Romans Part 2 - FaithSample

INSANITY PREVENTION

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

This saying is attributed to Albert Einstein but has also been credited to many 12-step programs of recovery. How does this apply to our verses today from Romans four?

Paul has been using the life of Abraham to help us understand faith and the grace of God regarding His promises.

Notice how these verses begin:

Verse 16: “That is why it depends on faith.” (ESV)

Verse 17: “Therefore, the promise comes by faith.” (NIV)

In other words, our inheritance unto salvation does not come by anything we do or by anything we possess; it comes solely through faith in the true God of the promise: a promise of life, forgiveness, justification, and righteousness. The promised blessing of inheritance into the kingdom of God is way beyond our wildest dreams and, by the way, was way beyond Abraham’s as well! And it doesn’t depend upon us, but it depends upon God. When it comes right down to it, when our backs are against the wall, or even when things are going really well, what is it that we truly depend on, rely on, or have faith in? Our world says that we should depend on what I call, for all of those math-minded people out there, P to the sixth power:

Position, Possessions, Power, Purpose, People, or Performance.

In other words, somehow, we earn and God owes us. Yet, though our world encourages us to depend on these things, the state of our world is clearly not satisfying, rewarding, or harmonious. The lives of those who fall for this falsehood get more messed up all the time. Searching for satisfaction through those six P’s, over and over again, is insanity, yet we continually fall for the lie that it does satisfy. Somehow, this time, we think it will work for us!

God promises us so much more through faith in him.

Depend on that faith!

-Steve Moody

Family Corner Devotional Questions

If we have faith in Jesus what are some of the things promised to us?