continues into the present time. This can also be a static present that refers to something that always exists.
The active voice: Abraham is the one producing the action of the verb. His salvation through faith in Christ produces the action. The infinitive of purpose is used to express an objective or goal that cannot be otherwise described by the finite verb.
With this is the attributive use of the intensive pronoun "autos" (he) in the accusative case. Plus the noun "pater" (father) in the accusative case that does mean "father" but it also means "pattern."
Plus the genitive plural of reference from the adjective "pas" (all) and the present active participle of the verb "pisteuo" (faith). The perfective present tense describes the continuation of the existing results in this case salvation adjustment to God's justice by faith in Christ.
The active voice: all members of the human race who believe in Christ produce the same action so that is why Abraham is the pattern. All of us follow exactly what Abraham did in order to have the potentiality of God's righteousness.
The participle is circumstantial for the fact that all salvation adjustment to God's justice in every dispensation is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The definite article is used as a relative pronoun whose antecedent is the genitive plural of reference of "pas"(all).
"without being circumcised" "dia" (through) plus the genitive of "akrobustia" (uncircumcision) that can be translated "during uncircumcision." Abraham is a pattern of salvation during his uncircumcision.
"that righteousness might be credited to them" "eis" (in) plus the accusative neuter singular of the definite article "ho" (the), plus another infinitive, this time the aorist passive infinitive of "logizomi" (credited or imputed).
The aorist tense is a constative aorist referring to a momentary action that occurs in a point of time. This is how God imputes His righteousness for salvation. In the passive voice "dikaiosune" (righteousness) is the subject of the infinitive and therefore produces the action. That means God's righteousness produces the action.
The infinitive of purpose is used to express the aim of the action denoted by the finite verb. The indirect object of "autos"(them) emphasizes the identity of those credited as those who believe.
Expanded Translation Rom 4:11; "In fact he received the ritual mark of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness from the faith (exercised toward Christ) in the status of uncircumcision: that the same one (uncircumcised Abraham) might be a pattern to all who believe during uncircumcision; that God's righteousness might be credited to them."
We see here that Abraham was saved as an uncircumcised Gentile. He is the pattern for salvation adjustment to God's justice for everyone in every age.
When he believed in Christ Abraham received God's righteousness that is the basis for justification. God's righteousness is absolutely necessary for immediate justification and eternal life, but it is also the prerequisite for future blessing from God's justice.
One of the great future blessings for super-grace Abraham was his resuscitation from sexual death that made the inception of the new racial species of the Jews possible and also made him the father of many Gentile nations. What we see in Israel today is very likely a conflict between Abraham's progeny.
This monumental blessing from God's justice was commemorated by a seal, the ritual of circumcision. God only seals that which is important but a seal or ritual has no merit for salvation or subsequent blessing from God, it is merely a marker.
Before Abraham could receive the promise of sexual prosperity the potential that came from having God's righteousness had to be converted into capacity for the blessing.
Potential = God's righteousness. Capacity = maximum doctrine resident in the soul. Followed by the blessing. The principle: All blessing that comes directly from God's justice requires potential plus capacity.
Circumcision is a ritual of memorializing capacity not potential. Abraham received circumcision as a Gentile and became a Jew. Circumcised Abraham is the pattern for spiritual maturity, even as saved Abraham is the pattern for salvation.
Abraham's circumcision is a sign of the pattern of maturity adjustment to God's justice and this pattern is also the pattern for Gentile believers.