Romans 4:13-17

 Scripture Verse

It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. ¹⁴ For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, ¹⁵ because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. ¹⁶ Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. ¹⁷ As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

Saved not by keeping the law but by faith

To the Jews of the first century, Abraham was the best example and proof that salvation comes by fulfilling God’s commandments and being obedient. The Jews as recipients of the Torah felt superior to the goyim who had no covenant relationship to the Lord God of Israel.

The apostle Paul now maintains that, quite to the contrary, while the Jews had a special role in God’s history with humanity, salvation did not come by keeping the law but by faith, by believing in and relying on God’s promises.

“Abra(ha)m believed in the Lord and He credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6) This was prior to Abram’s circumcision (which happened 14 years later) and to his readiness to sacrifice Isaac.

“The righteous will live by faith” Paul maintains in Galatians 3:11 (quoting Habakkuk 2:4).

Abra(ha)m had looked up to the heavens, the night-sky with its innumerable stars (God’s awesome ‘calling card’), and had put his faith in the God of Creation. Through many ups and downs and doubts, Abra(ha)m maintained his faith and is therefore the precursor and father of all the faithful (Hebrews 11:8-12).

Faith opened the way to God for both Jews and Non-Jews. No human being could keep all the commandments of the law or be perfectly obedient to God. On the contrary: the more numerous and more refined the rules, the more difficult it became to keep all of them. God’s law served as a measure to sensibilize and teach us that we need a savior, a way out prepared by God.

Practically, this means that we ‘Jesus followers’ are all in the same boat: No matter from which family (believers for generations or atheists), faith (new believer, well-grounded disciple, doubting ‘Thomas’s’, people from a very different religious background struggling to learn new ways) or denominational tradition you come – we are all saved through our faith in God’s grace. The essential quality to please God and enjoy His fullest benevolence and acceptance (Hebrews 11:6).

This frees us to be reassured, confident and relaxed about our salvation and to head out to do good deeds to others out of gratitude to God and of sympathy and compassion to our fellow man. God ‘has our back’, so to say.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, may we believe steadfastly in your great gift of salvation that you have prepared for us and may we, like Abraham, be a testimony to the people we encounter and bring glory to your holy name. Amen.