Romans 4:24 Meaning and Explanation
“But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Romans 4:24 answers how Abraham's ancient story reaches people who live after Christ's resurrection. Paul does not leave Abraham as an admired ancestor with an unusual promise. He shows that Abraham's trust directs us toward the same living God, whose power is now displayed publicly in raising Jesus from death.
Paul says Abraham's recorded faith speaks to later believers as well: God counts righteousness to those who place their faith in the God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
The Context of Romans 4:24
Paul has traced Abraham's righteousness to his faith in God's promise, citing Scripture and considering the timing of Abraham's circumcision. He has also shown that the promise rests on grace and faith, so it may extend to all who share Abraham's faith. In verses 17-22, Abraham trusts the God who gives life to the dead and fulfills what he promises despite human weakness. Verse 23 turns from Abraham's individual experience to the purpose of Scripture's record. Verse 24 identifies the present object of faith, and verse 25 immediately explains Jesus' delivery for offences and resurrection for justification.
What Does Romans 4:24 Mean?
The opening words, "for us also," make Abraham's reckoning relevant beyond his own lifetime. "Imputed" continues the chapter's language of counting or reckoning righteousness. Paul is describing God's gracious judgment concerning those who believe. The phrase "if we believe" names faith as real reliance upon God, the One who acts and promises, rather than admiration for a religious example. Faith has a definite object: "him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead." The God whom Abraham trusted gives life where death seems decisive; the resurrection of Jesus reveals that same divine power in a climactic way. Calling Jesus "our Lord" joins faith in God with allegiance to the risen Jesus.
Verse 24 completes Paul's careful argument about Abraham. Abraham was counted righteous before circumcision, and the promise was received through faith, so neither ancestry nor possession of the law can confine the promise to one group. Paul does not portray faith as an achievement that earns a wage. Throughout the chapter, faith receives what God gives by grace. The future wording, "it shall be imputed," carries assurance grounded in God's action, while the condition "if we believe" calls for a living response. Abraham's faith also had content: he was persuaded that God could perform what he had promised. Christian faith likewise rests in God's proven faithfulness, especially as seen in the raising of Jesus.
The resurrection named here is essential to Paul's presentation of the good news. God raised "Jesus our Lord," the same Jesus who, in the next verse, was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification. His resurrection therefore belongs to God's saving work, not merely to a remarkable ending after Jesus' death. It declares that death has not overcome the Lord and that God's purpose to deal with human sin stands secure. This verse also keeps faith personal and Godward. We entrust ourselves to the God who raised Jesus, and we receive the righteousness God counts through that trust. Abraham's hope and the risen Lord meet in one testimony to God's faithfulness.
Bible Verses Related to Romans 4:24
“And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”
- Genesis 15:6
“(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.”
- Romans 4:17
“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
- Romans 4:25
“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.”
- Romans 10:9
Where Romans 4:24 Echoes in Scripture
Romans 10:9 provides a strong echo because Paul again joins confession of Jesus as Lord with belief that God raised him from the dead. The later verse develops the response more fully, while Romans 4:24 places that resurrection faith within Abraham's pattern of trusting God's promise. Together they show that resurrection faith is directed toward God's saving act in Jesus and belongs to the gospel Paul proclaims.
How to Apply Romans 4:24 Today
This verse invites us to bring our faith into contact with the God who raises the dead. When guilt weighs on the conscience, when a promise of God seems beyond present circumstances, or when death brings grief close to home, the resurrection gives faith a solid center. We may speak honestly to God about our weakness while relying on his power and mercy. In gathered worship, prayer, acts of reconciliation, and patient obedience, we can remember that our standing before God rests upon his gracious action in Christ. Such trust can also humble us, since righteousness is received from God rather than displayed as our possession.
Reflection & Prayer
Where have we allowed fear, self-reliance, or past failure to narrow our view of what God can do? Consider Abraham's trust and the resurrection of Jesus together. Suggested prayer: "God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, strengthen our faith in your mercy and power. Teach us to receive your grace with grateful, faithful hearts."