Romans 3-4

I really like Romans. Paul will really just tell you like it is, and cover a lot of ground. Today it talked a lot about faith. In chapter 3 it says: "What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar." I like that one. It's saying that even if we don't believe and expect that God can do the unthinkable, it doesn't change God's mind or immobilize Him in any way. Then it goes on: "But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument." Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?" Why not say - as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say - "Let us do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is deserved." That's pretty self explanatory! We are NOT just cleared to sin.

A little bit later it started talking about Abraham. In Genesis 15:6 it says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Paul addressed that, saying, "When a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." Later is says, "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Unlike, say, Zechariah who was mute for not believing when the angel told him he would have a son named John. God's hand is not too short to save - and it's up to us to believe.