At the very very end of Chapter 3 Paul makes a powerful statement that we shouldn’t overlook. I myself have probably been confused at times over the place the “law of Moses” plays in the Kingdom and Gospel of Jesus. BUT, Paul states that the law is NOT nullified by faith, “Rather, we uphold the law.” (Ch. 3 vs. 31)
At the beginning of Chapter 4 Paul shows us how Abraham was justified BY faith PRIOR to the law, NOT by works. Basically you can’t call God’s salvation a gift if you have to work for it, no if you have to work for it’s called wages.
Now in the previous Chapter we looked at what this free gift really means. Salvation is given to all not everyone accepts to receive it. I love what Paul quotes David as saying, “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed are those whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”(vs 7-8)
How we want to be the one’s who are called blessed, as in “good job, Sam. I’m proud of you” but in this case I wonder if all (meaning the entire human race) should be considered blessed because our sins have been washed away!!!
Paul says in the next verse that this is for everyone and there is no limitation to who it is offered to but it is only “credited” through faith.
I love the wording in verse 12 talking about Abraham who was clearly the “father” of the Jew, the circumcised, but also the “father” of those who “follow in the footsteps of faith.” What a poetic phrase “the footsteps of faith.” Lord, help me follow those footprints.
“It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he wold be the heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.” (vs. 13) Abraham preceded the law by many years so it would have been impossible for Abraham to become righteous by following it so therefore the only way Abraham could have become righteous and for that matter anyone is through faith.
Paul makes an even stronger point that “For those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, because the law brings wrath.” Wow, did you catch that. Paul says those who don’t approach God through faith, miss the promise. NOT GOOD!
Here’s the thing and it seems Paul make this point. If the promise could be attained by what we did then it wouldn’t be fair because it wouldn’t be possible for everyone to receive it, but in God’s perfect plan the promise comes “by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all…”
Paul then gives a great example of what faith looked like in Abraham’s life. I would venture to say that a good working definition of faith would be found in verse 21 “being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” If only we could live our lives in this fully persuaded way that would be a life lived in faith. Ultimately this is what it takes to have righteousness credited to us. We must believe in God’s plan that “He (Jesus) was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” (vs. 24)
This being true what is the only logical response?
