Faith Alone

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

-Romans 4:4-5

The one who works gets wages when accounts are settled. He gets what he is owed. The Greek MISTHOS, translated reward in the KJV, is rendered wage in the NASB: "Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due." The term wages (plural), is used in the ESV, NIV, RSV, and NKJV. Wages represent an obligation being fulfilled on the part of the one paying them. They have been earned.

One interesting point in this part of Paul's discussion of faith alone is the context in which Paul is using Abraham as his example. He cites an event in Abraham's life in which faith was accounted to the patriarch as righteousness, and the event was several centuries prior to the Law of Moses and was even prior to the time in Abraham's life in which the rite of circumcision was given. Therefore, one cannot dismiss Paul's rejection of works-based righteousness as only applying to works related to the commandments in Leviticus or the Mosaic Law. Paul here is excluding any meritorious deeds whatsoever as being beneficial to qualify mortals for righteousness. If righteousness can be earned, then it has not been freely given; it is not "reckoned of grace." Paul's point is that righteousness is not earned.

Some argue that they have no problem with righteousness being attained by grace through faith, but claim that righteous deeds must accompany that grace and faith, to participate, by coordinated effort, in the sinner becoming righteous. These see grace to the sinner as moving him from a state of helplessness to a state in which he is able to cooperate in his salvation by adding works of merit to his faith and being "helped along" by grace. This view fails to grasp the utter helplessness of the sinner to do anything to even assist in his redemption. Paul completely shatters the notion of even a works-supplemented justification throughout his epistles, and especially in Romans 3, 4, and 5.

In fact, Romans 4:5 completely rules out the possibility of any merit on the believer's part at all, even in a cooperative effort. The believer of verse 5 "worketh not" in the attainment of righteousness. He has not believed and worked, he has not worked, only believed. He was not justified after supplementing his faith with works; rather, he believed "on Him that justifieth the ungodly," and "his faith is counted for righteousness." Not faith and works, faith alone. Because God does not justify those who "earn" it, He "justifieth the ungodly". He justifies those who not only don't deserve it, but who were previously ungodly and were formerly working to contravene His purpose.

Now, for a word concerning the place of works in a believer's life . In Romans chapters 3, 4, and 5, Paul's rejection of works applies only to their lack of value or benefit in the sinner being declared righteous and being saved. Genuine, saving faith always encompasses a repentance from sin and submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Once saved, once justified, good works will flow in the believer's life as God works in and through the one He saved. Ephesians 2:10 asserts, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." These good works don't save, they characterize the life of the saved. Paul explains this at length in Romans chapters 6-8 and 12-15.