Today's stand out verse comes from Romans chapter four.
Romans 4:5; However, the one who does not work but trust God - Who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
'Wait, what?'😕
This was my first reaction when I read this verse. I immediately needed the Lord to help me understand. Another translation reads it more plainly.
But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God - Who forgives sinners.
Effectively Romans 4 reminds us that God does not call you righteous because of all the lovely Christian-like things you do. It's not what we can do for God that makes us right before him. You can tithe every Sunday stacks of cash or you can provide homes for the orphaned in the plenty but if all this is done with no faith in God alone - then it is pointless. Nothing we do will ever bring us close to the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We will always fall short.
God, Who justifies the ungodly - Because of what Jesus did on the cross - God can justify the ungodly. Note, that God does not justify due to our ungodliness but rather despite our ungodliness. So, this in its own is already a miracle.
In no way does this mean God is okay with laziness (He certainly is not). What we must take from this is really, where is your belief and faith in all that you're doing?
The promise of the Lord comes by faith, only.
Today, ask the Lord to reveal your heart. Allow Him to show you if what you're doing is purely works- in the sense that doing it - is just because it is the Christian thing to do. Allow Him to guide you into only following Him as He leads you to do the works He has laid before you already (Ephesians 2:1o). In this way, I trust and believe that all you do will be done because of your faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Let us be known for our faith in the One who deems us worthy. Just as David did, and just as Abraham did.
Jesus loves you.
コメント