Good News to Believe
Romans 3:27?4:25
As college students begin their semesters, they know they must work hard to earn that valuable college degree. Americans have long valued hard work and prized accomplishments gained through personal effort. Too often, though, many approach their relationship with God with that same works-based mentality. They strive to be good enough to win God’s approval or seek to do all the right things in order for God to accept them. God does want us to live well, but as Paul points out, an eternal relationship with God is not based on our goodness but on God’s grace gift in Jesus.
It’s through faith: In Romans 3:27-31, Paul made it clear that God saves people on the basis of their faith in God’s gift, not on the basis of their works. In fact, faith is the direct opposite of works. Through faith, we place our trust and hope for salvation in God’s work in Christ. If we seek to earn salvation through our good deeds, the emphasis is placed on what we can do, not on what God does for us.
In these verses, Paul mentioned the word “faith” five times. He made it clear that God justifies everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, by the same means – faith. In whom we believe is more important than what we do.
It’s a gift: Gifts are not earned. There is no compulsion or obligation in gift-giving. Gifts flow freely and generously from the heart of the giver. At the beginning of chapter four, Paul referenced the forefather of faith, Abraham, to show that God’s promise to him was a gift received through faith, not something he earned by good works.
Referring to Genesis 15:6, Paul reflected that God freely gave His righteousness to Abraham. Abraham’s faith and his “boasting” (4:2) were in God, not in his own abilities or accomplishments.
It’s by grace: “Amazing Grace” is the most widely-known hymn of our faith, and well it should be. God’s covenant with Abraham was based on His grace, just as the promise of our salvation through Christ is based on His grace (Ephesians 2:8).
Paul pointed out that Abraham’s faith in God came before all of his works, including his circumcision. As such, Abraham is not just the father of the circumcised (the Jews), but he is the father of all who place their faith and trust in God to save.
It’s assured: Can you imagine how challenging it must have been for Abraham to completely believe in God’s promise as he and Sarah got older without an heir to fulfill the promise? But he “was fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised” (4:21). He was assured of God’s sufficiency. We need that same type of faith – faith rooted in reliance upon God, not in human achievement or understanding.
Owens– Lessons in the ETB series for the fall quarter are being written by Ken Owens, director of the collegiate ministry group for the South Carolina Baptist Convention.