Driven by faith, without adding to faith (Romans 4)

In Romans 4, Paul makes it very clear that it is by faith from first to last that saves us. There is no other way to receive grace and justification outside of faith. And Paul’s fear was that people would try to add their own effort or keeping of the law and religious ritual to make them right before God. We even see in the Galatian church where they did believe in Jesus, but they also thought that they had to add circumcision as a part of their faith in order to be saved. And to this Paul says that if you do it, Christ is of no value to you at all. And so, what do we make of those who believe in Jesus from first to last yet lives faithful lives, good lives, holy lives for God. Well, we will see today that it is because of the Holy Spirit, God’s love poured into our hearts, we are changed – a new creation in Christ Jesus our Lord. And so, God saves us but then gives us the affections to faithfully follow Him. It is not about proving our faith because everybody’s walk would look different but walking humbly with our God and King, Lord Jesus.