Romans 4: 14 - 16 March 15, 2014

Alfred Shropshire     

Romans 4: 14 - 16       

March 15, 2014

For if what God promises is to be given to those who obey the law, then man’s faith means nothing and God’s promise is worthless . . . And, so the promise is based on faith, that it may be by grace .  . not merely to those who rely on the Law, but to those who rely on a faith like that of Abraham, the father of us all.

The Jews thought of law keeping in terms of credit and debit; did your good deeds outweigh your bad?  There was a rabbinic saying: “Whoever fulfills only one law, good is appointed to him; his days are prolonged and he will inherit the land.”  In contrast, James says that breaking even one law (as everyone does) makes a person a lawbreaker and thus liable for judgment.

So, if God’s promises were only for those who never break any laws, they would not be applicable to Abraham or to us.  Man’s fate would already be sealed because of Adam’s sin, making perfection impossible.

Christians are not bound by rigid laws, by which they will one day be judged, as Judaism taught.  The fear of future punishment is not a deterrent to behavior.  Rather, it is the inner compulsion of love that motivates the Christian to right action. It is the “royal law” (You shall love your neighbor as yourself) that is the central principle by which Christians are to order their lives.

“Abraham believed and hoped, even when there was no reason for hoping” (Romans 4:18). “He was absolutely sure that God would be able to do what he had promised”  (v 22).  So, we are to have the faith of Abraham and have our lives grounded in God’s mercy and grace, most perfectly shown in Jesus Christ.

Prayer:  O God, the pressures of daily living often cloud our judgment and action.  May our faith in you be as unwavering as your love and grace for us, offered through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.