So a few days ago I finished my series on Isaiah 58, I was able to reflect on so many practical aspects of Christianity how how to have direction from God and how to treat those in need. But I think it was early last year that I interrupted a series on Romans for a series on the Psalms and I never got back to it. I just looked through my posts and I think I found the last one on Romans.
It was called "Faith Establishes the Law" and was based on Romans 3:27-31
I would like to resume it. Although it was very theological in nature and therefore may seem unsuitable for a devotion, I found that by having to engage my mind to understand the basic meaning of these passages, I was more easily able to apply this basic meaning to my life.
There were a couple of differences in the style I used in Romans compared to Isaiah. In Isaiah I used The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge Online Concordance to refer to an "exhaustive" (?) list of cross-references for each verse. In Romans I did a few verses at a time and focussed on nutting out the wording by using various translations and referring to the Greek if necessary. This is kind of necessary because the book of Romans is much longer than a single chapter of Isaiah. But I will still refer to other passages if I need them.
This is where we left off:
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: 30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. (Romans 3:27-31)
From earlier: "Does the fact that faith is the source of our law-keeping make the law itself useless? That is a ridiculous proposition; the law tells us right and wrong but does not empower us to do it. Knowing right and wrong is not enough; we must do right and reject wrong. Only by faith will we be able to keep the law; faith establishes the law in our souls. That does not change the law itself; but our way of striving to keep it."
We now continue.
What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:1-5)
What was the experience of Abraham, our ancestor? What were his actions like? After all, everyone would need to give credit to Abraham if his actions had all been right and just. But although some people might think Abraham was good enough for heaven, God knows better.
As the Bible says: And he (Abram) believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness. (Genesis 15:6) If Abraham did enough good things to get into heaven. If his good deeds outweighed his bad deeds or if he attainted to some benchmark of holiness for heaven. Then God would have owed him eternal life, it would not have been a gift. But Abraham did not deserve eternal life by what he did, the reason he was saved was that he had a trusting relationship with Jehovah, who offers mercy to the man who has been wicked.
This trusting relationship with Jehovah was the reason that God said "Abraham is righteous" not the mediocre deeds that Abraham actually did.
The same applies to you and me: even if, like the thief on the cross, I am not able to do (hardly) any good thing after my conversion, if I acknowledge my wickedness and throw myself on the mercy of Jesus he will save me. It took faith for the thief on the cross to ask salvation from a man being crucified next to him. It takes faith to trust Jesus for my salvation, there are so many different things that can lead me away from that belief.
But it is true, there is plenty of evidence for those who are willing to find it.
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