But to Him that Worketh Not...

It is easy to read Romans 4 and forget the context that the Apostle Paul has laid down in Romans 1-3.

We easily fall into the trap of thinking of Righteousness as a series of obedient acts to God, or of some diffuse notion of acceptance by God.

So when we read that Abraham believed God and righteousness was imputed unto him by God, we forget that Abraham was a lost sinner who was unrighteous until God declared him Righteous.

The unrighteousness and lostness of Abraham is established in the preceeding three chapters - for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Righteousness is all-time perfect obedience to God, and no fallen man can be righteous, including Abraham.

But there is a righteousness available from God by faith, which He imputes to those who trust in Jesus' blood. The mechanism by which this righteousness is obtained is that Christ pays the price of redemption for our guiltiness in His own blood, and by the sacrifice of His perfect person as God's Lamb as a substitute for sinners in the great judgment of our guiltiness.

Paul states (v. 6) that David describes how God imputes righteousness without works. It may appear to some that the Psalm Paul then quotes does not support that claim. The Psalm describes the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord refuses to impute iniquity.

But "Righteousness without works" really means "righteousness without obedience" - righteousness imputed to the unrighteous. David, who was guilty of killing his loyal friend to steal his wife, rejoices that God pardoned his great sin. Thus, God declares David righteous though he was a sinner!

Truly, God justifies the ungodly who trust in Him!