Doctrinal note: God credits righteousness, and faith is the instrument (Romans 4:3–8)

Implies In 4:3–8 λογίζομαι (lex.G3049) is God's forensic crediting of righteousness apart from works; the grounds from Gen 15:6 and 4:4–6 are set out in note.language.Rom.4.2-Rom.4.5.logizomai-misthos and are not repeated here.

Uncertain The force of εἰς δικαιοσύνην. This commentary follows the lean of note.language.Rom.4.2-Rom.4.5.logizomai-misthos, "as righteousness" (the LXX idiom; note.language.Rom.2.26.dikaiomata-logisthesetai); the alternative is "with a view to righteousness," faith leading to it. The Hebrew of Gen 15:6 and Paul's passive ἐλογίσθη are treated in note.language.Rom.4.3.gen-15-6.

Implies Faith is the instrument, not the ground, and is not itself the righteousness credited. In 4:4–5 believing is set against working as the way a gift is received, not offered as a substitute work; the righteousness is God's free gift through the redemption in Christ (3:24–26); it comes through the obedience of the one man (5:18–19); in Christ believers "become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor 5:21, BSB); and it is "from God," not "my own" (Phil 3:9).

Implies Read together with 3:24–26; 5:18–19; 2 Cor 5:21; and Phil 3:9, the righteousness credited in 4:3–8 is Christ's righteousness imputed to the believer. The case is set out in note.exegetical.Rom.1.17.imputation and is not repeated here; that note's question about Christ's active obedience is left as it stands there.

Other readings. Gundry argues that Paul speaks of faith itself reckoned as righteousness, not of Christ's righteousness imputed (src.gundry-nonimputation-2004). Wright also denies that Paul teaches the imputation of Christ's righteousness and reads the verdict as God's declaration that the believer belongs to his people (src.wright-nib-romans).