Romans 4:13-25 – Humanity is restored to God by
faith. The promise to Abraham came by faith and not by the Law. In chapter 3
Paul stated the cardinal doctrine of justification by grace through faith. In
chapter 4 he uses Abraham as an example of one who was righteous by faith and
not by the law. If we can be righteous by keeping the law, faith is
unnecessary. Since it is impossible to perfectly keep the law, - our salvation
rests upon grace alone. The expression of grace is God’s promise; and faith
believes in, and accepts, the promise. All, Jew and Gentile, with the faith of
Abraham are made righteous.
God the Father longs for
his rebellious people to return. God the
Son calls sinners to repentance. Suppose sinners respond? How can he get right
with God? They are accepted on the basis of faith in God’s promises, not the
basis of their morality. The promise like the one made to Abraham, may seem
humanly impossible, but faith believes that God can do anything. The impossible
promised is that God will forgive, accept the sinner no matter how bad a sinner
he is. Can God transform a life from evil to good? Faith that God can is
credited to man as righteousness and on that basis he is restored to God’s
fellowship. This faith is based on Christ whose death and Resurrection made
access to God possible.[2]
[1] God so loved the world © Ed Rojas, Higher Things
[2] Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series A, John Brokhoff © 1980 CSS Publishing, Lima, OH
[3] A prayer for Spiritual Renewal, Lutheran Service Book, © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
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