In the same way, David also pronounces a blessing on the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from actions: Happy are those whose actions outside the Law are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Happy are those whose sin isn’t counted against them by the Lord. Is this state of happiness only for the circumcised or is it also for those who aren’t circumcised? We say, “Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” So how was it credited? When he was circumcised, or when he wasn’t circumcised? In fact, it was credited while he still wasn’t circumcised, not after he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that comes from the faith he had while he still wasn’t circumcised. It happened this way so that Abraham could be the ancestor of all those people who aren’t circumcised, who have faith in God, and so are counted as righteous. He could also be the ancestor of those circumcised people, who aren’t only circumcised but who also walk in the path of faith, like our ancestor Abraham did while he wasn’t circumcised. The promise to Abraham and to his descendants, that he would inherit the world, didn’t come through the Law but through the righteousness that comes from faith. (Romans 4:6-13, CEB)
What is it that makes us right with God?
Is it circumcision? Is it baptism? Is it our faith?
All of these are works. Things we do. And none of these are what make us right with God. Following the law, which we can’t, will not make us right with God.
We are only right with God because God makes us right in that relationship. We do what God asks us to and be who God calls us to be because we are right with God. We can love the world because God first loved and loves us.
Loving People. Loving God.
aSacredRebel 