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The Greatest Letter Ever Written – Romans

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Paul’s letter to the Romans is the most quoted, most powerful, and most influential letter ever written. In it, Paul unveils God’s great plan to rescue broken humanity and fill the earth with a new creation.

The message of Romans has the power to change your life, yet many people miss it. They appreciate some bits of Romans, but other bits leave them confused. “Consider the kindness and severity of God,” or “Esau I hated,” or “He hardens whom he desires.” What is Paul saying?

Confusion opens the door to bad teaching. “God is kind, but he’s also nasty,” or “God chooses some but rejects others.” And the result is a mixed-up church that preaches a feeble gospel.

Romans isn’t complicated—it’s Christ revealed

As you may know, I have written a verse-by-verse commentary on Romans—it comes out next week—and I can assure you that much of the confusion is unwarranted. Much of the trouble comes from reading parts of Romans out of context or through a graceless lens.

To understand Romans, you need to start at the beginning:

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God… which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son… (Romans 1:1–3a)

The first verse of the letter tells us that Romans conveys the gospel of God which reveals the Son of God. In other words, Romans not about you or me. It’s about Jesus…

…who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 1:3–4)

The key to understanding Romans is right here in these opening verses. By unveiling Jesus Christ, Romans reveals the righteousness of God (Romans 1), the kindness of God (Romans 2), the faithfulness of God (Romans 3), the promise of God (Romans 4), the grace of God (Romans 5), and so on.

To understand Romans, we need to see the Jesus that Paul reveals in these opening verses. In verse 4 Paul describes Jesus five ways:

…who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 1:4)

1. Jesus is the Son of God

The gospel of God is about the Son of God, who became a Son of Man so that the sons of men might become the sons of God.

“But Paul, how can we be sure that Jesus is truly God’s Son? What sets him apart from the pretenders and self-proclaimed saviors?”

2. Jesus is risen

Paul lays down his trump card: the resurrection. A dead savior saves no one, but Jesus Christ conquered the grave. He broke the power of death and offers new life to all who come to him.

The resurrection is not a historical event to be debated in Sunday School. It is Day One of the new creation (Rom. 6:4–5; 1 Cor. 15:20–49). When we put our faith in the Risen Lord, we are transferred from death row into new life.

No king or Caesar ever rose from the grave, but the Author of Life did, and now he holds the keys of death and Hades (Rev. 1:18).

3. Jesus ministered in the power of the Spirit

Jesus was raised by the Holy Spirit and ministered by the Spirit, confirming his divinity. But more than that, the same Spirit who raised Christ “will also give life to your mortal bodies” (Rom. 8:11).

The indwelling Holy Spirit transforms the believer and his role is explained in the middle chapters of Romans. No longer ruled by the flesh we can live Spirit-led, righteous lives. It’s the life we were made for.

4. Jesus is the Christ

For those waiting for the Messiah, Paul declares, “Jesus is your guy.” He’s the One promised in the Scriptures.

By calling Jesus “Christ” over sixty times in Romans, Paul emphasizes that Jesus is the anointed King foretold by the prophets.

5. Jesus is Lord

Here’s the title that encompasses all: Lord. The Jews called him Rabbi, but Christians call him Kyrios, meaning “the One supreme above all rule, authority, and dominion” (Eph. 1:21).

He was once known as Jesus of Nazareth (Matt. 26:71), but after his resurrection, he received a name above every name—Lord (Phil. 2:9–11). “You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am” (John 13:13). Paul refers to Jesus as Lord over twenty times in Romans (e.g., Rom. 1:4, 10:9, 14:9, etc.).

Romans is a rich letter that covers the full sweep of human history from beginning to end. Yet in just four verses, Paul hits the high points of the gospel: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the Lord who was raised by the Holy Spirit.

In a nutshell, that’s the message of Romans. Paul does not write to dazzle you with his intellect or to provoke theological debates about who God supposedly chooses or rejects. He writes so that you may know that Jesus is the Risen Lord—and that all who call on him shall be saved (Rom. 10:9, 13).

—

The Greatest Letter Ever Written – Romans

by

Paul’s letter to the Romans is the most quoted, most powerful, and most influential letter ever written. In it, Paul unveils God’s great plan to rescue broken humanity and fill the earth with a new creation.

The message of Romans has the power to change your life, yet many people miss it. They appreciate some bits of Romans, but other bits leave them confused. “Consider the kindness and severity of God,” or “Esau I hated,” or “He hardens whom he desires.” What is Paul saying?

Confusion opens the door to bad teaching. “God is kind, but he’s also nasty,” or “God chooses some but rejects others.” And the result is a mixed-up church that preaches a feeble gospel.

Romans isn’t complicated—it’s Christ revealed

As you may know, I have written a verse-by-verse commentary on Romans—it comes out next week—and I can assure you that much of the confusion is unwarranted. Much of the trouble comes from reading parts of Romans out of context or through a graceless lens.

To understand Romans, you need to start at the beginning:

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God… which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son… (Romans 1:1–3a)

The first verse of the letter tells us that Romans conveys the gospel of God which reveals the Son of God. In other words, Romans not about you or me. It’s about Jesus…

…who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 1:3–4)

The key to understanding Romans is right here in these opening verses. By unveiling Jesus Christ, Romans reveals the righteousness of God (Romans 1), the kindness of God (Romans 2), the faithfulness of God (Romans 3), the promise of God (Romans 4), the grace of God (Romans 5), and so on.

To understand Romans, we need to see the Jesus that Paul reveals in these opening verses. In verse 4 Paul describes Jesus five ways:

…who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 1:4)

1. Jesus is the Son of God

The gospel of God is about the Son of God, who became a Son of Man so that the sons of men might become the sons of God.

“But Paul, how can we be sure that Jesus is truly God’s Son? What sets him apart from the pretenders and self-proclaimed saviors?”

2. Jesus is risen

Paul lays down his trump card: the resurrection. A dead savior saves no one, but Jesus Christ conquered the grave. He broke the power of death and offers new life to all who come to him.

The resurrection is not a historical event to be debated in Sunday School. It is Day One of the new creation (Rom. 6:4–5; 1 Cor. 15:20–49). When we put our faith in the Risen Lord, we are transferred from death row into new life.

No king or Caesar ever rose from the grave, but the Author of Life did, and now he holds the keys of death and Hades (Rev. 1:18).

3. Jesus ministered in the power of the Spirit

Jesus was raised by the Holy Spirit and ministered by the Spirit, confirming his divinity. But more than that, the same Spirit who raised Christ “will also give life to your mortal bodies” (Rom. 8:11).

The indwelling Holy Spirit transforms the believer and his role is explained in the middle chapters of Romans. No longer ruled by the flesh we can live Spirit-led, righteous lives. It’s the life we were made for.

4. Jesus is the Christ

For those waiting for the Messiah, Paul declares, “Jesus is your guy.” He’s the One promised in the Scriptures.

By calling Jesus “Christ” over sixty times in Romans, Paul emphasizes that Jesus is the anointed King foretold by the prophets.

5. Jesus is Lord

Here’s the title that encompasses all: Lord. The Jews called him Rabbi, but Christians call him Kyrios, meaning “the One supreme above all rule, authority, and dominion” (Eph. 1:21).

He was once known as Jesus of Nazareth (Matt. 26:71), but after his resurrection, he received a name above every name—Lord (Phil. 2:9–11). “You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am” (John 13:13). Paul refers to Jesus as Lord over twenty times in Romans (e.g., Rom. 1:4, 10:9, 14:9, etc.).

Romans is a rich letter that covers the full sweep of human history from beginning to end. Yet in just four verses, Paul hits the high points of the gospel: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the Lord who was raised by the Holy Spirit.

In a nutshell, that’s the message of Romans. Paul does not write to dazzle you with his intellect or to provoke theological debates about who God supposedly chooses or rejects. He writes so that you may know that Jesus is the Risen Lord—and that all who call on him shall be saved (Rom. 10:9, 13).

—

The Greatest Letter Ever Written – Romans

by

Paul’s letter to the Romans is the most quoted, most powerful, and most influential letter ever written. In it, Paul unveils God’s great plan to rescue broken humanity and fill the earth with a new creation.

The message of Romans has the power to change your life, yet many people miss it. They appreciate some bits of Romans, but other bits leave them confused. “Consider the kindness and severity of God,” or “Esau I hated,” or “He hardens whom he desires.” What is Paul saying?

Confusion opens the door to bad teaching. “God is kind, but he’s also nasty,” or “God chooses some but rejects others.” And the result is a mixed-up church that preaches a feeble gospel.

Romans isn’t complicated—it’s Christ revealed

As you may know, I have written a verse-by-verse commentary on Romans—it comes out next week—and I can assure you that much of the confusion is unwarranted. Much of the trouble comes from reading parts of Romans out of context or through a graceless lens.

To understand Romans, you need to start at the beginning:

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God… which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son… (Romans 1:1–3a)

The first verse of the letter tells us that Romans conveys the gospel of God which reveals the Son of God. In other words, Romans not about you or me. It’s about Jesus…

…who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 1:3–4)

The key to understanding Romans is right here in these opening verses. By unveiling Jesus Christ, Romans reveals the righteousness of God (Romans 1), the kindness of God (Romans 2), the faithfulness of God (Romans 3), the promise of God (Romans 4), the grace of God (Romans 5), and so on.

To understand Romans, we need to see the Jesus that Paul reveals in these opening verses. In verse 4 Paul describes Jesus five ways:

…who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 1:4)

1. Jesus is the Son of God

The gospel of God is about the Son of God, who became a Son of Man so that the sons of men might become the sons of God.

“But Paul, how can we be sure that Jesus is truly God’s Son? What sets him apart from the pretenders and self-proclaimed saviors?”

2. Jesus is risen

Paul lays down his trump card: the resurrection. A dead savior saves no one, but Jesus Christ conquered the grave. He broke the power of death and offers new life to all who come to him.

The resurrection is not a historical event to be debated in Sunday School. It is Day One of the new creation (Rom. 6:4–5; 1 Cor. 15:20–49). When we put our faith in the Risen Lord, we are transferred from death row into new life.

No king or Caesar ever rose from the grave, but the Author of Life did, and now he holds the keys of death and Hades (Rev. 1:18).

3. Jesus ministered in the power of the Spirit

Jesus was raised by the Holy Spirit and ministered by the Spirit, confirming his divinity. But more than that, the same Spirit who raised Christ “will also give life to your mortal bodies” (Rom. 8:11).

The indwelling Holy Spirit transforms the believer and his role is explained in the middle chapters of Romans. No longer ruled by the flesh we can live Spirit-led, righteous lives. It’s the life we were made for.

4. Jesus is the Christ

For those waiting for the Messiah, Paul declares, “Jesus is your guy.” He’s the One promised in the Scriptures.

By calling Jesus “Christ” over sixty times in Romans, Paul emphasizes that Jesus is the anointed King foretold by the prophets.

5. Jesus is Lord

Here’s the title that encompasses all: Lord. The Jews called him Rabbi, but Christians call him Kyrios, meaning “the One supreme above all rule, authority, and dominion” (Eph. 1:21).

He was once known as Jesus of Nazareth (Matt. 26:71), but after his resurrection, he received a name above every name—Lord (Phil. 2:9–11). “You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am” (John 13:13). Paul refers to Jesus as Lord over twenty times in Romans (e.g., Rom. 1:4, 10:9, 14:9, etc.).

Romans is a rich letter that covers the full sweep of human history from beginning to end. Yet in just four verses, Paul hits the high points of the gospel: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the Lord who was raised by the Holy Spirit.

In a nutshell, that’s the message of Romans. Paul does not write to dazzle you with his intellect or to provoke theological debates about who God supposedly chooses or rejects. He writes so that you may know that Jesus is the Risen Lord—and that all who call on him shall be saved (Rom. 10:9, 13).

—

Abraham the Believer

by

What can we learn from the fathers of Israel? Is there anything that hasn’t been said about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

Over the next few weeks, I will be publishing a short series on the Patriarchs of Israel and how these three men responded to the grace of God. The short version: These men represent three responses to grace:

  • Abraham believed
  • Isaac battled with fear and unbelief
  • Jacob responded with self-righteousness

When we think of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, certain adjectives come to mind: obedient, blessed, chosen, hopeful, and God-fearing. But let’s not imagine these men led perfect lives. They made mistakes, they fought, they lied. They had dysfunctional families, treated women like property, and owned slaves.

In other words, they were flawed humans. Like the rest of us. Yet each of them was shown grace.

These three men weren’t always faithful, but their stories point to a God who is always faithful. Let’s begin with Abraham and consider three adjectives that define his journey of faith.

Abraham the foreigner

Abraham was the least “Jewish” of the three Patriarchs—in fact, he wasn’t Jewish at all. He was a Mesopotamian from Ur, a pagan city steeped in idolatry (Gen. 11:31, Acts 7:2). God called this foreigner to leave everything behind:

Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home… (Genesis 12:1a, GNB)

The Passion Translation puts it plainly: “Leave it all behind.” And Abraham did. He turned his back on the world he knew to follow a God he could not see. In doing so, he moved from outsider to insider, from stranger to family.

It’s the same with us. Through the gospel, God calls all of us to himself and either we come or we don’t.

We all face the same decision of Abraham. If we follow Abraham’s example and heed the call, we are changed. We become God’s people. “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God” (1 Pet. 2:10).

Abraham the ungodly

It may shock you to hear this, but for the first 70+ years of his life Abraham was an ungodly Chaldean. He came from a land of idols (Jos. 24:2), which is why God called him to leave. But the good news is that God justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).

Again, it’s the same with us. At one time, “we were without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Being separate from Christ, we were without hope. But it makes no difference where we were – the moment we responded to God in faith we were justified or declared righteous. We became part of God’s family and joined to the body of Christ.

And this brings us to the best adjective of all.

Abraham the believer

Abraham was an old man with no future. He had no children, no prospects, and death was not far away. But God spoke, Abraham listened, and the ungodly man became the father of many nations and the heir of the world (Rom. 4:13, 17).

You may know that God blessed Abraham but did you know that all God’s promises came when Abraham was a nobody of no reputation? While Abraham was an ungodly foreigner, God promised:

I will make you a great nation… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Genesis 12:2–3)

Abraham was not made right with God because he kept the law of Moses (that was 400 years away) or got circumcised (that came later). Nor did he attend church or tithe or go on mission trips.

Abraham was justified and counted righteous because he trusted in the God who is faithful. He is not remembered as “Abraham the law-keeper” or “Abraham the circumcised” but “Abraham the believer”:

So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:9)

Here’s a twofold takeaway for us:

  1. God calls all of us to himself from wherever we are.

You may feel far from God but Abraham the aging ungodly idol-worshipper was further. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

  1. God blesses us without regard for the things we have done (or not done)

Your reputation and regrets do no matter when it comes to grace. God loves and and desires to bless you because he is good. “While we were sinners, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:8).

The father of all who believe

Abraham was not blessed on account of his pedigree or performance but on account of God’s promise. It’s the same with us. We are not blessed because we are faithful, but because God is faithful. The only way we can mess this up is to doubt the faithfulness of God.

How do we doubt God’s faithfulness? By laughing (Sarah), by trying to make things happen (e.g., Ishmael), by making rash promises to God (Jacob, as we shall see), or by trying to earn God’s blessings through our good works (the Israelites).

We can try or trust and that’s the difference between disaster and destiny.

When Paul called Abraham “the father of all who believe” in Romans 4, he was saying, “Don’t learn from Moses the Lawgiver but follow the example of Abraham the believer. Don’t substitute old idols for new ones, but put your faith in God.”

—

When God speaks, faith stirs. But so do the doubts of the flesh. In the bonus materials that accompany this article, I dive deeper into the faith and doubts of Abraham. Learn more on Patreon.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Abraham the Believer

by

What can we learn from the fathers of Israel? Is there anything that hasn’t been said about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

Over the next few weeks, I will be publishing a short series on the Patriarchs of Israel and how these three men responded to the grace of God. The short version: These men represent three responses to grace:

  • Abraham believed
  • Isaac battled with fear and unbelief
  • Jacob responded with self-righteousness

When we think of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, certain adjectives come to mind: obedient, blessed, chosen, hopeful, and God-fearing. But let’s not imagine these men led perfect lives. They made mistakes, they fought, they lied. They had dysfunctional families, treated women like property, and owned slaves.

In other words, they were flawed humans. Like the rest of us. Yet each of them was shown grace.

These three men weren’t always faithful, but their stories point to a God who is always faithful. Let’s begin with Abraham and consider three adjectives that define his journey of faith.

Abraham the foreigner

Abraham was the least “Jewish” of the three Patriarchs—in fact, he wasn’t Jewish at all. He was a Mesopotamian from Ur, a pagan city steeped in idolatry (Gen. 11:31, Acts 7:2). God called this foreigner to leave everything behind:

Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home… (Genesis 12:1a, GNB)

The Passion Translation puts it plainly: “Leave it all behind.” And Abraham did. He turned his back on the world he knew to follow a God he could not see. In doing so, he moved from outsider to insider, from stranger to family.

It’s the same with us. Through the gospel, God calls all of us to himself and either we come or we don’t.

We all face the same decision of Abraham. If we follow Abraham’s example and heed the call, we are changed. We become God’s people. “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God” (1 Pet. 2:10).

Abraham the ungodly

It may shock you to hear this, but for the first 70+ years of his life Abraham was an ungodly Chaldean. He came from a land of idols (Jos. 24:2), which is why God called him to leave. But the good news is that God justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).

Again, it’s the same with us. At one time, “we were without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Being separate from Christ, we were without hope. But it makes no difference where we were – the moment we responded to God in faith we were justified or declared righteous. We became part of God’s family and joined to the body of Christ.

And this brings us to the best adjective of all.

Abraham the believer

Abraham was an old man with no future. He had no children, no prospects, and death was not far away. But God spoke, Abraham listened, and the ungodly man became the father of many nations and the heir of the world (Rom. 4:13, 17).

You may know that God blessed Abraham but did you know that all God’s promises came when Abraham was a nobody of no reputation? While Abraham was an ungodly foreigner, God promised:

I will make you a great nation… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Genesis 12:2–3)

Abraham was not made right with God because he kept the law of Moses (that was 400 years away) or got circumcised (that came later). Nor did he attend church or tithe or go on mission trips.

Abraham was justified and counted righteous because he trusted in the God who is faithful. He is not remembered as “Abraham the law-keeper” or “Abraham the circumcised” but “Abraham the believer”:

So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:9)

Here’s a twofold takeaway for us:

  1. God calls all of us to himself from wherever we are.

You may feel far from God but Abraham the aging ungodly idol-worshipper was further. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

  1. God blesses us without regard for the things we have done (or not done)

Your reputation and regrets do no matter when it comes to grace. God loves and and desires to bless you because he is good. “While we were sinners, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:8).

The father of all who believe

Abraham was not blessed on account of his pedigree or performance but on account of God’s promise. It’s the same with us. We are not blessed because we are faithful, but because God is faithful. The only way we can mess this up is to doubt the faithfulness of God.

How do we doubt God’s faithfulness? By laughing (Sarah), by trying to make things happen (e.g., Ishmael), by making rash promises to God (Jacob, as we shall see), or by trying to earn God’s blessings through our good works (the Israelites).

We can try or trust and that’s the difference between disaster and destiny.

When Paul called Abraham “the father of all who believe” in Romans 4, he was saying, “Don’t learn from Moses the Lawgiver but follow the example of Abraham the believer. Don’t substitute old idols for new ones, but put your faith in God.”

—

When God speaks, faith stirs. But so do the doubts of the flesh. In the bonus materials that accompany this article, I dive deeper into the faith and doubts of Abraham. Learn more on Patreon.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Abraham the Believer

by

What can we learn from the fathers of Israel? Is there anything that hasn’t been said about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

Over the next few weeks, I will be publishing a short series on the Patriarchs of Israel and how these three men responded to the grace of God. The short version: These men represent three responses to grace:

  • Abraham believed
  • Isaac battled with fear and unbelief
  • Jacob responded with self-righteousness

When we think of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, certain adjectives come to mind: obedient, blessed, chosen, hopeful, and God-fearing. But let’s not imagine these men led perfect lives. They made mistakes, they fought, they lied. They had dysfunctional families, treated women like property, and owned slaves.

In other words, they were flawed humans. Like the rest of us. Yet each of them was shown grace.

These three men weren’t always faithful, but their stories point to a God who is always faithful. Let’s begin with Abraham and consider three adjectives that define his journey of faith.

Abraham the foreigner

Abraham was the least “Jewish” of the three Patriarchs—in fact, he wasn’t Jewish at all. He was a Mesopotamian from Ur, a pagan city steeped in idolatry (Gen. 11:31, Acts 7:2). God called this foreigner to leave everything behind:

Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home… (Genesis 12:1a, GNB)

The Passion Translation puts it plainly: “Leave it all behind.” And Abraham did. He turned his back on the world he knew to follow a God he could not see. In doing so, he moved from outsider to insider, from stranger to family.

It’s the same with us. Through the gospel, God calls all of us to himself and either we come or we don’t.

We all face the same decision of Abraham. If we follow Abraham’s example and heed the call, we are changed. We become God’s people. “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God” (1 Pet. 2:10).

Abraham the ungodly

It may shock you to hear this, but for the first 70+ years of his life Abraham was an ungodly Chaldean. He came from a land of idols (Jos. 24:2), which is why God called him to leave. But the good news is that God justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).

Again, it’s the same with us. At one time, “we were without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Being separate from Christ, we were without hope. But it makes no difference where we were – the moment we responded to God in faith we were justified or declared righteous. We became part of God’s family and joined to the body of Christ.

And this brings us to the best adjective of all.

Abraham the believer

Abraham was an old man with no future. He had no children, no prospects, and death was not far away. But God spoke, Abraham listened, and the ungodly man became the father of many nations and the heir of the world (Rom. 4:13, 17).

You may know that God blessed Abraham but did you know that all God’s promises came when Abraham was a nobody of no reputation? While Abraham was an ungodly foreigner, God promised:

I will make you a great nation… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Genesis 12:2–3)

Abraham was not made right with God because he kept the law of Moses (that was 400 years away) or got circumcised (that came later). Nor did he attend church or tithe or go on mission trips.

Abraham was justified and counted righteous because he trusted in the God who is faithful. He is not remembered as “Abraham the law-keeper” or “Abraham the circumcised” but “Abraham the believer”:

So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:9)

Here’s a twofold takeaway for us:

  1. God calls all of us to himself from wherever we are.

You may feel far from God but Abraham the aging ungodly idol-worshipper was further. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

  1. God blesses us without regard for the things we have done (or not done)

Your reputation and regrets do no matter when it comes to grace. God loves and and desires to bless you because he is good. “While we were sinners, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:8).

The father of all who believe

Abraham was not blessed on account of his pedigree or performance but on account of God’s promise. It’s the same with us. We are not blessed because we are faithful, but because God is faithful. The only way we can mess this up is to doubt the faithfulness of God.

How do we doubt God’s faithfulness? By laughing (Sarah), by trying to make things happen (e.g., Ishmael), by making rash promises to God (Jacob, as we shall see), or by trying to earn God’s blessings through our good works (the Israelites).

We can try or trust and that’s the difference between disaster and destiny.

When Paul called Abraham “the father of all who believe” in Romans 4, he was saying, “Don’t learn from Moses the Lawgiver but follow the example of Abraham the believer. Don’t substitute old idols for new ones, but put your faith in God.”

—

When God speaks, faith stirs. But so do the doubts of the flesh. In the bonus materials that accompany this article, I dive deeper into the faith and doubts of Abraham. Learn more on Patreon.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Abraham the Believer

by

What can we learn from the fathers of Israel? Is there anything that hasn’t been said about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

Over the next few weeks, I will be publishing a short series on the Patriarchs of Israel and how these three men responded to the grace of God. The short version: These men represent three responses to grace:

  • Abraham believed
  • Isaac battled with fear and unbelief
  • Jacob responded with self-righteousness

When we think of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, certain adjectives come to mind: obedient, blessed, chosen, hopeful, and God-fearing. But let’s not imagine these men led perfect lives. They made mistakes, they fought, they lied. They had dysfunctional families, treated women like property, and owned slaves.

In other words, they were flawed humans. Like the rest of us. Yet each of them was shown grace.

These three men weren’t always faithful, but their stories point to a God who is always faithful. Let’s begin with Abraham and consider three adjectives that define his journey of faith.

Abraham the foreigner

Abraham was the least “Jewish” of the three Patriarchs—in fact, he wasn’t Jewish at all. He was a Mesopotamian from Ur, a pagan city steeped in idolatry (Gen. 11:31, Acts 7:2). God called this foreigner to leave everything behind:

Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home… (Genesis 12:1a, GNB)

The Passion Translation puts it plainly: “Leave it all behind.” And Abraham did. He turned his back on the world he knew to follow a God he could not see. In doing so, he moved from outsider to insider, from stranger to family.

It’s the same with us. Through the gospel, God calls all of us to himself and either we come or we don’t.

We all face the same decision of Abraham. If we follow Abraham’s example and heed the call, we are changed. We become God’s people. “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God” (1 Pet. 2:10).

Abraham the ungodly

It may shock you to hear this, but for the first 70+ years of his life Abraham was an ungodly Chaldean. He came from a land of idols (Jos. 24:2), which is why God called him to leave. But the good news is that God justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).

Again, it’s the same with us. At one time, “we were without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Being separate from Christ, we were without hope. But it makes no difference where we were – the moment we responded to God in faith we were justified or declared righteous. We became part of God’s family and joined to the body of Christ.

And this brings us to the best adjective of all.

Abraham the believer

Abraham was an old man with no future. He had no children, no prospects, and death was not far away. But God spoke, Abraham listened, and the ungodly man became the father of many nations and the heir of the world (Rom. 4:13, 17).

You may know that God blessed Abraham but did you know that all God’s promises came when Abraham was a nobody of no reputation? While Abraham was an ungodly foreigner, God promised:

I will make you a great nation… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Genesis 12:2–3)

Abraham was not made right with God because he kept the law of Moses (that was 400 years away) or got circumcised (that came later). Nor did he attend church or tithe or go on mission trips.

Abraham was justified and counted righteous because he trusted in the God who is faithful. He is not remembered as “Abraham the law-keeper” or “Abraham the circumcised” but “Abraham the believer”:

So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:9)

Here’s a twofold takeaway for us:

  1. God calls all of us to himself from wherever we are.

You may feel far from God but Abraham the aging ungodly idol-worshipper was further. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

  1. God blesses us without regard for the things we have done (or not done)

Your reputation and regrets do no matter when it comes to grace. God loves and and desires to bless you because he is good. “While we were sinners, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:8).

The father of all who believe

Abraham was not blessed on account of his pedigree or performance but on account of God’s promise. It’s the same with us. We are not blessed because we are faithful, but because God is faithful. The only way we can mess this up is to doubt the faithfulness of God.

How do we doubt God’s faithfulness? By laughing (Sarah), by trying to make things happen (e.g., Ishmael), by making rash promises to God (Jacob, as we shall see), or by trying to earn God’s blessings through our good works (the Israelites).

We can try or trust and that’s the difference between disaster and destiny.

When Paul called Abraham “the father of all who believe” in Romans 4, he was saying, “Don’t learn from Moses the Lawgiver but follow the example of Abraham the believer. Don’t substitute old idols for new ones, but put your faith in God.”

—

When God speaks, faith stirs. But so do the doubts of the flesh. In the bonus materials that accompany this article, I dive deeper into the faith and doubts of Abraham. Learn more on Patreon.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Abraham the Believer

by

What can we learn from the fathers of Israel? Is there anything that hasn’t been said about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

Over the next few weeks, I will be publishing a short series on the Patriarchs of Israel and how these three men responded to the grace of God. The short version: These men represent three responses to grace:

  • Abraham believed
  • Isaac battled with fear and unbelief
  • Jacob responded with self-righteousness

When we think of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, certain adjectives come to mind: obedient, blessed, chosen, hopeful, and God-fearing. But let’s not imagine these men led perfect lives. They made mistakes, they fought, they lied. They had dysfunctional families, treated women like property, and owned slaves.

In other words, they were flawed humans. Like the rest of us. Yet each of them was shown grace.

These three men weren’t always faithful, but their stories point to a God who is always faithful. Let’s begin with Abraham and consider three adjectives that define his journey of faith.

Abraham the foreigner

Abraham was the least “Jewish” of the three Patriarchs—in fact, he wasn’t Jewish at all. He was a Mesopotamian from Ur, a pagan city steeped in idolatry (Gen. 11:31, Acts 7:2). God called this foreigner to leave everything behind:

Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home… (Genesis 12:1a, GNB)

The Passion Translation puts it plainly: “Leave it all behind.” And Abraham did. He turned his back on the world he knew to follow a God he could not see. In doing so, he moved from outsider to insider, from stranger to family.

It’s the same with us. Through the gospel, God calls all of us to himself and either we come or we don’t.

We all face the same decision of Abraham. If we follow Abraham’s example and heed the call, we are changed. We become God’s people. “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God” (1 Pet. 2:10).

Abraham the ungodly

It may shock you to hear this, but for the first 70+ years of his life Abraham was an ungodly Chaldean. He came from a land of idols (Jos. 24:2), which is why God called him to leave. But the good news is that God justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).

Again, it’s the same with us. At one time, “we were without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Being separate from Christ, we were without hope. But it makes no difference where we were – the moment we responded to God in faith we were justified or declared righteous. We became part of God’s family and joined to the body of Christ.

And this brings us to the best adjective of all.

Abraham the believer

Abraham was an old man with no future. He had no children, no prospects, and death was not far away. But God spoke, Abraham listened, and the ungodly man became the father of many nations and the heir of the world (Rom. 4:13, 17).

You may know that God blessed Abraham but did you know that all God’s promises came when Abraham was a nobody of no reputation? While Abraham was an ungodly foreigner, God promised:

I will make you a great nation… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Genesis 12:2–3)

Abraham was not made right with God because he kept the law of Moses (that was 400 years away) or got circumcised (that came later). Nor did he attend church or tithe or go on mission trips.

Abraham was justified and counted righteous because he trusted in the God who is faithful. He is not remembered as “Abraham the law-keeper” or “Abraham the circumcised” but “Abraham the believer”:

So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:9)

Here’s a twofold takeaway for us:

  1. God calls all of us to himself from wherever we are.

You may feel far from God but Abraham the aging ungodly idol-worshipper was further. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

  1. God blesses us without regard for the things we have done (or not done)

Your reputation and regrets do no matter when it comes to grace. God loves and and desires to bless you because he is good. “While we were sinners, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:8).

The father of all who believe

Abraham was not blessed on account of his pedigree or performance but on account of God’s promise. It’s the same with us. We are not blessed because we are faithful, but because God is faithful. The only way we can mess this up is to doubt the faithfulness of God.

How do we doubt God’s faithfulness? By laughing (Sarah), by trying to make things happen (e.g., Ishmael), by making rash promises to God (Jacob, as we shall see), or by trying to earn God’s blessings through our good works (the Israelites).

We can try or trust and that’s the difference between disaster and destiny.

When Paul called Abraham “the father of all who believe” in Romans 4, he was saying, “Don’t learn from Moses the Lawgiver but follow the example of Abraham the believer. Don’t substitute old idols for new ones, but put your faith in God.”

—

When God speaks, faith stirs. But so do the doubts of the flesh. In the bonus materials that accompany this article, I dive deeper into the faith and doubts of Abraham. Learn more on Patreon.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Abraham the Believer

by

What can we learn from the fathers of Israel? Is there anything that hasn’t been said about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

Over the next few weeks, I will be publishing a short series on the Patriarchs of Israel and how these three men responded to the grace of God. The short version: These men represent three responses to grace:

  • Abraham believed
  • Isaac battled with fear and unbelief
  • Jacob responded with self-righteousness

When we think of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, certain adjectives come to mind: obedient, blessed, chosen, hopeful, and God-fearing. But let’s not imagine these men led perfect lives. They made mistakes, they fought, they lied. They had dysfunctional families, treated women like property, and owned slaves.

In other words, they were flawed humans. Like the rest of us. Yet each of them was shown grace.

These three men weren’t always faithful, but their stories point to a God who is always faithful. Let’s begin with Abraham and consider three adjectives that define his journey of faith.

Abraham the foreigner

Abraham was the least “Jewish” of the three Patriarchs—in fact, he wasn’t Jewish at all. He was a Mesopotamian from Ur, a pagan city steeped in idolatry (Gen. 11:31, Acts 7:2). God called this foreigner to leave everything behind:

Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home… (Genesis 12:1a, GNB)

The Passion Translation puts it plainly: “Leave it all behind.” And Abraham did. He turned his back on the world he knew to follow a God he could not see. In doing so, he moved from outsider to insider, from stranger to family.

It’s the same with us. Through the gospel, God calls all of us to himself and either we come or we don’t.

We all face the same decision of Abraham. If we follow Abraham’s example and heed the call, we are changed. We become God’s people. “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God” (1 Pet. 2:10).

Abraham the ungodly

It may shock you to hear this, but for the first 70+ years of his life Abraham was an ungodly Chaldean. He came from a land of idols (Jos. 24:2), which is why God called him to leave. But the good news is that God justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).

Again, it’s the same with us. At one time, “we were without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Being separate from Christ, we were without hope. But it makes no difference where we were – the moment we responded to God in faith we were justified or declared righteous. We became part of God’s family and joined to the body of Christ.

And this brings us to the best adjective of all.

Abraham the believer

Abraham was an old man with no future. He had no children, no prospects, and death was not far away. But God spoke, Abraham listened, and the ungodly man became the father of many nations and the heir of the world (Rom. 4:13, 17).

You may know that God blessed Abraham but did you know that all God’s promises came when Abraham was a nobody of no reputation? While Abraham was an ungodly foreigner, God promised:

I will make you a great nation… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Genesis 12:2–3)

Abraham was not made right with God because he kept the law of Moses (that was 400 years away) or got circumcised (that came later). Nor did he attend church or tithe or go on mission trips.

Abraham was justified and counted righteous because he trusted in the God who is faithful. He is not remembered as “Abraham the law-keeper” or “Abraham the circumcised” but “Abraham the believer”:

So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:9)

Here’s a twofold takeaway for us:

  1. God calls all of us to himself from wherever we are.

You may feel far from God but Abraham the aging ungodly idol-worshipper was further. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

  1. God blesses us without regard for the things we have done (or not done)

Your reputation and regrets do no matter when it comes to grace. God loves and and desires to bless you because he is good. “While we were sinners, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:8).

The father of all who believe

Abraham was not blessed on account of his pedigree or performance but on account of God’s promise. It’s the same with us. We are not blessed because we are faithful, but because God is faithful. The only way we can mess this up is to doubt the faithfulness of God.

How do we doubt God’s faithfulness? By laughing (Sarah), by trying to make things happen (e.g., Ishmael), by making rash promises to God (Jacob, as we shall see), or by trying to earn God’s blessings through our good works (the Israelites).

We can try or trust and that’s the difference between disaster and destiny.

When Paul called Abraham “the father of all who believe” in Romans 4, he was saying, “Don’t learn from Moses the Lawgiver but follow the example of Abraham the believer. Don’t substitute old idols for new ones, but put your faith in God.”

—

When God speaks, faith stirs. But so do the doubts of the flesh. In the bonus materials that accompany this article, I dive deeper into the faith and doubts of Abraham. Learn more on Patreon.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Abraham the Believer

by

What can we learn from the fathers of Israel? Is there anything that hasn’t been said about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

Over the next few weeks, I will be publishing a short series on the Patriarchs of Israel and how these three men responded to the grace of God. The short version: These men represent three responses to grace:

  • Abraham believed
  • Isaac battled with fear and unbelief
  • Jacob responded with self-righteousness

When we think of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, certain adjectives come to mind: obedient, blessed, chosen, hopeful, and God-fearing. But let’s not imagine these men led perfect lives. They made mistakes, they fought, they lied. They had dysfunctional families, treated women like property, and owned slaves.

In other words, they were flawed humans. Like the rest of us. Yet each of them was shown grace.

These three men weren’t always faithful, but their stories point to a God who is always faithful. Let’s begin with Abraham and consider three adjectives that define his journey of faith.

Abraham the foreigner

Abraham was the least “Jewish” of the three Patriarchs—in fact, he wasn’t Jewish at all. He was a Mesopotamian from Ur, a pagan city steeped in idolatry (Gen. 11:31, Acts 7:2). God called this foreigner to leave everything behind:

Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home… (Genesis 12:1a, GNB)

The Passion Translation puts it plainly: “Leave it all behind.” And Abraham did. He turned his back on the world he knew to follow a God he could not see. In doing so, he moved from outsider to insider, from stranger to family.

It’s the same with us. Through the gospel, God calls all of us to himself and either we come or we don’t.

We all face the same decision of Abraham. If we follow Abraham’s example and heed the call, we are changed. We become God’s people. “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God” (1 Pet. 2:10).

Abraham the ungodly

It may shock you to hear this, but for the first 70+ years of his life Abraham was an ungodly Chaldean. He came from a land of idols (Jos. 24:2), which is why God called him to leave. But the good news is that God justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).

Again, it’s the same with us. At one time, “we were without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Being separate from Christ, we were without hope. But it makes no difference where we were – the moment we responded to God in faith we were justified or declared righteous. We became part of God’s family and joined to the body of Christ.

And this brings us to the best adjective of all.

Abraham the believer

Abraham was an old man with no future. He had no children, no prospects, and death was not far away. But God spoke, Abraham listened, and the ungodly man became the father of many nations and the heir of the world (Rom. 4:13, 17).

You may know that God blessed Abraham but did you know that all God’s promises came when Abraham was a nobody of no reputation? While Abraham was an ungodly foreigner, God promised:

I will make you a great nation… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Genesis 12:2–3)

Abraham was not made right with God because he kept the law of Moses (that was 400 years away) or got circumcised (that came later). Nor did he attend church or tithe or go on mission trips.

Abraham was justified and counted righteous because he trusted in the God who is faithful. He is not remembered as “Abraham the law-keeper” or “Abraham the circumcised” but “Abraham the believer”:

So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:9)

Here’s a twofold takeaway for us:

  1. God calls all of us to himself from wherever we are.

You may feel far from God but Abraham the aging ungodly idol-worshipper was further. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

  1. God blesses us without regard for the things we have done (or not done)

Your reputation and regrets do no matter when it comes to grace. God loves and and desires to bless you because he is good. “While we were sinners, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:8).

The father of all who believe

Abraham was not blessed on account of his pedigree or performance but on account of God’s promise. It’s the same with us. We are not blessed because we are faithful, but because God is faithful. The only way we can mess this up is to doubt the faithfulness of God.

How do we doubt God’s faithfulness? By laughing (Sarah), by trying to make things happen (e.g., Ishmael), by making rash promises to God (Jacob, as we shall see), or by trying to earn God’s blessings through our good works (the Israelites).

We can try or trust and that’s the difference between disaster and destiny.

When Paul called Abraham “the father of all who believe” in Romans 4, he was saying, “Don’t learn from Moses the Lawgiver but follow the example of Abraham the believer. Don’t substitute old idols for new ones, but put your faith in God.”

—

When God speaks, faith stirs. But so do the doubts of the flesh. In the bonus materials that accompany this article, I dive deeper into the faith and doubts of Abraham. Learn more on Patreon.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Abraham the Believer

by

What can we learn from the fathers of Israel? Is there anything that hasn’t been said about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

Over the next few weeks, I will be publishing a short series on the Patriarchs of Israel and how these three men responded to the grace of God. The short version: These men represent three responses to grace:

  • Abraham believed
  • Isaac battled with fear and unbelief
  • Jacob responded with self-righteousness

When we think of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, certain adjectives come to mind: obedient, blessed, chosen, hopeful, and God-fearing. But let’s not imagine these men led perfect lives. They made mistakes, they fought, they lied. They had dysfunctional families, treated women like property, and owned slaves.

In other words, they were flawed humans. Like the rest of us. Yet each of them was shown grace.

These three men weren’t always faithful, but their stories point to a God who is always faithful. Let’s begin with Abraham and consider three adjectives that define his journey of faith.

Abraham the foreigner

Abraham was the least “Jewish” of the three Patriarchs—in fact, he wasn’t Jewish at all. He was a Mesopotamian from Ur, a pagan city steeped in idolatry (Gen. 11:31, Acts 7:2). God called this foreigner to leave everything behind:

Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home… (Genesis 12:1a, GNB)

The Passion Translation puts it plainly: “Leave it all behind.” And Abraham did. He turned his back on the world he knew to follow a God he could not see. In doing so, he moved from outsider to insider, from stranger to family.

It’s the same with us. Through the gospel, God calls all of us to himself and either we come or we don’t.

We all face the same decision of Abraham. If we follow Abraham’s example and heed the call, we are changed. We become God’s people. “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God” (1 Pet. 2:10).

Abraham the ungodly

It may shock you to hear this, but for the first 70+ years of his life Abraham was an ungodly Chaldean. He came from a land of idols (Jos. 24:2), which is why God called him to leave. But the good news is that God justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).

Again, it’s the same with us. At one time, “we were without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Being separate from Christ, we were without hope. But it makes no difference where we were – the moment we responded to God in faith we were justified or declared righteous. We became part of God’s family and joined to the body of Christ.

And this brings us to the best adjective of all.

Abraham the believer

Abraham was an old man with no future. He had no children, no prospects, and death was not far away. But God spoke, Abraham listened, and the ungodly man became the father of many nations and the heir of the world (Rom. 4:13, 17).

You may know that God blessed Abraham but did you know that all God’s promises came when Abraham was a nobody of no reputation? While Abraham was an ungodly foreigner, God promised:

I will make you a great nation… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Genesis 12:2–3)

Abraham was not made right with God because he kept the law of Moses (that was 400 years away) or got circumcised (that came later). Nor did he attend church or tithe or go on mission trips.

Abraham was justified and counted righteous because he trusted in the God who is faithful. He is not remembered as “Abraham the law-keeper” or “Abraham the circumcised” but “Abraham the believer”:

So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:9)

Here’s a twofold takeaway for us:

  1. God calls all of us to himself from wherever we are.

You may feel far from God but Abraham the aging ungodly idol-worshipper was further. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

  1. God blesses us without regard for the things we have done (or not done)

Your reputation and regrets do no matter when it comes to grace. God loves and and desires to bless you because he is good. “While we were sinners, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:8).

The father of all who believe

Abraham was not blessed on account of his pedigree or performance but on account of God’s promise. It’s the same with us. We are not blessed because we are faithful, but because God is faithful. The only way we can mess this up is to doubt the faithfulness of God.

How do we doubt God’s faithfulness? By laughing (Sarah), by trying to make things happen (e.g., Ishmael), by making rash promises to God (Jacob, as we shall see), or by trying to earn God’s blessings through our good works (the Israelites).

We can try or trust and that’s the difference between disaster and destiny.

When Paul called Abraham “the father of all who believe” in Romans 4, he was saying, “Don’t learn from Moses the Lawgiver but follow the example of Abraham the believer. Don’t substitute old idols for new ones, but put your faith in God.”

—

When God speaks, faith stirs. But so do the doubts of the flesh. In the bonus materials that accompany this article, I dive deeper into the faith and doubts of Abraham. Learn more on Patreon.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Abraham the Believer

by

What can we learn from the fathers of Israel? Is there anything that hasn’t been said about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

Over the next few weeks, I will be publishing a short series on the Patriarchs of Israel and how these three men responded to the grace of God. The short version: These men represent three responses to grace:

  • Abraham believed
  • Isaac battled with fear and unbelief
  • Jacob responded with self-righteousness

When we think of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, certain adjectives come to mind: obedient, blessed, chosen, hopeful, and God-fearing. But let’s not imagine these men led perfect lives. They made mistakes, they fought, they lied. They had dysfunctional families, treated women like property, and owned slaves.

In other words, they were flawed humans. Like the rest of us. Yet each of them was shown grace.

These three men weren’t always faithful, but their stories point to a God who is always faithful. Let’s begin with Abraham and consider three adjectives that define his journey of faith.

Abraham the foreigner

Abraham was the least “Jewish” of the three Patriarchs—in fact, he wasn’t Jewish at all. He was a Mesopotamian from Ur, a pagan city steeped in idolatry (Gen. 11:31, Acts 7:2). God called this foreigner to leave everything behind:

Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home… (Genesis 12:1a, GNB)

The Passion Translation puts it plainly: “Leave it all behind.” And Abraham did. He turned his back on the world he knew to follow a God he could not see. In doing so, he moved from outsider to insider, from stranger to family.

It’s the same with us. Through the gospel, God calls all of us to himself and either we come or we don’t.

We all face the same decision of Abraham. If we follow Abraham’s example and heed the call, we are changed. We become God’s people. “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God” (1 Pet. 2:10).

Abraham the ungodly

It may shock you to hear this, but for the first 70+ years of his life Abraham was an ungodly Chaldean. He came from a land of idols (Jos. 24:2), which is why God called him to leave. But the good news is that God justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).

Again, it’s the same with us. At one time, “we were without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Being separate from Christ, we were without hope. But it makes no difference where we were – the moment we responded to God in faith we were justified or declared righteous. We became part of God’s family and joined to the body of Christ.

And this brings us to the best adjective of all.

Abraham the believer

Abraham was an old man with no future. He had no children, no prospects, and death was not far away. But God spoke, Abraham listened, and the ungodly man became the father of many nations and the heir of the world (Rom. 4:13, 17).

You may know that God blessed Abraham but did you know that all God’s promises came when Abraham was a nobody of no reputation? While Abraham was an ungodly foreigner, God promised:

I will make you a great nation… and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Genesis 12:2–3)

Abraham was not made right with God because he kept the law of Moses (that was 400 years away) or got circumcised (that came later). Nor did he attend church or tithe or go on mission trips.

Abraham was justified and counted righteous because he trusted in the God who is faithful. He is not remembered as “Abraham the law-keeper” or “Abraham the circumcised” but “Abraham the believer”:

So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:9)

Here’s a twofold takeaway for us:

  1. God calls all of us to himself from wherever we are.

You may feel far from God but Abraham the aging ungodly idol-worshipper was further. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

  1. God blesses us without regard for the things we have done (or not done)

Your reputation and regrets do no matter when it comes to grace. God loves and and desires to bless you because he is good. “While we were sinners, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:8).

The father of all who believe

Abraham was not blessed on account of his pedigree or performance but on account of God’s promise. It’s the same with us. We are not blessed because we are faithful, but because God is faithful. The only way we can mess this up is to doubt the faithfulness of God.

How do we doubt God’s faithfulness? By laughing (Sarah), by trying to make things happen (e.g., Ishmael), by making rash promises to God (Jacob, as we shall see), or by trying to earn God’s blessings through our good works (the Israelites).

We can try or trust and that’s the difference between disaster and destiny.

When Paul called Abraham “the father of all who believe” in Romans 4, he was saying, “Don’t learn from Moses the Lawgiver but follow the example of Abraham the believer. Don’t substitute old idols for new ones, but put your faith in God.”

—

When God speaks, faith stirs. But so do the doubts of the flesh. In the bonus materials that accompany this article, I dive deeper into the faith and doubts of Abraham. Learn more on Patreon.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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