To the author, this is the most concise and complete statement of how God made salvation possible. Paul declared the teaching that God extended salvation through faith was not a new idea. It was as old as Abraham. God considered Abraham to be righteous because Abraham trusted God. No person can stand before God and declare himself or herself to be sinless.
Every person is guilty of being and doing evil.
The Christian stands pure before the holy God because he or she is continually forgiven. He or she is continually forgiven because he or she places his or her confidence in Christ. The Christian's peace does not come from his or her religious achievements. It comes from trusting his or her forgiveness. He or she trusts forgiveness by trusting Jesus Christ.