Romans 4:24 teaches that the same faith Abraham showed, trusting God’s promise, is now the way every believer receives God’s righteous standing. Paul says this credit is for us too, not for Abraham alone, and it is tied to believing in God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. Paul wrote this letter to the churches in Rome, a mix of Jewish and Gentile believers, and this verse closes his argument from Abraham’s story.
But for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead…
Romans 4:24 (WEB)
What Romans 4:24 Means
The phrase “but for our sake also” tells you that the story of Abraham’s faith was never only about Abraham. Paul is saying that God’s way of counting a person as right with him has been written down so that those who come after would see themselves in it. The words “to whom it will be accounted” point to a future reality: God will credit righteousness to people who trust him.
The heart of the verse is “who believe in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead.” Paul names the object of faith precisely. It is not a vague sense that things will work out, but trust in the God who brought Jesus back to life. The resurrection shows that God keeps his word and has power over death, which is why faith in him is solid ground.
What the verse does not promise is a life without trouble or a shortcut to feeling confident. It describes where righteousness comes from and who receives it. It does not describe how strong your faith feels on a given day, and it does not turn belief into a performance you must keep up to be accepted.
The Context of Romans 4:24
Romans was written by the apostle Paul, most likely from Corinth in the mid-50s AD, and it is his most systematic letter about how people are made right with God. In chapter 4 he uses Abraham as his main example. Paul quotes Genesis 15:6, where Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness,” to show that God’s approval came through trust before Abraham was circumcised and before the law was given.
Just before verse 24, Paul stresses that Abraham was “fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform” (verse 21). The verses that follow describe Jesus as the one “delivered up for our trespasses, and raised for our justification” (verse 25). Read in that setting, verse 24 is the hinge: the faith that counted for Abraham is the same kind of trust in God’s power that now reaches to the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Key Phrases in Romans 4:24
Romans 4:5
But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
(WEB)
This verse states the principle behind Romans 4:24 directly: God credits righteousness to the one who does not work for it but trusts him who justifies the ungodly. It shows that the faith in verse 24 is not a reward for good works but a turning toward God who makes people right.
Romans 10:9
That if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
(WEB)
Paul returns to the resurrection in this later passage, linking confession of Jesus as Lord with belief that God raised him. It helps you see that the faith described in Romans 4:24 is a living confidence in Jesus, centered on the resurrection as God’s decisive act.
A Short Prayer From Romans 4:24
Father, you are the God who raised Jesus from the dead, and I bring my trust to you today. I confess that I often measure my standing before you by my performance, and I ask you to turn my eyes back to your faithfulness. Credit to me the righteousness that comes through faith in your Son, and help me rest in what you have already done. Strengthen my belief when I feel weak, and let my life show that I trust the God who keeps his promises. Amen.
