Word of God Online From the Living Bible
Jan 20th 2009
Scripture verse of the Day
But To all Who Received Him, he gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust him to save them. All those who believe this are reborn! not a physical rebirth resulting from human passion or plan,—but from the will of God.
Scripture of reading of the day
Romans 4:8-5:2
Yes, what joy there is for anyone who sins are no longer counted against him by the Lord.
Now then, the question : Is this blessing given only to those who have faith in Christ but also keep the Jewish laws, or is the blessing also given to those who do not keep the Jewish rules, but only trust in Christ? Well, what about Abraham? we say that he received these blessings through his faith. Was it by faith alone? Or because he also kept the Jewish rules?
For the answer to that question, answer this one: When did God give this blessing to Abraham? It was before he became a Jew—Before he went through the Jewish initiation ceremony of circumcision.
It wasn’t until later on, after God had promised to bless him because of his faith, that he was circumcised. The circumcision ceremony was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him just and good in his sight—before the ceremony took place. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who believe and are saved without obeying Jewish laws. We see, then that those who do not keep these rules are justified by God through faith. And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those Jews who have been circumcised. They can see from his example that it is not this ceremony that saves them, for Abraham found favor with God by faith alone, before he was circumcised.
It is clear, then, that God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was not because Abraham obey God’s laws but because he trusted God to keep his promise. So if you still claim that God’s blessings go to those who are “good enough”, then you are saying that God’s promises to those who have faith are meaningless, and faith is foolish. But the fact of the matter is this: when we try to gain God’s blessing and salvation by keeping his laws we always end up under his anger, for we always fail to keep them. The only way we can keep from breaking laws it not to have any to break!
So God’s blessings are given to us by faith, as a free gift; we are certain to get them whether or not we follow Jewish customs if we have faith like Abraham’s, for Abraham is the father of us all when it comes to these matters of faith. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say that God made Abraham the father of many nations. God will accept all people in every nation who trust God as Abraham did. And this promise is from God himself, who makes the dead live again and speaks of future events with as much certainty as though they were already past.
So, when God told Abraham that he would give him a son who would have many descendants and become a great nation. Abraham believed God even though such a promise just couldn’t come to pass! And because his faith was strong, he didn’t worry about the fact that he was too old to be a father, at the age of 100, and that Sarah his wife, at ninety, was also much too old to have a baby.
But Abraham never doubted. he believed God, for his faith and trust grew ever stronger, and he praised God for this blessing even before it happened. He was completely sure that God was well able to do anything he promised. And because of Abraham’s faith. God forgave his sins and declared him “Not Guilty.”
Now this wonderful statement—that he was accepted and approved through his faith—wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was for us, too, assuring us that God will accept us in the same way he accepted Abraham—when we believe the promises of God who brought back Jesus our Lord from the dead. He dies for our sins and rose again to make us right with God, filing us with God’s goodness.
Romans 5
So now, since we have been made right in God’ sight by faith in his promises, we can have real peace with him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. For because of our faith, he has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be.
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Sam’s Response…
The only way we can keep from breaking laws it not to have any to break!
This statement goes to the heart of the matter. There is no way any of us are going to walk this time here on earth and not sin, not break laws, not do wrong to another.
We all will fall short of the Glory of God.
Can you imagine if we lived in a world where there were no laws to break?
With our natural human thoughts, we would envision Chaos, rioting, looting. Just look at when a town is devastated by a weather event. The National Guard, or police go on high alert because some people see it as an opportunity to steal.
I am thankful that there are laws in place to keep order.
But I know I do not and have not kept them all..
I have broken the law, I have been arrested and paid dearly for stepping over the boundaries that are set before me.
We all sin. Sin is a funny word, in the sense that you rarely here someone talk along the lines of sinning. Today Sin is a lifestyle…Sin is accepted and if you are against sin or speak out according to what God has called sin, then you are prejudice or look at as backward.
Gosh we really do live in a world today where things have been flipped upside down in a lot of ways.
But you know what?
God loves sinners, because we are all sinners.
He loves us so much that he gave his Son, Jesus up for you and me. Because of Love, mercy and grace. You can now walk into the presence of God with all your Sin and be forgiven, not by asking or feeling, but by believing that there is a God and he loves you and forgives you if you Dare to believe.
Believe not with what you see, because what we see may not align with what God has promised and said.
Lord, I believe your Word above all else. No matter what I see, I will believe and trust you. I know that I can count on your word, your truths, your mercy, your grace, and your love. Thank you for writing a book about who you are and what you promise to bring into our lives if we are willing to completely and wholly trust what you have given to us, not by works, but by faith in YOU!
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