“However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness” (Romans 4:5 NIV).

Thus far in our journey through the book of Romans, we have never been far from the word “justification” and its derivative concepts. For example, Romans chapter one told us, “…The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). In Romans 2:13 we read, “…for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified.” Romans chapter three then followed by saying, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24).

One source adds to our discussion of this important concept with the following insight into the legal origin of this term…

“The Greek word translated ‘justify’ or ‘justification’ means ‘to acquit,’ ‘to vindicate,’ or ‘to pronounce righteous.’ These are important judicial terms, and the theological meaning is borrowed from the courtroom. In justification God clears those who have been charged with sins or failures. The Bible makes it clear that God will clear no one of the charge of sin on the basis of his or her efforts to keep the Law. One can be justified — declared righteous — only on the basis of faith.” ₍₁₎

Thus, “In justification, God solves the legal or judicial problem that we have on account of our being lawbreakers who have violated His commandments, and He does so by means of a legal declaration of our status… Clearly, when a judge acquits an innocent person, he is not changing that person but merely making a declaration about that person’s status before the law.” ₍₂₎

Another commentary presents us with a personal application: “Notice that he believes on Him who justifies the ungodly. He doesn’t come with the plea that he has tried his best, that he has lived by the Golden Rule, that he has not been as bad as others. No, he comes as an ungodly, guilty sinner and throws himself on the mercy of God.” ₍₃₎

Here in Romans chapter four, Paul the Apostle has turned to Abraham’s example to find support for this premise. But over the next few verses, Paul will focus his attention on another prominent figure from the annals of Biblical history. That person is David, the celebrated monarch of Old Testament Israel. He will serve as a corroborating witness to the spiritual truths that Paul has worked to establish over the first four chapters of this letter.

(1) Richards, L. O., & Richards, L. (1987). Bible Teacher’s Commentary. David C Cook. “Study Guide 125: Romans 4-6.”

(2) Faith and Righteousness. (2017, June 13). Ligonier Ministries. https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/faith-and-righteousness-june-2017

(3) William Macdonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary Edited by Arthur Farstad. Thomas Nelson Publishers [Romans 4:1-25]

“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” (Romans 4:4-5 ESV).

The Apostle Paul demonstrated the characteristics of a skilled communicator by turning to a familiar analogy to clarify his teaching on the subject of faith: “A person who works is paid wages, but they are not regarded as a gift; they are something that has been earned” (GNT).

A paycheck has little to do with an employer’s generosity. Instead, that obligation stems directly from the work that an employee performs on the employer’s behalf. In contrast, the Scriptures tell us that heaven is not attainable through human effort, for salvation is a gift of God. If a person could earn his or her way into heaven, then salvation would no longer be free, nor would it be a gift. It would rather be an obligation that God owes to those who deserve it.

Let’s apply this analogy to those who seek to earn salvation through their moral and/or ethical efforts. In that scenario, God would incur an obligation to save those who worked for it. Much like the employer who assumes an obligation to pay an employee for his or her labor, God would incur a similar obligation to accept us into heaven based on our works.

While some may choose to gamble their eternity on such a belief, the Scriptures categorically reject that view. In addition to what we read here in Romans chapter four, consider these excerpts from the following New Testament epistles…

“By grace you are saved through faith, and this not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

“…no one anywhere can ever brag in the presence of God. For it is from God alone that you have your life through Christ Jesus….” (1 Corinthians 1:29-30 TLB).

“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4-5).

So, the Scriptures tell us that we cannot earn our way to heaven through our efforts. Thus. we can say that salvation is not a matter of what we can do for God; it is a matter of what God has already done for us through Christ.

“Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” (Romans 4:4-5).

In contrast to an employee who labors to earn a paycheck, our text from Romans chapter four tells us that Abraham did not “earn” righteousness through his own efforts. Instead, righteousness was accounted to him through faith.

Abraham’s example serves as a remarkably informative case study, for his life included several instances where he made some highly questionable decisions. For instance…

• Abraham once misled an Egyptian Pharaoh by falsely representing his wife Sarah as his sister (Genesis 12:10–20).
• He later engaged in that same deceptive conduct with another king named Abimelech (Genesis 20).
• Abraham also heeded his wife’s ill-advised counsel and fathered a son with her maidservant (Genesis 16).

While Abraham was truly a great man of faith, these episodes from his life tell us that he was far from perfect. But to borrow Paul the Apostle’s terminology from the passage quoted above, Abraham was accounted righteous because he believed “…on Him who justifies the ungodly.”

The word “righteous” is often used in a variety of ways, some of which are far removed from its true meaning. However, the Biblical concept of righteousness denotes a state of right standing with God through Christ. As we have already seen thus far in our study of the book of Romans, God declares those who accept Christ’s atoning death to be “righteous” (or “without guilt”) in His sight. This concept is certainly not unique to the book of Romans, for Paul the Apostle expressed a similar idea in his epistle to the Philippians…

“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith” (Philippians 3:8-9).

Finally, we should take note of the following excerpt from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Those who desire to live the kind of lives that reflect the right standing we enjoy with God in Christ, have Jesus’ personal assurance that God will fully satisfy that desire.

“For what does scripture say about him? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness'” (Romans 4:3 Phillips).

Before we move on from our study of this passage, there is a key element within this verse that merits our attention. That element comprises a single word: accounted. Much like the modern-day derivative term “accountant,” the ancient version of this word conveys the idea of something that is calculated or computed to one’s account. ₍₁₎ Contemporary translations of this verse use a variety of words, including credited (NET). counted (ESV). and reckoned (RSV), to express this idea.

While it may seem unwarranted to dwell on a single word from this passage, this particular word shows up repeatedly (and in several variations) over the course of Romans chapter four. Therefore, this reference (and the spiritual truth it represents) is well worth our consideration. One commentator places this idea in a contemporary framework…

“What do we mean when we say that faith was counted unto Abraham for righteousness? The word translated ‘counted’ (Gr logizomai) is a commercial term which is used with regard to credits or debits. It means to set to one’s credit or lay to one’s charge. If you authorize your lawyer to write checks on your bank account, and he does so, although the check is written by him and money received by him, nevertheless the amount of the check is charged to you.” ₍₂₎

Another New Testament scholar offers several ways to understand this concept…

“Thus Abraham believed God, and his act of faith was placed to his account in value as righteousness. He believed God and his act of faith was credited to him for righteousness. He believed God and his act of faith was placed on deposit for him and evaluated as righteousness. He believed God and his act of faith was computed as to its value, and there was placed to his account, righteousness. He believed God, and his act of faith was credited to his account for righteousness. Finally, he believed God, and his act of faith was credited to him, resulting in righteousness.” ₍₃₎

So, much like a monetary transfer that is deposited into a financial trust fund, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith” (NLT). Abraham did not undertake any effort to facilitate that transfer; he simply took God at His word and believed He would do what He said He would do. We will return to this important idea again in Romans 4:8 when we consider another variation of this term: imputation.

(1) G3049 – logizomai – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3049/kjv/tr/0-1/
(2) Edward E. Hindson and Woodrow Michael Kroll, eds., KJV Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1994), 2223–2224.
(3) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament [Galatians 3:6] Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

“For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3).

Amidst this lengthy discussion concerning Abraham in Romans chapter four, the Apostle Paul raised an important question: “…what saith the scripture?” (KJV). While there are many information sources that contend for the opportunity to influence our opinions, the Biblical Scriptures should ultimately set the foundation for our convictions. This would encompass a wide range of areas, including our business practices, social interactions, interpersonal relationships, and other aspects of daily life. We can honor God and make wise choices in these areas whenever we pose this question from our text: “What do the Scriptures say?”

Paul advanced that question in Romans 4:3 and then proceeded to answer it himself. In contrast to those who view God’s Word as a dusty relic with little modern relevance, we should note that Paul applied Abraham’s example to a contemporary question of his day. In doing so, he offers a template that we would do well to follow. It also echoes his counsel to the ancient church at Corinth: “These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction…” (1 Corinthians 10:11 CSB).

So, Abraham believed God (and was justified by faith), long before he received the external sign of circumcision. Here again, this brief quotation from Genesis 15:6 yields some important insights regarding the nature of faith: Abraham believed God, and God subsequently credited that belief to him for righteousness. Nevertheless, we should exercise caution before we assume that a direct correlation exists between righteousness and mere belief.

Consider the following passage from the Biblical epistle of James: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” (James 2:19). In light of this, we can say that no one is righteous simply because he or she believes God exists. Even demonic beings (who are certainly not righteous) believe that. Instead, Abraham believed God. In other words, the emphasis is on the Object of his faith.

The following source offers a further explanation…

“Faith is something we exercise, but Paul does not consider it a work in the same way that obedience to the law is. Works involve the bringing of what we do to God and saying that we deserve justification. Faith involves the admission that nothing we can do makes us deserving of salvation…” ₍₁₎

So when we read that “…it was accounted to him for righteousness,” the “it” refers to Abraham’s conviction that God would do what He promised. Thus, Abraham’s faith in God Himself was the means by which he was accounted righteous.

(1) Not by works (2014, March 10). Ligonier Ministries. https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/not-works

“For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God” (Romans 4:2 ESV).

Given the historical controversy that has marked the relationship between the Biblical works of Paul and James on the subject of faith, we will close our look at this verse with some insights gleaned from the following commentators. Their observations tell us that the apparent conflict that exists between these respective teachings on faith dissipates when they are properly understood. In fact,  these teachings are mutually complimentary…

“This verse may seem to contradict what James wrote in James 2:21: ‘Was not our father Abraham justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?’ The solution lies in the meaning of justification. Justification means ‘to declare righteous;’ it does not mean to make righteous. In Genesis 15:6, we read that God declared Abraham righteous. In Genesis 22:1-19, James wrote that Abraham’s works declared him righteous. In other words, two different things, God and Abraham’s works, on two different occasions, both declared or bore witness to Abraham’s righteousness.” ₍₁₎

“But someone may argue, ‘Doesn’t it say in Jam_2:21 that Abraham was justified by works?’ Yes it does, but there the meaning is quite different. Abraham was justified by faith in Gen_15:6 when he believed God’s promise concerning a numberless posterity. It was thirty or more years later that he was justified (vindicated) by works when he started to offer Isaac as a burnt offering to God (Gen. 22). This act of obedience proved the reality of his faith. It was an outward demonstration that he had been truly justified by faith.” ₍₂₎

“How can we reconcile James and Paul? We have to remember the theme of James 2. James is arguing against those who profess faith but have no good works to prove it… Thus, Paul is speaking of legal justification before the eyes of God, while James is speaking of visible justification before the eyes of men.” ₍₃₎

“If we want to interpret James’s single passage properly, we need to allow the many verses we find in Scripture to inform the one we find here, rather than allow the one verse to inform the many. When read in the context of the larger chapter… James appears to be saying that we are saved not by our good works but by the kind of faith that produces good works. That’s a critical distinction. According to James, there are two kinds of faith: one that leads to a godly life and good works and one that doesn’t. One is ‘dead,’ while the other is ‘alive.’ This interpretation is reasonable given the many verses that describe salvation by faith alone.” ₍₄₎

(1) Dr. Thomas L. Constable. Notes On Romans 2026 Edition (n.d.). https://soniclight.com/tcon/notes/html/romans/romans.htm
(2) William Macdonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary Edited by Arthur Farstad. Thomas Nelson Publishers [Romans 4:1-25]
(3) Sproul, R. C. (1993). Before the face of God: Book 2: A daily guide for living from the Gospel of Luke (electronic ed.). [80. Redeemed by Faith]. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House; Ligonier Ministries.
(4) Wallace, J. W. (2017). Forensic faith: A Homicide Detective Makes the Case for a More Reasonable, Evidential Christian Faith. [pg. 172]

“For if Abraham was declared righteous by the works of the law, he has something to boast about — but not before God” (Romans 4:2 NET).

“Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?” (James 2:21).

These quotations offer an opportunity to explore the relationship between faith and works as seen in the Biblical epistles of James and Romans. In addition to what we read here in Romans 4:2, the following portions of Romans address this topic as well…

“Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” (Romans 4:4-5).

“[God’s] choice is based on his grace, not on what they have done. For if God’s choice were based on what people do, then his grace would not be real grace” (Romans 11:6 GNB).

“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28).

However, James 2:24 makes the following statement: “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” These apparent contradictions have led to considerable controversy. However, a closer look at the context of James’ message can help resolve this apparent discrepancy.

First, James prefaced his statement in James 2:24 with these questions: “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?” (James 2:14). So, the context of James 2:24 pertains to someone who claims to possess genuine faith, but may not actually have it. Therefore, we need a way to verify that assertion. We can do so by examining the works that proceed from that claim. This is precisely what James encourages us to do in his epistle.

On the other hand, this portion of Paul’s letter to the Romans is addressed to those who sought to maintain a works-based relationship with their Creator. To illustrate the error of that approach, Paul referenced Abraham, the foundational figure of Judaism, and a man who responded to God in faith. This context establishes a foundation that enables us to gain a proper understanding of these two portions of Scripture. For Paul, the question is this: “Where should we place our faith?” James addresses a different question: “What kind of faith is necessary for salvation?”

As one commentator observes…

“The NT does not teach justification by works, but it also does not teach justification by the profession of faith or the claim to faith; it teaches justification by the possession of true faith, and true faith always bears the fruit of love of God and neighbor. James has in mind a genuine, living faith that produces fruitful works, which is evidence that will vindicate (or prove) the validity of one’s authentic justifying faith…” ₍₁₎

(1) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2230). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.

“For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God” (Romans 4:2).

Sherlock Holmes, the celebrated fictional detective, once solved a suspected murder case by focusing on an unusual occurrence that others had overlooked. In the course of his investigation, Homes discovered that a guard dog on duty at the time of the incident did not bark at the presence of the intruder. Based on that observation, Holmes inferred that the assailant had a prior acquaintance with the dog. That deduction subsequently reduced his pool of potential suspects, thus enabling him to establish the truth. ₍₁₎

While the fictional exploits of an imaginary detective may seemingly have little to do with our text from Romans 4:2, these accounts have something in common: the absence of evidence. Here in Romans 4:2, the word “if” introduces a statement that is assumed to be true. Thus, “if” Abraham’s righteousness stemmed from his works, he would have had ample reason to form a high opinion of himself. In a similar manner, those who are justified by their works could rightfully claim credit for the works that earned their status.

But much like the dog that didn’t bark in Sherlock Holmes’ murder mystery, such works are conspicuous by their absence from Abraham’s life. In other words, Abraham would have had something to boast of if he had been justified by his own efforts. But the absence of such boasting is evidence itself, thus indicating that Abraham was justified by some other means.

One pastoral commentator offers a further explanation…

“If it was Abraham’s works that brought him justification, then Abraham could boast in his works. He could say, ‘I left my home, I left my family on the other side of the Euphrates River, and I journeyed not even knowing where I was going, just waiting for God to show me. And I was willing to offer my son.’ He could have boasted if he was justified by his works, but he could not have boasted in God; he would have had to have boasted in himself.” ₍₂₎

Another source offers the following insight…

“The point is that Abraham was justified by faith in God’s Word, but he then was asked to demonstrate that his faith was genuine by his works. He was justified before God by faith but was justified before men by his works (see Jam 2:21-24).” ₍₃₎

This will lead us into an important discussion concerning the relationship between faith and works. Fortunately, we have two of the foremost Biblical authorities on those subjects to guide us along the path of that discussion: the Apostles Paul and James.

Image Attribution: Siddharth Krish. The original uploader was Siddharthkrish at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
(1) See Wikipedia contributors. (2026, January 29). The Adventure of Silver Blaze. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Blaze
(2) Smith, C. (2005, June 1). Verse by Verse Study on Romans 3-4 (C2000). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/smith_chuck/c2000_Rom/Rom_003.cfm
(3) Institute for Creation Research, New Defender’s Study Bible Notes [Romans 4:2] https://www.icr.org/bible/Rom/4/2/ Accessed 2 February, 2026

“What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?” (Romans 4:1 ESV).

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul devoted much of Romans chapter three to a crucial argument. The argument established that righteousness and justification do not stem from adherence to the Law, but from faith in Christ and His redemptive sacrifice on our behalf. For instance, Romans 3:21-23 tells us…

“But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (NIV).

To support that argument, Paul will now shift his attention to one of the towering figures in Jewish history: Abraham, the man of faith. Romans chapter four opens with a question regarding Abraham and his experience regarding this concept of justification by faith: “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather… discovered in this matter?” (NET).

Paul clearly had a fondness for this type of rhetorical question; in fact, he will go on to employ this same literary device several more times over the next few chapters as a transitional bridge between subjects. In addition, this reference to Abraham as “our forefather” was more than just an aside, for that word designates the founder of a family, a tribe, or the progenitor of a people ₍₁₎

So, in his position as the forefather of the Jewish people, Abraham’s example offered a template or example for his descendants. If Abraham followed a certain path, his descendants were obligated to follow that course as well. This was important because Israel’s first-century spiritual leadership acknowledged Abraham and his role as their ancestral and spiritual father. We find one such example in John 8:33 and 39 in a volatile exchange between Jesus and Israel’s religious leaders.

Because of this, Abraham’s example was certain to end all debate regarding the means of justification. The following source alludes to Abraham’s pivotal role as a spiritual example…

“Abraham is remembered as the man who believed that God would do what He said He would do (Rom. 4:3)—a remarkable thing when we consider that at the time of the promises, Abraham had very little evidence that God would follow through, certainly far less than the NT writers or we who live today.” ₍₂₎

So, what was Abraham’s experience regarding justification by faith? Paul will answer that question by highlighting what Abraham lacked, rather than what he possessed.

(1) G3962 – pater – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3962/kjv/tr/0-1/

(2) Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 1430.

“What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?” (Romans 4:1).

The question posed by the Apostle Paul in Romans 4:1 held immediate implications for his initial audience. It also carries significance for us as well. The response to this question will unfold over the course of this chapter, with Abraham, the renowned Biblical patriarch, serving as the focal point.

Four distinct segments comprise Romans chapter four. The first eight verses remind us that God’s imputed righteousness is acquired by faith apart from works. Verses nine to twelve call our attention to the fact that Abraham was justified before God prior to the act of circumcision. In a similar manner, Abraham was justified by faith long before the Mosaic Law came into effect (verses thirteen to seventeen). Finally, Paul will discuss these historical realities and their contemporary relevance in the final eight verses of this chapter.

This historical detour into the life of Abraham also addressed a first-century doctrinal debate. For example, many in the first-century church found the practice of circumcision to be a contentious issue. At the center of that controversy was a group that is historically known as the Judaizers. The Judaizers were early converts to Christianity from Jewish backgrounds. Their teaching asserted that those of non-Jewish descent were obligated to follow the Old Testament Law in order to find salvation through Christ.

The New Testament book of Acts records one such example…

“And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved’” (Acts 15:31).

In essence, their argument was this: Jesus saves us, but only after we accept the Old Testament Law. In their view, the path to Christianity involved a conversion to Judaism first. However, Romans chapter four, and its comprehensive study of Abraham’s life, will serve to correct that heretical teaching and establish a healthy theological foundation for ancient and modern readers alike.

Thus, we can draw several valuable lessons from Abraham’s example. As one commentator reminds us, “Abraham is referred to as God’s ‘friend’ three times in the Bible (2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8; James 2:23). Why is that? The answer, as Paul is about to show, is that Abraham ‘believed God’ and so was credited with righteousness (Rom. 4:3). If Paul can show that Abraham, the father of all the faithful, came into a right relationship with God by faith and not by any amount of human good works, his case is proved… If he cannot prove this, the case is lost and so is Christianity.” ₍₁₎

(1) Boice, J. M. (2005). Romans: Justification by Faith (Romans 1-4). Baker Books. [p.431]