These are some excerpts from Bro. Segrave’s paper on “The Role of Faith in Justification” which he presented to the Urshan Graduate School of Theology Symposium in May 2003.
The doctrine of justification found in the New Testament is rooted in Abraham's experience, who “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (
Romans 4:3). New Testament believers are said to stand in solidarity with Abraham - the father of all who believe - in justification.
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised (
Romans 4:11-12).
The event in view in
Romans 4:3 is recorded in
Genesis 15:5-6:
Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”
Abraham's only response to God's promise at this point was that “he believed in the LORD.” The verb !ma, translated “believed,” indicates that Abraham trusted God to keep His promise. It is significant for the doctrine of justification that no other response was expected or possible at this point. Although the genuineness of Abraham's faith was later demonstrated in a tangible way as he offered Isaac, it serves Paul's purpose to focus on the fact that Abraham was justified apart from and prior to works. Even circumcision, although it was a command of God, was a “sign,” “a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised” (
Romans 4:11).
Paul's point is that the only requirement for justification is genuine faith. Although faith results in obedience to God's commands, justification occurs at the point of faith.
Paul offers a second example of justification by faith. The example of David fits the model of Abraham.
But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin” (
Romans 4:5-8).
It may be that Paul offers Abraham as an example of justification by faith in the era before the Law of Moses, and that he offers David to affirm that the requirement for justification did not change with the giving of the Law.
This is not merely mental assent, as demonstrated later in Abraham's life. Biblical faith is transformative; the actions of those who believe will make their faith evident. But this must not be taken to mean that the only faith that is valid is faith demonstrated. The fact that genuine faith will be demonstrated does not mean that it is not valid until its demonstration. At the moment God said to Abraham, “So shall your descendants be,” there was nothing Abraham could do to demonstrate his faith. All he could do was to believe God, to trust that it would be as He promised. Since this is the foundational event for the theology of justification, we must not read more into it than is there. We must not insist that Abraham's faith was not genuine because it had not yet been demonstrated. Paul insists on precisely the opposite point.
In summary,
Genesis 15:6 indicates that because Abraham trusted in the LORD, God imputed or reckoned righteousness to Him. Because Abraham trusted God, he had a relationship with God.
There is nothing here to indicate that Abraham's faith was anything other than as described in
Genesis 15:6. He trusted that God would keep His promise; there was nothing else Abraham could do at this point. The validity of Abraham's faith was not questioned because there was no active demonstration of that faith. And Abraham's justification did not await an opportunity for him to show the genuineness of his faith by obedience. Although genuine faith in God will result in obedience to God, the faith is genuine before obedience. This is precisely Paul's point. Since the faith is genuine, whatever benefit accrues to faith is enjoyed from the moment of faith. In Abraham's case - and in the case of all who share Abraham's faith - that benefit is justification.
Thus the continuity of Paul's theology of justification is maintained in
Romans 3-5. No flesh will be justified by the deeds of the Law (
Romans 3:20). Believers are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (
Romans 3:24). God is “the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (
Romans 3:26). People are “justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” (
Romans 3:28). There is “one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith” (
Romans 3:30). Abraham was not justified by works (
Romans 4:2). Instead, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (
Romans 4:3 [see also verses 9, 22]). “Faith is accounted for righteousness” to him “who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly” (
Romans 4:5). David described “the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works” (
Romans 4:6). Abraham is “the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also” (
Romans 4:11). It was not written for Abraham's sake alone that righteousness “was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” (
Romans 4:23-24).
Rather than attempting to move justification from faith to the experience of baptism with the Holy Spirit, it seems best to leave it where it is located in its Old Testament context, a context endorsed by Paul in
Romans 3-5 and elsewhere. To make such a significant move would require clear, indisputable evidence from the New Testament. Since this kind of evidence is not readily apparent, we should be aware of the theological problems that would arise if justification were relocated.
... if justification does not occur until baptism with the Holy Spirit, where is the solidarity between Abraham and believers in the New Testament era? Was Abraham's justification somehow different than justification today? If so, how can Abraham be viewed as “the father of all those who believe” in the specific context of justification?
My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. 
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