Romans 4:1-12

Romans 4:1-12 NIV
¹ What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? ² If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. ³ What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

What came first?  Faith.  Then came that action.

⁴ Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. ⁵ However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

When I read this, I immediately thought of chapter 3 verse 23 where Paul says "the wages of sin is death."  If one is looking for what they are "owed" they're not going to receive mercy.  God owes us nothing, but chooses to give mercy to those who trust him.

 ⁶ David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

 ⁷ “Blessed are those
   whose transgressions are forgiven,
   whose sins are covered.
⁸ Blessed is the one
   whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”

I can't help but marvel at the truth here.  To be forgiven and know that I will never have to pay my sin debt is an amazing feeling.

 ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! ¹¹ 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 but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. ¹² 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.

Abraham is the father of us all.  His faith and then obedience showed the way for all of us.  Paul will continue to show us this truth.  Salvation does not come through anything we did, do or deserve.  It come through faith in what Christ has done.

God Bless.