Romans 4:1 – “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter?”

Extended Explanation

In this verse, Paul introduces a key question: What did Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, learn about being right with God? The “matter” Paul refers to is justification—how a person is made righteous before God. The question sets up the argument that follows in Romans 4: Abraham was not justified by his works but by faith. This was a radical statement in Paul’s time because many Jews believed that obedience to the law and good works made a person righteous.

Paul is making it clear that salvation has always been through faith, not human effort. He uses Abraham as a powerful example to show that even before the law was given, God justified people by faith. This truth has enormous implications for both Jews and Gentiles: if Abraham was justified by faith and not works, then all people—regardless of their background—must come to God the same way.

Historical Context

Abraham lived around 2000 B.C., long before Moses and the giving of the law at Mount Sinai. He was originally from Ur, a pagan city, and was called by God to leave his homeland and go to Canaan. The Jewish people descended from him, and he is considered the father of their faith.

During Paul’s time, many Jews believed that being Abraham’s physical descendant (being born Jewish) and following the law of Moses made them right with God. But Paul reminds them that Abraham was counted as righteous before the law even existed (Genesis 15:6). This would have been a shocking statement because it challenged the religious mindset of Paul’s day.

Theological Implications

This verse introduces the doctrine of justification by faith. Paul is setting the stage to prove that righteousness comes through faith, not human effort. This teaching is foundational to Christianity because it clarifies that salvation is a gift from God, not something we earn.

If Abraham was justified by works, then righteousness would be something people could achieve by their own effort. But Paul refutes this idea and shows that Abraham simply believed God’s promises, and that faith was credited to him as righteousness. This is the same way God justifies believers today—by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Literary Analysis

Romans 4:1 is a rhetorical question, a technique Paul often uses to engage his readers. The phrase “our forefather according to the flesh” is significant. It acknowledges that Abraham was the physical ancestor of the Jewish people but prepares the argument that his spiritual descendants are those who follow his example of faith.

Paul is also connecting this discussion to what he said earlier in Romans. In Romans 3, he explained that all people, Jews and Gentiles alike, are sinners and cannot be justified by the law. Now, in chapter 4, he proves that salvation has always been by faith, even for Abraham.

Relevant Biblical Cross-References

• Genesis 15:6 – “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”
• Romans 3:28 – “For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.”
• Galatians 3:6-9 – Paul again refers to Abraham’s faith as the model for how all people are justified.
• Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

What This Verse Means for Today’s Christian

This verse challenges the idea that good deeds or religious rituals can make someone right with God. Many people today still think they must “earn” their way into heaven by being good, following religious traditions, or doing enough good works. But Abraham’s story reminds us that faith—not our own effort—is what makes us righteous before God.

For today’s believer, this means we can rest in God’s grace. Instead of trying to prove our worth through performance, we simply trust in what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. This doesn’t mean good works are unimportant, but they are the result of salvation, not the cause of it.

How This Verse Relates to a Loving God

God’s love is seen in the way He saves people. If righteousness depended on our good works, we would always wonder if we had done enough. But because God justifies us by faith, we can have peace with Him. This verse points to God’s love because it shows that He made a way for us to be right with Him that doesn’t depend on our flawed human efforts.

God has always been a God of grace. Even with Abraham, long before Jesus came, God was already demonstrating that He saves by faith. His love is consistent throughout history—He desires a relationship with us based on trust, not rule-keeping.

How This Verse Connects to Jesus Christ

This verse sets the foundation for understanding that faith in God’s promise is what justifies a person. Abraham believed God’s promise, and it was counted to him as righteousness. In the same way, we are called to believe in Jesus, the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise.

• Romans 4:23-25 – Paul later says that Abraham’s faith was counted as righteousness not just for him, but for us who believe in Jesus, who was “delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”
• John 3:16 – God’s ultimate promise was fulfilled in Christ: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
• Galatians 3:16 – Paul explains that God’s promise to Abraham was ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
• 2 Corinthians 5:21 – “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Abraham trusted God’s promise before he saw it fulfilled. In the same way, we trust in Jesus Christ, even though we did not see His life, death, and resurrection with our own eyes. This is what faith is all about—believing in God’s promises, just as Abraham did.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

1. Why do you think Paul chose Abraham as an example of faith rather than someone else?
2. What are some ways people today try to earn their way into heaven?
3. How does it feel to know that righteousness is a gift from God and not something you have to earn?
4. What are some areas of your life where you need to trust God’s promises, just as Abraham did?
5. How does this passage help you understand Jesus’ role in salvation?

Romans 4:1 is a powerful reminder that salvation has always been about faith. It’s not about what we do but about trusting in what God has done. Abraham’s example points us to Jesus, the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise. And just like Abraham, we are called to believe—and that faith is what makes us right with God.