Do you want to be strengthened in your faith? Abraham knew the key…
And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, … (Romans 4:19-20)1
Abraham was strengthened in his faith “giving glory to God.” What does that mean? In the New Testament Greek, the word we translate “glory” is the word “doxa”, and in Thayer’s Greek Lexicon it gives this meaning: “in the New Testament always a GOOD OPINION concerning one, resulting in praise, honor, and glory.”2 In other words, Abraham was strengthened in faith by having a good opinion of God, resulting in praise, honor, and glory. Our faith is strengthened the same way: we fight the good fight of faith by keeping a good opinion of God.
Recently someone shared with me that a family member had hurt her deeply. I was overjoyed to see this guilty person who had done terrible things turn to the Lord and receive God’s grace. However, I was saddened to see that this grace was very offensive to the person who had been hurt. She wanted the offender to suffer, and she was angry with God for extending grace to an undeserving person. She said to me, “I don’t trust God. A good father doesn’t make one child suffer so another one can be free.” She was accusing God of making her suffer in order to heal her family member. Her opinion of God was very low, and her faith in a good outcome plummeted as she spoke negatively of God. We speak what we believe.3
There are consequences in this life to having a bad opinion of God and His grace: fear, anger, unforgiveness, hatred… But there are glorious benefits to having a good opinion of Him and embracing His amazing grace: a life of watching Him do the impossible as the force of His extravagant love changes us, the people around us, and circumstances where there was no hope.
(from page 231 of Unveiling Jesus)
Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!
Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.
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1Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
2G1391 (doxa), Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, website: http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G1391&t=KJV, accessed 6-4-14
32 Corinthians 4:13″
