Earned Or A Gift

Romans 4:1-17

Put in a hard day’s work, and we hope to be paid for all of our efforts.  That is what is to be expected. No one wants to work and not be rewarded for it.  Our salary is what we rightly feel we’re due, after a day’s work. However, if one gets rewarded without having worked, that is special.  Sometimes, especially around holidays, a boss might give a bonus check. Everyone is happy about that! In our Scripture passage today from the Book of Romans, Paul discusses working for something, and being given something as a free gift without having worked for it.  He discusses whether salvation and justification is earned or a free gift. Let’s take a look at what the Word of God says about this.

In Paul’s letter to the believers in Rome, he was teaching them how we cannot earn our salvation or our way to heaven.  This was a concern back then, and still is today, when so many people think that they will go to heaven based on their works and good deeds.  In our passage Paul gives reasons why this is not so, using Abraham as an example. Abraham is the father of faith for believers, not because of good works he did, but rather because of his faith.

The Jewish people liked to believe that they were justified before God because they kept His law, particularly by being circumcised.  They felt they were justified by doing all these works.  They were also so very proud of being a descendant of Abraham.  However, as Paul questioned, when was Abraham counted by God as being righteous?  Was he counted righteous after he was circumcised, or before? Paul clearly points out that Abraham was justified, or counted righteous, many years before God gave the command to be circumcised, almost 25 years before.  Religious rituals do not earn any rewards. Abraham was blessed by God many years before the circumcision ceremony was introduced (vs. 10-12).

The only way for any person to come into a right relationship with God is by grace through faith (vs. 3).  We accept God’s gift of salvation by faith. We cannot earn it by good works. All of our best efforts won’t do.  Our works don’t work. Our finest efforts mean nothing. The only thing that matters, is if we follow Abraham’s example, and accept God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus by faith.  Abraham pleased God through his faith, alone, long before any rituals had been heard of (vs. 16). We are saved by faith, plus nothing.

If Abraham’s works had been the basis of his justification, he would have had every right to boast (vs. 2). If a person could earn right standing with God by doing good, it would no longer be a free gift (vs. 4).  It would be an obligation, a payment that was due. If salvation were on the basis of one’s own effort, God would owe it as a debt. We would then feel we could go up to God and say that we had earned our right to be in heaven, that God owed it to us.  In reality, though, we can never do enough good in a million lifetimes to earn the right to a minute in heaven. Our efforts are futile. All we can do is cast ourselves on God’s mercy and grace. Salvation is a gift of God’s grace to those who believe (vs 5).

The word “accounted” in verse 3 is a financial and legal term in Greek.  It means to take something that belongs to someone and credit it to another’s account.  It is a one-sided transaction. Abraham did nothing to earn salvation, nothing but believe God by faith.  God took His own righteousness and credited it to Abraham, as if it was his.

Many people in Paul’s day like to believe that they were justified in God’s sight because they were physically descended from Abraham.  Racially Abraham is the father of all the Jews, those who were counting on their circumcision to bring them to heaven. Abraham was not justified by circumcision or by keeping the Old Testament Law (vs. 13-15).  Spiritually, Abraham is the father of all who believe - believing Jews and believing Gentiles, those who had never been circumcised (vs. 11-12).

Faith is believing and trusting in Jesus Christ, and reaching out to accept His wonderful gift of salvation.  I pray that all who read this will trust Jesus Christ for their salvation, if you haven’t already. It is a gift.  You cannot ever do enough good works to ever earn your way to heaven. The only way to heaven is by accepting God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.