I'm beginning to think that this passage is on par with Ephesians 2:8-10.
Probably not a good idea to just shrug it away.
Three times we see a statement about "credited as righteousness" in reference to faith apart from works. (see bold below)
Romans 4:1-8 NIV
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was
credited to him as righteousness.”
4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is
credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God
credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”
To me, when Paul said "
worketh not" in Romans 4:5 and "
not of works" in Ephsians 2:9 the
issue is what TYPE of work was Paul speaking about in these verses. I showed in an earlier post the Bible speaks of many different types of works, that all works are not the same.
Those that have allowed themselves to believe Luther's faith only (no works) wish these 2 verses to eliminate ALL works of all kinds. But this cannot be for it creates contradictions. These verses cannot eliminate ALL works then that eliminates the wrok God did in bringing a plan of salvation to man through Jesus Christ. It would also eliminate obedience to God's will which BOTH Paul and James agree are necessary to becoming saved:
James 2:24----------
works (obeying God's will)>>>>>>>>>>>>>justifies
Romans 6:17-18-----
obey from the heart (obey God's will)>>>>>>justifies
So faith only in basically claiming all works are alike therefore Romans 4:5 eliminates ALL works which again creates a contradiction and drives a wedge betwen James and Paul when
NONE exist.
The reason James says works justify (James 2:24) and Paul says works do not justify (Romans 4:2) is because they are talking about
two different types of works. The works James says justifies is obedience to God's will as Abraham obeyed God's will in offering Isaac (James 2:21). The type of work Paul says does
not justify in the context of Romans chapters 1-4 are the works of strict, perfect fllawless law keeping the OT law required.
James is saying faith without works cannot justify.
Paul is saying works without faith cannot justify.
They are approaching the same conclusion from different directions.
Again, James is saying faith apart from obedient works cannot justify.
What does Paul mean by works apart from faith cannot justify?
Again, in Romans 4:2 the type of work Paul is talking about is the perfect, flawless law keeping work the OT law of Moses required to be justified.
Paul says in Galatians 3:12 Paul says "
And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them." Seems odd Paul saying the OT law of Moses is "
not of faith" when men under that OT law as David had faith. What does Paul mean then? Paul is showing under the OT law that
what you do is all that matters for that OT law require the work of sinless law keeping to be justified. And if the Jew could keep the law sinlessly perfect then his reward is of debt not of grace (Romans 4:4) for the sinless do not need grace. Therefore under the OT law
faith meant nothing in being justified for that law required the work perfect sinless law keeping to be justified. You could have all the faith in the world under that law but offend that law just one time then that law condemned you, no justification.
In Romans 3:1-9 Paul speaks of the OT law being given to the Jews and it was an advantage in many ways to the Jews except for one way...
it could not justify them for again it required the work of flawless sinless law keeping to be justified. The Jew, no matter how hard he tried, could not keep it perfectly leading Paul to say those works required by the OT law do not justify. David and Abraham both sinned therefore could not be justified by the OT law that required perfect flawless law keeping, so how were they justified? By
an obedient faith not by flawless sinless law keeping the OT required.
So what Paul means
by works apart from faith do not justify he is saying to try and be justified by perfect sinless works in keeping the OT law cannot justfy one apart from faith for one will end up committing a sin and be condemend, left unjustified by the OT law.
Paul -
faith AND obedience apart from the work of sinless, flawless keeping
does justify.
As James says
faith and obedient works justify.