Today is 6-28. I spent most of my childhood at 628 Catherine Street in Forest Park. It made me think of my friends and neighbors and the times we spent as young people. I had a wonderful childhood and learned a lot about life – what to do and what not to do (sometimes at a very painful cost to my backside). I often pause and think of my childhood friends and wonder where they are today.
Think about people you know. If you were to ask them how someone is made right with God, what do you think they might say? It’s easy in our culture to base our worth on possessions, image, job, money and other things for our security, worth and aspirations. Because of this, we might have a mindset of merit. I would imagine many would say we could be made right with God by being better, going to church, helping our neighbor, etc… You know, the stuff we do.
After reading Genesis 15:5-6 and Romans 4:1-8, can you see why Abraham was important to Paul’s Jewish listeners? They had this same mindset. They believed they were made right with God by following all of the laws. Paul used Abraham to show his people to that it is faith and not works that makes one right with God. It wasn’t anything that Abraham had done, it was what God had done and is still doing. What do you believe?