Romans 4:19-24
Our path of faith is all about whether we believe in God’s promise to the people who are already justified through Christ, or not. What does Apostle Paul try to explain here? To say the conclusion first, the answer is in verses 22 and 23. “It was credited to him as righteousness.” And it is not only for him but for “us” who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord. And that’s the one most significant thing that Apostle Paul wants us to know throughout the whole letter, which is immensely synchronized with Romans 1:17.
As we walk our path of faith, in the place where whether you lead or be led by another leader, what satan constantly accuses and attacks us through is our faith in justification. Even though we once already had the conviction in our salvation, as time passes, our faith gets shaken and confused about our salvation by numerous attacks and accusations by satan, if we are away from this message, Romans. The attacks may come through our weakness, insufficiency, arrogance, etc., and eventually, it leads us to self-torment.
How can we stay powerful, firmly, or even get more strength despite all persecutions, accusations, distrusts and betrayals even of our own brothers like Abraham and this Apostle who is teaching us this now? In 2 Cor 12, he says he boasts about his weaknesses. What we believe in is not us, our might. But in the one who will reveal his perfect power in our imperfection. Faith in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead and who surely has the power to do what He had promised. So what was Abraham’s faith? It was faith in the resurrection. Already knowing that his and Sarah’s bodies were as good as dead and believing that God could even raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:19), he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God to him and his son Isaac, but without weakening in his faith, he believed in hope. And this was which was credited to him as righteousness. Of course, we are not deserved or enough to be used as the vessels that God can use. We are like jars of clay, rocks and dead. But God puts His treasure into these jars, makes the descendants of Abraham, and raises the dead bones into His great army. It is not us, but God. It is not by our own abilities, but by His power that will be made perfect in our weakness.
God may be asking us now, “What are you doing now? What is wrong with you?” One thing that never changes is that we are already saved. Because God has justified us through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, it is almost impossible to believe in. That is why we need to continuously go back to Romans and hold on to “Sola Fide” and “Sola Gratia.” God set us up as the Abrahams in each of our ministries and cities, and His promise to Abraham has already been given to us by grace. This faith and this conviction in the love of Christ will make us grow more and more powerful despite any obstacles or circumstances in this world.