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. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. (Romans 4:1-8 KJV)
Abraham Justified by Faith
The apostle proves that Abraham was justified not by works, but by faith. The Jews, who most strongly contended for righteousness by their privileges and works, are therefore referred to Abraham their father. Surely his prerogative must be as great as theirs who claim him as their seed according to the flesh. What did he find? All the world is seeking; but none can be truly reckoned to have found, but those justified before God. Abraham, like a wise merchant seeking pearls, found this one pearl of great price. What did he find as pertaining to the flesh, that is, by circumcision and external privileges? These Paul calls flesh (Php 3:3). Was he justified by them? Was it the merit of his works that recommended him to God? No, which Paul proves by several arguments.
If he had been justified by works, room would have been left for boasting, which is excluded. “If so, he hath whereof to glory” (Ro 4:2). But not before God; he might deserve well of men, but never merit before God. Paul himself had whereof to glory before men, yet with humility; but not before God (1Co 4:4; Php 3:8-9). So Abraham. Man must not pretend to glory in anything before God; it would be absurd for him that glories to glory in any but the Lord.
It is expressly said that Abraham’s faith was counted to him for righteousness. “What saith the scripture?” (Ro 4:3). In all controversies in religion this must be our question. The scripture saith that Abraham believed, and it was counted to him for righteousness (Ge 15:6). Therefore he had not whereof to glory before God, it being purely of grace that it was so imputed. It is mentioned in Genesis upon occasion of a remarkable act of faith concerning the promised seed, following a grievous conflict with unbelief. His faith was now victorious. It is not perfect faith that is required to justification (there may be acceptable faith where unbelief remains), but prevailing faith, that has the upper hand of unbelief.
If he had been justified by works, the reward would have been of debt, and not of grace. This is Paul’s argument (Ro 4:4–5). Abraham’s reward was God himself: “I am thy exceeding great reward” (Ge 15:1). If Abraham had merited this by obedience, it had not been of grace, but of debt, as if a laborer demanded his penny. But this cannot be; guilty man cannot make God a debtor (Ro 11:35). God will have free grace to have all the glory (Joh 1:16). Therefore to him that worketh not, but casts himself wholly upon God’s grace in Christ by a lively, obedient faith, faith is counted for righteousness. God justifies the ungodly, that is, him that was before ungodly. Abraham himself, before his call, was carried with the stream of Chaldean idolatry (Jos 24:2). Therefore there is no room for despair; though God clears not the impenitent guilty, yet through Christ he justifies the ungodly.
Paul illustrates this further by David, who speaks of the remission of sins as the blessedness of man. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes not sin, though he cannot plead Not guilty, yet he pleads the act of indemnity, and his plea is allowed (Ps 32:1-2).
Forgiveness is the remission of a debt or crime; it is the covering of sin, as a filthy thing, as the nakedness of the soul. God casts sin behind his back, hides his face from it. Justification does not make the sin not to have been, but it is God’s not imputing sin (Ro 4:8), which makes it wholly an act of grace. Therefore Paul infers (Ro 4:6) that it is imputing righteousness without works.
Blessed are they. When scripture says, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way” or “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked,” it shows the character of those that are blessed. But when it says, “Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven,” it shows the ground of blessedness. Pardoned people are the only blessed people. The world calls those happy who have a clear estate and no debt to man; but the word says those are happy whose debts to God are discharged. O how much it concerns us to make sure our sins are pardoned! For this is the foundation of all other benefits: “For I will be merciful” (Heb 8:12).