Faith Before Rules: Abraham’s Unexpected Resume

When I read Romans 4, I notice Paul’s decision to anchor his argument in the story of Abraham. He insists that Abraham’s righteousness was credited to him because of his faith, not because of his actions or adherence to the law. Romans 4:3 puts it simply: “For the Scriptures tell us, ‘Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.’” It’s an interesting choice because Abraham lived long before the law of Moses, long before circumcision became a marker of Jewish identity, and yet Paul presents him as the model for how people might relate to God.

Leveling the Playing Field: No Membership Card Required

What stands out is how Paul is trying to level the playing field. He’s writing to a community of both Jews and Gentiles, people with very different relationships to the law and traditions. For the Jewish audience, the law was central, shaping daily life and identity. For the Gentiles, the law wasn’t their story. By pointing to Abraham—someone who lived before those divisions—Paul seems to be suggesting that the foundation is trust itself, not heritage, not ritual, not performance. Romans 4:16 captures this: “So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s.”

It raises a broader question about the nature of belief and belonging. What makes someone part of a community? Is it shared practices and rules, or is it a shared trust in something bigger? Paul’s framing leans toward the latter, which feels both inclusive and disruptive. Inclusive because it makes room for those outside of Israel’s traditions. Disruptive because it challenges long-held assumptions about the law as the defining measure of righteousness.

Faith vs. Works: The Eternal Tug-of-War

There’s also a tension here between faith and works that continues to spark debate. Faith is intangible—it’s inward, invisible. Works, on the other hand, are concrete. They can be seen, measured, and judged. If righteousness comes through faith, what role do actions play? Are they evidence of belief, or are they secondary altogether? Paul doesn’t dismiss works entirely, but he’s adamant that they aren’t the foundation. Romans 4:4–5 frames it like this: “When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.” The metaphor of wages versus gift makes the point clear: faith is not transactional.

Measuring Life: Achievements or Trust?

This distinction makes me think about how people, even today, often define themselves through what they do, what they achieve, or how closely they follow rules and expectations. Paul’s appeal to Abraham suggests a different starting point—one that prioritizes trust over achievement. But that raises more questions: if faith is the starting point, how do communities hold together without shared practices? How do you prevent faith from becoming so private and personal that it loses its collective power?

Romans 4 doesn’t resolve all of that, but it does set up a way of thinking about belonging that goes beyond tradition or law. Abraham becomes a kind of bridge figure, reminding both Jews and Gentiles that the story begins with trust. Whether that’s enough to sustain a community is another question—but Paul seems convinced it is.