“Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.'” Rom. 4:4-8
Devotional Thought For The Day
At first consideration we don’t like these words – they run counter to everything that we have been taught and experienced in our earthly lives. Consider that anyone would think that “God justifies the ungodly”! And further consider that this – God’s own Word – declares that the one “who does not work” but believes this, that “God justifies the ungodly,” “his faith is counted as righteousness.” This is certainly not what I thought I heard proclaimed, declared, taught, and encouraged at church. And it is certainly not what I thought my parents were emphasizing to me. What I heard was that I was to be doing the work and to be making sure that I was not “ungodly.” Serious penalties and consequences were threatened and applied if I failed to do the work and if I engaged in ungodliness. And I’m certain that this is the message also that my children heard from me on many occasions – although I hope that they also heard about God’s love, His mercy and forgiveness, about how “blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered,” and again, how “blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” And I know they experienced my forgiveness, as I experienced forgiveness from my parents.
As we get older, and have to deal with the reality that keeps creeping into our consciousness – that we are in fact “ungodly” and that we have little inclination to do good works, this passage becomes more intriguing. At some point we get to where we recognize that Paul’s description of himself also accurately describes us: “I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” [Rom. 7:19] In fact, we realize that we often don’t even really want to do the good, and that we incorrigibly want to do the evil. So when he cries out “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” we join him from the depths of our heart – in despair and dejection. It is at this point that we look again at the reality stated in our text, that “God justifies the ungodly,” and that whoever believes this about God – His love in Christ Jesus our Savior, His forgiveness and His “covering” of our sins, that He does not count our sin to us because He already counted it against Jesus, Who suffered all of the just punishment for all our sins on the cross – “his faith is counted as righteousness,” and we think: “How wonderful this would be!” But we find it scarcely possible to apply these words to ourselves, to even consider that such blessedness is intended for us. But it is! And this very assertion, this “gospel” [good news] is made over and over again in Holy Scripture, God’s Word, not only throughout the New Testament but also the Old Testament.
Perhaps as we contemplate these words, this great good news of forgiveness and God’s justification of the ungodly in Christ Jesus, received by simple faith and trust in God’s incredible goodness and love, we come to take comfort in them. And as we do, we eventually become more confident in them and assured by them, and ever more enamored and captured by God’s love – and more courageous in approaching God and living to Him. But then we are confronted with the reality that we must also apply them to others – to all others, even those who sin wretchedly against us. And we again have trouble with these words – especially if we see others turning them into license to do as they please, and to plague and afflict us. But if we remember the depths of our own sorrow and despair over our personal “wretchedness,” and the peace and joy of God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness, we know that no matter how many times our brother sins against us we must forgive him – as we assert each time we pray the Lord’s Prayer.
And as we go on in life, and our sinful flesh seeks to turn God’s gracious love into license to “not work” and to engage in “ungodliness,” we come to recognize this as ridiculous and absurd – as Scripture teaches, that having died to sin in Christ and with Christ we can no longer live to sin, but must live to God, compelled by His perfect and continuous love for us. When we fail – as all do, including Paul and Peter and all believers – we return to God in confession and rejoice that He “justifies the ungodly” and counts our faith as righteousness, that our sins are forgiven and covered for Christ’s sake. And each experience of God’s love creates greater love for God and greater eagerness to please Him. And this is essential if we are to live in God’s blessedness and grow in our love for Him. So we take the Word seriously, and allow no one to dissuade us.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, how difficult it is to believe that You would still love us as we truly are, infected with sin, ungodly and inclined to evil, and unwilling to do the good we know we should be doing. Even more difficult is to fully grasp and trust that Your redemption has taken away our sin, that God justifies the ungodly, and that by Your gracious mercy and love You would receive us and renew us. Take away our doubt, despair, and depression by strengthening our faith and trust in You, and our knowledge of Your sure and certain love. In this way we pray that You would also strengthen our love – so that we forgive as You have forgiven us, and that we love as You love us. Grant us this blessedness, as this is Your will for us. Amen.