“When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.” (NLT)

I don’t know about you, but I have spent much of my lifetime trying to “achieve” things. Whether it was working hard in high school to get accepted to the US Military Academy at West Point, competing in multiple athletics during my time in college, graduating and getting the job I wanted in the Army, finishing my post-graduate engineering degree, getting out and going to work for the company I had always dreamed of working for (Disney), or many more actions over the last few decades, all of it was about pushing myself to reach the next level/accomplishment/goal.  

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It’s customary in our culture to define our worth by our achievements—grades, promotions, productivity. We’re conditioned to believe we must earn everything of value. But Paul, in Romans 4, upends this mindset when he explains how righteousness before God is not something we work for; it is something we receive by faith.

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Paul draws a sharp contrast: when a worker earns wages, it’s a transaction. But righteousness from God isn’t a paycheck—it’s a gift. We don’t earn it through good behavior or religious effort. Instead, God justifies “the ungodly”—not the deserving, but the believing. And here lies the scandal and beauty of the gospel: our faith is credited as righteousness.

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To be credited means something is added to your account, not because you put it there, but because someone else did. God, in His mercy, places Christ’s righteousness into our spiritual account the moment we trust in Him. Why does that matter? Because it means our standing with God is secure—not on the shaky ground of our performance, but on the unshakable grace of Christ.

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This credited righteousness liberates us from striving to prove ourselves. It reminds us that we are accepted, not because we are good, but because He is gracious. That reality doesn’t make us passive—it makes us grateful. And gratitude births obedience, not out of fear, but from love.

Counter my pursuit of goals and achievements with a decision I made back in 1980 to give my life to Christ at a youth retreat in Dahlonega, GA. This decision was a choice to accept the free gift being offered to me by the Author of Creation… a gift I could never earn on my own or afford with all the gold in Fort Knox. This reflection helps me keep my faith decision in perspective. Here are some questions I revisit to ensure I am not losing focus on what matters:

• What areas of my life tempt me to "earn" God’s favor instead of trusting in His grace?

• How does knowing that my righteousness is credited to me by faith change the way I see myself today?

• Who in my life needs to hear that God justifies the ungodly—not the already good, but those who believe?

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These are questions that really go counter to our culture but are of eternal significance. If this is you, I encourage you to consider making the leap through confession, repentance, and accepting God’s grace and forgiveness. If you have already made that step, then, like me, consider asking the Holy Spirit that resides in you as a believer to empower you toward growth in this area.

Dear God, Thank You that I don’t have to earn righteousness—that You freely give it through faith in Jesus. I confess the times I try to prove my worth to You or others. Help me rest in the truth that my standing before You is secure, not because of my works, but because of Your mercy. Teach me to live each day with the joy and freedom that comes from being justified by faith alone. May my life reflect the gratitude of someone who has been given more than they could ever deserve. In Jesus’ name, Amen.