Romans 4 Faith vs. Family＜br /＞ローマ書4 信仰 対 家族

What does God's family look like?----more----

This was the question that Christians and Jews faced at the time of Jesus.

Abraham believed God and it was calculated in his favor, indicating that he was in the right. (Romans 4:3)

And as we saw last week, everything in the NT is loaded in a cultural context placed within the OT.  This verse too is actually from Genesis 15:6.  But what does this verse have to do with being a part of God's family?  To which Paul would answer - in every way.

Genesis 15 begins with God promising Abraham a family as numerous as the stars (which is by the way a lot).

And upon looking up and seeing the sky, Abraham believed.

It is upon that faith that God says to Abraham that he is now in the right - to have a right standing with God.

And based on that faith God then goes to establish a covenant with him.

Genesis 15:7 draws on Exodus 20:2 where God establishes the covenant with his people of Israel.  And it is here in Genesis that God seals his covenant with Abraham in this strange vision.

And so now we too in faith enjoy being a part of God's family.

So thus we draw near the corner bend of the first section of faith.

But as we do so, Paul introduces another theme that will be a part of his next section, hope.

Against all hope, but still in hope, Abraham believed... (Romans 4:18)

It is this combination of faith and hope that characterizes God's family.

A faith in the God who is faithful to us - Romans 1:17 which is from Habakkuk 4:2.

A hope that looks to a God who is faithful no matter what even though the circumstances surrounding us is a far cry from it.