Our Faith Sets Us Back On Track
Abraham felt sure that God was able to do what he had promised.
So, “God accepted Abraham’s faith, and
that faith made him right with God."
(Romans 04: 21, 22)
I was personally challenged in my faith while I tried to understand what Paul was writing to the Romans on 'faith.' Paul delivers the assurance that we have of our life, the forgiveness of our sins and the grace of the Lord that leads us to a life of eternity. I was challenged on one side to see how faith restores our relationship with God and, on the other, to realise how faith reassures us the promises of God.
Paul writes in detail in Romans 04: 18 - 25 by showing the example of Abraham and his enduring faith in God. "There was no hope that Abraham would have children. But Abraham believed God and continued hoping, and so he became the father of many nations. As God told him, “Your descendants also will be too many to count.” Abraham was almost a hundred years old, much past the age for having children, and Sarah could not have children. Abraham thought about all this, but his faith in God did not become weak. He never doubted that God would keep his promise, and he never stopped believing. He grew stronger in his faith and gave praise to God. Abraham felt sure that God was able to do what he had promised. So, “God accepted Abraham’s faith, and that faith made him right with God.” Those words (“God accepted Abraham’s faith”) were written not only for Abraham but also for us. God will accept us also because we believe in the One who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. Jesus was given to die for our sins, and he was raised from the dead to make us right with God."
I was in admiration of the way how Paul had connected the assurances of the rewards of faith by describing the testimony of Abraham and the grace and love that followed to us through Jesus Christ. Abraham had all the negative situations around him. Beyond his faith, there was the reality of his age, surrounding and emptiness that was hitting him hard in everyday life. But through all these, his faith was not fading away; it grew day by day. It became stronger and stronger. There was no hope at all. But Abraham continued to believe. Two things kept Abraham going - he never doubted that God would keep his promise, and he never stopped believing. These were the two tracks on which the train of faith was moving. No doubts and no pauses in believing. Abraham, indeed, became the father of nations.
What startled me about this thought that Paul shared with the Romans is the firm and reassuring fact that “God accepted Abraham’s faith, and that faith made him right with God.” The two sides of faith! The two life-giving fruitful things that faith could do to us. When we have faith in God, our faith makes us acceptable in front of God's presence, and this faith also makes us right with God. And that is where our faith in Jesus Christ gains its importance. Paul writes "God will accept us also because we believe in the One who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead." We believe in the mighty Lord who raised Jesus from the dead. And God our Father, who is so loving and compassionate, looks at our faith and He accepts us into His presence. And once we are accepted into His presence He makes us right in front of Him. Free of the guilt of our sins. Washes away the scars of our misdoings. Cleanses us and restores our life in Him. And that is the promise that we carry with our faith today. Our faith pleases God that He accepts us, and our faith makes us right in Him.
Today, that is the good news this message from Paul brings to us. Faith brings us back into the presence of God. Our faith sets us back on track. Our faith restores new life in us, where we ourselves find it hard to believe that our sins are actually forgiven. Let our faith be pleasing to God. Let us come into His presence in faith. Let us confess in faith. And let us see the restoration of our lives in faith. And let our faith set us back on track. May the blessings of our God our Father, the grace of Christ Jesus and the guidance of the Holy Spirit be with us.
May God bless you.
Yours in Christ,
