Righteousness of Faith
Romans 4: 13-17 NIV “ 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. For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. 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. As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[c] 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.
We become the beneficiaries of Abraham’s faith. The promise comes through the “righteousness of faith”, not through the law. Laws control human conduct, Yet God offers grace to all who have faith, not merely to those who justify their existence through works. Therefore, no one is excluded and all may receive God’s grace and mercy. It is thus through our faith by God’s grace that saves us for eternity.
In our humanness we hunger for connection to others. This is why God presents unity in family, in church, in leadership in relationships, as a priority. Often we fail to rest on grace, since we have done nothing to merit Gods merciful and everlasting love. We feel undeserving of God’s grace. But if faith is sufficient, living under the law is not to be part of Gods new community and the covenant of Jesus Christ. Hearts filled with the patience of grace speak the truth in love. Judgement loses its power and love flourishes. We should however not be ignorant of the plans and evil schemes of the enemy that can easily mislead us into temptation, and mistakenly use the word love as an object, rather than a truth of the heart.
Mark 12 Jesus answered and said : “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.”
He knows you by your name. He created you for a specific purpose, and it all comes down to the perfect love He gives. Share His love with those around you, and may His grace be upon you, and let faith arise as the Spirit lives in you, to become strong and solid once again, to glorify Jesus and to build the Kingdom for Christ our King. With a kind heart, and willingness to support each other in love, grace may abound.
I’d like to share a paragraph from a book by Dinah Craik
“Oh, the comfort-
The inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person,
Having neither to weigh thoughts,
Nor measure words – but pouring them all right out-
Just as they are – Chaff and grain together –
Certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them –
Keep what is worth keeping
And with the breath of kindness Blow the rest away.”
-Dinah Maria Craik
In His loving hands He holds your name, in these hands of Jesus, he holds your life, let us share in the bread and remembering that these hands of Jesus took away the keys of hell, and redeemed us from eternal death. The bread that represents His body, sacrificed so we may have eternal life.
The precious blood of Jesus Christ that ran on the cross to save us and give us protection, covering our very being, and connected us with an unbreakable covenant with God our Father. Let us share.
May you experience the grace of God over your love, may you grow in faith each day, and proclaim the true love that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of lords.
