Paul has been explaining to us that it is our faith that saves us. Merely keeping the law (as if we could) without faith is meaningless. But faith naturally leads us to do what is pleasing in God's sight and, even when we fall short, faith leads us to God in sincere repentance so we can receive absolution.
Yesterday Paul told us that it was Abraham's faith, not his works, that was credited to him as righteousness. Lest anyone believe that only the biological descendants of Abraham can receive the righteousness that comes by faith, Paul is quick to point out to us today that everyone who believes is a descendant of Abraham. It is through Abraham that God said all nations would be blessed (Genesis 18:18, 22:18), and in this way God made it clear that He intended to include Gentiles in the family of faith.
First Paul explains to us the difference between wages and gifts so that we might understand that righteousness is not earned but is the gift of God. "Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness." (Romans 4:4-5) Even though Abraham had faith, his righteousness was a gift to him from God. He didn't earn righteousness by his faith; God graciously chose to credit him with righteousness because of his faith. God could have said, "Unless you can live a perfect life you cannot be righteous." But instead He said, "You can't live a perfect life, but because of your faith I will add righteousness to your account anyway." The Apostle Paul explains the difference between wages and gifts very succinctly in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." Our faith is so small and weak sometimes, yet the Lord has chosen to look favorably on what faith we wretched beings are able to summon forth out of our frail hearts.
"David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.'" (Romans 4:6-8) David wrote these beautiful words in Psalm 32 when he speaks of harboring unconfessed sin in his heart, saying that for a time he kept silent while he became more and more troubled. Finally he could stand it no longer, and that is when he says, "Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.' And You forgave the guilt of my sin." (Psalm 32:5) We don't know what particular sins were troubling David at the time, but we've all tried to sweep sins under the rug and we've all tried to go about our business as if things aren't standing between us and the Lord. Even though David repented in faith, the forgiveness was the gift of God. The righteousness that was credited to him because of his faith was a gift. David didn't earn his forgiveness any more than you or I earn our forgiveness. It is the gift of God by the grace of God because of the love of God.
Now Paul makes it clear to his readers that the righteousness that comes by faith is not intended only for people of the same nation as Abraham and David. It is offered to all people. "Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!" (Romans 4:9-10) Abraham had not yet been given the sign of circumcision when God credited him with righteousness. Abraham lived in a time before the law was given, so he couldn't follow the law either, yet God credited him with righteousness. Paul makes it plain that God will also credit with righteousness those who have faith among the Gentile nations. The Gentiles weren't given the sign of circumcision and they weren't given the law, but the same righteousness that was credited to Abraham can be credited to them too.
"And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe and have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised." (Romans 4:11-12) The true children of Abraham are those who possess the same faith as Abraham. I am of Gentile heritage, but according to the Apostle Paul, I too can call Abraham my father. I know this because when Paul speaks to the Gentile believers in this letter, he refers to Abraham as "our father Abraham". Abraham might not claim as his descendants those who are only circumcised in the flesh but who have no faith in their hearts, but he will claim as his descendants (both Jew and Gentile) who possess the same type of faith in God that he had.
Bible scholar William Barclay explains this principle simply and beautifully, "Abraham is the father of every man in every age who takes God at His word as he did." And isn't this what faith really is: taking God at His word? Abraham believed what God told him. He didn't understand how God was going to bring all these things to pass, but he believed that He would. He wasn't able to envision the enormous scope of God's plan for humanity, but he believed God's plan was right. This is what faith is! It isn't merely believing God exists; it's believing what God says. It's trusting that God's plans are right, and being assured that He is good, and feeling confident that everything He says about Himself is true, and believing that everything He says about us is true, and resting in His promise that righteousness will be accredited to us for our faith.
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