A long time ago, there was this guy who wanted to please God. He knew that God was God - and therefore, that He deserved all of him. He dedicated his life to this God. He followed all of the laws handed down through the ages - vigorously. He was passionate about this God, often even more passionate that his peers and teachers.

The student was becoming the master. He was already surpassing those senior to him in knowledge and vigor.

When there was a threat to his religion, to the laws and practices of his fathers, he put his whole heart and soul into it. He was more zelous for his God than all those around him.

And yet? It was all for nothing. Those who have been Christians for a while will recognize the story, it is a very short snippet of the life of Paul, before he met Jesus. The same Paul that most of the book of Acts is about, wrote a bunch of the New Testament epistles, and penned these very words in Romans.

The promise is not through works

Paul had tried in his 'previous life' to please God. He did all that he thought he should be doing, far exceeding those around him in zealousness for the law. And yet these were all 'good works', which in the end counted for nothing. Indeed, just before his conversion, he was so zealous for the law he was persecuting all Christians, as he listened to his leaders and believed they were a heretical threat. Paul's works up until this point didn't get him saved, they only took him further away from God.

The promise is from God alone.

Even though Paul's works were empty, even in enmity to God, in His mercy and Grace God had chosen Paul for a special purpose - to preach before the Gentiles (those that were not specifically Jewish - descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). Paul's call to ministry was not because of his good works, it was not because of his knowledge, it was not because of his skill or mental ability, though none can argue they weren't all put to good use. The call was because of God's grace, nothing more.

The promise is not empty.

Paul's final argument here is that the promises made to Abraham were not empty promises. He never promised that all of his descendants would be saved. We can see from the children of Hagar, or the line of Esau, that not all of his descendants would be part of that promise. What Paul is arguing here is that the promises made to Abraham were for the children of the promise, which also means the Gentiles that became believers. The promises were made to those who would be spiritual children of Abraham - not only physical. Some of the physical children would indeed be saved, but so would many others.

And if you believe in Jesus, you are part of that promise!

What can we learn?

So what can we learn from these verses? Simple - it is all about God. There is nothing we can do outside of Him that is useful at all. It may appear useful to us in this life, but in reality, it is nothing. There is no amount of good works, penance, indulgences, or even religious zealousness, that will bring us closer to God.

We are simply saved by grace, because God willed it to be so.

Share

Tweet