What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, Romans 4:1-3
Today is the day our nation moves into a place that will be different moving forward. The absolute heartbreak and loss of Charlie Kirk will be remembered for many years to come as a turning point in the culture and civic discourse. It feels as though the country is split between those of faith, truth, morals, justice, and responsibility, and those who seek to destroy any perspective that does not meet their own. The Bible tells us about how bad it will get before Christ returns and even (right here in Romans 1) talks about the depravity that the Lord will turn people over to, who choose to reject Him. I pray for the return of our Savior and also pray that the Lord would use me to further His Kingdom until then.
Turning to today’s reading, I start chapter 4 of this wonderful book of the Bible. There isn’t a lot new here in the first few verse, but Paul does start to harken back to Abraham as support for what it means to embrace the gift of the gospel rather than feel like works alone can earn you a place in heaven. In Abraham’s example, it wasn’t Abraham’s works that moved God to place His Righteousness on Abraham, no, it was Abraham’s faith in God that moved the Lord in this way.
I love how Paul talks about the fact that the work that we do here on earth, when it is *not* birthed from faith, produces earnings right here on earth that do not translate into heavenly outcomes. So the boasting that one can do relative to the works they do here on earth, only benefit them here on earth. It is only when we place our trust, gratitude, and acknowledgment of God’s gift being the only reason we have a place in eternity, that our works based in that acknowledgment produce Heavenly fruit.
APPLICATION
Being obedient to God’s Word and understanding what He has done for me, is better than any sacrifice I can make. It is kind of the same thing as works being birthed by faith…sacrifice becomes pleasing to God when it is birthed from reliance, belief, and obedience to what God has called us to do. Don’t get me wrong; doing the secular work we do on earth is how God made us…Adam tended the garden. However, Adam tended the garden while he maintained a fellowship with God. My work is a mission field and my placement at work in this foreign land puts me in the garden God has chosen for me. My goal each day is to glorify and honor Him in all that I do, so that all that work is clothed in a heavenly state of mind, looking for every opportunity to increase the members of home my home country…Heaven.