Romans 4:1-25
Up to this point in his letter, the apostle Paul has already charged both Jews and Greeks with being “under the power of sin” (Romans 3:9-12). He has then announced the good news of God’s grace, by which God justifies us and redeems us from sin—apart from works or law—on account of Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross of Golgotha. He has spoken of God’s part in justification, but now he turns his gaze to the human part as well. For in everything God does there are two sides—the divine and the human. God, of course, does almost everything, yet something is also expected of the human being. In justification, what is expected of a person is that he believe in God. In this chapter the apostle Paul uses Abraham and David as examples of justification by faith. Paul knows that most of his countrymen do not accept his message of justification apart from works and by faith alone in Jesus Christ. They boast in their descent from Abraham and in the promises given to David. But here in this chapter the apostle says that both of these great heroes of Jewish history were in fact justified by faith. In Paul’s examples of Abraham and David we can find the answers to three questions about faith—“Why must we believe?” “How must we believe?” and “In whom must we believe?”
THE IMMEASURABLE WORTH OF FAITH
First, why must we believe in order to be justified and saved? We must believe because without faith we cannot receive God’s justification. Not to mention that unbelief is a sin (1 John 5:10), and that without faith it is impossible for a person to draw near to God (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is something exceedingly precious. It is like a spiritual currency. But it cannot be devalued. It is not affected by any inflation whatsoever. It is priceless. Why? Because faith does not depend on works; rather, works depend on faith.
Here I would like to offer a clarification. We are not speaking here of faith for the sake of faith itself. Faith in itself cannot save us. Faith needs an object. And as we will see a little further on, the object of our faith is God the Father and Jesus Christ. Faith in and of itself is not something that can commend us before God. My faith is just as imperfect as my works. My faith is smaller than a mustard seed. It is no more acceptable before God than my works are. But Jesus Christ, who was perfect both in life and in death, was perfect in life and in death for our good. It is not our faith itself, but our reception of the work of Jesus Christ, that justifies us. Our hope must always be in what Jesus has done—in His perfect life and self-sacrificing death—and not in ourselves, not even in our faith.
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. (Romans 4:1-2)
The Jews took great pride in Abraham. And indeed, he is a great man—but according to the flesh he cannot commend himself before God. When he went down to Egypt, Abraham told his wife Sarah to present herself as his sister. “Because,” he said, “you are a beautiful woman, and the Egyptians will kill me in order to take you.” So they hatch a plan to deceive, rather than trust God. Later Abraham accepted Sarah’s proposal to take Hagar as a concubine and to obtain a child through her. Sarah said to him: “Since God told you that you would have an heir—here, I will give him to you.” And Abraham agreed. Without protest he went in and slept with his concubine. So Ishmael was born, but later God told him to listen to Sarah and send the boy away with his mother, because, He said, “it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned” (Genesis 21:8-13). What was Abraham’s conduct after he believed in God’s promises? He was ungodly—he invented lies, he tried to help God by seeking fleshly ways to fulfill God’s promises.
3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. (Romans 4:3-5)
Notice that it says here that God “justifies the ungodly.” At first glance this is an insoluble contradiction, a paradox, something incompatible with the character of the Judge of all the earth (Genesis 18:25). How could the righteous God justify the one who is guilty of sin? In Exodus 23:7 this same God says: “I will not acquit the guilty.” How could we explain this apparent contradiction between Exodus 23:7 and Romans 4:5?
7 Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty. (Exodus 23:7)
God is righteous, but He is also love. God loves humanity. He loves the sinner and does not want His creation to perish. According to His justice, the human being must die, because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). But according to God’s love, the human being must live. So in His wisdom God devises a way by which to satisfy His justice and at the same time “justify the ungodly.” He Himself pays the penalty for the sin of humanity. His only-begotten Son dies in our place. In the golden verse of the Bible—John 3:16—we read:
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
This is God’s solution. The paradox of “justifying the ungodly” in Romans 4:5 is resolved in Romans 5:6—“Christ died for the ungodly.” So there is no contradiction in God’s statements. There is no contradiction between Exodus 23:7 and Romans 4:5. Jesus Christ is the answer. His sacrifice on the cross is the resolution of the contradiction. In order to be justified by faith, we must believe in “God, who justifies the ungodly”!
Not only is faith something more precious than works—because by works we cannot be justified before God, but by faith we can—but faith also does not lose its value even because of the sins we have committed. Faith is priceless, because not even the sins we have committed can diminish its worth.
6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.” (Romans 4:6-8)
Here the apostle Paul gives as an example and quotes King David. The main thought here is that God grants righteousness to the sinner regardless of his works. David was called a man after God’s own heart, but he was not a perfect righteous man. He was a sinner. He committed sins far more hateful than the sins of a great many people. He was a murderer, an adulterer, a liar—and yet we are told that God did not count his sins against him. Why? Why did God overlook David’s sins and count him righteous? Because David believed God’s promise that the Lord would forgive his sin, and that even if He punished him for his sin, He still would not cast him off, but would receive him to Himself and would not take His Holy Spirit from him. David relied on God for his justification, and not on his good works, nor on keeping the law, nor on his circumcision.
In the third place, faith is priceless because its worth does not depend on circumcision. Our origin does not diminish the value of our faith. God credits righteousness in exchange for faith regardless of whether a person is circumcised or uncircumcised—whether he is a Jew or a Gentile.
9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. (Romans 4:9-12)
Here Paul explains to his hearers what circumcision is and what it is not. And he tells them quite plainly that it is not a sacrament that imposes God’s justification. Abraham was justified before he was circumcised. And because he believed God, he received the mark of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness received through faith. He received the blessing of justification the moment he believed, and only later was he circumcised, as a mark of the justification received through faith. And afterward God commanded Abraham to circumcise all his men and boys, because the covenant He made with Abraham was not only with him, but also with his descendants. So then, righteousness comes from faith, not from circumcision.
And in the fourth place, the worth of faith is exceptional, because its value does not depend on the keeping of the law. The keeping or non-keeping of the rituals recorded in the Law of Moses does not affect the value of our faith.
13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. (Romans 4:13)
Notice what is said here. According to the apostle Paul, the promise to Abraham and his offspring is that they would be “heirs of the world.”
14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. (Romans 4:14-16)
One of the promises given to Abraham was that he would be “a father of many nations.” Apart from Israel, the Arabs may claim to descend from him as the offspring of Ishmael; the Edomites—through Esau (Genesis 36:1); the Midianites—through Keturah (Genesis 25:1-4); and a few tribes born from the children of unnamed concubines. That can hardly be called “many nations.” The fact that God makes this promise to Abraham means that He has in view his spiritual offspring. All who share a common faith with Abraham are his heirs. In Revelation 7:9 we are told that they are from every nation, tribe, and language. And we too can call ourselves “children of Abraham”—not because we descend from him physically, but because we have his faith.
WHAT IS AUTHENTIC FAITH?
Faith is priceless, but only when it is genuine. False faith is worth nothing. And our faith will be genuine and authentic only when it is like the faith of Abraham—unreserved and complete.
In the first place, authentic, genuine faith is faith in God (v.17), faith in the one and true God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God who raises the dead, the God who created this world out of nothing.
17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. (Romans 4:17)
James tells us that even the demons believe—and shudder. Abraham’s faith is not a vague faith in God’s goodness. No. It has its own content. It has a personal vitality that leads him to submit to God. Abraham believes in a God who raises the dead. This is not some abstract notion of a God who makes things. Abraham’s faith concentrates on God’s promise, and that is the promise that he would have a son in his advanced age, and that his descendants would fill the earth. Abraham believed that God could give life to Sarah’s deadened womb. Later, when God told him to offer his son as a sacrifice—he believed that God could raise Isaac. Abraham looked beyond Isaac to Christ. Christ said that Abraham saw His day and rejoiced. In John 8:56 we read His words:
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad. (John 8:56)
Notice that, according to the words of Jesus, Abraham not only rejoiced that he was going to see Christ’s day, but actually saw it and was glad.
Only such an active faith is the genuine one. James, in his letter, gives Abraham as an example of genuine faith. If we want to have a genuine, saving faith, it must lead us into obedience to God in everything.
Second, authentic, genuine faith is faith grounded on the word of God (v.18). It is not faith in faith itself, or faith in oneself, or faith just for its own sake—in general. Authentic, genuine faith hears from God and is grounded on His words.
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” (Romans 4:18)
As the apostle Paul says later in his letter, faith comes from hearing the words of Christ (Romans 10:17).
17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. (Romans 10:17)
Third, genuine, authentic faith does not look at circumstances and does not depend on them (v.19). Abraham was not blind. He was not out of his mind. He saw very well that he was growing old. He saw that Sarah too had long since passed her critical age. But God had come and had told him: “This time next year Sarah will bear you a son. And you will name him Isaac, which means ‘laughter,’ because when she heard my words Sarah laughed.” This gave him strength to believe in God regardless of circumstances.
19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, (Romans 4:19-20)
Genuine, authentic faith does not allow doubt into our heart. It guards us from doubts and drives them away, so that they do not keep us from receiving God’s promises.
The Christian’s life begins through faith and continues through faith. His faith is proved by his life. Our faith must have the same content as the faith of Abraham. It must lead to obedience, as it did with Abraham. It must also lead to the glorifying of God. Notice that in verse 20 it says that when Abraham was strengthened in his faith, he gave glory to God.
20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, (Romans 4:20)
Do you see? The more his faith grew stronger, the more glory Abraham gave to God. This makes us ask ourselves the question: “How is our praise toward God?” If, when the time for praise comes, we simply sit there and mumble, that is a sure indicator that our faith is weakening. For the degree to which we give glory to God measures our faith.
Fourth, genuine, authentic faith is faith in God’s faithfulness and almighty power. Where did Abraham get that assurance that God would fulfill His promise? He knew God, and he knew that God is almighty—for Him nothing is impossible.
21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. (Romans 4:21)
And fifth, as we have already said, genuine, authentic faith is a spiritual currency of enduring value—a “currency” that God credits to us as righteousness when we have it.
22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:22)
Just as Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness, so also God credits our faith in Jesus Christ to us as righteousness.
THE OBJECT OF OUR FAITH
And finally, in whom must we believe, so that our faith may be genuine and God may credit it to us as righteousness?
First, as we have already said, our faith must not be faith for the sake of faith itself, but faith in God. Just as Abraham believed in the God “who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not” (v.17), so also we must believe in God the Father, the Creator of the universe and the One who raised our Lord Jesus Christ (vv.23-24).
23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:23-25)
Second, we must believe not only in the One “who raised Jesus from the dead,” but also in Jesus Himself, our Lord, our risen Savior.
23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:23-25)
Every new believer in Jesus knows why Jesus had to die—to bear our sins. He also knows that on the third day Jesus rose again. But the new believer rarely knows what Jesus accomplished through His resurrection. The resurrection is the proof that God has removed the guilt of our sins. The resurrection is the declaration of the Judge of earth and heaven that the blood of Jesus is sufficient and that the men and women of the earth are righteous in His eyes. Until the death of Jesus Christ the wages for our sins had not been paid. And if Christ’s death had not been sufficient, then Jesus would have remained in the grave. But do you remember that while He was on the cross, Jesus said: “It is finished.” This is a very interesting Greek word—a word that was used at the closing of transactions. If you borrow money, you write out something like a receipt that you have taken money on loan. The lender can keep this document. It is his proof that he gave you money on loan. And when you repay the money, he takes this document and writes across it in large letters “tetelestai”—“paid in full.” This is the word that Jesus said on the cross. It is finished—the debt was paid in full. The penalty was fully borne. God’s wrath against sinners was fully satisfied when Christ completed the work entrusted to Him by His Father. And because this work of redemption was fully completed by Christ, the grave could in no way hold Him—Jesus rose from the dead. In Acts 2:24 the apostle Peter says in his sermon at Pentecost:
24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. (Acts 2:24)
God freed Christ from the grave because it was “impossible” for death to hold Him any longer once He had completed the work of redemption. Christ’s resurrection clears away every doubt before faith in our justification. This is precisely why the sermons of the apostles are so directed toward the resurrection of Jesus. He bore the entire penalty for the sins of His people. And when God raised Christ from the dead, He seated Him at His right hand—exalting Him to the highest possible position in heaven and on earth. By the resurrection and the exaltation, the Father bears witness to the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice. He also appoints Jesus as judge over all (John 5:22). So the Judge who will declare us innocent and justified before the whole universe on the day of judgment is the same One who redeemed us with His own blood. We are justified the moment we believe. But one day, which will come in the future, Jesus will declare us righteous before all people and before all angels. On the day of resurrection He will glorify us and make us perfect.
Furthermore, it is exceedingly important that this faith of ours in God and in Christ be especially personal. Notice the personal pronouns in verse 25:
25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:25)
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be justified—your faith will be credited to you by God as righteousness—regardless of both your works and your sins.