1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. (Romans 4:1-2 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
As if Apostle Paul had said, “What shall we say? Shall anyone affirm, that Abraham our father found or obtained righteousness by or according to the flesh; that is, by being circumcised in the flesh, or by any works of righteousness which he had done? surely no: For if Abraham were justified by circumcision or any other works of his own, he has reason to boast; that is, ground of boasting in these works by which he was thus justified. But manifested it is, that he had not reason to boast and glory before God; therefore he was not justified by circumcision, nor any works of his own.”
Learn hence, That no righteousness of our own, no services we can perform, are sufficient to procure our justification in the sight of God: For if we are justified by our works, it must be by works either before faith or after faith. Not before faith; for the corruption of nature, and man’s impotent condition thereby, will give check to any such thought. Surely, unrighteousness cannot make us righteous, no more than impurity can make us clean. Nor do works after faith, justify; for then a believer is not justified upon his believing, but by his works after his believing; and faith is not the justifying grace, but only a preparation to those works which justify; which is contrary to the whole strain of the apostle throughout the epistle, who ascribes justification in faith in the blood of Christ without works.
In short, no righteousness of man is perfect; therefore, no righteousness of man can be justifying: There is nothing that a man does, but is defective and consequently, has a matter of condemnation in it: Now, that which is condemning, cannot be justifying; that which falls short of the holiness of the law can never free us from the condemnatory sentence and curse of the law. Now, all works after faith fall short of that perfection that the law requires.
Learn, 2. That the design of God, was to justify us in such a way as to strip us of our own. Not of works, lest any man should boast, says the apostle often. We are justified by faith, to exclude boasting, which would not have been excluded by the law of works.