God’s Expanding Kingdom

 Meditations on Romans

July 30, 2021

God’s Expanding Kingdom

And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Romans 4:12

Read: Romans 4:9-12

The uniqueness of the church in Rome is addressed again by Paul in this passage. Paul both expands and constricts our understanding of Christianoi, the people of Christ. First, Paul again affirms that people are counted as righteous by God because of their faith. This affirmation makes clear that the Gentile Christians are indeed heirs of Abraham and a part of the family of God.

Paul’s second affirmation, quoted above, has the effect on constricting God’s family. Paul is saying that the Jews cannot look only to keeping the law as the means to God’s acceptance. God has fulfilled the covenant with Israel. Now the covenant requires believing Jesus was crucified, died, and that he rose again. Faith, or believing, in Jesus as the crucified and risen son of God is now the mark of the covenant with God. And this faith, this believing encompasses the entirety of Jesus’ mission: his life, death and resurrection.

My Takeaway: There is within the DNA of all humans an insatiable need to be in control. When it comes to a relationship with God, people want to point to something they have done or are doing to justify God’s acceptance of them. (And point to something others have done or are not doing to justify God’s rejection of others). May I always rest in the sure knowledge that my acceptance by God rests forever and only on the blood of Jesus.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.