Bible Reading: Romans 4 NLT
Our life hinges on the inherent trust. We trust our family, friends, and relatives. We trust the social system. We even unknowingly trust the pilot when we board the flight, even though we do not know much about them. We believe the pilot will take us to the destination safely. If we doubt everything and everyone around us, then our relationship with fellow friends and family members will rapture. Our doubts will lead to loneliness and isolation.
Our relationship with God does not differ from the relationship we have with our friends and family. It is driven by faith. God wants us to put our trust in the sacrifice He made through His son, Jesus. God’s promise and gifts are completely free and tied to our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God sacrificed His own son Jesus to forgive our past mistakes and make us righteous.
The forgiveness of God is a gift.
We can not earn God’s forgiveness in any way. We have to receive it in faith from God. He is the God righteous.
The Bible says, “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.” – Isaiah 64:6 ESV. King David said, Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. – Psalm 51:5 ESV
We were all born in sin and unqualified. But God chose to make us righteous before His eyes. He wanted to take away the polluted garment and cover us with His holy righteousness. All we need to do to receive righteousness is faith. God forgave all the past mistakes of Abraham because he trusted in God. He was made righteous not by his deeds but by faith.
Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith. v3 NLT
Forgiveness of God cannot be earned:
The book of Romans repeatedly highlights that forgiveness of God can not be earned by doing good deeds. It can be only received as a gift from God by believing what Christ has done for us. No amount of charity or good work can cover the mistakes we have made in our lives. We are forgiven only through the precious sacrifice Jesus offered by laying down His own life.
People are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. v5 NLT
Abraham Received Righteousness through faith:
Though Abraham was much older and beyond the child-bearing age, he and His wife Sarah trusted in God’s promise. God said, “I have made you the father of many nations.” Abraham in his lifetime did not see this promise getting fulfilled. He did not even have a single child when God gave this promise. He did not give up. But He still trusted in God when He did not even have one child and His wife was barren.
Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping-believing that he would become the father of many nations.
Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead-and so was Sarah’s womb. v 18, 19 NLT
Abraham came from the Babylonian region of Ur. He trusted in God and left His relatives, old family practices, and culture, which are detestable to God. God forgave Abraham’s past life and made Him righteous based on his trust in God.
Jesus wants to forgive all your past. Ready to Receive it?
Paul made several arguments to authenticate that no one can receive God’s forgiveness by following the traditions and laws of its letters. We can be made right with God’s only trusted relationship with Jesus Christ.
God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die. V24,25
Dear friend, Are you buried in so many traditions of religion? Trying hard to earn your forgiveness through many deeds. Jesus wants to speak to you today. He wants to wash you with His precious blood and make you righteous right now. You do not have to travel anywhere. It is a gift from God. You can receive it in faith right now. God is expecting a true trust-based relationship with you. He wants you to trust Him. We trust our family, friends, and relatives. Is it too difficult to trust the God who created us? Let’s pray to God to give us a heart that trusts Him without any question.
Dear Jesus, help me to trust you. I have put my trust in my job, education, and position. But I am not able to trust you with all my heart. Please help me. I want to believe you and follow you with all my heart. Thank you for forgiving my past. I receive my forgiveness by believing what you have done through your son, Jesus. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.