If you are reading along in Romans with me, you may have noticed how Paul is arguing two big things (among others). First, that Christ died for sins, as a sacrifice, in our place. Second, that faith in Christ doing this is the only way to receive eternal life and rightness with God. In these next two chapters, we see Paul continue with these two facts, focusing on the aspect of "faith in Christ".
In chapter 4, Paul gives us a great argument on why faith in Christ, not works or anything else, grants eternal life and rightness with God. You see, Abraham was counted as right before God because he believed in God. Paul continues on to say how the sign of the covenant between God and Abraham was circumcision. Circumcision (odd as it may be to us now) was a physical mark that showed that Israelites were set apart, they were God's people. But Abraham, Paul says, was counted as right before God before he was circumcised. This is proof that faith in God is what matters, not who you are, what you have done or any other thing. Now just as Abraham was counted as righteous before God, those who believe in Jesus' death and resurrection are also counted as righteous before God.
Abraham was alive before Jesus, so was Jacob and Joseph and David and the prophets. Does this mean there is no salvation for them? No! The faith that we see in many of the Old Testament's people made them count as righteousness before God, because of their faith. In the same way, a sinful, evil person like all of us, can believe in Christ and stand as righteous and forgiven before God.
In chapter 5, Paul continues to tell us that because of this faith we have, we can be assured and hopeful that God surely gives us eternal life. Our hope should be fully in this life, not in a savings account or a 401k, but rather in Jesus Christ and his death in place of our sins.
Lastly, Paul contrasts the two "families" we are a part of. There is the physical family of Adam, from who all people have descended. Then, there is the spiritual family of Christ, through whom all people can be saved. Everyone on earth is faced with a choice. You can stay in your physical family, the family of Adam, which leads to death in your transgressions and sins, or, you can put your faith in Jesus Christ and in the fact that he died on the cross for your sins to free you from them. With this faith, we can join the spiritual family of Christ, where we are seen as sinless before God because Jesus has paid the price for our sin.
The choice is yours.
Hope you all had a wonderful Easter, celebrating the wonderful truth that Jesus did not stay in the grave, but is alive!
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