ROMANS 4 – FAITH ALONE
Abraham Justified Before Law, Before Circumcision, Before Works
Paul turns to Israel’s hero to prove this radical truth:
Righteousness is by faith. Not law. Not ritual. Not effort.
v1–2
“What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about—but not before God.”
Even Abraham—revered patriarch—had no room to boast before a holy God.
v3
“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)
Before Sinai. Before circumcision. Before Isaac.
Galatians 3:6–9 – God has always justified by faith.
v4–5
“Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.”
God justifies the ungodly!
(Titus 3:5 – “Not because of works… but by His mercy…”)
v6–8
“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven… blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” (Psalm 32)
David confirms it: forgiveness is a gift, not a wage.
v9–12
“Is this blessing then only for the circumcised…? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness… while he was still uncircumcised.”
Faith made Abraham righteous 14 years before circumcision (Gen 15 vs 17).
He is father of all who believe—Jew and Gentile (cf. Gal 3:28–29)
v13–15
“For the promise to Abraham… did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be heirs, faith is null… The law brings wrath…”
The Law (given 430 years later!) doesn’t enable the promise—it only exposes our need.
(Galatians 3:17 – The Law cannot annul the earlier covenant of promise.)
v16–17
“That is why it depends on faith… in order that the promise may rest on grace… to the one who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.”
Abraham believed in a God of resurrection—a key foreshadowing of Christ’s victory.
(Isaiah 51:2 – “I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.”)
v18–21
“In hope he believed against hope… He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body… fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.”
This is real faith—clinging to the promise, despite reality.
v22–24
“That is why his faith was ‘counted to him as righteousness.’ But the words ‘it was counted to him’ were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also…”
This chapter wasn’t just history—it was prophecy. For us.
v25
“[Jesus] was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
The cross paid it. The resurrection proved it.
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HISTORICAL INSIGHT:
Jewish tradition saw Abraham as the great example of obedience. But Paul flips the argument: Abraham’s righteousness preceded circumcision, the Law, and all works.
His justification was by faith alone—making him the father of both believing Jews and Gentiles.
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FAITH TAKEAWAY:
God doesn’t ask for your résumé. He asks for your trust.
Just like Abraham, we are made righteous when we believe the God who raises the dead and keeps His promises.
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