Why Does God Justify the Ungodly? | Abraham Was Not Saved by Works... So How Are We Saved? | Romans Chapter 4 Explained episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 10, 2026 · 18 MIN

Why Does God Justify the Ungodly? | Abraham Was Not Saved by Works... So How Are We Saved? | Romans Chapter 4 Explained

from Bible Chapter by Chapter · host Chris Hintsala

Welcome to Bible Chapter by Chapter. In this episode, we walk carefully through Romans Chapter 4, where Paul answers one of the most important questions in the entire Bible: How is a person made right with God?After revealing in Romans 3 that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Paul now turns to Abraham to prove that righteousness has never come through human effort, religious performance, or works of the law. From the very beginning, God has declared people righteous through faith.Romans 4 is a powerful chapter because it shows that the gospel is not a new invention. Paul roots salvation by faith deep in the Old Testament and uses Abraham, the father of Israel, as his central example. If Abraham himself was counted righteous by believing God, then salvation has always rested on grace, not human achievement.In this study, we explore:Why Abraham could not boast before GodWhat it means that faith was credited as righteousnessThe difference between wages and graceWhy David also speaks of righteousness apart from worksWhy Abraham was declared righteous before circumcisionHow Abraham became the father of all who believeWhy the promise comes through faith so it may rest on graceWhat it means to believe against hopeHow Abraham trusted God's promise when circumstances looked impossibleWhy this was written not only for Abraham, but for us alsoHow Jesus was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justificationRomans 4 reminds us that salvation is not built on human performance. It is built on trusting the God who keeps his promises. Abraham believed when the promise seemed impossible. He trusted the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. That same faith points forward to us, as we believe in the God who raised Jesus from the dead.This chapter is deeply encouraging because it shows that righteousness is not earned by the strong, the perfect, or the religiously impressive. It is credited to those who believe. That means the door is open to everyone who places their faith in Christ.If you have ever asked:Can I ever be good enough for God?Has salvation always been by faith?What does Abraham have to do with the gospel?What does it mean to be justified apart from works?Romans Chapter 4 gives a clear and beautiful answer.Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6MnjQf5YAsxCAhha7jCSGDThank you for joining me for Season 5: The Power of the Gospel. Please like, subscribe, and share this study with someone walking through Romans.

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Why Does God Justify the Ungodly? | Abraham Was Not Saved by Works... So How Are We Saved? | Romans Chapter 4 Explained

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