Romans 4 reminds me of a phrase I have used too many times. “I’ll just do it myself!”. I tend to say that when someone is not doing work fast enough, or to my satisfaction. Usually, believing I can just do a better job. Today’s lesson is about knowing when a job is too big. As Pastor Sandy began reading the chapter, I was still trying to grasp the concept of grace. The apostle Paul seemed to change subjects to Abraham, the father of the Jewish faith. Paul begins, “If… Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about”. Pastor Sandy explained that “Justified” means God treats me “Just-As-If-I’d” never sinned. Paul was writing to an audience that knew Jewish Law and tradition. This group was proud of their heritage. As decedents of Abraham, they believed they were special. Paul explained why Abraham is so revered. Scripture is clear, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness”. I did not yet understand that God’s promise to Abraham was the foundation for my access to forgiveness. Then Paul spoke about something I understood, “wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation”. When I work, I expect to be paid for my efforts. But Paul flipped that around to say “the one who does not work but trusts God… their faith is credited as righteousness”. I was confused. Wasn’t the Law of Moses a list of Do’s and Don’ts? Paul was teaching these “rule-followers” that “God credits righteousness apart from works”. Pastor Sandy said that “all religions teach what we must do to reach up to God, except one. Christianity only requires us to believe what Christ has already done for us”.
Paul wrote that Abraham “received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised”. Pastor Sandy reminded everyone that this happened 400 years before Moses was given the Ten Commandments. And he added that much like baptism, circumcision is an outward expression of an internal change. Paul concluded, “It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise… but through the righteousness that comes by faith”. The pastor seemed to be talking to me when he said that we too receive the promise of salvation by faith. I had been trying to earn God’s love by my own efforts and failing repeatedly. God was patiently waiting for me to ask for His help, but I was too stubborn.
The chapter continues with a warning to those that trust in religiously follow rules and rituals. The apostle Paul says that if we could earn salvation by our own good works, then “faith means nothing and the promise is worthless”. Abraham set the pattern for all that would follow. Paul explains that “the promise comes by faith” so we “by grace… may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring”. Pastor Sandy said something that I knew to be true. “Every single person in your life will eventually let you down”, but with a smile, he added, “God alone is faithful”. I had it all wrong. By trying to earn God’s love on my own, I was rejecting what Christ had done. Paul added that the promise of salvation was extended to all “who have the faith of Abraham”. Paul said Abraham believed in “the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not”. He concludes, this promise is “for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead”. I began to understand. God saw that I was not able to live a sinless life on my own, so He did the job Himself. Jesus willingly paid the debt of my sin on the cross, to guarantee my access to forgiveness. “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification”. I was too proud to admit I needed help. Friend, do you need a guarantee? Forgiveness is available to you through Jesus Christ.