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For the Law brings about wrath. . . . Romans 4:15 This is a dark statement Paul makes, but when we think about it for a minute it is the only logical conclusion. If our commitment is to the law or works to merit God’s grace, then all we will gain is God’s wrath, because we lessen the significance of faith.

For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified. Romans 4:14 The reason why Paul continually emphasized the significance of salvation by faith alone is because if we could receive God’s gifts by any means other than faith, it would remove the importance of faith.

For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law but through the righteousness of faith. Romans 4:13 We know the only true heir to the kingdom of God is His Holy Son, Jesus; He alone is worthy. However, through God’s gracious gift of faith, all who believe in Jesus are adopted into the family of God through His righteousness, thereby becoming His heirs also.

. . . But where there is no law, there also is no violation. Romans 4:15 The context of Paul’s letter to the Romans clarifies this statement. If God had not provided any law or boundaries, there would be no sin. However, the law is in place to show us how sinful we are because we cannot keep it. We cannot even come close to keeping it. Consequently, when we fail to keep the law, we do not do so in the abstract. Instead, we oppose the One whose law it is. This puts sin on another level. In short, seeking to merit God’s grace by any means is a task with no hope of success. Jesus emphasized this very point when His Apostles asked Him who could be saved. He replied, “With people, it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27).

Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.”    How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;   and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,   and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised. Romans 4:9-12 Paul is, of course, referring to the blessing of God forgiving sin through His good pleasure. It can be challenging to find contemporary application in every verse of scripture. In this case, the circumcised refers to the Jewish community, and the uncircumcised is everyone else. So, with that in mind, these verses imply God’s removal of all social distinctions from receiving His grace, be it physical, cultural, ethnic, economic, or any other difference. As a result, the gospel is proclaimed universally but received only through faith in Christ.

David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, And whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.” Romans 4:6-8 Facing certain destruction, God intervenes on our behalf with grace, proclaiming us innocent in His sight through the work of Christ. How are believers to respond? With immense gratitude and amazement for what has been done. This immense gratitude spills out into worship and obedience. This is why our worship songs should never focus on us but on God, nor should our obedience be credited to our account for wages due.

Now to the one who works, the wages are not credited as a favor, but as what is due.   But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. Romans 4:4-5 The whole of scripture clearly defines God as sovereign. With that characteristic in mind, He cannot nor will not be in anyone’s debt. As a result, God will not owe anyone justification for their work. No ritual, tithe, sacrament, sinners prayer, alter call, or song of praise will bring us God’s grace in justification. Only our faith offers justification. Notice in these verses that we cannot even prepare ourselves for God’s justification, as He justifies the ungodly.

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?    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 credited to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:1-3 Here, the scriptures eliminate any possibility that we can be justified before God by works. It was only Abraham’s faith that made him right before God.

Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one. Do we then nullify the Law through faith? Far from it! On the contrary, we establish the Law. Romans 3:29-31 This addresses another theme of Paul’s letter, the equality of all types of people before a Holy God exists because of the faith He alone has given them. The final note Paul makes in this chapter is that even though the Law has no role in justification, that does not mean it has no role at all. Christians are to uphold God’s moral law as having been fulfilled by Christ through God’s mercy and grace.

Where then is boasting? It has been excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.  For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. Romans 3:27-28 This is the foundation for the principle of salvation by faith alone; no one can become right before God on their own. As a result, all pride is removed from any work in obedience. This principle encourages our humility in discipleship.

Whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in God’s merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished;  for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:25-26 Propitiation means fulfilling demand; in this case, the demand is for justice, a justice determined by God. God’s justice is not overlooked entirely. The burden that we were to bear was assumed by Jesus and done so in a way that all would know the mercy of God. A critical note on the action of propitiation is that it is always done in full, meaning there is nothing more to be added to what Jesus has already accomplished.

Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24 This is essentially a legal transaction. God placed our guilt for transgressions against His will on His Son. As a result, the sin laid upon Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21) was not His own but ours. This is the theme of Paul’s entire letter to the Romans; the Grace of God is a gift that cannot be earned in any way.