Abraham Had Nothing to Boast About
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. Romans 4:1-5
The Jews revered Abraham as both the ancestor of God’s people and as a model of faithfulness to the law. If Paul is to convince Christians in Rome who know Jewish history and tradition to endorse the gospel of justification by faith, he must prove that Abraham’s life confirms his position.
‘What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter?’ (4:1). Paul brings up the ‘wrong’ answer, that he was ‘justified by works,’ (4:2) and then the right one, that he ‘believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness’ (4:3). The first reason Paul fiercely repudiates justification by works is that this would have given him ‘something to boast about’ (before other people) ‘but not before God’ (4:2). Paul rejects any possibility of human beings boasting before God, either creatures before their Creator or sinners before their Saviour. Boasting of national privilege or personal holiness is self righteousness. The unrighteous can never establish their own righteousness before God.
Paul’s second reason for repudiating Abraham being justified by works is that it contradicts the text of Scripture. ‘What does Scripture say?’ (4:3). The singular form, ‘Scripture’ indicates Paul is thinking of the entire Old Testament as a unified body of inspired writings. He then quotes Genesis 15:6 ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness’ (4:3) and proceeds in the following verses to draw out the meaning of the word ‘credited.’ In a financial or commercial context the term meant to put something to someone’s account. But there are two ways money can be credited to our account. It can be as wages (which are earned) or as a gift (which is free and unearned). ‘Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation’ (4:4: literally: not according to grace but according to debt). But this isn’t true with our justification. Instead, ‘to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness’ (4:5).
In business those who work have their wages credited to them as a right because they’ve earned them. But in justification, those who don’t work and so have no right to payment, but who put their trust in God who justifies the ungodly, ‘their faith is credited as righteousness’ (4:5). They are given righteousness as a free and unearned gift by God’s grace through their faith. Faith is not an alternative to righteousness (“You have faith but I have righteousness”) but is the one and only means by which God can and will declare anyone righteous.
Many of the rabbis in Paul’s day taught that Abraham’s faithfulness earned him the status of being righteous. In this sense his faithfulness was his good works before God, meaning he was actually declared righteous (justified) by his works. But the contrast between verses 4 and 5 denies this. The crediting of faith as righteousness is a free gift and not an earned wage. Further, it doesn’t happen to those who work but to those who trust the God who, far from justifying people because they are godly, justifies them when they are ungodly.
We are justified (declared righteous with no record of sin) solely on the basis of our faith. No wonder the devil does all he can to destroy our trust and confidence in God. Can you see that? When thoughts of doubt come in, see them for what they are. Don’t entertain them for a moment. Tell the devil that your confidence is in God and that settles it!