Romans 4:1-3

¹ “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? ² For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Verse 1: Paul raises the question of what Abraham, our ancestor in the flesh, discovered or achieved in relation to righteousness. He is setting the stage to discuss the faith of Abraham and its significance in the context of salvation.

Verse 2: Paul presents a hypothetical scenario where if Abraham was justified by his own works, he would have something to boast about. However, Paul quickly clarifies that such boasting would not be before God. This highlights the fact that our own works cannot earn us righteousness before God.

Verse 3: Paul appeals to Scripture, specifically Genesis 15:6, to support his argument. He quotes the verse that states Abraham believed God, and this belief was credited to him as righteousness. This emphasizes the importance of faith in God as the means by which righteousness is obtained, rather than relying on our own works.