Following what was, in many ways, a chapter full of hard truths, Paul continues his argument where he left off—that man is justified by faith alone. He now turns to the example of Abraham to show that this has always been God’s way of saving sinners. Justification by faith was not a new doctrine of the new covenant; it has always been the divine means of salvation.
Paul begins by asking a rhetorical question: “What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?” (v. 1). If anyone could claim righteousness through obedience, surely it would be Abraham, the father of Israel. Yet Scripture itself says otherwise: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” (v. 3).
That single verse, drawn from Genesis 15:6, stands as the heart of the chapter and the heartbeat of the gospel. Abraham’s righteousness did not come from what he did, but from what he believed. His faith was not a work—it was the empty hand that received the promise of God.
Paul then draws a contrast between grace and merit: “Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.” (v. 4). If salvation could be earned, it would be a debt God owed to us. But justification is not God paying a wage—it is God giving a gift. “To the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” (v. 5). The phrase “justifies the ungodly” lies at the very center of the gospel. God does not wait for sinners to reform themselves before He justifies them; He declares the ungodly righteous on the basis of Christ’s righteousness, imputed through faith.
Paul emphasizes that this righteousness is credited to us—counted, not earned. The term appears eleven times in this chapter, underscoring that justification is entirely a matter of a divine gift, not human achievement.
To reinforce his point, Paul turns to David, quoting Psalm 32: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” (vv. 7–8). Abraham and David—two of the greatest figures in Israel’s history—stand as witnesses that justification has always been by grace through faith, never by law or works.
Paul then dismantles another Jewish assumption: that circumcision was necessary for righteousness. He reminds his readers that Abraham was declared righteous before he was circumcised (vv. 9–10). His faith preceded any outward sign, making him the father not only of believing Jews but also of believing Gentiles. Circumcision was a seal of the righteousness he already possessed by faith. Thus, Abraham becomes the prototype of all who believe—those who are made righteous by trusting in God’s promise rather than their own performance.
In verses 13–17, Paul explains that the promise to Abraham—that he would be “heir of the world”—did not come through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. The law, he says, brings wrath because it exposes sin; it cannot save. Therefore, the promise depends on faith, so that it may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all of Abraham’s offspring (v. 16). This assurance anchors the believer’s hope: the inheritance of salvation is secure precisely because it depends on God’s grace, not on human effort. This is a truth we can rest in with peace and gratitude.
Abraham’s faith was remarkable not because it was perfect, but because it rested in the perfect faithfulness of God. Though his body was “as good as dead,” and Sarah’s womb barren, he believed that God could bring life from death (vv. 18–19). He did not waver through unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, “fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised.” (v. 21).
That kind of faith—trusting in God’s power to accomplish what seems impossible—is the same faith that saves us. Paul writes, “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.” (vv. 22–23). The same righteousness that was credited to Abraham is credited to all who believe in the God who raised Jesus from the dead.
The chapter concludes with one of the clearest summaries of the gospel in all of Scripture: “[He] was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” (v. 25). The death of Christ paid the debt our sin demanded; His resurrection declared that debt fully satisfied. The empty tomb is God’s public proclamation that justification has been accomplished.
Faith, therefore, is not wishful thinking—it is confidence in a crucified and risen Savior. Like Abraham, we are justified by believing in the God who brings life from death. Our righteousness is not earned by obedience but received through faith in the One who obeyed perfectly on our behalf.
Romans 4 reminds us that salvation has always been by grace through faith, and never by works. From Abraham to David to the believer today, the message remains unchanged: “The righteous shall live by faith.”