But to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
All Commentaries on Romans 4:5 Go To Romans 4
Ambrosiaster
AD 400
This refers to somebody who is bound by sin and who therefore does not do what the law commands. Paul says this because to an ungodly person, that is, to a Gentile, who believes in Christ without doing the works of the law, his faith is reckoned for righteousness just as Abraham’s was. How then can the Jews think that they have been justified by the works of the law in the same way as Abraham, when they see that Abraham was not justified by the works of the law but by faith alone? Therefore there is no need of the law when the ungodly is justified before God by faith alone. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
