Albert Barnes Commentary Romans 4:14

"For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect:" — Romans 4:14 (ASV)

For if they which are of the law. These are those who seek justification and acceptance by the law.

Faith is made void. Faith would have no place in this plan; and consequently, the strong commendations bestowed on the faith of Abraham would be bestowed without any just cause. If people are justified by the law, they cannot be by faith, and faith would be useless in this work.

And the promise, and so on. A promise looks to the future. Its design and tendency is to arouse trust and confidence in the one who makes it. All the promises of God have this design and tendency; and consequently, since God has given many promises, their object is to call forth the lively and constant faith of people, all showing that, in the divine estimation, faith is of inestimable value.

But if people are justified by the law—if they are rendered acceptable by conformity to the institutions of Moses—then they cannot depend for acceptance on any promise made to Abraham, or his seed. They cut themselves off from that promise and stand independent of it. That promise, like all other promises, was made to arouse faith.

If, therefore, the Jews depended on the law for justification, they were cut off from all the promises made to Abraham; and if they could be justified by the law, the promise was useless. This is as true now as it was then. If people seek to be justified by their morality, or their forms of religion, they cannot depend on any promise of God; for he has made no promise to any such attempt.

They stand independently of any promise, covenant, or compact, and are depending on a plan of their own; a plan that would render his plan vain and useless, and that would render his promises, and the atonement of Christ, and the work of the Spirit of no value. It is clear, therefore, that such an attempt at salvation cannot be successful.