Readings for today: Acts 20:1-3, Romans 1-4
What is true faith? What does it mean to believe? Many point to the definition out of Hebrews 11:1,“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” That’s a good one for sure. In recent years, I’ve come to rely on one that comes from Romans 4:20-22, “No unbelief made Abraham 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.” That part in the italics is always what gets me. Am I fully convinced God is able to do what He’s promised in Jesus Christ? In other words, am I fully convinced the sacrifice of Christ is enough to save sinners like me? Am I fully convinced Jesus’ blood is enough to cover all my sins? Am I fully convinced there is nothing left for me to do? Nothing left for me to achieve? Nothing left for me to earn? Am I fully convinced it is by God’s grace alone that I am saved? Am I fully convinced of these things? What Christians historically have called the truths of the gospel?
Paul was convinced the gospel was literally the power of God. Powerful enough to save Jew and Gentile alike. Powerful enough to hold them together when everything in the world threatened to tear them apart. Powerful enough to bring the dead back to life. Powerful enough to bring light to dark places. Powerful enough to break the chains of sin that enslave us. Powerful enough to destroy the works of the devil. Like Abraham before him, Paul was fully convinced God was able to do what He had promised and this is why his faith is counted to him as righteousness. It wasn’t because Paul knew more Scripture than anyone else. It wasn’t because Paul planted more churches than anyone else. It wasn’t because Paul suffered more than anyone else. This isn’t what constituted the ground of Paul’s faith. No, Paul believed God. Paul trusted God. Paul never wavered when it came to God’s promises. He knew God would always deliver which is what made it easy for him to place his life in God’s hands.
What about you? Do you trust in the promises of God? Are you fully convinced God is able to do what He’s promised? Do you believe God will do what He says He will do? Provide like He says He will provide? Protect like He says He will protect? Redeem like He says He will redeem? Love like He says He will love? Bless like He says He will bless? Forgive like He says He will forgive? God makes so many promises throughout the Bible and He’s made good on every single one. God’s delivered on His promises over and over again throughout history. In fact, one might even argue the Bible is a written record of God’s faithfulness throughout the generations.
Readings for tomorrow: Romans 5-8