Abraham Wasn’t Justified by Works, and Neither Are You

What if everything you thought about earning God’s approval was upside down? What if trying to be “good enough” actually moved you further from the truth, not closer? That’s exactly what Romans 4:1–12 reveals. It doesn’t matter how religious you are, how many rituals you’ve done, or how morally upright you appear. If salvation came through works, Abraham would have had bragging rights, but Scripture makes it clear he didn’t.

“For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3). That verse crushes every religious system built on performance. Abraham wasn’t made right with God because of something he did. He was made righteous because of who he believed. That was before the Law, before circumcision, before anything that people today would associate with religious identity.

Paul makes the contrast unavoidable: “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt” (Romans 4:4). If you try to earn salvation by doing good, you’re not receiving grace, you’re demanding wages. But salvation is not a paycheck. It’s a gift. And if it’s a gift, you can’t earn it. Paul goes further: “To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5). God doesn’t justify the religious elite or the morally impressive. He justifies the ungodly, those who come with nothing but faith.

King David backs this up. He said, “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered” (Romans 4:7). Notice that blessing doesn’t come from merit. It comes from mercy. It’s not about what you’ve done, but what God has done for you. That forgiveness, that righteousness, that new identity, it’s not earned. It’s imputed. That means God credits it to your account because of faith, not effort.

Then Paul hits a nerve that still stings today. Is this blessing only for the religiously marked? The circumcised? The churchgoers? The baptized? The ones who fit the image? No. Abraham was counted righteous before he was circumcised (Romans 4:10). That means the outward signs didn’t make him righteous. They were just a sign of what was already true because of faith. “He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised” (Romans 4:11). The external came after the internal, not the other way around.

This flips everything upside down for the person who’s trusting in religion, good works, or rituals. Abraham becomes the father of all who believe, whether Jew or Gentile, churched or unchurched, circumcised or uncircumcised, if they walk in the same kind of faith he did.

So here’s the truth: You don’t need a system, you need a Savior. And that Savior is Jesus Christ. He fulfilled everything Abraham hoped for. He bore our sin, gave us His righteousness, and offers forgiveness, not to the worthy, but to the humble who believe.

“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28). Trying to earn your way in will only leave you outside. But trusting in what Christ has done for you will open the door.

The only thing you bring to salvation is the sin that makes it necessary. God supplies the rest. Believe Him, and it will be counted to you for righteousness.

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1 Chronicles 24:1-26:11
Romans 4:1-12
Psalm 13:1-6
Proverbs 19:15-16

New Testament: Romans 4:1-12

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” ~ Romans 4:3

Summary: Abraham Justified by Faith

“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.”
~ Romans 4:7-8

July 17, as we look into the New Testament today, we’ll be reading from the Book of Romans, chapter 4, verses 1 through 12. We’ll see how Abraham was saved not by works, but by faith. Salvation is not like wages that you earn or works that you can boast about. Abraham was not saved by keeping the law because the law had not been given.

Nor was he saved by obeying a religious ritual. It was all by God’s grace. We’ll see how David was saved. You know, David wrote Psalm 32 after his great sin with Bathsheba. Can God forgive a man who commits adultery, deceit, and murder?

The answer, of course, is yes. When David repented and turned to God, he was forgiven. Even though the Lord allowed David to feel the bitter consequences of his sins. God justifies the ungodly, not the righteous. And you will see how you can be saved simply by believing God’s promise, as Abraham did.

Faith and promise go together, just as law and works go together. Abraham is the father of the Jewish nation physically, but he is the father of all believers spiritually. At Calvary, our sins were put on Christ’s account. When you trust Christ, God puts Christ’s righteousness on your account. That’s why we call the gospel good news.

Now, what can be more blessed than to know that your sins are forgiven? Hallelujah. And with that, let’s begin today’s reading in the New Testament.

Overview: Romans 1-4  Click Here to Watch Video

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Dr. J. Vernon McGee – Thru the Bible

 

Romans – J Vernon Mcgee – Thru the Bible

Romans 4 – 5

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