Theology Made Simple

Romans, Part 16

The Quality of Abraham's Faith

In the fourth chapter of Romans, Paul emphasizes Abraham's justification by faith. Too often we read this as a contrast between law and grace justification. Of course it is that, but the real significance of this will be missed unless we pause to understand what justification really means. Most people see this as just being forgiven of their sins and getting to go to heaven instead of the alternative. This is not the point of justification. My going to heaven is a peripheral result.

Please note: Sin is the barrier which separates us from God. It was sin that drove man out of the Garden, and out of a personal relationship with his Creator. That barrier remained until the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. Justification is the removal of that barrier...the removal of the flaming sword at Eden's gate...the renewal of a personal relationship with the Father.

Obedience to law would only create an army of people marching to the orders of the Heavenly General. That is not what God wants. For that there would have been no need for the Cross. Even good soldiers make mistakes. We are all, even the best of us, sinners. Without a way to forgive sin there could be no renewed relationship with God, and that is what He wants. Law and obedience cannot accomplish that.

Does this mean that there is no law, or that the law is unimportant? Of course not! One cannot be in a close relationship with the Father and continue to behave in ways totally foreign to His nature. Faith in Him is faith in His way of life...His righteousness...His infinite wisdom.

Now we need to understand not only justification but obedience. Doesn't everyone know what it means to obey? It means to follow orders, doesn't it? No, it means much more than that. When that obedience is motivated by the kind of faith Abraham had...the kind Paul is talking about in this fourth chapter. Many people believe we ought to be honest and morally correct in our behavior. Even agnostic humanists believe this. Are we Christian because we believe we should be morally good, and follow the rules which Christ endorsed? Yes, but true obedience, that comes from faith, means much more than this.

The real emphasis of this fourth chapter is that Abraham not only did what God told him, but that he did it when it made no logical sense to him. Some of the orders Christ gave had no logical base, in human terms. For example: baptism. Why God gave us that symbol is not evident in human logic. Why did Jesus insist that John baptize Him? Even prayer, which is making petition to One who already knows, and cares, is not a logical process. We are confused when some prayers seem to be answered and others are not. Why then do we continue to practice baptism, prayer and other seemingly illogical actions? Because we have faith in the righteousness, wisdom and grace of God. What greater reason could we have?

Those who insist that absolute obedience to certain commands are essential miss the point. Those who argue that illogical commands can be ignored also miss the point. Only those who do everything they can to follow the Father's will, and trust His grace to supply the rest, are the ones truly justified by faith.

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