JC Blog

No matter what the circumstances around you, when you have a promise from God from his written word, then that promise is as strong and faithful as the guarantor of that promise. Abraham knew this and that is why his faith was credited to him as righteousness. Abraham believed God, even though, what he was believing for had not yet come to pass.

The amazing thing from this passage of scripture is that Paul reminds us that this was written. Psalms 138:2 says, "...thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." (KVJ) So the written word of God carries much weight. We know that everything in heaven, on earth and under the earth will one day bow down and confess that Jesus is Lord. He is given the name above every name. ( Philippians 2:9-11 ). However, the Psalms said that God himself magnifies his word above his name. Why? Because His name rests on his word.

You have heard it say that a man is only as good as his word. Meaning that unless one does what they say the will do, they cannot be trusted. God holds himself to the same standard. In other words, if a promise has been spoken by him and has been recorded in his word, then that promise is as good as the name he bears and you can consider the promise fulfilled. The name to which one day, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord.

Abraham believed God when he told him that he would be the father of many nations. No matter what the circumstances, he clung to that promise. It didn't matter that he was nearly one hundred years old. It didn't matter that Sarah was over ninety years old. No, didn't matter that she was barren. The scriptures tell us two things regarding this promise. First, God told Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. Secondly the scriptures tell us that Abraham believed God.

In fact, Abraham believe God before he believed his circumstances. He knew that when God spoke and promised something that he would deliver it. He reasoned that God would do what he promised even when, in the physical it seemed impossible. And Abraham saw the fulfillment of part of that promise through Isaac and had glimpses of the rest of the fulfillment through Jesus. His faith was the catalyst to bring the promise to realization.

The second half of this verse is so powerful. '...God gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.' ( Romans 4:17 ) We see this example in creation. Nothing existed before hand, but God spoke and believed that what he had spoke would come to pass. As he spoke, things that did not exist, came into existence. He called things that were not as though they were, and suddenly the were.

Abraham believed God in such a way. Even though in the present physical condition, there was no heir to the promise, he believed God. He knew that God was able to call things into existence. All of this steams out of a personal relationship with Him and knowing him. It also comes from knowing his word and the promises within. When we know God in an intimate way, then we know who he is and what he will do. The more we know about him, the more we look to him and forward to the outcome rather than the circumstances.

This is so important for us today, because no matter what the circumstances are, no matter what the doctor has said, no matter what we feel, we need to rest of what God has said about it. He is the one who 'gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.' ( Romans 4:17 ) When we believe him in such a way, then, like Abraham we operate in unwavering faith. Also like Abraham, we see the promises of God that are done and complete, called to manifest into the physical realm where we can interact with them.

Today, I praise God, that He is the one who gives life to the dead and changes circumstances. I praise God that the more we know him, the more we are able to operate in the faith that Abraham had. Because of this, 'He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believe' ( Romans 4:17 ) His faith has blessed us and will continue to do so for the many generations to come. Amen!

Do you see that it is an either or? Either you rely on what you can do to be saved or you rely on what Jesus did to be saved. It cannot be a combination of both. Paul says the same thing later on in the book of Romans, "And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace." ( Romans 11:6 ). If works could provide salvation for us, then it would make grace meaningless.

Paul is comparing our self-righteousness with true righteousness. If we could be saved by works, then God would have to provide salvation to us as payment for the work done. However, this is an utterly ridiculous argument, because we know that according to Isaiah 64:6, our righteousness apart from Christ is as filthy rags. Not our sin, but our righteousness, those things which we do to obtain right standing with God. So if our righteousness is polluted then according to Romans 6:23, the only wages we would earn is death.

Thankfully Paul does not stop there. He gives us further insight into grace. "However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." ( Romans 4:5 ). Paul has been combating the idea that one could be saved by adherence to the law. The Law is not what makes us righteous in the sight of God, our faith is.

Notice in this verse, Paul declares that God justifies the wicked. This was a radical statement to the Jew of this day and also to many who would call themselves Christians today. The ungodly is the only type of person God justifies because that is the only type of person there is to justify. Our wages would earn us death, but the gift of God is what brings about eternal life. ( Romans 6:23 )

If we could work to obtain salvation, then this gift of grace would be meaningless . However grace is not worthless, but precious and priceless. Today, all it takes is the faith like our father Abraham in claiming the promises of God. By doing so, we enter into a standing that is acceptable and pleasing to Him in every way.