Romans 4
The Illustration of Justification
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, has discovered regarding this matter?
How were saints justified in the Old Testament? Was Abraham justified by works or by faith? Was Abraham saved by works or faith?
2 For if Abraham was declared righteous by the works of the law, he has something to boast about – but not before God.
If Abraham was saved because he was better than others, then he can boast and become arrogant. Arrogance is a sin. Sin is not allowed in heaven.
3 For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Paul quoted Gen 15:6 to prove his point. The Hebrew word for "credited" is חָשַׁב (hachshav), a qal perfect verb, meaning that Abraham was credited for righteous as a one-time completed action of the past. The Greek word is λογίζομαι (logizomai), an aorist passive indicative verb, meaning that the action was done by God as a one-time completed action of the past. These two verbs, in both Hebrew and Greek, confirm the doctrine of eternal security, because the action of the verb was a completed action. Once Abraham believed, he was saved instantly, completely, and forever. Therefore, Paul used this one little Greek verb to prove in an imaginary court of law that Abraham was saved by faith, and not by his works.
4 Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited due to grace but due to obligation.
If God saved Abraham because of his works, then Abraham earned salvation. Grace is not needed.
5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in the one who declares the ungodly righteous, his faith is credited as righteousness.
If one does not do any work, but he receives a gift, then this is grace. Abraham lived before the Mosaic Law. He was saved by grace.
6 So even David himself speaks regarding the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
Paul will now use a different example, because David lived under the Mosaic Law.
7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;
Paul quoted Psalm 32:1-2 to prove his point. David deliberately broke the Mosaic Law, but his sins were forgiven. His sins were covered. They were forgiven and covered because of God's grace.
8 blessed is the one against whom the Lord will never count sin.”
Even though David was an adulterer and a murderer, God showed grace to him and did not count these sins against him.
9 Is this blessedness then for the circumcision or also for the uncircumcision? For we say, “faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.”
Abraham was credited with righteousness before circumcision. David was credited with righteousness after circumcision.
10 How then was it credited to him? Was he circumcised at the time, or not? No, he was not circumcised but uncircumcised!
Paul was taught by the Pharisees that one must be circumcised to be saved, yet Abraham was saved before his circumcision.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, so that he would become the father of all those who believe but have never been circumcised, that they too could have righteousness credited to them.
In Genesis 15:6, Abraham was credited with righteousness. In Genesis 17, Abraham was circumcised. Abraham was credited with righteousness 14 years before his circumcision. The purpose of circumcision was not to save, but it was a symbol of the Abrahamic Covenant. Circumcision was evidence of faith, but not the cause of faith. In the same way, water baptism is evidence of faith, not the cause of it.
12 And he is also the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham possessed when he was still uncircumcised.
Anyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ is credited with righteousness, just as Abraham was credited with righteousness. Abraham was the Father of all believers who are saved by faith.
13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not fulfilled through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
The Abrahamic Covenant and the Land Covenant promised Abraham that he would inherit all of the land of Israel as an eternal possession. He did not earn this land. It was given to him as a gift because of his faith.
14 For if they become heirs by the law, faith is empty and the promise is nullified.
If Abraham became an heir of the land by keeping the Mosaic Law, then this land could not have been given to him as a gift. Faith would be useless. The promise of God would be nullified, because Abraham earned it. It was not a gift from God.
15 For the law brings wrath, because where there is no law there is no transgression either.
The Mosaic Law cannot save. It points out sin and it reveals the punishment for sin. However, it cannot save, because no one can keep it. The Law kills, but the Spirit gives life.
16 For this reason it is by faith so that it may be by grace, with the result that the promise may be certain to all the descendants – not only to those who are under the law, but also to those who have the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
Salvation must come by faith, because works will end up in utter failure. No one can keep the Mosaic Law. Those who live by faith are promised certain assurances.
17 (as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”). He is our father in the presence of God whom he believed – the God who makes the dead alive and summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do.
Abraham is the physical Father of all Jews, Muslims, and Christians. He is the spiritual father of all who live by faith.
18 Against hope Abraham believed in hope with the result that he became the father of many nations according to the pronouncement, “so will your descendants be.”
Abraham believed God. He knew that he would one day become the father of many nations, because God told him he would and he believed that promise.
19 Without being weak in faith, he considered his own body as dead (because he was about one hundred years old) and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
Abraham and Sarah were past the age of child-bearing, but Abraham knew he would have a child, because he believed God.
20 He did not waver in unbelief about the promise of God but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.
Abraham believed God without staggering in his faith.
21 He was fully convinced that what God promised he was also able to do.
God placed Abraham in a position where he could not physically have a child, and then God made it happen. Abraham knew and believed that God could bring him a child. Therefore, Isaac was a miracle child. The nation of Israel was a miracle nation. The nation of Israel was born out of the dead womb of Sarah.
22 So indeed it was credited to Abraham as righteousness.
Paul quoted Genesis 15:6 again to prove that Abraham was justified by faith and not works.
23 But the statement it was credited to him was not written only for Abraham’s sake,
This statement was recorded and preserved by the Holy Spirit so that the elect could hear it and believe.
24 but also for our sake, to whom it will be credited, those who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
Those who believe in the One who raised Jesus from the dead are also credited with righteousness.
25 He was given over because of our transgressions and was raised for the sake of our justification.
Jesus was crucified for the sins of mankind. He was raised for the salvation of mankind.
