Romans 4:4-8
“Now to the one who works, the wages are not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. 8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.”
Paul uses working for wages as an example to demonstrate the uniqueness of God’s Gospel. Working is about earning wages. We often think that our Christianity is about working: We work to earn or maintain righteousness. But this is not how salvation works. Instead, it’s about receiving a free gift. Believing is more important than working to God. This is not encouraging inaction or lazy Christians. It is expressing the right foundation for our lives in Christ. We don’t do in order to be something more. When we believe we are made compatible with the Spirit and delight in expressing His fruit (2 Peter 1:3-4; Galatians 5:22-23).
Covered: David’s quote is from an Old Covenant perspective. In the Old Testament, sins were merely covered. But in the New Covenant, sins are completely removed (Hebrews 10:14). However, some Christian theology still mimics the Old Testament view as if we are sinful at the core but just covered by the blood. But in reality, there is so much more going on because of the finished work of Christ.
