Romans 4:1-8
When we come to Christ, we all bring our own baggage. The Jewish Christians at Rome believed Christ was the Messiah, and because of their faith in Him, God the Father restored their relationship with Himself. The Jewish Christians still believed all of the Jewish theology they learned from their youth. Much of that theology was correct; after all, it was to the Jews that God revealed Himself down through the centuries. Some of that theology was incorrect, and if not corrected, it would hinder their Christian walk.

Questioning our beliefs about God, and spiritual matters can be difficult and scary. We should not take it lightly. It requires us to give serious thought to serious matters. Scripture, the teachings of the church and its leaders, sound reasoning and personal experience, supports good theology. Paul is confronting the Jewish believers regarding their concepts about faith, works and righteousness. They had come to believe through the centuries that it was by works that people established a right relationship with God. When confronted with scripture that said God credited Abraham’s belief as righteousness, their theological response was that faith was a work.

It is at this point Paul calls upon them to apply their own reasoning. If faith is a work, then the person with faith earns his wages. God would be obligated to Abraham. Scriptures teach that because of Abraham’s faith, God reconciled Abraham to right relationship on credit (the debt of sin was not yet paid). As David wrote, God makes us happy when He forgives our sins, and marks our debt paid in full. God made Abraham righteous on credit; knowing Christ would pay the debt in full.

Bad theology never goes away, we see it repackaged and presented in a new disguise. Some still teach that faith is a work. It was not then, and it is not now. A work of faith will earn us nothing, but when we respond to God’s promise with a leap of faith, God gives us everything.