2. Justification Illustrated (4:1-25)

The Jewish Christians in Rome would immediately have asked, “How does this doctrine of justification by faith relate to our history? Paul, you say that this doctrine is witnessed to by the law and the prophets. Well, what about Abraham?”

Paul accepted the challenge and explained how Abraham was saved. Abraham was called “our father,” referring primarily to the Jews’ natural and physical descent from Abraham. But in Romans 4:11, Abraham was also called “the father of all them that believe,” meaning all who have trusted Christ (see Gal. 3:1-18). Paul stated three important facts about Abraham’s salvation that prove that the patriarch’s spiritual experience was like that of believers today.