Choose to forgive and bless for the glory of God.

Romans 4:9-10 Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; The Jews who were reading Paul’s letter to the Romans thought the world was divided up into two categories of men: The Jews: those circumcised and blessed to be in covenant with God through the Law and the Gentiles: the uncircumcised, who were outside of the promises and blessings of God because they didn’t have the Law of God. However, Paul was excited to tell both the Jews and Gentiles of the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Christ, there is no distinction between the two when one comes to stand before God for God gives His righteousness to both on the same basis: His gracious favor bestowed upon them because of love. His readers, and we, can draw great encouragement from Paul’s revealing that this blessing of God’s righteousness by grace through faith isn’t a new thing. It’s always been God’s way for any man to stand before Him. Beginning with Abraham and continuing to David and to his readers and on to us, God’s grace abolishes all distinctions of race, nationality, or gender. God’s righteousness was given to Abraham before He was circumcised, so circumcision or the keeping of the Law is excluded as a basis for righteousness. One stands righteous before God according to God’s choosing to bless, forgive, cover, not take into account sins, and credit righteousness. What should this encourage us to do in our relationships? I hope we are encouraged to love others with the same love Jesus has loved us. Let us choose to glorify God by choosing to bless, forgive, cover, not take into account sins. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com