Monday 11 April 2016
- Bible Book:
- Romans
“For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us).” (v. 16)
Psalm: Psalm 69:1-21
Background
As we read Paul's letter to the Romans we are aware of the storyof its author: Saul, the zealous, pharisaic Jew who was met andtransformed by the risen Christ (
- God is utterly faithful and will not go back on God's word
- (therefore) what God promised to Abraham and his descendantsstands
- (but) in Christ God has offered salvation to all people.
The way that Paul reconciles these truths is to argue that whenGod promised Abraham that he would be the ancestor of many peoplethis was not a reference to the physical descendants (of childrenAbraham and Sarah were yet to have), but to all those who were partof a family of faith. That Abraham trusted that God would give himdescendants was remarkable: the key text for Paul was
To Ponder
- Muslims as well as Jews claim to be the children of Abraham.How does our understanding of 'the family of Abraham' shape ourapproach to people of other faiths?
- Can you remember a time when God proved faithful, even thoughthe problems you faced seemed insurmountable? What happened?