"What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."
What then shall we say: In building on the thought begun in Romans 3:31 Paul asks the question, "Does the idea of justification through faith, apart from the works of the law, make what God did in the Old Testament irrelevant?"
For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about: If anyone could be justified by works, they would have something to boast about. Nevertheless such boasting is nothing before God (but not before God).
This boasting is nothing before God because even if works could justify a man he would still, in some way, fall short of the glory of God.(Romans 3:23)
This boasting is nothing because before God, every pretense is stripped away and it is evident that no one can really be justified by works.
For what does the Scripture say? The Old Testament does not say Abraham was declared righteous because of his works. Instead, Genesis 15:6 says that Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Paul makes it clear: Abraham's righteousness did not come from his performance of good works, but from his belief in God. It was a righteousness obtained through faith.
The Apostle Paul does not say that Abraham was made righteous in all of his doings, but God accounted Abraham as righteous. Our justification is not God making us perfectly righteous, but counting us as perfectly righteous. After we are counted righteous, then God begins making us truly righteous, culminating in our resurrection.
Dear Holy God, I stand in awe at your Holy righteousness! Thank you for counting me righteousness because of my faith in Jesus Christ. Help me to remember that every time I feel tempted to boast that I have nothing to boast of but my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
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