The Sunday of Abram (NT)

Romans 4:1-12

4 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? ² For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” ⁴ Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. ⁵ And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, ⁶ just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

⁷ “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,

and whose sins are covered;

⁸ blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

⁹ Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. ¹⁰ How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. ¹¹ He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, ¹² and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

St Paul reminds us of the Father of believers.  Abraham was not blessed because of anything he did.  God chose him, just like God chose his people, and God chose you.  He did not choose you because you were circumcised.  He did not choose you because you were such a nice person.  He did not even choose you because you followed his Law so well.

Because if we are honest with ourselves, we are not very nice.  We can be mean and cruel.  We despise people, and covet their relationships and objects.  We even treat some people like they are below us.  We are truly not worthy of anything we receive other than pain and torment.

But St Paul reminds us Father Abram did not deserve all the special things he received either.  He did not deserve to be blessed, but God blessed him anyway.  Likewise, Jesus blessed all people because of their faith.  They did not produce good within themselves but the Holy Spirit blesses God's people with faith.  He calls gathers and enlightens his children.  He gives them righteousness and cleanses his people from all their sins.

Abram and David were truly people after the Lord's heart, not because of their actions but because they trusted in his Word to strengthen them.