Bible Verse of the Day Thursday April 20th, 2023

Romans 4:2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about —but not before God.

Abraham is known as "the father of faith" because he trusted God. Consequently, God credited it to him as righteousness. We first discover this recognitional endorsement in the 15th chapter of Genesis, verified and substantiated by Paul in his letters to the Churches at Rome and Galatia. The Book of James also tells us that God considered Abraham righteous when he obeyed God to sacrifice his son, Isaac (James 2:21).

Many people in the ancestry of Abraham were pleased to brag about their righteousness simply because of their descent and heritage. However, righteousness is not an attribute handed down through genealogy family lines. Furthermore, we do not gain righteousness through some good deeds. Righteousness, plain and simple, is a free gift from God for all that place their faith and trust in Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

In our text verse, Paul pointed out that if works had saved Abraham, he might have something to blow his horn about. Abraham carried out many great and marvelous feats that did warrant the admiration of all that heard about his accomplishments, yet they did not produce righteousness in God's eyes. Abraham was not acknowledged and affirmed righteous because of his good works; it was for his belief in God's Word concerning the promise of the Coming Messiah.

Any human that is not perfect, as God is perfect, is totally and wholly insolvent and despondent in the sight of God. However, it was in his bleak and unpromising state of being that Abraham was offered salvation and righteousness in and through faith in the promises of God. This gift is pure and untainted mercy and grace shown to any of us who place our faith and trust in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

Self-adoration and self-worth signals that one is out of the all-encompassing light of Christ Jesus. Boastfulness and self-aggrandizement are worthless in the sight of God because if we might come close to justifying ourselves, which we never will, we would still fall short of God's glory (Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8). Praise the Lord that all that come to Christ Jesus are justified by faith through the substitutionary work of Christ on our behalf, on the Cross of Calvary, and His glorious resurrection. Let us all thank God that we, as His children, have been declared righteous not through any self-declared goodness we have accomplished but through believing in Christ Jesus as the true promised Messiah that came to save the world from their sins. Let us also ask God to help us be a living testimony of the gospel of Christ Jesus and actively spread the good news to anyone we contact.