Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
4 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.
I am usually an unassuming person; I don't like to wear flashy clothes or drive a flashy car, and I want functional, unassuming, reliable vehicles. I know I am not alone in that because the best-selling vehicle in the United States for the past 45 years is not a sedan, a van, or an SUV. It's a pickup truck: The Ford F-150. About one million new trucks hit the road each year.
The truck has excellent fuel efficiency and incredible hauling capacity. The website says it is "a symbol of American tenacity, grit, and honest living," combining ruggedness with innovation. That seems like a formula for success, but Ford is not stopping there with their F-150 truck. The Ford F-150 is going electric, and Ford is making an electric version of their most famous selling vehicle.
Given the sales history of this truck, you might wonder why Ford would want to mess with success. You know the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Ford executives knew they would need to win over some serious skeptics with the electric version. "We wanted to make sure that we built a truck that would be accepted by truck owners today," said Linda Zhang to Fast Company magazine. She's the chief engineer for the new electric truck.
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it." That's what many folks were saying about good works back in the first century. Within the Jewish faith, there was a long tradition of people being "justified by works" (Romans 4:2) following the rules and almost getting to the point where they worshiped the rules more than worshiped God.
But then the apostle Paul came along and saw something that needed to be fixed.
Paul made an important discovery when he studied the story of Abraham in the book of Genesis. He realized that it was simply not true that Abraham was justified by his works. "What does the Scripture say?" "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness" (v. 3).
Yes, Abraham was made righteous by believing God, not by following the law. He was justified by his faith, not by his good works.
Justification by faith was a radical innovation like a pickup truck going electric. No one saw it coming, but then it revolutionized the industry. If we follow Paul, we must choose a new kind of vehicle: A Faith-150.
Paul is telling the people in the Roman church about faith, and the best example of faith is Abraham. Abraham did not earn God's favor but rather trusted in God. Abraham was around before all the rules were put in place. Abraham was circumcised before they had laws on being circumcised; Abraham tithed before the Bible said to bring tithes into the storehouse. Abraham believed God before the law and was made righteous by faith.
Now, we know that in our communities, family is everything. It is who we turn to in times of trouble and celebrate with in times of joy. And so it is in the family of faith. But who belongs to this family? Is it those who do good works or those who follow the law?
Paul tells us that it is not by works or by following the law that we are justified in the eyes of God. No, it is through faith. And who better to illustrate this than our ancestor, Abraham?
Abraham believed God before he could see what would happen. He believed in the promise of God, even when it seemed impossible. And it was this faith that made him righteous in the eyes of God.
After we jump into a Faith-150 and trust Christ to be our Savior, we make every effort to support God's work in the world. As Luther himself said, "Good works do not make a [person] good, but a good [person] does good works." Good works will naturally flow out of a person saved through their faith in Jesus, and having faith in Jesus does not allow anyone to sit back and refrain from doing good.
Think of the Ford Lightning truck. Yes, its electric engine makes it a truly innovative vehicle that can power a house during blackouts. But even though it is based on a world-changing idea, the Ford Lightning still has to carry tools, building supplies, mulch, and manure. It wouldn't be a pickup truck if it didn't tow heavy cargo up hills.
Same for a Christian whose "faith is credited as righteousness" (4:5). Yes, our faith in Jesus makes us right with God, but we are still challenged to show each other compassion, justice, and mercy. The heavy lifting of the Christian life involves feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, welcoming strangers, and visiting people in prison. If we didn't do these good works, we wouldn't be recognizable as followers of Christ.
We can put our faith in the promises of God, and we can trust that even when things seem impossible, God is still at work. We can have faith that God's promises are true and that we are a part of God's family of faith.
So let us not be deceived into thinking that our good works or adherence to the law make us right with God. Let us instead put our faith in the promise of God, just as our ancestor Abraham did. And let us rejoice in the knowledge that we are a part of the family of faith, not because of anything we have done, but because of our faith in God.
Everyone should, of course, feel free to choose the pickup truck brand that is best for them. But when following Jesus, you cannot beat a Faith-150.
No comments:
Post a Comment