Romans 4

Paul proves justification by faith from Scripture, using Abraham, who “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” — before he was circumcised and apart from works. Righteousness is credited as a gift, not a wage, to the one who trusts God who justifies the ungodly, as David also says of the blessing of forgiven sin. Abraham is thus the father of all who believe, and his faith in the God who gives life to the dead is the pattern for our faith in the God who raised Jesus, “who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”