March 5th, Thursday: Romans 4 & 5

Rom 4

How Abraham was saved – not by works, but by faith.

Salvation is not like wages that you can earn, or works that you can boast about.

Abraham was not saved by keeping the law because the Law had not been given.

Nor was he saved by obeying a religious ritual.

It was all by God's grace.

We'll see how David was saved.

You know, David wrote Psalm 32 after his great sin with Bathsheba.

Can God forgive a man who commits adultery, deceit and murder?

The answer of course is yes.

When David repented and turned to God, he was forgiven!

... even though the Lord allowed David to feel the bitter consequences of his sins.

God justifies the ungodly, not the righteous.

And you will see how you can be saved.

Simply by believing God's promise as Abraham did.

Faith and promise go together, just as law and works go together.

Abraham is the father of the Jewish nation physically, but he is the father of all believers spiritually.

At Calvary, our sins were put on Christ's account.

When you trust Christ, God puts Christ's righteousness on your account.

That's why we call the Gospel, Good News!

What can be more blessed to know that your sins are forgiven?

Hallelujah!

Adam's sin passed sin and death to the whole human race.

But Christ's obedience gives righteousness and life to all who trust Him.

In our first birth, we became condemned children of Adam.

But in our second birth, we are the forgiven children of God.

Note the blessings of justification:

We have riches, peace, access into God's grace, joy, hope, love and the Holy Spirit.

What riches we have in Christ!

And trials work for us, not against us, and develop Christian character.

How rich we are!

Rom 5

We read about reconciliation.

We're at peace with God, and not to be afraid.

If He did so much for us when we were His enemies, just think how much He will do now that we're His children.

When we belong to the old creation under Adam, death and sin reigned.

Now that we're in Christ in the new creation, grace is reigning!

And we are reigning in life!

Listen, you can live like a king by the grace of God!