The Book of Romans ~ Lesson Eight

"Right Relationship"

Romans 4:1-12 (NLT) Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
   When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. 6 David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:

   “Oh, what joy for those

      whose disobedience is forgiven,

      whose sins are put out of sight.

   Yes, what joy for those

      whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”

   Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!
   Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Why do we have to keep studying about circumcision versus uncircumcision? It is very important that we learn that doing "religious things"and/or "good things" is not what makes a right relationship with God. It is by faith, and faith alone, that makes the right relationship possible at all.

Look at it this way: Faith in Jesus = Righteousness (right relationship) with God.

There is no other way. Faith in Christ Jesus is God's plan for us to speak to Him on a personal basis. That is not to say we shouldn't avoid behavior that causes us to turn away from Him. Or, that we shouldn't do good things. Being in a right relationship with God means that we behave just like Jesus did when He walked on the earth. We must love God and love others.

Romans 4:13-18 (NLT) Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
   So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

All that the Law does is to point out our transgression against God. It tells us what is and isn't appropriate behavior. It doesn't save us. Think of it as a fence around a playground that keeps the young children playing safe. Outside the fence there is harm. Inside the fence there is safety. The fence doesn't save the children, the person who put the fence in place is the one who saves them.

When we place our faith in God, we trust that He has our best interests in mind and that the boundaries He has placed around, us through right behavior, is good and perfect. His plan is to have a relationship with His creation (us) through our faith in Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:8-9 (NLT) He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

We are partners with Jesus. He is the most faithful partner a person can have. Through faith in Him, we have fellowship with the God of the Universe. Think about what faith in Jesus really means. We will not die an eternal death. Rather, we will live eternal life in perfect union with our Lord.

2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT) Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.

What is this test we read about in 2 Corinthians 13:5? It is simply believing that Christ Jesus lives within those who have placed their lives in His hands through His Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:9-11 (NLT) But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

"those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all." That is the test. Those who have the Spirit of the Living God know that they have Him dwelling within them. He isn't silent or inactive. He moves and breathes within those who love and trust Jesus. He is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance. Let's live, by faith, the Spirit-filled life God intended. This is true relationship with our God; to trust that Jesus has made the way for everyone. Its up to each person to choose Him to be their Lord and Savior.