Righteousness is credited by faith alone: Romans 3:22, 26, 28, 4:3, 5, 6, 8

Embedded in the fallen human heart is the idea that we can do something to commend ourselves to God

Salvation doesn't come through religious

rituals or the Law, but through God crediting righteousness through faith alone

The blessing of salvation doesn't come through keeping religious rituals, but through God crediting righteousness to us through faith alone (4:9-12)

God credits righteousness to the ungodly sinner who believes in Jesus Christ

Abraham was circumcised 14 years after he believed God in Gen 15:6

The Jews must enter through the gate of Gentile faith apart from circumcision

Religious rituals serve as signs and seals of the reality that comes through faith in Christ

A sign is not the real thing, but it points to the reality

Circumcision, baptism, and the Lord's Supper are all signs

A seal authenticates or attests to the reality of something

Circumcision, baptism, and the Lord's Supper are all seals

Salvation doesn't come through keeping the Law, but through God crediting righteousness to us through faith alone (4:13-15)

If you seek to be justified by keeping the law, you make faith void and you nullify God's promises

If you mix human works with God's grace, then grace is no longer grace

If you seek to be justified by keeping the law, rather than gaining the blessing of salvation, you actually incur God's wrath

There are two and only two possible eternal futures for every person:

Either you are an heir of the world as a true descendant of Abraham (v. 13)

Or you are an heir of wrath as one who sought to be right with God by keeping the Law (v. 15)