Before we complete Romans 4, I thought it might be
beneficial to simply look at Abraham.
Who is this man? What
similarities are there between us and him?
In the Old Testament, we are told nothing of Abraham's former life - only that God called him. We are not told whether he was a highly moral man or not so moral. We know nothing about the condition of his life, except that he was of age where he married. For in the previous verses in Genesis 12 it says that he and his brother, Nahor took wives. God's recurring theme about Abraham is that "he believed God."
God opens the curtains of the stage of his life with: "Now the Lord said to Abram, Go away from your relatives and your father's house to a land I will show you. And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and you will be a blessing." Genesis 12:1,2
In I Corinthians 1:26, Paul the Apostle made a startling statement to the brethren that their calling by God was not because they were noble in their flesh. He said that many, who are noble in the flesh, are not called. "Calling," in the Greek means "Divine invitation to embrace the salvation of God ." Also it means, "invited to a feast." So one of the problems in this day and age is that man compares his personal nobility as to whether or not he needs Jesus Christ.
They are not "hearing," God's invitation. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God."
It is definitely a good thing not to have known the depths of sin. Yet the stubbornness of man lies with his heart to listen to God and respond to Him. Many times, as we know, the one who knows how bad his life is, will sometimes respond more quickly to the God of salvation, than the one who thinks they are doing just fine on their own.
So in the life of Abraham, God makes the point in Romans 4, in Galatians, and even as we read about his life that he responded to God when He called. Therefore we know nothing about his flesh - except the part where he could not bear a son on his own, only by God's promise a/k/a "miracle."
God calls everyone to repent and believe the Gospel. This is the glorious offer He is making in this dispensation - GRACE. This is our "Clarion Call." We are to herald God's good news to receive the Savior as God's means for being right with God. We all know the reason though - it is because ALL have sinned and are dead in their own trespasses and sins. When that gets through to the "thick skull," then anyone could be ready to receive God's provision - Jesus Christ.
Another thing about Abraham is that God initiated the call, His will, His choosing, the covenant he made with Him, the plan, the purpose, the whole thing. Abraham did not. He only responded to whatever God was saying and doing. Big lesson for today: "Cease striving and KNOW that I AM God."
In those chapters of Genesis we get to see the relationship Abraham was having with God Himself. All of this, as we know, is a beautiful "type" of Jesus Christ, God's Son, as the promise of God to us - just as God made a promise of a son to Abraham.
In Romans 4, the smashing point of this chapter to me, is that it is about Abraham believing God. God told him he would have a son (as part of the plan). Abraham did not agree with human reasoning - he was about 100 years old. He looked at his body and knew it was "dead as a door nail," and in natural hope, there was NO hope.
Yet instead he hoped in faith, looking at the promise of God - looking exactly at what God says and means.
When God says He has made us right through Christ's work of Calvary - through His cross, through His blood, it is true. We were not there 2,000 years ago. We did not see Jesus being crucified. We believe God's Word - the Word penned through His apostles who did see Him. Part of the fruit of "believing," is joy, life, and peace. (Romans 15:13)
Yet true faith is honestly submitting to God's Word, Way, and Himself. No exceptions. I know people would not like that statement but you all, this is the way to know the Lord and have real fruit in our lives. No one could EVER regret, ever following Jesus His way.
There are so many other things about "believing God," which will be advanced in this book. But right now, Paul is making the point of the "starting gate" which is being right with God. We call this justification. This will be His opening statement in Romans 5.
It was indeed, the sins of the whole world that Jesus Christ bore in His body. Our misdeeds, sin and corruption that we see in this generation was upon Him approximately 2,000 years ago. We were not physically born of course at that time, but in God's economy, our sins, my sins, your sins, were placed on Him.
This makes our salvation so personal as we realize WHO is taking away our guilt, our shame, our sins through His blood. And so faith becomes a precious treasure in our heart as we take faith seriously before God. We honestly get to have a genuine, personal living faith and relationship with our Lord.
We are the true sons and daughters of Abraham: "Know and understand that it is the people who live by faith who are the true sons of Abraham." Galatians 3:6 May God's Holy Spirit fill us with Light.
Selah,
In the Old Testament, we are told nothing of Abraham's former life - only that God called him. We are not told whether he was a highly moral man or not so moral. We know nothing about the condition of his life, except that he was of age where he married. For in the previous verses in Genesis 12 it says that he and his brother, Nahor took wives. God's recurring theme about Abraham is that "he believed God."
God opens the curtains of the stage of his life with: "Now the Lord said to Abram, Go away from your relatives and your father's house to a land I will show you. And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and you will be a blessing." Genesis 12:1,2
In I Corinthians 1:26, Paul the Apostle made a startling statement to the brethren that their calling by God was not because they were noble in their flesh. He said that many, who are noble in the flesh, are not called. "Calling," in the Greek means "Divine invitation to embrace the salvation of God ." Also it means, "invited to a feast." So one of the problems in this day and age is that man compares his personal nobility as to whether or not he needs Jesus Christ.
They are not "hearing," God's invitation. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God."
It is definitely a good thing not to have known the depths of sin. Yet the stubbornness of man lies with his heart to listen to God and respond to Him. Many times, as we know, the one who knows how bad his life is, will sometimes respond more quickly to the God of salvation, than the one who thinks they are doing just fine on their own.
So in the life of Abraham, God makes the point in Romans 4, in Galatians, and even as we read about his life that he responded to God when He called. Therefore we know nothing about his flesh - except the part where he could not bear a son on his own, only by God's promise a/k/a "miracle."
God calls everyone to repent and believe the Gospel. This is the glorious offer He is making in this dispensation - GRACE. This is our "Clarion Call." We are to herald God's good news to receive the Savior as God's means for being right with God. We all know the reason though - it is because ALL have sinned and are dead in their own trespasses and sins. When that gets through to the "thick skull," then anyone could be ready to receive God's provision - Jesus Christ.
Another thing about Abraham is that God initiated the call, His will, His choosing, the covenant he made with Him, the plan, the purpose, the whole thing. Abraham did not. He only responded to whatever God was saying and doing. Big lesson for today: "Cease striving and KNOW that I AM God."
In those chapters of Genesis we get to see the relationship Abraham was having with God Himself. All of this, as we know, is a beautiful "type" of Jesus Christ, God's Son, as the promise of God to us - just as God made a promise of a son to Abraham.
In Romans 4, the smashing point of this chapter to me, is that it is about Abraham believing God. God told him he would have a son (as part of the plan). Abraham did not agree with human reasoning - he was about 100 years old. He looked at his body and knew it was "dead as a door nail," and in natural hope, there was NO hope.
Yet instead he hoped in faith, looking at the promise of God - looking exactly at what God says and means.
When God says He has made us right through Christ's work of Calvary - through His cross, through His blood, it is true. We were not there 2,000 years ago. We did not see Jesus being crucified. We believe God's Word - the Word penned through His apostles who did see Him. Part of the fruit of "believing," is joy, life, and peace. (Romans 15:13)
Yet true faith is honestly submitting to God's Word, Way, and Himself. No exceptions. I know people would not like that statement but you all, this is the way to know the Lord and have real fruit in our lives. No one could EVER regret, ever following Jesus His way.
There are so many other things about "believing God," which will be advanced in this book. But right now, Paul is making the point of the "starting gate" which is being right with God. We call this justification. This will be His opening statement in Romans 5.
It was indeed, the sins of the whole world that Jesus Christ bore in His body. Our misdeeds, sin and corruption that we see in this generation was upon Him approximately 2,000 years ago. We were not physically born of course at that time, but in God's economy, our sins, my sins, your sins, were placed on Him.
This makes our salvation so personal as we realize WHO is taking away our guilt, our shame, our sins through His blood. And so faith becomes a precious treasure in our heart as we take faith seriously before God. We honestly get to have a genuine, personal living faith and relationship with our Lord.
We are the true sons and daughters of Abraham: "Know and understand that it is the people who live by faith who are the true sons of Abraham." Galatians 3:6 May God's Holy Spirit fill us with Light.
Selah,
Sue Gaither
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