Romans 4:13 It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

Paul spent a lot of time on this point for various reasons. In the first place, Jews took a LOT of convincing that Gentiles could be heirs of the promises given to Abraham. God had to arrange special circumstances to get the point across even to Peter, as is recorded in Acts 10. With Peter, God just said that he was not to call unclean anything God had made clean. (Acts 10:15) God used Paul to explain that the only reason anyone can be called clean is because we are cleansed by the blood of Christ shed for us, which we receive by grace through faith. The Jews were enormously proud of the Law of Moses, and rightly so, because it was a revelation God hadn’t given to any other people group. However, they missed the point that they had been given the law not because they were so good to begin with, and certainly not that they were so much better than any other people group, but so that they could communicate the truth of a loving, righteous God to all who would listen. Actually, there are Christians today who fall into the same error, feeling like the Bible is theirs, with no concern for getting God’s Word to everyone. The Bible is not a good luck charm, and by itself it isn’t a ticket to heaven. Rather, it is the printed record of God’s Word to all who will receive it, to draw them to repentance and faith for their salvation.

Of all the blessings of my family heritage, none is more precious than the love of God and His Word. I will always remember a question W. O. Carver, my seminary professor grandfather, regularly asked his students: “How big is your Bible?” When they insisted that theirs was as big as his, he corrected their thinking, saying that he wasn’t talking about printed pages, but how much was in their hearts. Having read through the Bible for the first time when I was 10, and many times since then, I am extremely familiar with the printed pages, but I too am challenged by how much is in my heart, and beyond that, by how much I am living it out. I’ve got to remember, and teach, that it isn’t the Bible that saves, but the God of the Bible. I have met dear brothers and sisters who seemed to have that backward, and that’s sad. I am to rejoice that the Bible is available, and seek to make it even more available to everyone, but remember that it isn’t the Bible that saves, but Jesus Christ, whom we learn of through the Bible, and from His living in our hearts by faith.

Father, as I wrote that I could imagine how some of my friends might respond to it. May my love of Your Word not descend into bibliolatry, but rather keep me listening to You. May I be a faithful steward of the Word, so that people may be fed and strengthened and brought into right relationship with You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!