August 27 - In Whom We Believe 믿음의 대상

August 27 -  In Whom We Believe

 

“As it is written: ‘I have made you a father of many nations.’" He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” - Romans 4:17

 

 

Paul wrote at the end of the previous verse that Abraham is the father of all who shares his faith in God. As evidence, Paul quotes what God said to Abraham in Genesis 17:5, "I have made you the father of many nations." These nations include all people whose faith is in God. Abraham is the father of all believers in the sight of God. Abraham is the spiritual father of all believers, not just those under the law, the Jews.

 

Paul describes the God Abraham believed in using very specific terms. This is the God who gives life to the dead, partly referring to God bringing Abraham's and Sarah's bodies back to life-giving form even at the ages of 100 and 90, respectively, fulfilling His promise to give them a son. It is true, however, that God also brings life to the dead in the sense of resurrection from the dead, as He did when raising Jesus back to life after the crucifixion.This is also the God who calls into existence things that were not there before. Again, this likely refers to Abraham's and Sarah's promised miracle child and the nations that would come through him. Nations that had never been would spring into existence, including Israel.It is also possible that Paul is describing God as the creator of the universe, tying back to what he wrote about those who reject God despite witnessing all He has made (Romans 1:18-20). Those who believe in Him, as Abraham and his offspring do, understand and embrace the truth that God is the maker of all things. This is often described as creation ex nihilo, meaning "creation out of nothing."

 

Abraham, Sarah's husband, showed us true faith and receiving faith. The Apostle Paul teaches us the goal of faith (Romans 4:17). 

Abraham’s faith was not about having a strong or little faith. Abraham believed in God. Many have faith, but it is important to know in whom we have faith. For Abraham, he believed God could raise the dead even when no resurrection incident existed before Abraham’s time. He still believed in God’s power to resurrect the dead. That’s why he could offer Isaac, his one and only son, as a burnt offering (Genesis 22:5).

 

Abraham believed in God, who created all things from nothing. We ought to believe, like Abraham, in God, who raised the dead and created all things from nothing. “By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered God faithful who made the promise. 

And so from this man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore” (Hebrews 11:11-12). We will experience many miracles if we believe like Abraham. And if we believe like Abraham, God will use us mightily as he did Abraham. 

 

“The most cherished possession I wish I could leave you is my faith in Jesus Christ, for with Him and nothing else you can be happy, but without Him and with all else, you'll never be happy.” - Patrick Henry.

 

 

Today’s Prayer: Pray that your nation will repent of willful ignorance of God’s thoughts and ways. Ask that the beauty and purpose of human life be accepted and promoted (Psalm 139:12-16). Pray by name for unsaved friends. Ask God to lead you in truly helping them to know him (Psalm 139:23-24).

Prayer Pointer: God tells us to burden him with whatever burdens us. – Author Unknown

Bible Reading: Psalm 132-135; 1 Corinthians 8

 

 

---

 

8월 27일 - 믿음의 대상

 

“기록된 바 내가 너를 많은 민족의 조상으로 세웠다 하심과 같으니 그가 믿은 바 하나님은 죽은 자를 살리시며 없는 것을 있는 것 같이 부르시는 이시니라”- 롬 4:17

 

 

바울은 아브라함을 지칭하여 하나님을 믿는 자의 조상이라고 로마서 4:16에서 말합니다. 그리고  이에 대한 증거로 창세기 17:5에서 하나님께서 아브라함에게 하신 말씀을 인용합니다, "내가 너를 여러 민족의 아버지가 되게 함이니라." 이 말씀의 여러 민족에는 하나님을 믿는 모든 자들이 포함됩니다. 하나님 보시기에 아브라함은 모든 신자의 조상입니다. 다시 말하면,  아브라함은 율법 아래 있는 유대인 뿐만 아니라 모든 믿는 자의 영적 조상인 것입니다. 

 

바울은 아브라함이 믿었던 하나님을 매우 구체적인 내용으로 설명합니다. 즉, 하나님은 죽은 자에게 생명을 주시는 분으로 아브라함과 사라의 몸이 각각 100세와 90세에도 기적으로 아들을 주시겠다는 약속을 지키신 하나님이라고 언급합니다. 그러나 십자가에서 죽으신  예수님을 다시 살리신 것 처럼 하나님은 죽은 자를 살리시고 생명을 주시는 하나님이라고 말합니다. 

 

이 말씀은 또한 과거에 없었던 것들을 존재하도록 부르시고 역사하시는 하나님이라는 뜻입니다. 그리고 아브라함과 사라에게 약속한 기적의 자녀와 그 자녀를 통해 올 나라들을 가리키는 것입니다.  이스라엘를 포함하여 존재하지 않았던 나라가 존재한다는 뜻 입니다.  

 

바울은 또한 하나님을 우주의 창조주로 묘사하며 그의 만드신 모든 것을 목격하고도  하나님을 부정하는 자들에 대해 이미 기록한 말씀과 연관시켜 말합니다(롬 1:18-20). 아브라함과 그의 모든 후손들처럼 하나님을 믿는 자들은 하나님께서 모든 만물의 창조주 라는 진리를 이해하고 받아들입니다. 이것을 "무에서 창조"라는 의미로 묘사합니다.  

 

사라의 남편 아브라함은 진정한 믿음과 응답받는 믿음이 무엇인지 보여 줍니다. 바울은 아브라함을 통해서 믿음의 목표를 가르치며(롬 4:17), 아브라함의 믿음은 강하거나 연약한 믿음이 아니라고 말합니다. 아브라함은 믿음의 대상을 하나님께 두었습니다. 사람들이 믿음을 가지고 있지만 누구를 믿는 믿음을 가지고 있는가가 중요합니다. 아브라함은 부활 사건에 대해 무지했지만 하나님께서 죽은 자를 다시 실리신다고 믿었습니다. 그는 죽은 자를 살리시는  하나님의 능력을 믿었기 때문에 아들 이삭을 번제물로 바칠 수 있었습니다(창 22:5).

 

아브라함은 무에서 모든 것을 창조하신 하나님을 믿었습니다. 우리도 아브라함처럼 죽은 자를 살리시고 무에서 만물을 창조하신 하나님을 믿어야 합니다. "믿음으로 사라 자신도 나이 늙어 단산하였으나 잉태하는 힘을 얻었으니 이는 약속하신 이를 미쁘신 줄을 앎이라 이러므로 죽은 자와 방불한 한 사람으로 말미암아 하늘에 허다한 별과 또 해변의 무수한 모래와 같이 많이 생육하였느니라”(히 11:11-12). 우리가 아브라함의 믿음을 가진다면 많은 기적을 경험하게 되고 아브라함처럼 하나님을 믿는다면 하나님께서 아브라함을 사용하신 것처럼 우리를 능력있게 사용하실 것입니다.

 

"내가 여러분에게 남길 수 있는 가장 소중한 재산은 그리스도에 대한 나의 믿음 예수님입니다., 왜냐하면 그분과 함께라면 행복할 수 있지만 그분 없이는 그리고 다른 모든 것으로도 결코 행복할 수 없기 때문입니다." - 패트릭 헨리

 

 

오늘의 기도: 당신의 나라가 하나님의 사상과 방법에 의도적으로 무지한 것을 회개하도록 기도하고, 인간의 생명의 아름다움과 목적이 수용되고 고취되도록 간구하십시오 (시 139:12-16). 구원받지 못한 친구들의 이름을 불러가며 기도하고, 그들이 주님을 진실로 아는데 하나님께서 당신을 사용하시도록 기도하십시오.

기도 지침: “나님은 우리에게 있는 무슨 짐이든지 그에게 짐을 맡기라고 말씀하신다. 저자미상 

성경 읽기: 시편 132-135편; 고린도전서 8장