Righteousness Does Not Come By Trying But Through Trusting

Paul, in Romans Chapter 4, continues his teaching that righteousness comes by grace through faith in Jesus and not by the works of the law (religious or spiritual activity, disciplines, morality, or following rituals and requirements of an organization or denomination).

This has been Paul’s claim since Romans 1:16-17.

According to Paul, this is the gospel...the good news!

It was the good news of grace that he was not ashamed to announce to the world.

The Jewish leaders were finding it difficult to accept that righteousness came only by grace through faith in Jesus and not by following the law of Moses.

Many people today still find this truth difficult to accept.

In Chapter 4, Paul provides Abraham as an example that righteousness comes by grace through faith and not by the works of the law.

Abraham was the perfect example for Paul to use to prove this, since Abraham was the father of the Jewish people.

Paul opened up Chapter 4 by asking a question:

“What then shall we [the Jewish people] say that Abraham, our forefather [Jewish people] according to the flesh discovered in this matter [how a person becomes righteous]?”

Paul answered the question according to Jewish Scripture by quoting Genesis 15:6:

“Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Paul is making the point that Abraham, by believing, was declared righteous by God (fully forgive by God, completely innocent before, and totally accepted by God) before God ever gave the law to Moses.

Therefore, the works of the law could never be the way by which a person becomes righteous, because the way to become righteous, by faith, existed before the law was ever given.

If Abraham could become righteous by the law, he could boast of his works (before men)...but not before God.

Paul goes on to say that God is the one who justifies the ungodly (see Romans 1:18-3:20).

We don’t justify ourselves (make ourselves righteous before God) through good works.

We do not earn a righteous standing before God by being good...as if this were possible...the law shows us how ungodly we are.

Paul shows us how ungodly we are in Romans 1:18-3:20.

Instead, by grace, God gives us righteousness as a gift that we receive by faith in Jesus.

Paul makes it very clear that the person who DOES NOT WORK but who TRUSTS GOD their FAITH is credited to them as righteousness.

Paul, in the remainder of Chapter 4, expounds on this truth.

It is no different today...the way God justifies a person is by grace through faith in Jesus, and not by any religious, spiritual, or moral work.

Righteousness does not come by working but through resting.

Righteousness does not come by behaving but through believing.

Righteousness does not come by trying but through trusting.

Righteousness is not earned but freely given.

That’s what the Scriptures say!