13 Justified by Faith

Paul concluded Romans chapter 3, by showing that his teaching wasn’t attempting to void the Law, but rather to “establish” it, which literally meant to affirm the purpose of the Law.

Paul therefore began chapter 4, to show how that no one is justified by works.

1 Not Justified by Works

Paul began by using the example of Abraham, whom all those of Jewish descent would have revered as a great man of faith.

He also went back to using the rhetorical question and answer format which he had previously employed:

Romans 4:1-3

While to the Jewish mindset, salvation hinged upon obedience to rules and regulation, Paul wanted to show how very wrong that thinking was. Therefore, he used Abraham as his first example, since he was widely accepted by them as a hero of the faith.

In verse 2, Paul asserts, that if Abraham could have been justified by the works of the flesh, then he would have been able to boast:

Romans 4:2

By including the phrase “but not before God”, Paul was making it clear, that while men may boast amongst themselves, but no boasting carries any weight with the Lord.

Paul had previously shown that none can boast before the Lord because all have sinned:

Romans 3:23

In verse 3, Paul then brought everything back to even before the nation of Israel, going back to the patriarch Abraham, and the book of Genesis, where Abraham’s faith was accounted to him as righteousness:

Genesis 15:6

The Lord didn’t accredit Abraham’s works as righteousness, but rather his faith.

The Lord was therefore, kindly disposed, when he saw Abraham completely trust His Word and promises. This was based upon Abraham’s faith, that God would indeed raise up a nation from him, although both he and Sarah were well-advanced in years.

What is of great importance, is that this promise, and Abraham’s belief, predated God’s giving of the Law to Moses.

Therefore, Abraham could not have been justified by a law that had not yet been given.

However, several rabbis of that day, suggested that Abaham had kept the precepts of the Law, prior to God giving it.

Paul desired to show that Abraham was justified, not by any works he performed, but through his faith.

There is a distinction however in Paul’s language. He didn’t say that Abraham was “made “righteous by his faith, but rather that “it was accounted to him for righteousness”.

The word “accounted” in the Greek, is the word <logizomai> which was a financial term, which spoke of someone who placed funds into another individual’s account. This would be much like a parent might establish a trust fund for their child. While everything is in the name of the child, the funds hadn’t come from, or been earned by them.

It presents the idea of God having placed righteousness into their account.

2 Distinction Between Grace and Works

Paul continued to show the vast difference between God’s grace, and the works of our flesh:

Romans 4:4-5

In verse 4, he shows how the wages which one receives for work performed, are not considered as “grace” (an unmerited gift). But rather, are considered as “debt” which effectively shows that the individual labored to attain it.

When applied to Paul’s teaching, it shows that those who continue to attempt to earn their salvation through their fleshly endeavors, will then remain in debt – the debt of their sin, because they’ve rejected the only way of salvation:

Ephesians 2:8-9

In verse 5, Paul shows that those who live by faith (not attempting to work for their salvation), will have their faith “accounted for righteousness”.

This point is made several times throughout the New Testament, here is one example:

Galatians 3:11

Paul then spoke of another of Israel’s great heroes, David:

3 David’s Words on Justification

Romans 4:6-8

The Jewish people not only looked up to David as their great king, but also because he often displayed such unshakable faith.

While that was indeed the case, like Abraham and everyone else for that matter, David also experienced times of lapses in his faith.

Yet, the Lord did not judged David on his works, otherwise he could not have been saved.

After his sins, David repented, asked for, and received God’s forgiveness:

Psalm 32:1-2

In the above passage, David spoke of having “imputed” righteousness, which is much like Paul, when he spoke of the righteousness being “accredited” to the believer’s account.

In both cases, the righteousness is unearned, but rather is received from the Lord.