Romans 4

v1-8: Abraham was justified by faith, not by works.  If he had been justified by works, he would have a reason for being able to boast, and the reward he received would not be by grace. "If Abraham had deserved this through his perfect obedience, it would not have been an act of grace by God; Abraham could have demanded it."  In order to be justified, what is required is not perfect faith, but effective faith.

v9-17: Because Abraham was forgiven and accepted as righteous before he was circumcised and before the giving of the law, Gentiles who share Abraham's faith, are not excluded, nor do they need to become Jews in order to be justified.

v17-22: Abraham's faith focused on God who is the One who give life to the dead.  He "can do anything, he can give a child to Abraham when he is old; he can bring in the Gentiles, who are dead in trespasses and sins, to give them divine and spiritual life."  True faith "depends on the all-sufficiency of God to accomplish what is impossible."

v23-25: Abraham's justification provides the pattern or model for ours.  Righteousness will be credited to us if our belief is in Christ.  "The revelation to Abraham was about a Christ to come; the revelation to us is about [the same] Christ who has already come."  Christ gave Himself up as a sacrifice for sins. "He died to make atonement for our sins, to be an atoning sacrifice for our guilt, to satisfy divine justice."  He was raised to accomplish and complete our justification.  His resurrection is the "assurance that divine justice was satisfied and the debt was paid."   It is only "by a trusting, obedient dependence on Jesus Christ and his righteousness" that we are saved and will no longer be punished for our sins.