John Calvin Commentary Romans 4:3

"For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness." — Romans 4:3 (ASV)

For what saith the Scripture? This is a proof of the minor proposition, or of what he assumed, when he denied that Abraham had any ground for glorying. For if Abraham was justified because he embraced, by faith, the bountiful mercy of God, it follows that he had nothing to glory in; for he brought nothing of his own, except a confession of his misery, which is a solicitation for mercy. He, indeed, takes it as granted that the righteousness of faith is the refuge, and, as it were, the asylum of the sinner who is destitute of works. For if there is any righteousness by the law or by works, it must be in men themselves; but by faith they derive from another what is lacking in themselves; and hence the righteousness of faith is rightly called imputative.

The passage quoted is taken from Genesis 15:6, in which the word believe is not to be confined to any particular expression, but refers to the whole covenant of salvation and the grace of adoption, which Abraham apprehended by faith. Indeed, the promise of a future seed is mentioned there, but it was grounded on gratuitous adoption. And it should be observed that salvation without the grace of God is not promised, nor God’s grace without salvation; and again, that we are not called to the grace of God nor to the hope of salvation without having righteousness offered to us.

Taking this view, we must see that those do not understand the principles of theology who think that this testimony recorded by Moses is diverted from its obvious meaning by Paul. For since a particular promise is stated there, they understand that he acted rightly and faithfully in believing it, and was to that extent approved by God.

But they are mistaken in this; first, because they have not considered that believing extends to the whole context and should not be confined to one clause. But the principal mistake is that they do not begin with the testimony of God’s favor. But God gave this, to make Abraham more assured of his adoption and paternal favor, and included in this was eternal salvation by Christ.

Hence Abraham, by believing, embraced nothing but the favor offered to him, being persuaded that it would not be void. Since this was imputed to him for righteousness, it follows that he was not just in any other way than as one trusting in God’s goodness and venturing to hope for all things from him. Moses does not, indeed, tell us what men thought of him, but how he was accounted before the tribunal of God.

Abraham then laid hold on the benignity of God offered to him in the promise, through which he understood that righteousness was communicated to him. It is necessary, in order to form an opinion of righteousness, to understand this relation between the promise and faith. For there is in this respect the same connection between God and us as there is, according to the lawyers, between the giver and the person to whom anything is given (datorem et donatarium — the donor and the donee): for we can attain righteousness in no other way than as it is brought to us, as it were, by the promise of the gospel; and we realize its possession by faith.

As for how to reconcile what James says, which seems somewhat contrary to this view, I have already explained this and intend to explain it more fully when I come, if the Lord permits, to expound that Epistle.

Only let us remember this: that those to whom righteousness is imputed are justified, since these two things are mentioned by Paul as being the same. We hence conclude that the question is not what men are in themselves, but how God regards them; not that purity of conscience and integrity of life are to be separated from the gratuitous favor of God, but that when the reason is asked why God loves us and acknowledges us as just, it is necessary that Christ should come forward as the one who clothes us with his own righteousness.