WEEKLY DEVOTION

— "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all." Romans 4:16 (Read Romans 4)

How was Abraham counted righteous before God and granted eternal salvation? Was it by his keeping of the law of God or through faith in God's grace and mercy for Christ's sake?

The Bible makes it very clear that Abraham was saved through faith in God's gracious promises to send the Messiah and Savior, that promised Seed of the woman and descendant of Abraham who would crush the head of the serpent and redeem fallen mankind from sin and its consequences (cf. Gen. 3:15; 12:3). The Bible says that “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:3; Gen. 15:6).

But what about you and me? How is it that we are counted righteous before God and saved from God's wrath and punishment against sin? The Bible tells us: “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.”

It is as the Bible says: “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (v. 4-5).

Abraham, even before he was circumcised, was counted righteous before God through faith. It was of God's grace and mercy and not of works that Abraham was called of God and accepted in God's eyes.

As Abraham's faith was counted unto him for righteousness, so also when we believe and trust in our merciful God who justifies the ungodly for the sake of the innocent Son of God “who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25), we are counted righteous and holy in God's eyes for Jesus' sake and have the inheritance promised to Abraham - a place in God's everlasting kingdom.

Again, the Bible tells us: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:26-29).

We are made accepted in the Beloved, saved by grace and through faith - all the gracious gift of God in Christ Jesus (cf. Eph. 1:6-7; 2:8-9). And because it is of God's grace and through faith, our salvation is sure, whether Jew or Gentile! We are Abraham's seed and heirs!

Dearest Lord Jesus, we thank You for fulfilling all righteousness in our stead and for bearing upon the cross the just punishment for all our sins that we might be counted righteous in God's sight and be saved by grace and through faith and not by our own works. Amen.

[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture from the King James Version of the Bible.]

For the Record, Pages 4 on 03/23/2011