Faith
Romans 4 is all about faith. Faith is trusting someone or depending on someone for something. Abraham's faith is used as an example, so we can see how God works to save us. We are not saved by working for our salvation, but we are saved by God as a free gift when we trust Him as Lord.(Romans 4:4,5) This is difficult for some people to grasp.
Some people really believe that we are saved because of something we do. If that was the case, God would owe us salvation. He would be paying a debt He owes to us. God owes us nothing. We can't save ourselves by doing anything. Salvation is a free gift. That is what grace means. You are not saved by praying a prayer or joining a church or by being baptized. Those are works. You are saved when you trust Jesus as Lord, believing that He died on the cross to forgive your sins, so He is the only One who can forgive you. When you trust Him, He writes on your account that your sins are forgiven, and you righteous before God.
Some people even think faith is a work. Romans 4 disproves that once and for all. Our faith is not something we do that saves us. God is looking for our faith to be put in Him. Then, when He sees that we trust Him as Lord, He saves us. Anyone can have faith in another person. Anyone can put faith in Jesus as Lord of their lives. Faith is simply trusting that Jesus is the only One who can take away our sins. Faith is an attitude of heart and life that lasts. Once we trust Christ, we keep trusting Him as Lord, just like Abraham did.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Romans 5-8.
Some people really believe that we are saved because of something we do. If that was the case, God would owe us salvation. He would be paying a debt He owes to us. God owes us nothing. We can't save ourselves by doing anything. Salvation is a free gift. That is what grace means. You are not saved by praying a prayer or joining a church or by being baptized. Those are works. You are saved when you trust Jesus as Lord, believing that He died on the cross to forgive your sins, so He is the only One who can forgive you. When you trust Him, He writes on your account that your sins are forgiven, and you righteous before God.
Some people even think faith is a work. Romans 4 disproves that once and for all. Our faith is not something we do that saves us. God is looking for our faith to be put in Him. Then, when He sees that we trust Him as Lord, He saves us. Anyone can have faith in another person. Anyone can put faith in Jesus as Lord of their lives. Faith is simply trusting that Jesus is the only One who can take away our sins. Faith is an attitude of heart and life that lasts. Once we trust Christ, we keep trusting Him as Lord, just like Abraham did.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Romans 5-8.