Romans 4

Posted on Jun 19, 2017 in Bible (NT) in a Year |

Monday

Read:  Romans 4
Abraham walked with God and God counted him as righteous. Why did God call him righteous? What did Abraham do that was so special?

Paul wants us to understand that salvation comes by faith in Christ. It is a gift. Salvation is not something we can earn or work at in hopes that it will be the pay off in the end. That is why, just because a person is a good person, it doesn’t mean that they will spend eternity with God in Heaven. That would be a works based belief. Paul clearly tells us that we cannot receive salvation by what we do, only by receiving what has been offered to us. He uses Abraham as an example of someone who accepted this gift and believed what God told him. Even though it took many, many years for Abraham to have the child he was promised.
 

If you want to read all of his story it is found in Genesis 12 – 24.  God had promised Abraham that his descendants would be a numerous as the stars. Genesis 17:1-2. (That’s a lot of descendants.) Abraham remained faithful to God and God blessed Abraham and Sarah in their old age (99 and 90) by having a son and as you follow his descendants you see that indeed they become so numerous as to be impossible to count them all. And it was from Abraham’s lineage that Jesus was born. Jesus, who would bless all people, everywhere, by offering himself as a sacrifice

Paul tells us that if we have faith like Abraham’s, if we believe what God tells us, we too will be counted among those who are blessed.

I love vs 17, “… The God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.” God creates something out of nothing. The idea that things evolved is simply not true. You cannot look at creation and believe that it just happened to all come together. We needed a Creator, who can make something out of nothing, everything that is in existence; what was, what is, what will be – all comes from God. God’s plan for us is known by God. Somehow that brings me great comfort.

I don’t have to figure it all out, I just need to know that God, whom I put my trust in, knows everything about me and what my future holds… and here’s the great part… He still loves me. He loves you!!

Grace and Peace

Pastor Kathy