“Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!” (Romans 4:10-11)
It’s amazing how the chronological sequence of events in Scripture prove so crucial to theological truth. Here Paul smashes any idea that Abraham was made righteous by circumcision or any other works of the Law. How? By pointing to the sequence of events in Abraham’s life. Years prior to Abraham’s circumcision (Genesis 17:10-14, 23-27), God declared him righteous simply because he believed in the Lord (Genesis 15:6).
In the very next chapter Paul will draw a marvelous truth from the past, present, and future. He will point out that, if God loved us while we were yet sinners and sent His Son to die for us, and if while we were His enemies used our murder of his Son to reconcile us to Himself, then how much more – now that we are reconciled to Him – will we be saved through the resurrected Christ – who lives to intercede for us (Romans 5:6-10). If God loved us when we were at our very worst, then certainly He will always love us. If God saved us while we were enemies, even children of his wrath (Ephesians 2:3), then how much more so now that we are the children of His love?
In Galatians 3:2-3 Paul points to the sequence of events on a personal level with the Galatians. “Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the Law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?” In other words, God saved the Galatians and gave them His Spirit simply because they believed – before they knew anything about the Law of Moses. Why allow the obsolete Law of Moses (Hebrews 8:13) to intrude on their relationship with the living Lord Jesus?
In truth, time only has a bearing on us. In the past we were dead in trespasses and sins, we were enemies of God, and we were children of His wrath. Yet in that despicable state, God loved us, saved us, and filled us with His Holy Spirit. Over time, our status has changed dramatically through the grace of Jesus Christ. But God does not change. If He loved us in the past, then He will never stop loving us – ever.
REFLECTION
- Think about it. Is our past only a dream, something to forget about?
- Isn’t God’s perfect record of faithfulness in our past a source of our faith today?
- God loved you when you were at you’re worst. How can He ever forsake you?
