Justification exemplified
That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace … to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
— Romans 4:16
Abraham’s story is brought into Paul’s story in Romans 4, while Abraham’s whole life story plays out in the first book of the Bible. Genesis 1-11 essentially answers the question, “Where did Abraham come from?” Genesis 12-25 answers the question, “Who is Abraham, and how did he become the father of faith?” The rest of Genesis, and the whole Bible for that matter, answers the question, “Who will follow Abraham, by grace through faith, in a covenant relationship with the one, true, and living God?”
The gist of Abraham’s story goes something like this. He wasn’t exactly looking for God, abiding with a nomadic band of pagans somewhere in the Middle East. By grace, God chose Abram, then called Abram, as he was originally known, to repentance. Such repentance is a change of mind which leads to a change of heart which leads to a change of direction. In Abram’s case, it led to a change of name, too, Abraham. So Abraham followed God to the place on the planet we now call Israel. It was there, in the process of making him a promise that his heretofore barren wife, Sarai, would conceive and bear an heir, that Abraham was saved, converted, changed, justified by God. “And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness” (ref. Genesis 15:6).
Abraham exemplifies justification by faith. He was not saved by works. He was not saved by faithfulness, for no one is faithful until they are granted faith. The gift of God’s grace gave Abraham repentance and faith so that he could be forgiven of his sin and granted the righteousness of God, as referenced by fellow grace recipient, King David (ref. Psalm 32:1-2; see also 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Abraham exemplifies justification’s foundation of grace. In God’s word, there are flashes of miracles, Moses’ day, Elijah’s day, Jesus’ day. But the greatest miracle occurs on almost every page and every age, in every person in a covenant, saving relationship with God. This is the miracle of grace, by which the infinite, holy God accepts the finite, sinful human and makes him or her a child of God for eternity.
Grace begets faith, faith begets justification. The faith that justifies, however, is not merely head knowledge, nor momentary human decision. It is like Abraham’s faith. Justifying faith is a transformational, deep, abiding trust in and obedience to God. Abraham had it, and passed it on to others.
Because Abraham trusted and obeyed God, others came into the world who would trust and obey God. Not every member of his physical family believed, most were pagans. Not every member of his national family, the nation of Israel, believed, most were nominals and hypocrites. Not every member of every church believes, either, but those who prove faithful have been justified, like Abraham, by faith.
Abraham’s example teaches us that justification cannot be earned. It is God’s gift. It does not make you perfect on earth, but it makes you right with God. It makes you justified, and you are also sanctified, then when you cross over you will finally be perfected, glorified.
Paul has much more to say about all of this, but for now let us appreciate Abraham for this beautiful illustration of the beginning of salvation, justification. Justification is by grace alone through faith alone in God alone, now found in the person and work of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, “Who,” as Paul writes in the closing of the chapter, “was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”