Jesus plainly teaches in Matthew 18:21–35 that people who are forgiven yet refuse to forgive others are evil (and will themselves go unforgiven). Grace is the means through which the Kingdom comes into the world. Yes, this means the grace that God gives us that “while we were still sinners…but also the grace that we give one another that “while we were still sinners”!
In Romans 4:13–25, Paul discusses the kind of faith that Abraham had as the forefather of the faith. God’s plan was to redeem the world and he would do it through a family. What is the trademark of that family? It is deep trust in the incomprehensible promises of God.
Often times it’s more difficult for us to believe that God will possible judge the world rightly (evidenced in our frequent refusal to forgive one another) than it is to believe in bodily resurrection. Saving faith is one that is quick to give out grace and forgive. A family that matches that characteristic is the family of God. It is a family that embodies the heart of its Father.
Introduction
Grace is the means through which the Kingdom comes into the world. Yes, this means the grace that God gives us that “while we were still sinners…, but also the grace that we give one another that “while we were still sinners”!
In this passage Paul discusses the kind of faith that Abraham had as the forefather of the faith. God’s plan was to redeem the world and he would do it through a family. What is the trademark of that family? It is deep trust in the incomprehensible promises of God.
Often times it’s more difficult for us to believe that God will possible judge the world rightly (evidenced in our frequent refusal to forgive one another) than it is to believe in bodily resurrection.
Saving faith is one that is quick to give out grace and forgive. A family that matches that characteristic is the family of God. It is a family that embodies the heart of its Father.
Romans 4:13–25
2.1 The Promise to Abraham
In Genesis 15, God seals his promise to Abraham to give him both land and people. More specifically, he says that he will give Abraham (1) his own biological offspring (regardless of infertility and age), and (2) the nations of the world. Paul is making the argument that that promise is null and void if obedience to the law is required for the nations to be blessed through Abraham because it is impossible for anyone to completely fulfill the entire law.
God chooses to redeem the world by growing a large family that is marked by grace. He will grow Abraham’s family on the basis of grace through faith. Likewise, as Christians, we are a family called to be gracious with one another.
2.2 Hospitality: The Call of all Christians
Another family trait of Abraham is hospitality. Abraham was hospitable to God when he came to visit Abraham in Genesis 18. Abraham is unlike the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah who treat their visitors very poorly (to put it gently). Abraham’s family is to be like him in being hospitable. We should strive to make all people feel welcome in our presence. This—among many things—means being a good listener.
From a masterclass on being a good listener, here are some tips:
- Practice active listening
- Be supportive
- Make eye contact
- Keep an open mind
- Mentally note key details
- Ask questions
- Use positive body language
Here are some bad listener traits:
- Interject with personal anecdotes
- Judge the speaker
- Don’t ask quetsions
- Talk over the speaker
- Simply wait to talk
2.2 Abraham’s Faith
Paul goes into detail on the kind of faith Abraham has. It is a faith that has hope against hope (i.e., Holy Spirit empowered and supernaturally strong). This is the kind of faith that Christians are to have to be in the family of Abraham. We’re not only to believe that God can achieve that which is doubly impossible (pregnant Sarah!), but that he can be trusted with those who sin against us. We need the kind of faith that allows us to let go of being offended or upset and be quick to forgive, for the Kingdom of God comes through grace.
2.3 Faith to be Generous with Grace
Often times it’s easier for us to have the faith to believe in the supernatural, than to have faith enough to excuse the inexcusable. We must believe that God will be just when we hand the unforgiveable over to him in forgiveness. Do you trust God with those who have hurt you the most?
Jesus teaches through the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant that people who expect to be forgiven by God yet refuse to forgive others are evil! Matthew 18:32 says:
Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
Matthew 18:32
Jesus also teaches through the “Our Father” that God only forgives us as we forgive others. Our faith must be strong enough to compel us to trust God with the inexcusable.
2.4 A Family that Forgives
The family of Abraham—in the likeness of the father of that family—is a family that has strong faith, is hospitality, and forgives generously. We will face obstacles as a growing church, and it is imperative that we embody the Abrahamic family attributes. This means being hospitable as Abraham was, having big, strong faith, and being gracious with one another. The Kingdom of God is manifest through GRACE. This means that when we refuse to be gracious, the advancement of God’s Kingdom is set back.
3.0 Conclusion
Grace. The world is saved by grace through faith. This means that graces is the means through which healing and redemption comes into the world (e.g., the cross). We must be gracious with one another for God’s Kingdom to advance and for his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. We must be gracious and forgiving of one another.
Faith. We don’t forgive because sins against us are inexcusable. We forgive because we trust that God is a better judge than we are. We forgive because we are forgiven. When we fail to forgive, we won’t be forgiven (see Matt 18:21–35).
Hospitality. Abraham was hospitable. He was an excellent host because he knew that he was hosting God himself. One of the most important ministries of the church is hospitality. It is imperative that we make others feel welcome in our presence because we are called to treat everyone as if they were Jesus himself.
