Are you Growing Your Faith?
Romans 4:17-f.f.
Finishing the fourth chapter of Romans 4, Paul goes back to the example of Abraham for his faith. Remember, Paul just spent three chapters on how we are all sinners, only God redeems through His Son, Jesus Christ, and how redemption is by faith and faith alone. We cannot work for our undeserved salvation. We cannot gain eternal life through circumcision. A home in heaven is only through the finished work of Christ.
In verse 17, Paul reminds the Jews as well as us today that God is the Almighty. God raises the dead and calls into existence that which did not exist. He is the Almighty and when it comes to faith, we must remember this unwavering, truth.
Abraham had hope against hope. Genesis 15 gives us the account when God promised Abraham that his descendants would be like the stars in the sky. The problem was that Abraham was 100 years old and had no children. This, however, did not stop Abraham. Sarah doubted and caused Abraham to take things momentarily into his own hands, but Abraham grew strong in the faith and wavered not because he understood the truth that all things are possible with God even when they do not make sense humanly.
Christ had to remind His disciples of this after talking to the rich man. The young rich man walked away discouraged after asking Christ how to enter heaven. Christ told His disciples that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than it is for a rich man to enter heaven. The disciples thought between themselves that this is impossible and Christ responded that nothing is impossible with God. The Angel conversing with Mary reminded her of this also. He told Mary that Elizabeth was going to conceive and bare a son in her old age and that with God all things are possible. Mark Batterson said, “To the Infinite, all finites are equal.” God is truly the Almighty!
One last thought for the morning is that Abraham grew in the faith. Hebrews 12 tells us that Christ is the author of our faith and became the finisher of our faith when He endured the cross with joy and completed the work of the Father. Faith is completed and is ours if we choose to accept it. II Peter 1:1-4 tells us that faith comes through the righteousness of God and that we grow in righteousness through knowledge, or discernment, of the Word. What are you doing to reach out and take hold of faith?