It is of faith

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all – Romans 4.16

The Jews of Paul's day were pretty convinced that God was only for them. Anyone who was not a Jew didn't have any hope of eternity with God. They thought that God was their's alone and that the only way to please God was to keep the entirety of their Jewish Law. Generations of Jews had lived their lives trying to keep that Law.

They looked back to Abraham as their founder and father. Paul used Abraham to make a point. In their scriptures they had read 'Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' Paul points that since Abraham was justified before he was circumcised it could not have been the Law that saved him.

So what did it? 'It is of faith. And it is of faith so that God's promise would be according to grace.'

It is of faith.

Maybe that is what makes it so hard for some people. It is tough to swallow the fact that we can do nothing about our sinful state except to trust God. Religion makes it simple – do what we say and you will be okay. It makes people feel good to think they are doing something on their own.

But God says it is of faith – sola fide.

The old song puts it this way ‘By faith alone, through grace alone, to God alone be the glory.’

It is of faith, not of works, lest any man should boast. 

Praise God - if it were of works I wouldn't stand a chance!