Romans 4:4-5

Romans 4:4-5

[4] Now  to him that worketh  the reward  not  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  debt.  [5] But  to him that worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him that justifieth  the ungodly,  his  faith  is counted  for  righteousness. 

What does Romans 4:4-5 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Romans 4:4-5 contrast faith and works. Work yields wages that the person working deserves. Faith receives a gift ( Romans 4:4; lit. grace, Gr. charin) that the person believing does not deserve. Incredibly, God justifies those who not only fail to deserve justification but deserve condemnation because they are "ungodly" (NASB) or "wicked" (NIV Romans 4:5; cf. Romans 3:24). This is how far God"s grace goes (cf. Deuteronomy 25:1)!
"Here in a nutshell is the Pauline doctrine of justification by faith." [1]
In our day there are many subtle as well as obvious perversions of the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Advocates of lordship salvation effectively add works to faith when they make commitment to Jesus Christ necessary for salvation. One astute writer has observed that this "front loading" of the gospel with works is "paving the road back to Rome." [2] Some lordship salvation advocates believe that an unbeliever only has to be willing to submit to Christ"s lordship. However this is only changing the human work from submitting to being willing to submit. One lordship salvation advocate wrote that to exclude submission to Christ"s lordship from the gospel message amounts to antinomianism. [3] Later he defined antinomianism as follows.
"antinomianism: the idea that behavior is unrelated to faith, or that Christians are not bound by any moral law. Antinomianism radically separates justification and sanctification, making practical holiness elective." [4]
Clearly this is not the position of most Christians who believe that faith alone is what God requires instead of faith plus commitment. [5]
Another subtle modern form of works salvation often accompanies an incorrect interpretation of the biblical doctrine of perseverance. This view says that if a professing Christian does not continue in the faith and in holiness all his or her life, allowing for occasional lapses, he or she was not a true believer. This view "back loads" the gospel with works. Faithfulness to the Lord thus becomes a condition for salvation. This incorrect interpretation of perseverance often goes hand in hand with lordship salvation.
Some who hold these views try to get away from their connection with works by saying that it is God who produces submission and or sanctification in the believer, not the believer himself. [6] Nonetheless it is the professing Christian whom God holds responsible for his or her choices, not Himself.
"Indeed, every command to the believer implies the necessity of his involvement as part of the process [5]3." [8]
Another answer that some who hold these views give is that what the Bible affirms is that man cannot merit eternal life. [9] This is not the same, they say, as doing something necessary to obtain it, such as submitting or remaining faithful. Yet the Bible uses the word "works," not just merit ( Romans 4:2; Romans 4:4-5; Ephesians 2:8-9). [10]