There Are Only Two Ways to be Righteous before God.
Thinking about Romans 4:5.
But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, (Romans 4:5)
There are only two options for a person to stand as righteous before the Judge of all the earth.
You live a sinless life and therefore “earn” the verdict of “innocent” or “righteous.”
You believe on Him who justifies the sinner.
If you’ve never sinned, then you don’t need the grace of God (Romans 4:4) - because you deserve a verdict of “innocent.”
However, if you have sinned (Romans 3:23), then you only have one option to stand before God as righteous. Paul had already pointed out that not even Abraham was able to stand before God as righteous based on his own record.
We’ve already discussed that believing is more than just mental assent - “I believe in my mind that Jesus is the Christ.” This is certainly part of what Paul means by belief, but it’s not limited to that.
He’s already talked about Abraham’s “believing God” (Romans 4:3) - which is connected to Abraham’s obeying God.
When obedience to the moral law of God is divorced from the sacrifice of Christ it must be flawless and full obedience. The “worker” is viewed as giving that full and flawless obedience. The “worker” is therefore “owed” the “wages” of acquittal. The “non-worker” looks away from his unsuccessful attempt to render full and flawless obedience and makes an appeal to the full, flawless and finished work of Christ. - McGuiggan, Romans, 142
The one who has sinned can’t try to stand on his own record - for his own record pays the wages of death and condemnation (Romans 6:23). The only way for the sinner to stand righteous before God is by the only One who justifies.
These passages we’ve been studying in Romans 4 present a glorious and hope-filled gospel message.
This chapter contains the very “nutshell” of justification by faith. If a man needed to live an absolute sinless life, then wherein would be the hope? Paul has already proven that all men have sinned. There had to be a way for man to be justified other than flawless keeping of the law. Here is that way. - Wacaster, Studies in Romans, 158
Because of the death of Jesus Christ, God does not require sinless living on our part in order to hand down the verdict of “innocent.”
For sinners, these passages ought to cause us to break down and cry tears of joy. Because of Jesus Christ, you and I have hope. You and I can stand before the Judge of all the earth and hear the verdict of “righteous” - not because we lived a flawless, sinless life, but because Jesus did.