How Much More {Part 1}

{My Quiet Place}

As I have studied the beginning of Romans over the past few weeks, I am captivated by the frequent phrase "How Much More". I will have to admit, I often ignore the book of Romans, not because I believe it is insignificant (because it is most definitely NOT), but because I believe it is insignificant to me. It's a book on salvation and....I'm already saved right? So...why would I spend my quiet time reading a book on how to become a Christian? I could not be more wrong.

First of all, Romans is WAY more than a step by step manual on how to get saved. It is written to believers for goodness sake! "To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints" (Rom 1:7). Paul's "thesis statement" for this letter is found in Romans 1:16,

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." 

Believers need to preach themselves the gospel daily lest they gradually twist it into something else. Lest they forget that it is all by grace through faith, not by works. Lest they forget how naturally sinful they are. Lest they forget how much God loves them and how much Jesus went through to redeem them. And I tell you what, my study of Romans has grown my faith in amazing ways as God has revealed the gospel message to me in a brand new way. 

That being said, I would like to point out the first "How Much More" statement of Romans. Sometimes this phrase is actually written out, but here, it is understood, hidden between the lines. 

If Abraham was counted righteous before Jesus, how much more will we, prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus, be seen as holy? 

You might wonder how people received salvation before Jesus came. In whom did they believe? Was it by works? Are they all burning in hell? Romans 4 ties in the "Old Testament way of salvation" by looking at Abraham. Now Abraham is a way more important man than I had previously thought. He is more than just another Old Testament character with another cool story. He is the father to all who believe. 

As you may know, biblical characters put a lot of emphasis on circumcision. If you were uncircumcised, you were a Gentile. If you were circumcised, you were a Jew. Circumcision was said to automatically make you right before God. But here, Paul makes a point about Abraham's circumcision. 

Abraham was not saved because of his works or because he was circumcised. The Lord counted him righteous because of his FAITH. Sound familiar? Our faith in God and His Son is what makes us holy before the Lord for Abraham and for us. Abraham trusted God and trusted in the future Messiah that would restore life to the nations. Did you know that God announced the future birth of Jesus all the way back in Genesis 3:15? Talking to the devil the Lord promises,  

"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel."

After sin entered the world, God reveals to Adam and Eve that the one who would will set all things right, redeem mankind, and restore fellowship between God and man, will come from the offspring of the woman. The woman's seed will defeat Satan, sin, and death. 

This is the promise Abraham believed in. Abraham placed his hope in the seed (Jesus), who would be born from the woman (Mary) and crush Satan. He trusted that God would keep His promise even though he did not live to see it fulfilled. 

The same faith that saved Abraham is the same faith that saves us. "We walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised" (Rom 4:12).  

As Abraham was counted righteous before he was circumcised, so did Christ save us while we were sinners. Abraham's circumcision served as a seal of his faith. Our works do not save us rather they are proof of our salvation. Again, Abraham was not saved by his religious actions, but by his faith in God and the coming Messiah. 

Although genuine faith produces good works, our actions can in no way attribute to our salvation or God's opinion of us. Faith and works do not work together to produce salvation in us. Faith alone, through the grace of Jesus, justifies us. 

"If Abram, when full of good works, is not justified by them, but by his faith, HOW MUCH MORE we, being full of imperfections must come unto the throne of the heavenly grace and ask that we may be justified by faith which is in Christ Jesus" Spurgeon

Our faith does not have to be perfect. It does not have to be huge for God to justify us, only as small as a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20). But may God continue to grow our faith after we come to know Him! 

Just because our faith saves us doesn't mean we do not need more of it. Abraham was strengthen not only by his faith, but in his faith. 

Now faith in and of itself is not our righteousness. Faith looks to the work of Christ, not us. Faith cannot be its own righteousness. 

"Faith is counted to us for righteousness because she has Christ in her hand" Spurgeon. 

We are not only innocent, free of guilt, but righteous and full of good. God COUNTS us righteous, He does not MAKE us righteous. I love what Spurgeon says about God towards believers,  

"He takes them for what they want to be, for what they are in heart, for what they could be if they could". Spurgeon

 The last six verses of Romans 4 perfectly sums up the connection between the Old Testament salvation and our own, 

"[Abraham] grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised. That is why his faith was 'counted to him as righteousness'. But the words 'it was counted to him' were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification" (Romans 4:20-25). 

If Abraham was counted righteous before Jesus, how much more will we, prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus, be seen as holy? 
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The Girl Next Door