Abraham Was Justified by Faith
4:1 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
Since the Law is powerless to save, demonstrating our need for Jesus, one question that is often asked is, “How were the people of the Old Testament saved?” This would have been a valid question raised by the church in Rome after Paul clearly identified the only path to salvation in the last eleven verses. Paul answers that question in this chapter. Paul also knew that many Jews believed they had salvation through their ancestry, being in the line of Abraham. Now after being told that is not the case, Paul begins this next section by asking them what benefit did Abraham receive for his works. If Abraham did do something to render himself as righteous, he would have something to boast about, but not before God, true righteousness is not offered by what somebody does. It was true then and it remains true today. Paul next asks a great question, “what does the Scripture say?” That may sound somewhat peculiar since this epistle is in Scripture, but the Scripture Paul is referring to is what we call the Old Testament, the New Testament was in the process of being written.
To understand the examples Paul will be using in this chapter, one needs to know a little background about Abraham. He was the son of Terah (see Genesis 11:24-26); his brothers were Nahor and Haran (the father of Lot) and he was called “the friend of God,” three times in Scripture (see 2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8 and James 2:23). He is considered the father of the Hebrews, the Israelites and the Jews (and Paul will add shortly to that list, Christians). Abraham was called out of his hometown to go to some unknown location (instructions were to be given along the way), based on a promise and blessing that his offspring would be a great nation (see Genesis 12:1-9). Think about that for a moment, would you be willing to go to some unknown location and do something that won’t be explained until later? Now that takes faith! But his faith didn’t stop there. Shortly afterwards Abraham was also offered an unconditional and everlasting covenant with God (see Genesis 15:1-7) and circumcision was to be a sign of that covenant (see Genesis 17:9-14). Abraham believed God when he heard that he was going to have a son with Sarah, his wife, even after they would have been considered to be too old for childbearing. Later after his son Isaac was an adult, God tested Abraham’s faith when He requested Abraham to sacrifice his son, we read that God stopped him after seeing that Abraham was going to obey (see Genesis 22:1-8). The story of Abraham can be further studied in Genesis chapters 12-25; Galatians 3:1-29; James 2:18-26 and Hebrews 6:13-20; 11:8-19.
4:3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
Paul quotes Genesis 15:6, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” There are three Greek words in this verse that can help summarize this concept for us: ‘believed’ (Greek ‘pisteuō’, whose root word is ‘pistis’, the Greek word for ‘faith’); ‘counted’ (Greek ‘logizomai’, an accounting term that means to credit or to pass to one’s account) and ‘righteousness’ (Greek ‘dikaiosynē’, meaning to be approved by God). Paul injects again the fact that works of any kind will not help anyone gain righteousness (see also Deuteronomy 9:4-5). Paul points out that if someone does something, then they are due payment for what they did, but the gift of salvation is not for sale. The word that is translated as ‘gift’ is the Greek word ‘charis’, which is most often translated as ‘grace’, a great reminder that Jesus did all the work for our salvation and by the grace of God, He offers it to us as a free gift. Only faith in Jesus alone can justify the ungodly.
4:6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
Paul then references another key figure in the Old Testament, King David, the author of several of the Psalms. Here Paul quotes Psalm 32:1-2 to further illustrate his point, “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” The three key words here are ‘forgiven’ (Greek word ‘aphiēmi’, to send away); ‘covered’ (Greek word ‘epikalyptō’, meaning to cover over), helping us see the need for atonement; and ‘counted’, the same Greek word translated as ‘counted’ in verses three and four (see also 2 Corinthians 5:19).
4:9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
But Paul is using these verses to point out something else, he begins by asking another question, “is this blessing only for the circumcised, or also the uncircumcised?” He then takes us back to reestablish that it was Abraham’s faith that was credited to him as righteousness, not his actions or works. But if that was the case, how was it credited to him? Was it after he was given circumcision as a sign of the covenant or before? Abraham’s faith in God preceded his circumcision. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness he had by faith, before he was circumcised. The word translated as ‘seal’ is the Greek word ‘sphragis’, a word that refers to a process to validate or authenticate a message from a king or other person in authority, typically using a signet in wax, the verb of this word is used in the New Testament to point out the permanence of the promises of God, see Ephesians 1:13-14. In other words, Abraham had faith in God during a time in his life that he would have been considered a Gentile. His saving faith was before he became the father of the Hebrews.
This means that Abraham is the father of all who believe and have faith in Jesus, both those that are circumcised (the Hebrews, Israelites and Jews) and those that are not circumcised. Paul once again clarifies the need for those that are circumcised to follow in Abraham’s footsteps and have faith like what he had before he received the sign of circumcision, since neither their lineage nor circumcision can save them. The author of Hebrews explains, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.” (Hebrews 11:1-2) The author then listed several key Old Testament saints along with examples of their faith in action, including two references to Abraham. “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10) “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.” (Hebrews 11:17-19) After listing these Old Testament saints and their acts of faith, the author reminds his readers what they are to do, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
In Romans 4:12, Paul says we should, “also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham.” How does that apply to us? It means that our lives should be all about Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Jesus is all that matters.
4:13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
Paul referenced Abraham both as an example of how faith in God (trusting that God will keep His promises) leads to righteousness, but also to remind the Jews that their ancestry does not provide salvation (see also Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-12, 17-19; 12:1-2). It was Abraham’s faith that was counted to him as righteousness, not his deeds and certainly not compliance with the law. Paul uses the example of the promise of Abraham being “heir of the world” (a reference to Abraham being the father of multitudes, see Genesis 17:4-6), that was fulfilled because Abraham had faith. Paul further points out that if someone did adhere to the law, faith is made empty and the promise is canceled, because the law can only bring anger and wrath. In his epistle to the church in Galatia, on the subject of the inadequacy of the law, Paul further amplifies this point. “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:10-14, see also verses 15-29)
4:15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Verse 15 is often misunderstood, here Paul summarizes by saying, “where there is no law there is no transgression” (the word translated here as ‘transgression’ is the Greek word ‘parabasis’, meaning violation, it is a synonym for sin). To clarify this verse, let’s look at the New Living Translation, it renders the verse as: “For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)” (NLT) Paul continues to explain, “That is why it,” referring to the promise to Abraham, “depends on faith” so that it is completely fulfilled by God’s grace and available to all. One must have faith, just as Abraham had faith, who is father of all believers. Paul then points out that Abraham had faith in the presence of God and proceeds to describe God as the One who can give life to the dead and call into existence things that did not previously exist. This is a vital point that many non-believers struggle with today. First of all, there is a God, next He is capable of making something alive and thirdly, He can create something out of nothing (see also Hebrews 11:3). If we cannot believe these things about God, then faith in Jesus as our Savior, would be impossible.
4:18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
The Greek word for hope (‘elpis’) is firmly believing that something will happen, it just hasn’t happened yet. Paul said that Abraham, in hope, believed against hope. In other words, while all indications (past experiences, current understanding as to how things work, the nature of nature, etc.) gave no reason to have any hope, Abraham continued to have hope, regardless of what experience taught him (such as being too old to have children, quoting Genesis 15:5 and summarizes Genesis 17:17). Abraham believed in God, he had no unbelief, instead his faith grew stronger, giving all glory to God.
4:22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Abraham was fully convinced that God was able to do and would do as He promised (see also Genesis 18:14). That is why his faith was counted to him as righteousness. Paul was quoting Genesis 15:6 from the Septuagint. The New English Translation of the Septuagint renders that verse: “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” (NETS) Paul calls our attention to the fact that those words were not written just for Abraham’s sake, they are for all believers. Those that believe in the God who raised Jesus from the dead (see also Romans 10:9; 1 Peter 1:21) and delivered Him up for our sins and raised for our justification. The Greek word translated as ‘justification’ is somewhat unique as it is used only one other place in the Bible (see Romans 5:18). The term refers to a declaration that a person is just and right. Here through the act of resurrecting Jesus, God can declare a person righteous through faith. Helping us see that the resurrection of Jesus was necessary for our justification.
Why is the resurrection of Jesus so important? Paul answers that question in his first epistle to the church in Corinth: “Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:12-19, see also Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Romans 5:18; Galatians 1:4)