I’m preaching through Romans on Sundays right now. We finished chapter four last week, and I want to

share a couple of life changing things with you that I learned. First, belief is the choice we make to step

into a relationship with Jesus and it is based solely on the evidence and assurance of faith. We get

confused on this so many times. We think that belief is tied mainly to understanding. We make it a

mental thing. We think, “As long as I have all my ducks in a row and can understand the Gospel, I must

be saved.” That’s not at all what we see in the Word. Belief is not tied to understanding but to faith, and

faith comes solely from God. Let me say it this way, only those who believe in Jesus by faith can be

called God’s children. God initiates a relationship and gives that person the faith to believe in Him. At

the point, the choice is up to the person. Will they step into the relationship or will they continue on

their own way?

Why is this such a big deal? In Romans chapter four, Paul is telling the story of Abraham, Israel’s hero

and patriarch. He asks the question, “when did Abraham become God’s child and heir?” When he was

born? Nope. When he was circumcised? (Israel reminded themselves of their covenant with God by

circumcising their children. This was a command from God and an act of obedience on their part.) If

Abraham became a child of God after he was circumcised, it would be easier to say he did something to

deserve God’s favor. But he didn’t! He was totally uncircumcised, just like the rest of the world, when he

stepped into belief in faith. He had nothing to boast about in his relationship with God. He was simply

given the faith to believe. And he chose well.

The second life changing thing this passage shows us is what comes from our choice to believe. God

makes Abraham an incredible promise. He says He will bless him and make him a blessing to all the

people on earth. That’s an amazing promise! We get hung up on the second part, but let’s look at the

first for a second. What does it mean to be blessed by God? The idea is that God invites us into His

presence and every good thing stems from there. The word “blessed” just means “happy.” It’s content,

satisfied, full… The person who’s blessed by God needs nothing. This is the result of a life in Christ.

Blessed also means forgiven. Paul says the promise “rests on grace.” There is nothing in our relationship

with God that cannot be touched by grace. He is the ultimate Father. He shows no favorites with His

children and applies grace equally to each one. Every person who enters into a relationship with God by

grace, through faith, is fully, absolutely, completely forgiven. Forgiven of what, is the next natural

question. The answer is every piece and part of our broken lives, but mainly our deep-seated desire to

reject Jesus as the Boss of our lives. We like to be in control so much. We look at Jesus and all that He

offers and walk away in favor of us being able to call the shots in our own lives. We miss the point.

That’s why understanding belief is so critical. People think they can have the best of both worlds. They

can check the “Christian” box and gain all the benefits thereof AND still be in charge of their life, just

because they understand what the Bible has to say. Belief is bound so tightly to faith that it cannot be

separated. To be in Christ is to exercise the faith to believe in Him as your Rescuer and Redeemer.

Understanding all the ins and outs of Christianity is not the same as being in Christ.

The second part of God’s promise to Abraham was that He would make him a blessing to every nation

on earth. We know this promise was realized through Jesus. God used Abraham’s descendants, the

Jews, as the nation that introduced Jesus to the world. This message is for every people group on earth.

Does this part of the blessing still apply to us or do we stop with the part about forgiveness? Listen to

this, allowing the faith God has planted in you to touch the nations is intricately woven into your

salvation. Jesus is Light. He makes you a Light and puts you on a hill so everyone can see Him in you.

Jesus is Peace. He brings you His peace so you can draw a line in the sand and allow people to choose to

follow or reject Him. He settles the chaos through us with His peace. Jesus makes disciples and tells us to

“Go into all the world and make disciples of every nation…” This is just a part of what it means to walk

with Jesus. You cannot separate it out as something for a select few to do. Every person in Christ is

forgiven and every person in Christ is called to touch the nations.

Do you see why I said this chapter is life changing? Now, what will you do with it? Will you embrace faith

and step into a relationship with Jesus? If you want to be forgiven, you will. If you want to know God,

you will.

It all begins with a simple prayer like this, “God, I can’t fix myself. I recognize I wouldn’t call on you if you

hadn’t drawn me in the first place. Won’t you please forgive me and give me a new life in you? I want

Jesus to rescue me from my sin and be the Boss of my life. Please don’t let me keep living apart from

you! Take me in and make me yours.”