Ro 4:4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
If I work for you as my boss, the wages that I would receive from you every 15th and 30th day of the month cannot be viewed as your undeserved favor towards me. I earned them, I am entitled to them, they are rightfully mine.
Actually, wages are the regular payment of a debt incurred by the employer on a weekly or monthly basis depending on the agreement that was agreed upon with his employee. The non-payment of my wage is to put yourself in debt to me.
The principle of salvation or justification is not based on this scheme. It is not God being indebted and being under obligation to save the sinner.
Rather salvation or justification is by grace. It is given freely as an undeserved favor. You don't work for it, you don't earn it, you receive it freely by faith. Since it is by grace (by undeserved favor), only those who don't deserve it are eligible to it, namely the "ungodly"---bad news for people who are not sinners!
Salvation is by grace and not the payment of a debt. It is received freely by faith and not by trying to earn it by working for it. It is for sinners (ungodly people) not for good people.
