How does Paul use Abraham in Romans 4?
In Romans 4, Paul uses Abraham as the perfect example of justification by faith alone, plus nothing. Abraham was justified by doing nothing and meriting nothing, while living in idolatry without knowledge of God. The promise of heirship came not through the law but through the righteousness of faith, because law works wrath.
Les explains that Paul, by inspiration, goes back to Abraham as the perfect example of what it is to be justified—made totally righteous by faith, and faith alone, plus nothing. Abraham was living in abject idolatry and had no knowledge of the One True God; he merited nothing, yet God saw in him the potential to believe what He said. God reached down, spoke to him, and appeared to him in a physical form more than once. Paul then points to Romans 4:13, where the promise that Abraham should be heir of the world was not to Abraham or his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. If those of the law be heirs, faith is made void and the promise is made of none effect, because the law worketh wrath. Les stresses that the commandments can only bring the wrath of God, not heaven, and that grace is not license.