Do you have a faith that merely saves or a faith that brings you life? Not a routine humdrum life, but one that thrives? ◊

If you’ve been tracking with us through ROMANS Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4, it should be clear that the Apostle Paul is making a very deliberate case for the Christian faith.

Now I emphasize the word faith because it is a particularly big deal here in his explaining just what Christianity is all about.

In ROMANS Chapters 1, 2 and 3, Paul makes a big issue about deliberate sin and disobedience to God’s defined moral law and behavior (for Jews as articulated in Hebrew law), as well as deliberate sin and disobedience to God’s undefined moral law (for Gentiles, i.e., the rest of us) demonstrated by His natural creation and our own human natural conscience.

In other words, we (all humanity) should know better, whether it’s spelled out or not, that God exists, He created, and He should be honored and worshiped.

There are no excuses for anyone:

For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:22b-23)

The overarching theme of the entire Bible is the presentation of the Hebrew (Jewish) nation, beginning with Abraham, as the specific messengers of God’s love, blessing, and restorative vehicle by which:

“…all the nations would be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-4; Galatians 3:7-9; Matthew 28:18-20; Revelation 7:9-11)

And this was done through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

ROMANS 1-4 Summarized
As explained, ROMANS Chapter 1 emphasizes the sinful status of the Gentiles. ROMANS Chapter 2 emphasizes the sinful status of the Jews as well. ROMANS Chapter 3 emphasizes the solution to mankind’s problem as simply faith or belief alone in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ via His death on the cross as the universal sacrifice atoning for all mankind.

…and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness…at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25-26) ¹

And ROMANS Chapter 4 emphasizes that there is no effort, work, production, ritual, law keeping, practice, or anything done by us (mankind), outside of mere faith or belief in what God through Christ’s perfect sacrifice accomplished, which will satisfy Holy God’s need for righteousness.

And it is simply that faith or belief, modeled by Abraham in Genesis 15:1-6, which puts us individually back in right standing with our Holy Creator God, who through that faith now “reckons us as righteous.” (Romans 4:24)

This completed work, 2,000 years ago, atones for the past, present, and future sins and disobedience of all of us and reconciles us all to God after Adam’s original sin and disobedience cursed all of mankind (see Genesis 3).

The Dilemma: A Faith That Saves vs. Life That Lives?
I’m coming to the conclusion that while all of that mentioned above is understood well and good by most Christians, we’ve still got a problem. It seems that the Good News of the Gospel – that we are saved for eternity and our sins are forgiven – is great news but may still leave us wanting.

In other words, just because one has a faith that believes that Jesus lived and died for one’s sins, and therefore one is forgiven and reconciled to God, it does not necessarily translate to a happy, thriving, and prosperous life in the here and now.

And so this is the modern Christian struggle or dilemma:

• Though I have a faith that saves me, do I have a life that is rich and abundant? or
• If Christianity is so great, why is my life not great?

This is a significant issue to resolve. Our answer or mindset with regard to what our faith in Jesus Christ is really all about is addressed in the next 4 chapters of the BOOK of ROMANS:

• Chapter 5 – The Results – the results of justification by faith.
• Chapter 6 – The Life – the believer’s life in Christ.
• Chapter 7 – The Struggle – the Christian’s struggle in life.
• Chapter 8 – The Freedom – a Christian’s life in the Spirit.

Careful understanding and resolution of this practical dilemma in Christian living will help us see the clear distinctions between a Christian life that “checks the boxes” and goes through all the religious expected motions, versus one that lives a life that thrives and soars regardless of circumstances.

A rich and vital life as it was meant to be, and even can be in a broken world.

Are you living a life that lives beyond God’s saving grace?
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He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. – Romans 4:25

¹ Note: Romans 3:25 may be read as “sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood,” or “whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood.” The Greek word used here is hilasterion which means expiation, or a means of appeasing or satisfying a sin. Charles Hodge notes a helpful distinction: “Expiation and propitiation are correlative terms. The sinner, or his guilt, is expiated; God, or justice, is propitiated.” in Systematic Theology, Vol II, p. 478.

Categories: Abundant Living, Books of the Bible, Devotion, Discipleship, Faith, Forgiveness, Israel, Jesus, Manhood, Marketplace, Old Testament, Purpose, Theology

Tags: Abraham, belief, faith, righteousness, Romans, Romans 4