Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 4:4
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
4. to him that worketh, &c.] A general principle and fact, instanced here with special reference to human obedience to the Law of God. The terms of the Law are tacitly compared to a human contract, with definite pay for definite work.
of grace ] Lit. according to grace; “on the principle of undeserved kindness.” So just below, according to debt; “on the principle of obligation.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Now to him that worketh … – This passage is not to be understood as affirming that any actually have worked out their salvation by conformity to the Law so as to be saved by their own merits; but it expresses a general truth in regard to works. On that plan, if a man were justified by his works, it would be a matter due to him. It is a general principle in regard to contracts and obligations, that where a man fulfils them he is entitled to the reward as what is due to him, and which he can claim. This is well understood in all the transactions among people. Where a man has fulfilled the terms of a contract, to pay him is not a matter of favor; he has earned it; and we are bound to pay him. So says the apostle, it would be, if a man were justified by his works. He would have a claim on God. It would be wrong not to justify him. And this is an additional reason why the doctrine cannot be true; compare Rom 11:6.
The reward – The pay, or wages. The word is commonly applied to the pay of soldiers, day-laborers, etc.; Mat 20:8; Luk 10:7; 1Ti 5:18; Jam 5:4. It has a similar meaning here.
Reckoned – Greek, Imputed. The same word which, in Rom 4:3, is rendered counted, and in Rom 4:22, imputed. It is used here in its strict and proper sense, to reckon that as belonging to a man which is his own, or which is due to him; see the note at Rom 4:3.
Of grace – Of favor; as a gift.
Of debt – As due; as a claim; as a fair compensation according to the contract.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.] Therefore, if Abraham had been justified by works, the blessings he received would have been given to him as a reward for those works, and consequently his believing could have had no part in his justification, and his faith would have been useless.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He proceeds to prove, that Abraham was not justified by works, but by faith, and free grace, and so had no cause of boasting. This he illustrates by a comparison betwixt one that worketh, and one that worketh not, but believeth. To him that worketh; i.e. to him that worketh with a design or intent to obtain or merit justification by his works, for else he that believeth also worketh; only he is said not to work, secundum quid, after a sort, to the end or intent that he might merit by it.
Is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt; he speaks this by way of supposition, in case he should have fulfilled the condition of perfect obedience: and yet, to speak properly, there is no reward, as a due debt from God to him that worketh, Rom 11:35; only he speaks after the manner of men, and useth a civil maxim, taken from human affairs.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4, 5. Now to him that workethasa servant for wages.
is the reward not reckoned ofgraceas a matter of favor.
but of debtas a matterof right.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Now to him that worketh,…. The apostle illustrates the former case by two sorts of persons in this and the next verse, who have different things accounted to them, and in a different manner. The one is represented as working, the other not. By the worker is meant, not one that works from, and upon principles of grace. The regenerate man is disposed to work for God; the man that has the Spirit of God is capable of working; he that has the grace of Christ, and strength from him, can work well; he that believes in Christ, works in a right way; he that loves Christ, works freely, and from a right principle; and he that has Christ’s glory in view, works to a right end: but the worker here, is one that works upon nature’s principles, and with selfish views; one that works in the strength of nature, trusting to, and glorying in what he does; seeking righteousness by his work, and working for eternal life and salvation. Now let it be supposed, that such a worker not only thinks he does, but if it could be, really does all the works of the law, yields a perfect obedience to it; what
is the reward that is, and will be
reckoned to him? There is no reward due to the creature’s work, though ever so perfect, arising front any desert or dignity in itself: there may be a reward by promise and compact; God may promise a reward to encourage to obedience, as he does in the law, which is not eternal life; for that is the free gift of God, and is only brought to light in the Gospel; and though heaven is called a reward, yet not of man’s obedience, but Christ’s; but admitting heaven itself to be the reward promised to the worker, in what manner must that be reckoned to him?
not of grace: for grace and works can never agree together; for if the reward is reckoned for the man’s works, then it is not of grace, “otherwise work is no more work”, Ro 11:6; and if it is of grace, then not for his works, “otherwise grace is no more grace”, Ro 11:6; it remains therefore, that if it is reckoned for his works, it must be
of debt: it must be his due, as wages are to an hireling. Now this was not Abraham’s case, which must have been, had he been justified by works; he had a reward reckoned to him, and accounted his, which was God himself, “I am thy shield, and exceeding, great reward”, Ge 15:1; which must be reckoned to him, not of debt, but of grace; wherefore it follows, that he was justified, not by works, but by the grace of God imputed to him; that which his faith believed in for righteousness. The distinction of a reward of grace, and of debt, was known to the Jews; a the one they called , the other : the former d they say is , “a benefit”, which is freely of grace bestowed on an undeserving person, or one he is not obliged to; the other is what is given, , “of debt”, in strict justice.
d Maimon. Bartenora & Yom Tob in Pirke Abot, c. 1. sect. 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But as of debt ( ). An illustration of the workman () who gets his wages due him, “not as of grace” ( ).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The reward [ ] . See on 2Pe 2:13.
Not of grace but of debt [ ] . Lit., according to grace, etc. Not grace but debt is the regulative standard according to which his compensation is awarded. The workman for hire represents the legal method of salvation; he who does not work for hire, the gospel method; wages cannot be tendered as a gift. Grace is out of the question when wages is in question.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Now to him that worketh,” (to de ergazomeno) “Now to the one working;” Let us consider the one working to obtain the righteousness of God –Paul had tried it; the Pharisees and Sadducees had tried it; his own race was then trying it, but it didn’t bring Salvation, See? Rom 10:1-13.
2) “Is the reward not reckoned of Grace,” (ho misthos ou logizetai kata charin) “The reward is not reckoned or calculated or computed according to grace;” People work for pay –this is a secular and Divine principle –if Salvation were obtained by works it would be not of Grace, but by merit, Rom 11:6.
3) “But of debt,” (alla kata opheilema) “But (in direct contrast) it is reckoned, calculated, or computed according to the principle of a debt;” God would be obligated to pay man off, with Salvation, for works man had done, if righteousness with God was obtained by means, instrument, or agency of works –But it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. See Tit 3:5.
Men are created in Christ Jesus (when they believe, 1Jn 5:1) “unto good works,” not by good works!
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
4. To him indeed who works, etc. It is not he, whom he calls a worker, who is given to good works, to which all the children of God ought to attend, but the person who seeks to merit something by his works: and in a similar way he calls him no worker who depends not on the merit of what he does. He would not, indeed, have the faithful to be idle; but he only forbids them to be mercenaries, so as to demand any thing from God, as though it were justly their due.
We have before reminded you, that the question is not here how we are to regulate our life, but how we are to be saved: and he argues from what is contrary, — that God confers not righteousness on us because it is due, but bestows it as a gift. And indeed I agree with Bucer, who proves that the argument is not made to depend on one expression, but on the whole passage, and formed in this manner, “If one merits any thing by his work, what is merited is not freely imputed to him, but rendered to him as his due. Faith is counted for righteousness, not that it procures any merit for us, but because it lays hold on the goodness of God: hence righteousness is not due to us, but freely bestowed.” For as Christ of his own good-will justifies us through faith, Paul always regards this as an evidence of our emptiness; for what do we believe, except that Christ is an expiation to reconcile us to God? The same truth is found in other words in Gal 3:11, where it is said, “That no man is justified by the law, it is evident, for the just shall by faith live: but the law is not by faith; but he who doeth these things shall live in them.” Inasmuch, then, as the law promises reward to works, he hence concludes, that the righteousness of faith, which is free, accords not with that which is operative: this could not be were faith to justify by means of works. — We ought carefully to observe these comparisons, by which every merit is entirely done away.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) This, then (the righteousness attributed to Abraham), was an act of grace on the part of God, and not of merit on the part of man. It therefore carries with it no ground of boasting.
The proposition is put in a general form. Those who base their claim on works have a right to their reward. It is not conceded to them by any sort of imputation, but is their desert. On the other hand (Rom. 4:5), those who rely only upon faith, even though ungodly themselves, have righteousness imputed to them. This latter was Abrahams case, and not the former. (The specific application to Abraham is not expressed, but implied.)
The reward.Literally, his wages. The relation between what he receives and what he does is that of wages for work done. He can claim it, if need be, in a court of law. There is in it no element of grace, or favour, or concession.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Worketh As a hired man, for pay. This exclusion of works as a condition means an exclusion of all merit or compensation to God. (See note on Rom 3:27.)
The reward The wages.
Grace No thanks are due from the employe for his pay. But it is not necessary to its being grace that God’s grace should be irresistible, or so conferred as to secure through exact force and measure of motives that it be not resisted. Irresistible grace is a forced grace, an iron grace, which it is not pleasant to attribute to God. “The quality of mercy is not strained.” (See note on Rom 3:24-27.)
Merit of a moral nature must be distinguished from mere excellence. A clock may possess great excellence as a perfect clock, but it is no merit in the clock that it is an excellent machine. So if man with his faculties and will is equally a spiritual machine, putting forth choice, as a clock-hammer strikes, precisely according to force applied, there is no merit in his choosing right. So, also, if a man be like a false clock, a bad machine, there is no moral demerit or desert of punishment for such a badness. If he be bound by God’s decree, or the force of motives on his will so as to nullify all power of will to choose right, (unless he has brought the incapacity on himself,) he cannot be rightly punished for wrong. He may deserve no special reward, but he does deserve exemption from penalty for his wrong.
Debt When it is debt the employer is bound to pay, and when payment is made the parties are even.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Now to him who works, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt, but to him that who does not work, but believe on him who reckons as in the right the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.’
Paul now brings out the significance of that Scripture in respect of the matter they are dealing with. When it comes to man being rewarded for his works, the reward is not looked on as ‘of grace’ (freely given as an undeserved favour), but as of debt (it has been duly earned and the worker is thus receiving only what is due to him). In contrast we have the case of the man whose ‘reward’ is ‘of grace. He believes on Him who ‘justifies the ungodly while they are still in an ungodly state’, and his faith is reckoned for righteousness. The principle here is very important. The moment works enters into the equation to any extent then it puts God under an obligation. Thus ALL works have to be excluded. God does not owe us anything. He does not justify us because our faith makes up for what is lacking in our works. He justifies us when we truly believe in Him regardless of any works. It is all ‘of grace’ (God’s unmerited favour). And Paul underlines this by stressing that the one who is justified is so even though he is yet ungodly.
Note how boldly he declares that God justifies the ungodly while he is still ungodly. In that case there can be no question of the man being justified by his works. He is ungodly. He deserves nothing. Thus his being ‘justified, reckoned as righteous’, in other words his ‘justification’, could only spring from his response of faith towards a justifying God (Who is ‘just and the justifier of him who believes in Jesus’ – Rom 3:28). Note how this ‘ungodliness’ reflects Rom 1:18. There has been great emphasis on how God has dealt with man’s unrighteousness. Here now is God’s answer to man’s proven ungodliness. It confirms his argument in Rom 3:28 that, ‘We reckon therefore that a man is justified (reckoned as in the right) by faith apart from the works of the law.’
We may, of course, react against the suggestion that Abraham had been ungodly, but in that case we need to remember that initially he had no doubt been involved in the worship of idols, for we are told that ‘your fathers dwelt in the past beyond the River (Euphrates), even Terah the father of Abraham — and they served other gods’ (Jos 24:2). Thus Abraham had been brought up to worship false gods, until God called him and he believed and responded. It was when he was yet ungodly that God had initially called him. And it was then that God’s righteousness came to him and he was ‘accounted as righteous’.
‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.’ We must not see this as signifying that God saw Abraham’s faith and approved of it and thus recognised him as righteous on the basis of his ‘righteous faith’, as though his faith was a work of which God approved, shining out above his other works. Rather the thought is that Abraham was reckoned as righteous by God because he responded in faith to God, disregarding all works that he had done. The verb chashab followed by the preposition ‘l’ always refers to something being reckoned to someone regardless of their right state. Thus Shimei asks David not to reckon his guilt against him but to treat him as though he were innocent (2Sa 19:20). Compare also Lev 7:18; Num 18:27; Num 18:30.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Example of Justification Under the Law While Abraham serves as Paul’s example from the Old Testament of how God justifies a man who places his faith in God’s Word and obeys it before the Law (Rom 4:1-3), David serves as an example of a man whom God imputed righteousness through the forgiveness of sins under the Law (Rom 4:4-8).
Rom 4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Rom 4:4
Rom 4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Rom 4:7-8
Psa 32:1-2, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.”
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Rom 4:4. Of grace Of favour. Raphelius has shewn that the Greek word does not only mean a reward of debt, but also a gift of favour; and that the phrase
, occurs in Herodotus: so that a reward of grace or favour is a classical as well as theological expression.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Rom 4:4-5 . These verses now supply an illustration of Rom 4:3 in two general contrasted relations, from the application of which left to the reader to the case of Abraham the non-co-operation of works (the , Rom 4:6 ) in the case of the latter’s justification could not but be clear.
] is the simple .
] to the worker , here, as the contrast shows, with the pregnant sense: to him who is active in works , of whom the are characteristic . Luther aptly says: “who deals in works.”
] i.e. the corresponding wages (comp Rom 2:29 ), justa merces . The opposite: , merita poena; see Khner, a [980] Xen. Anab. i. 3, 20.
. ] Comp Thuc. ii. 40, 4 : . The stress of the contrast lies on . . and . ., not in the first part on (Hofmann), which is merely the verb of the Scripture quotation in Rom 4:3 , repeated for the purpose of annexing to it the contrast that serves for its illustration. Not grace but debt is the regulative standard, according to which his wages are awarded to such an one; the latter are not merces gratiae , but merces debiti . As in Abraham’s case an imputation took place (which Paul assumes as self-evident from Rom 4:3 ) he could not be on ; the case of imputation which occurred in relation to him is, on the contrary, to be referred to the opposite category which follows: but to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him who justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness . Looking to the exact parallel of Rom 4:4-5 , the unity of the category of both propositions must be maintained; and Rom 4:5 is not to be regarded as an application of Rom 4:4 to the case of Abraham (Reiche), but as likewise a locus communis , under which it is left to the reader to classify the case of Abraham in accordance with the above testimony of Scripture. Hence we cannot say with Reiche: “the and is Abraham.” [982] On the contrary both are to be kept perfectly general, and is not even to be weakened as equivalent to , but has been purposely selected (comp Rom 5:6 ), in order to set forth the saving power of faith [984] by as strong a contrast as possible to .
On , expressing faith in its direction towards some one , comp Rom 4:24 ; Act 9:42 ; Act 11:17 ; Wis 12:2 .
[980] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.
[982] in his view is an allusion to the earlier idolatry of Abraham, reported by Philo, Josephus, and Maimonides, on the ground of Jos 24:2 . This was also the view of Grotius, Wetstein, Cramer, Michaelis, Rosenmller, and Koppe; comp. also Dllinger, Christenth. u. K. p. 197, Exo 2 . The Rabbins have a different tradition, to the effect that Abraham demolished the idols of his father Terah, etc.; see Eisenmenger, entdeckt. Judenth . I. p. 490 ff., 941.
[984] Consequently subjective faith is meant, not its objective ground , the righteousness of Christ, i.e. according to the Form. Conc. p. 884 f., the active and passive obedience of Christ, which is “applied and appropriated” to us through faith. The merit of Christ always remains the causa meritoria , to which we are indebted for the imputation of our faith. But the apprehensio Christi , which is the essence of justifying faith, must not be made equivalent to the apprehensus Christus (Calovius; comp. Philippi). The former is the subjective, which is imputed; the latter the objective, on account of which the imputation by God takes place. The Formula Concordiae in this point goes ultra quod scriptum est.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Ver. 4. Now to him that worketh ] Yet it is an act of mercy in God to render to a man according to his works, Psa 62:12 ; Exo 20:6 . God’s kingdom is not partum, but paratum, Mat 25:34 , not acquired, but prepared.
But of debt ] Not so indeed, Rom 11:31 , but according to the opinion of the merit monger, who saith as Vega, Caelum gratis non accipiam. I may not receive heaven by grace.
4. . ] (q. d. , but the part. is used because of the negative . following) to the workman (him that works for hire, that earns wages, compare , Luk 19:16 ) his wages are not reckoned according to (as a matter of) grace (favour), but according to (as a matter of) debt . The stress is on , not on , which in this first member of the sentence, is used hardly in the strict sense, of imputing or reckoning , but of allotting or apportioning : its use being occasioned by the stricter below. And the sentence is a general one, not with any peculiar reference to Abraham, except that after we may supply , if we will; for this is evidently assumed.
Rom 4:4 f. The faith of Abraham, in whatever way it may be more precisely determined by relation to its object, agrees with Christian faith in the essential characteristic, that it is not a work. To him who works der mit Werken umgehet: Luther the reward is reckoned, not by way of grace (as in Abraham’s case), but by way of debt. But to him who does not work, i.e. , who does not make works his ground of hope toward God but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. Rom 4:5 describes the category under which Abraham falls, but is not a generalisation from his case. The (Gen 18:23 , Pro 11:31 , chap. Rom 5:6 ) is a person who has no claim to justification: if he is justified, it must be not on the ground of works, but freely, by God’s grace, on which he relies through faith. Of course to believe in this grace of God is to do something; in that sense it is a work; but it is to do something which involves a complete renunciation of hope in anything we can do without God. It excludes merit, boasting, justification . Cf. Philo, i., 486 (quoted in Mayor on Jas 1:21 ): . The whole Pauline gospel could be summed up in this one word God who justifies the ungodly. Under that device, what room is there for any pretensions or claims of man? It is sometimes argued (on the ground that all God’s actions must be “ethical”) that God can only pronounce just, or treat as just, those who actually are just; but if this were so, what Gospel would there be for sinful men? This “ethical” gospel is identical with the Pharisaism in which Paul lived before he knew what Christ and faith were, and it led him to despair. It leads all men either to despair or to a temper which is that of the Pharisee rather than the publican of Luk 18 . What it can never beget is the temper of the Gospel. The paradoxical phrase, Him that justifieth the ungodly, does not suggest that justification is a fiction, whether legal or of any other sort, but that it is a miracle. It is a thing that only God can achieve, and that calls into act and manifestation all the resources of the Divine nature. It is achieved through an unparalleled revelation of the judgment and the mercy of God. The miracle of the Gospel is that God comes to the ungodly, with a mercy which is righteous altogether, and enables them through faith, in spite of what they are, to enter into a new relation to Himself, in which goodness becomes possible for them. There can be no spiritual life at all for a sinful man unless he can get an initial assurance of an unchanging love of God deeper than sin, and he gets this at the Cross. He gets it by believing in Jesus, and it is justification by faith. The whole secret of New Testament Christianity, and of every revival of religion and reformation of the Church is in that laetum et ingens paradoxon , .
reckoned. Same as “counted”, Rom 4:3.
grace. App-184.
debt. Greek. opheilema. Only here and Mat 6:12.
4. .] (q. d. , but the part. is used because of the negative . following)-to the workman (him that works for hire, that earns wages, compare , Luk 19:16) his wages are not reckoned according to (as a matter of) grace (favour), but according to (as a matter of) debt. The stress is on , not on , which in this first member of the sentence, is used hardly in the strict sense, of imputing or reckoning, but of allotting or apportioning:-its use being occasioned by the stricter below. And the sentence is a general one, not with any peculiar reference to Abraham,-except that after we may supply , if we will; for this is evidently assumed.
Rom 4:4. ) but [now]. Paul takes what is contrary [the case of him that worketh] out of the way, so as to enable him, in the following verse, to draw his conclusion regarding the man who does not trust to works, and to evince that Abraham was not such a one as he describes, by the words him that worketh.-, to him that worketh) if there were, indeed, any such [which there is not]. We must take both expressions, him that worketh and him that worketh not, in a reduplicative sense: to work, and wages, are conjugates in the Heb. . [The man that worketh, in this passage, applies to him who, by his works, performs (makes good) all that the law requires.-V. g.].-, reward), the antithesis to faith.-, a debt, by virtue of a contract between the parties. Merit in its strictest sense so called, and debt, are correlatives.
Rom 4:4
Rom 4:4
Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt.-If one relies on his own works to merit salvation, the reward is reckoned not as a favor from God, but as payment of debt for works. This is contrary to the whole principle of justification by grace. Man is a lost and helpless sinner, saved by the grace of God; but he must accept that favor by complying with the conditions God has enjoined for his enjoying it. The principles of salvation are that no flesh shall glory before God. Life is the gift of God.
Rom 9:32, Rom 11:6, Rom 11:35, Mat 20:1-16
Reciprocal: Gen 6:8 – General 2Ch 15:7 – your work Psa 33:18 – hope Joh 6:29 – This Act 20:24 – the gospel Gal 3:12 – the law Gal 5:4 – justified Col 3:24 – ye shall 2Th 2:16 – through Tit 2:11 – the grace Tit 3:7 – being
4:4
Rom 4:4. To him that worketh means the man who depends on the merits of his works for justification. In that case, if he receives that reward, it will be reckoned (considered) on the basis of debt, something actually delivered to him because he had earned it. But that would exclude any credit to the idea of grace or favor.
Rom 4:4. Now to him that worketh. Rom 4:4-5 illustrate Rom 4:3, by a general contrast of the two ways by which we can be accounted righteous. A workman whose business it is to labor for hire represents the legal method, the plan of making ones own moral character and doings the basis of acceptance with God.
The reward; his reward, for which he works.
Not reckoned; this takes up the verb from Rom 4:3. but without emphasizing it.
Of grace, but of debt; not according to, as a matter of favor, but of debt. That Abrahams case was of grace is so heavily implied, that it was not necessary to express it, especially as the thought is now quite general.
Rom 4:4-5. Now to him that worketh All that the law requires; is the reward not reckoned of grace Or mere favour; but of debt It is due to his merit. Not that God can properly and strictly be a debtor to any creature, in respect of communicative justice; but if man had continued in that state of holiness wherein he was made, that he should have been esteemed righteous, and have continued in Gods favour and lived, would have been according to the rules of distributive justice. But to him that worketh not In the sense above explained, who can by no means pretend to have wrought all righteousness; but Conscious of his sinfulness and guilt, and of his utter inability to justify himself before God; believeth on him Who, in his great grace, justifieth the ungodly person, when he truly repents and returns to God; his faith is counted Or placed to his account; for righteousness He is graciously accepted, and treated by God as if he were perfectly righteous. Therefore, Gods affirming of Abraham that faith was imputed to him for righteousness, plainly shows that he worked not; or, in other words, that he was not justified by works, but by faith only. Hence we see plainly, how groundless that opinion is, that holiness or sanctification is previous to justification. For the sinner, being first convinced of his sin and danger by the Spirit of God, stands trembling before the awful tribunal of divine justice, and has nothing to plead but his own guilt, and the merits of a Mediator. Christ here interposes: justice is satisfied: the sin is remitted, and pardon is applied to the soul by a divine faith, wrought by the Holy Ghost, who then begins the great work of inward satisfaction. Thus God justifies the ungodly, and yet remains just and true to all his attributes. But let none hence presume to continue in sin, for to the impenitent God is a consuming fire.
Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt.
4. But to him that worketh the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to indebtedness;
Verse 4
Of grace; of favor.–But of debt; that is, as justly due.
4:4 {4} Now to him that {b} worketh is the reward not {c} reckoned of grace, but of debt.
(4) The first proof of the confirmation, taken from opposites: to him who deserves anything by his labour, the wages are not counted as favour, but as debt: but to him that has done nothing but believe in him who freely promises, faith is imputed.
(b) To him that has deserved anything from his work.
(c) Is not reckoned or given to him.
Rom 4:4-5 contrast faith and works. Work yields wages that the person working deserves. Faith receives a gift (Rom 4:4; lit. grace, Gr. charin) that the person believing does not deserve. Incredibly, God justifies those who not only fail to deserve justification but deserve condemnation because they are "ungodly" (NASB) or "wicked" (NIV; Rom 4:5; cf. Rom 3:24). This is how far God’s grace goes (cf. Deu 25:1)!
"Here in a nutshell is the Pauline doctrine of justification by faith." [Note: Mickelsen, p. 1193.]
In our day there are many subtle as well as obvious perversions of the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Advocates of lordship salvation effectively add works to faith when they make commitment to Jesus Christ necessary for salvation. One astute writer has observed that this "front loading" of the gospel with works is "paving the road back to Rome." [Note: Earl Radmacher, "First Response to ’Faith According to the Apostle James’ by John F. MacArthur Jr.," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 33:1 (March 1990):40.] Some lordship salvation advocates believe that an unbeliever only has to be willing to submit to Christ’s lordship. However this is only changing the human work from submitting to being willing to submit. One lordship salvation advocate wrote that to exclude submission to Christ’s lordship from the gospel message amounts to antinomianism. [Note: John MacArthur, Faith Works, p. 94.] Later he defined antinomianism as follows.
"antinomianism: the idea that behavior is unrelated to faith, or that Christians are not bound by any moral law. Antinomianism radically separates justification and sanctification, making practical holiness elective." [Note: Ibid., p. 259. Cf. pp. 94-98.]
Clearly this is not the position of most Christians who believe that faith alone is what God requires instead of faith plus commitment. [Note: For a response to the Reformed claim that dispensationalists are antinomian (i.e., against law as a standard for Christian living), see Robert A. Pyne, "Antinomianism and Dispensationalism," Bibliotheca Sacra 153:610 (April-June 1996):141-54.]
Another subtle modern form of works salvation often accompanies an incorrect interpretation of the biblical doctrine of perseverance. This view says that if a professing Christian does not continue in the faith and in holiness all his or her life, allowing for occasional lapses, he or she was not a true believer. This view "back loads" the gospel with works. Faithfulness to the Lord thus becomes a condition for salvation. This incorrect interpretation of perseverance often goes hand in hand with lordship salvation.
Some who hold these views try to get away from their connection with works by saying that it is God who produces submission and or sanctification in the believer, not the believer himself. [Note: E.g., MacArthur, pp. 100-101.] Nonetheless it is the professing Christian whom God holds responsible for his or her choices, not Himself.
"Indeed, every command to the believer implies the necessity of his involvement as part of the process [of sanctification]." [Note: Charles C. Ryrie, So Great Salvation, p. 152.]
Another answer that some who hold these views give is that what the Bible affirms is that man cannot merit eternal life. [Note: MacArthur, pp. 69, 105-21.] This is not the same, they say, as doing something necessary to obtain it, such as submitting or remaining faithful. Yet the Bible uses the word "works," not just merit (Rom 4:2; Rom 4:4-5; Eph 2:8-9). [Note: Three excellent books on salvation by faith alone, all of which respond to lordship salvation, are Ryrie, So Great Salvation; Joseph Dillow, The Reign of the Servant Kings; and Zane C. Hodges, Absolutely Free!]
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)