Abraham’s Justification by Faith: Divine Accomplishment vs. Human Achievement

The Great Divide

What if I told you that there are only two religions in the world? Not hundreds, not thousands—just two. John MacArthur puts it this way: “As far as the way of salvation is concerned, there are therefore only two religions the world has ever known or will ever know—the religion of divine accomplishment, which is biblical Christianity, and the religion of human achievement, which includes all other kinds of religion, by whatever names they may go under.”

This fundamental distinction lies at the heart of Romans 4:1-15, where Paul demonstrates that even Abraham—the father of the Jewish nation, the most revered patriarch in all of Scripture—was justified by divine accomplishment, not human achievement.

Paul has just finished a devastating three-chapter indictment of humanity in Romans 1:18-3:20. Universal sinfulness. Jews and Gentiles alike under condemnation. But then comes that magnificent transition in Romans 3:21: “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law.”

Here’s the question that drives our passage today: If justification is truly by faith apart from works, how do we explain Abraham? Surely if anyone could boast before God, it would be Abraham.

Our thought today is this: Romans 4:1-15 demonstrates that justification has always been by faith alone, as proven by Abraham’s example, the timing of his circumcision, and the relationship between promise and law—establishing that Christianity is the religion of divine accomplishment, not human achievement.

Point 1: Abraham’s Test Case (4:1-8)

Paul begins with a strategic question: “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?” Paul is asking: Did Abraham gain anything through human effort?

The answer is stunning: “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.” Even if Abraham had achieved righteousness through works—which he didn’t—it would give him no standing before God.

But here’s where Paul delivers the knockout punch. He quotes Genesis 15:6: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” That word “credited” is λογίζομαι (logizomai)—an accounting term that appears eleven times in Romans 4. MacArthur defines it as “a word used in legal and financial settings; here to take something that belongs to someone and credit it to the account of another.”

You see, this is divine bookkeeping. God took His own righteousness and credited it to Abraham’s account. Not because Abraham earned it. Not because Abraham deserved it. But because Abraham believed.

Paul then establishes a revolutionary principle: “Now to the one who works, his wage is 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.”

Here’s MacArthur’s insight on “justifies the ungodly”: “Only those who freely admit their unworthiness are candidates for salvation.” Even Abraham—the greatest patriarch—had to come to God as “ungodly.” This is the religion of divine accomplishment: God justifies those who cannot justify themselves.

The worker receives wages as debt. The non-worker receives righteousness as gift. This excludes all human merit from justification. We are all “non-workers” when it comes to earning righteousness.

Paul then brings in a second witness—King David. Quoting Psalm 32:1-2, he writes: “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.” David’s experience confirms the same principle: righteousness apart from works, forgiveness without merit, blessing through divine accomplishment alone.

Point 2: The Chronological Argument (4:9-12)

Now Paul addresses the elephant in the room. His Jewish readers might say, “Fine, Abraham was justified by faith. But wasn’t he circumcised? Doesn’t that prove that circumcision is necessary for justification?”

Paul’s response is brilliant: “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.”

Here’s the chronological knockout punch: Abraham was justified in Genesis 15:6, but he wasn’t circumcised until Genesis 17:10-14. That’s approximately fourteen years between his justification and his circumcision. Fourteen years! Abraham lived as a justified man for over a decade before he received the sign of circumcision.

This timing isn’t accidental—it’s theological. Paul explains: “And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised.” Circumcision functioned as both sign and seal. A sign points to something; a seal authenticates something. Circumcision pointed to and authenticated the righteousness Abraham already possessed by faith.

This has massive implications: “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.”

Abraham becomes the universal father—father of believing Gentiles (uncircumcised) and father of believing Jews (circumcised). But notice the order: faith comes first, circumcision second. Even for Jews, circumcision without faith means nothing. They must “follow in the steps of the faith” that Abraham had while uncircumcised.

This demolishes ethnic barriers to salvation. Christianity is not Judaism plus Jesus. It’s the religion of divine accomplishment available to all who believe, regardless of ethnic background or ceremonial status.

Point 3: Promise vs. Law (4:13-15)

Paul now delivers his final argument: “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.”

Here’s a crucial historical fact: The promise to Abraham came around 2000 BC. The Mosaic law wasn’t given until around 1450 BC. That’s a 430-year gap, which Paul explicitly mentions in Galatians 3:17. The promise preceded the law by over four centuries.

Why does this matter? Because it proves that God’s promise operates on an entirely different principle than law. Paul explains: “For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified.”

You see, law and promise are humanly incompatible systems. Law says, “Do this and live.” Promise says, “Believe this and live.” Law depends on human performance. Promise depends on divine accomplishment. If inheritance came through law-keeping, then faith would be meaningless and God’s promise would be nullified.

But here’s the devastating problem with the law system: “For the Law brings about wrath; but where there is no law, there is also no violation.” Law cannot fulfill the promise because law produces wrath, not blessing. Law reveals sin and brings divine judgment.

The phrase “where there is no law, there is no violation” doesn’t mean sin doesn’t exist without law. It means that without specific revealed commands, sin doesn’t become specific transgression. Law makes sin worse by turning it into deliberate rebellion against known commands.

This is why the promise couldn’t come through law. Law’s function is to reveal sin and bring wrath. Promise’s function is to provide righteousness and bring blessing. They operate on completely different principles.

Abraham received the promise before law existed. He was justified by faith before circumcision was commanded. He inherited blessing through divine accomplishment, not human achievement. This establishes the pattern for all salvation: God’s gracious promise received through faith alone.

Conclusion: The Only Way

What understanding can we draw from this? Romans 4:1-15 shows that there really are only two religions in the world: divine accomplishment and human achievement. Abraham—the greatest patriarch, the father of the Jewish nation, the friend of God—was justified by divine accomplishment, not human achievement.

The evidence is overwhelming. Abraham was credited with righteousness when he believed God, not when he performed works. He was justified fourteen years before circumcision, proving that ceremony follows faith, not the reverse. He received God’s promise 430 years before law was given, proving that blessing comes through faith, not performance.

Here’s the point: If Abraham couldn’t achieve righteousness through human effort, neither can we. If Abraham needed divine accomplishment, so do we. If Abraham was justified by faith alone, that’s the only way for us too.

This isn’t just ancient history—this is your story and mine. We all face the same choice Abraham faced: Will we trust in our own works or God’s grace? Will we pursue the religion of human achievement or divine accomplishment?

MacArthur reminds us that “only those who freely admit their unworthiness are candidates for salvation.” Like Abraham, we must come to God as “ungodly” people who need righteousness credited to our account.

The good news is that God “justifies the ungodly.” He credits righteousness to those who believe. He forgives lawless deeds and covers sins. He refuses to count sin against those who trust in Christ.

So what does this mean for us? First, it means no room for boasting. If Abraham couldn’t boast before God, neither can we. All our righteousness is credited, not earned.

Second, it means peace with God through faith alone. We don’t have to perform our way into God’s favor. We simply believe in Him who justifies the ungodly, and His righteousness is credited to our account.

Third, it means Abraham’s faith becomes our model. We follow in the steps of the faith he had while uncircumcised. We trust in God’s promises even when circumstances seem impossible.

The religion of human achievement offers no hope because we cannot achieve what God requires. But the religion of divine accomplishment offers certain hope because God has achieved everything we need. In Christ, God’s righteousness is credited to all who believe.

Will you trust in divine accomplishment today? Will you abandon human achievement and embrace God’s gracious gift? This is the only way to God—not through human achievement, but through divine accomplishment. Not through our works, but through faith in Christ.