29 April - Roman 4

Today we’re in Romans 4 for the Tattoo Church Reading Plan. Below you will find a few things to think about:

1. This is a very confusing chapter if the reader has never read the story of Abraham, which can be found in Genesis chapters 12-21. (Which we just so happened to have been reading on the weekends) Here’s the quick version: God told Abraham to leave his home and travel to a place he would show him. Abraham packed up and set out not knowing where God would lead him. God also made a promise to Abraham that he would make Abraham the father of many nations. There was only one problem; Abraham and his wife, Sarah, had no children and were really old. God had Abraham wait a long time before he gave him kids. When Abraham was 99 years old God gave him the sign of circumcision to show he was set apart to God. And when Abraham was 100 years old God finally gave him a son through his wife Sarah as promised.
2. Yes, that was a long intro but now you have the back story. This is why Paul says Abraham was not in good standing with God because of works. Instead, God had a relationship with Abraham because of his faith in God.
3. In the same way when we trust Jesus to forgive us and we follow him; we have a relationship with God through faith. 
4. Paul also makes his case further that God welcomes Gentiles (non-Jews) by showing that God counted Abraham a friend before Abraham was circumcised (which was one of the big things the Jews had against the Gentiles who followed Jesus). 

If God asked you to leave everything and start walking, without telling you where you’re going, would you do it? If God made you a promise that was absolutely impossible, would you believe him? Abraham had some serious faith but we are required to have similar faith today to have a relationship with God. We are to believe Jesus is the Son of God, lived a perfect life, willingly died on the cross to restore a way for us to have a relationship with God, ask his forgiveness for our wrongs, be baptized and follow him. That’s a lot of stuff right there but it has to be through faith; not our works. If it was by our works we would think we’ve earned God’s forgiveness and we can’t. It’s a gift we get only by faith in Jesus. Where are you at on this faith journey with God? If you have questions about this please don’t hesitate to email us.