“What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” – Romans 4:1-3
When Paul sets out to prove that salvation is by faith alone, he doesn’t reach for abstract theology—he reaches for the heroes of the Jewish faith: Abraham and David. In Romans 4, he begins with Abraham, calling him “our father,” a title that would have immediately stirred pride and attention among his Jewish listeners. Just like in John 8, when the Pharisees declared, “Abraham is our father” (John 8:39), they saw their lineage as spiritual security. But Paul flips the script. He asks, “What did Abraham find according to the flesh?” In other words, what did Abraham earn by his own effort? If righteousness came by works, then Abraham could boast. But Scripture says otherwise—Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3). Faith, not effort, was the key.
Paul’s argument is brilliant and piercing. He doesn’t just challenge their theology—he challenges their pride. If Abraham, the patriarch of the nation, was justified by faith and not by works, then no one can claim salvation by merit. And then Paul brings in David, the great king, who also testifies to the blessedness of the man “to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works” (Romans 4:6). These weren’t fringe figures—they were pillars of Jewish history. Yet both point to the same truth: salvation is a gift, not a wage. The Cross of Christ stands as the great equalizer. It fulfills the law and silences human boasting. Like a courtroom where all evidence points to guilt, the Cross declares that only one plea is valid—grace through faith.
So what does this mean for us today? It means we must stop trying to earn what Christ already paid for. The Cross abolishes self-righteousness and invites us to rest in the finished work of Jesus. Are you still trying to prove yourself to God? Are you measuring your worth by your performance? Let Abraham and David remind you: faith is the only path to righteousness. Run to the Cross. Lay down your efforts. Trust in the One who fulfilled the law and bore your sin. And let your life reflect the humility of one who knows that salvation is not achieved—it’s received.
“Abraham believed God. That is all. He did not work for righteousness; he believed. And God counted his faith for righteousness. This is the great lesson of Abraham’s life.” – William Newell
surrendered devotions 