Readings for today: 1 Chronicles 24:1-26:11, Romans 4:1-12, Psalms 13, Proverbs 19:15-16
“Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
This statement forms the backbone of Paul’s theology. It is how he made sense of what he saw happening among the Gentiles. Remember, Paul was a Jew. And not just any Jew, he was a Pharisee. And not just any Pharisee but a leader among them. Advanced in his knowledge. His zeal for the faith unmatched by his peers. Yes, Paul had met the Risen Christ and it had transformed him. He converted to the Christian faith. He realized all the promises of God had been fulfilled in Jesus. By raising Christ from the dead, Yahweh had ratified Jesus’ life and teachings. But Paul still wasn’t prepared for God’s Spirit to be poured out on the Gentiles. He wasn’t prepared for God to save the unclean. Impure. Uncircumcised heathen. But he could not deny what he saw happening before his eyes. So he dove back into the Scriptures. If God was indeed delivering those who were not circumcised, then what value did circumcision hold? Did this nullify the covenant of God? Was God somehow going back on His promises?
Not at all. “Abraham received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.” (Romans 4:11-12) The covenant was established with Abraham by faith not by circumcision. It was Abraham’s belief and trust that God would do what He had promised that made him righteous in God’s sight. The act of circumcision was simply a step of obedience that sealed the righteousness Abraham already had received by faith. The implications of this realization staggered Paul. It meant Abraham was not just the father of the Jewish people but the spiritual father of all who believed. Circumcised and uncircumcised alike! Jew and Gentile alike!
But what is true faith? Paul will define it a little later in chapter four, again using Abraham as his example. “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness." (Romans 4:20-22) True faith is not an intellectual assent to an idea. It is not a belief in an abstraction we call “god.” It is not intelligent design. It is not moral therapeutic deism. It is not sentimentalism. It is not what’s proposed by the “COEXIST” bumper sticker. True faith is trusting in the promise of God. Staking your life, your livelihood, and your future on the fundamental premise that God is able to do what He has promised. And what has God promised? He has promised if you lose your life like Jesus did, you will find it. If you give your life away like Jesus did, you will gain it. If you lay down your life like Jesus did, you will find God raising you back up again.
Following Jesus requires us to die to self. Die to our desires. Die to our wants. Die to our needs. Die to our hopes and dreams. Following Jesus requires us to trust God with our future. Trust God with our lives. Trust God to provide for us. Protect us. Guide us and direct us. Following Jesus requires us to live with eternity in mind. Store up our treasures for heaven. Live as citizens of God’s Kingdom among the kingdoms of this earth. Make no mistake, living for Christ will cost you in a world that is doing all it can to kill Him. Living for Christ will set you apart. It will make you a target for the religious and irreligious alike. You will be hated by both the prodigal and the Pharisee. You will find yourself cutting against the grain over and over again. Just like Abraham. Just like Paul. The key is to keep your eyes on Jesus. His grace is sufficient. His love is enough. He is with you always even to the end of the age.
Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 26:12-27:34, Romans 4:13-5:5, Psalms 14, Proverbs 19:17