There’s something nostalgic about the old Sunday School song: “Father Abraham had many sons…” But Romans 4 reminds us that being part of Abraham’s family isn’t about genetics—it’s about faith. The Apostle Paul makes it clear: Abraham is the spiritual father of all who believe, not just those born into his bloodline.
So, how did Abraham become right with God? Was it because of his obedience? His works? His religious rituals? No. Romans 4:3 says, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” That one verse changes everything. It tells us that righteousness doesn’t come from rule-following but from trusting God.
That’s grace.
It’s the same grace that Jesus extended to the woman caught in adultery in John 8. She was guilty—there was no denying that. But Jesus didn’t ignore her sin. He forgave it. Then He told her to go and sin no more. That’s the beautiful tension of grace: it meets us where we are but never leaves us there.
Paul echoes this truth in Romans 4:15 when he says, “The law always brings punishment…” Why? Because none of us can keep it perfectly. The law reveals our sin, but it can’t remove it. Only grace does that. And grace always comes through faith. This was true for Abraham, and it’s true for us. Whether Jew or Gentile, whether religious by background or completely new to faith, anyone who trusts in Jesus becomes part of God’s family.
Romans 4:16 puts it like this: “The promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift… For Abraham is the father of all who believe.”
Faith, not effort. Grace holds us together. Because grace depends not on us, but on Christ. Jesus, the Risen One, died for our sins and rose again so we could be made right with God. That’s not just a historical truth; it’s a personal invitation.
Romans 4:24–25 reminds us that this grace isn’t just for Abraham or David or New Testament believers—it’s for us. It’s for you. You don’t earn your way into God’s family. You’re adopted through faith. That’s the heart of the gospel. So if you feel unworthy, weary, or unsure, you’re in the perfect place to receive grace.
Let today be the day you stop striving and start trusting. Like Abraham, place your faith in the God who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence. Let your story be one of joy, not performance. Freedom, not fear. Belonging, not burden. That’s what it means to be part of the family of God.