ROMANS 4:13-15: “Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary, and the promise is pointless. For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!).” NLT

OBSERVATION: How is my Christian life going? Do I look forward to going to worship each Sunday? Do I enjoy my time in God’s Word each day? Is my prayer life focused on listening to God? Do I view every blessing as a gift of God’s grace? Is my love for Jesus growing deeper and stronger?

Each year, one of my doctor’s appointments is for a wellness check. In this appointment, the nurse runs through a list of questions to assess my overall health. These questions act like the check-engine light on a car. If one of them lights up, then something might be wrong.

The opening questions could be our spiritual wellness check. It is easy to go from a vital life of faith into one of duty and drudgery. This happened to the Church in Ephesus. They were diligent in their work and faithful in their teaching, but they had lost their zeal. They had neglected their “first love.”

I have often wondered, “What is it that moves us away from our first love?” I remember when I was so in love with Jesus. I remember when God’s Word was alive and active each time I read it. I remember when serving the Lord was a joy. I remember sensing God’s presence each time I worshipped.

Then…life happens!

Life begins to pile on us, and we become burdened with the affairs and difficulties we face. At this juncture, we face a fork in the road. It is at this fork that we come face-to-face with the enemy of our faith. It is subtle. We often miss it. Many times, it is taught from the pulpit or given as advice from a fellow believer. It goes something like this…

“If you do this…God will do that!”

This was the advice that Job’s miserable comforters gave him in the midst of his suffering. This is the advice that so many self-help books proclaim. This is the advice that we have heard over and over again. The only problem with it is…

THIS ADVICE DOES NOT WORK!

Rather than moving us back to our first love, we find our lives drifting further and further away. Paul addresses this when he speaks about Abraham’s faith. It is important to listen very carefully to what Paul writes, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

“If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary, and the promise is pointless.” (Romans 4:14 NLT)

If the answer to our struggles in life were, “Do this…”, then we would not need to walk in faith. When we begin to see God’s love, His forgiveness, His mercy, His help, as something we earn by doing the right thing, we move from grace to works, from life to death, from hope to despair.

“For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!).” (Romans 4:15 NLT)

This brings us right to the front door of the age-old debate between faith and works. Faith does not mean we sit in the corner and never do anything. Rather, faith calls us to see our relationship with God as the gift it is, and we don’t do things to earn His love and favor; we do them because of His love and favor.

The Scripture declares, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:3 NLT)—Abraham’s response to God’s Word was the key. Abraham trusted in God and His promise before Abraham did anything. He did not offer a sacrifice to earn God’s love. He did not pay his tithe to earn God’s favor.

Abraham simply believed…and then he acted!

It was from Abraham’s secure position of being accepted by God through faith that he traveled to a land he never knew, offered sacrifices and paid tithes, rescued his nephew Lot, sired his promised heir at the age of 100, willingly offered his son of promise as a sacrifice to God, and witnessed God intervene and provide both a sacrifice and the promises of the coming Messiah.

Abraham believed God FIRST – and then he obeyed God. Abraham did not obey God, so God would bless him. Abraham obeyed God out of love! This sounds like what Jesus has called us to do!

“Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” (John 14:21 NLT)

John 3:16 does not say that God loved the world so much that He looked for those who were working hard to obey His Commandments, and based on their effort and worthiness, He sent His only begotten Son to die for the hard-working individuals. NO! God so loved the world that He freely gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life!

Faith always comes before doing! Love always comes before obedience!

“So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.” (Romans 4:16 NLT)

Heavenly Father, forgive me when I make my relationship with You based on anything other than faith working through love. This morning, I come to the Cross to lay down all my heavy burdens, all my self-effort, all my attempts at trying to serve You and please You in my own strength. Create in me a clean heart and renew me with Your Holy Spirit. May I walk in the joy and freedom of Your Salvation – by grace through faith!

In Jesus’ Name!