In recent visits we considered the essence and action of faith as seen in Romans 3:21-6:23. Today let’s look at the object of faith – what and in whom we believe.
Abraham is presented as the father of all who believe. Who did he believe in? According to 4:3, “Abraham believed God.” This is “the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were” (verse 17). It is also the God “who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead” verse 24. Abraham believed in the Almighty, self-sufficient, miracle working God of creation. His God had promised him a son through whom a nation would emerge. Even though he saw no human way this was possible he believed God had the power to do what He had promised. With this God, nothing is impossible. Placing faith in Him opens the heart so God can do His promised work of grace in you.
You also read in Romans 3:22 and 26 that we are to place our faith in Jesus Christ. Two specifics related to Jesus Christ are to be believed. In 3:25, it mentions having faith in His blood, referring to His sacrifice of atonement. And in 4:24 it refers to His being raised from the dead. It’s clear that we are to have faith in the person, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Discount any one of these three pillars of our faith and you do not have Christianity. If Jesus Christ is not who He claimed to be, and if He didn’t die and rise from the dead, then our Christian faith is in vain. We are still in our sins.
Who and what we believe in is crucial to authentic Christianity.
