The question is not academic: if the patriarchs—those foundational figures of our faith—were justified by anything other than faith alone, then the entire structure of justification collapses. Scripture is not ambiguous here. From the outset, God established a single, unbreakable principle: righteousness is imputed to those who believe, not to those who work. This is not a secondary issue; it is the very heart of the gospel, and to compromise it is to forfeit the ground of sonship and inheritance.
Justification by Faith Alone: The Scriptural Testimony
Paul does not invent a new doctrine in Romans and Galatians; he exposes the ancient, unchanging method by which God deals with sinners. The patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and all who came before and under the Law—were justified by faith apart from works. The text is explicit:
“For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3)
Here is the cause and effect: Abraham believed; God counted him righteous. No works entered into the equation. The moment faith was present, justification was complete. This is not a one-off exception but the pattern for all who would be heirs of the promise:
“Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” (Galatians 3:7)
Paul presses this further: God “imputeth righteousness without works” (Romans 4:6). The very definition of justification is God’s act of crediting righteousness to the ungodly who believe, not to those who labor under the Law or strive to establish their own merit.
The True Role of Works: Evidence, Not Cause
If you imagine that the patriarchs were justified by their deeds, you have inverted the gospel. Their works were not the means of their justification, but the evidence of it. Theological logic demands this distinction: works are a sign, not a cause. Abraham’s obedience, Isaac’s blessing, the actions of all the justified—these are the fruit of faith, not the root of righteousness.
- Works as evidence: The deeds of the patriarchs publicly acknowledged the justified status they already possessed by faith.
- Faith as the means: Only faith—never works—serves as the instrument by which God imputes righteousness.
To attempt justification by law-keeping is to reject the method God has established. It is not a neutral alternative; it is a dead end. Paul is unyielding: “If it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace” (Romans 11:6). The moment you introduce works as a means, you forfeit justification entirely.
What Is Lost If This Is Denied?
If you accept the error that the patriarchs—or anyone—could be justified by works, you have not merely misunderstood a detail; you have surrendered the gospel itself. You lose:
- The assurance of sonship: If justification depends on works, no one can stand before God with a cleansed conscience.
- The inheritance of promise: The covenant rests on faith, not performance. To shift the ground is to sever yourself from the promise.
- The finished work of Christ: If works justify, Christ died for nothing (Galatians 2:21).
This is not a peripheral debate. To confuse the means of justification is to place yourself under a curse, to return to bondage, and to make Christ of no effect.
The Unchanging Principle: Faith Apart from Works
The testimony of Scripture is relentless: God justifies the ungodly who do not work, but believe. The patriarchs stand as witnesses against every scheme of self-righteousness. Their lives declare that righteousness is always and only imputed on the basis of faith. Their works, far from earning favor, simply reveal the reality of a status already granted by grace.
This is the ground of our confidence, the anchor of our inheritance, and the only way to stand before God unashamed. To look anywhere else is to abandon the gospel. The patriarchs were justified by faith alone—so are we, or not at all.
