Works But Not Working

It is hard to see the difference between works and working as laid out in Romans 4. Abraham was justified by works even though he wasn't working. The word working is used to work for a just payment. We tend to work by the hour for fair wages. In Abraham he worked to fulfill God's promises, like going into Sarah at an old age or offering Isaac with a resurrection in view. These were moment in time actions based in faith, not continuous righteous actions. They required faith lived over time.

Abraham's works were not to make himself righteous or to work long enough and right enough to measure up to equivalent righteousness. His works were all about the promise. So works don't violate Romans 4 if not expecting your work to force God to pay you by giving you heaven. All the works of the world we do cannot deserve such payment. We just don't deserve it. It is of grace and not working in such a manner. Working implies a constant effort to be righteous before God. We do have the ability to do right, but without the focus and concentration to sustain it. Plus doing right doesn't mean we measure up to God's righteousness.

"all sin and fall short of the glory of God"

Even our righteousness is as filthy rags before God. We don't have the ability ourselves so we must trust in God's method. The method is normally left out by Baptists and Methodists because Paul uses generic broadbased statements in Romans 4.

Romans 4:5

"God who justifies the ungodly"

Notice he says God justifies us without immediately telling us all that goes into this process. It isn't by our faith alone since it requires the work of Christ as well.

There are many definite articles left out of English versions of Paul's epistles. 

Since definite articles are used we trust in "the faith" to save us, not just "faith". We put our trust in God's method. The cross, baptism, justification, imputed righteousness. All are things we trust in. Consider 

Romans 4:14

If indeed those of law heirs, has been made void "the faith" and made of no effect "the promise".

In Romans there is as much emphasis on "the faith" as personal faith. It is when personal faith meets the faith that men are saved. Paul includes repentance and baptism in the faith. Not working to make ourselves worthy, but living out the faith and promise. Paul includes the new birth in Romans 6 and being wed to Christ in chapter 7.

Consider Romans 5:2

access we have by "the faith" into this grace...

Many definite articles are left out in English, but clearly Paul wanted you to see that justification by faith meant fulfilling the faith, not just a generic personal faith.