Chapter 7
The Plan of Redemption
Part 1
Salvation Through God’s Chosen people
I don’t think that there’s a book in this Bible that doesn’t have something in reference to God’s plan of redemption, especially after Israel becomes a nation.
The “Scarlet thread of redemption” runs from Genesis to Revelation. You never lose it. It’s always someplace. Even in a book like Esther, where God’s name is never mentioned, you can still see that scarlet thread of redemption as it pertained especially to Israel and now as it’s come on to the Gentile world.
God who created everything. He created man and put him in the garden knowing what he would do, and yet the moment he sinned, the very next thing that God does is, put in gear the whole plan of redemption, where He is promising the "SEED" of the woman in Genesis 3:15. And that begin that Red Scarlet cord of Redemption that goes all the way through this Book.You never lose it. It’s always someplace. Even in a book like Esther, where God’s name is never mentioned, you can still see that scarlet thread of redemption as it pertained especially to Israel and now as it’s come on to the Gentile world.
Following the progressive revelation by God through Holy Scripture brings us now to that place in history where God is going to carry out His plan to restore man to his original state of creation as it existed in the Garden of Eden. The little-understood truth is that God's initial purpose for mankind is that he is not to die.
From the Genesis account it appears God taught Adam everything he “needed to know” as a man made in His image. The Genesis account does not provide details, but we can assume that Adam was wholly man, and as such, was given the freedom to act on his own according to the wisdom imputed to him at creation. His subsequent behavior and its consequences would become a permanent property of all his progeny for all eternity. However, the temporary existence that ended in a physical death, bringing suffering and loss, does not appear to be God's original purpose for mankind. It became part of the curse for sin brought on humanity by the poor freewill choice made by our first parents, and all of their progeny(save one) who have chosen to follow that sinful way ever since.
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27) . Yet God's purpose for mankind stands; His purpose to give mankind eternal life will ultimately succeed! Every person born, given the free will to choose between belief or unbelief, saved or unsaved, will spend eternity in a resurrected body somewhere. God will finally judge where every person is to live eternally, and under what terms.
Throughout the rest of the Bible we see the unfolding of God's plan of redemption—the purchase of mankind for a price. All Men, we see, can be rescued from death by the priceless shed blood of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, but first it must be appropriated.
As soon as our first parents fell into sin at the hands of Satan, God instituted His plan to redeem mankind --“buying back something that was originally owned and lost.” The whole idea of redemption. The word `redemption' refers to losing something and buying it back. And it's a Scriptural term. We say God lost the human race when Adam sinned. We're all in Adam. It was there man disobeyed God, and we say He lost us. So now, what does He have to do? Buy us back with a price. Satan is the fly in the ointment. Satan is terrible to deal with; he won't let go of us easily. And this is the whole idea of redemption -- that God will buy us back for Himself after losing us in Adam.
The foundational truth of Christianity is that Christ Jesus died on the cross for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3). In this way he fulfilled the old covenant sacrificial system, reconciled us to God, and changed our lives forever.
That is the doctrine of the Atonement. Its reality is not in dispute. However, many Christians struggle to understand and live this doctrine better. We know that the Atonement works; but how it works is not as clear. Over the centuries many different theories have been suggested to explain how the Atonement works.
When Adam sinned, he disobeyed God by the simple act of eating of the tree. What happened to that dominion? He lost it! Who picked it up? Satan! Never forget that. Adam dropped the ball, and just that quick Satan picked it up. So consequently, for the last 4,000 years, who’s been the god of this world? Satan! Yes, under God’s Sovereignty. We don’t take anything away from that, but Satan has been the god of this world for the last 4,000 years.
Did God really lose man to Satan? If Satan and man are in rebellion against God and try to usurp His authority, and apparently succeed to a certain extent, it is only by His permission and within strictly prescribed limits. No! God has never fully relinquished the reins of government of the Universe or of this world. Satan is called the "prince of the power of the air" in Ephesians 2:2. He is called the "ruler of this world" in John 12:31. These titles, and many more attributed to Satan throughout Scripture, signify his capabilities. To say, for example, that Satan is the "prince of the power of the air" is to signify that in some way he rules over the world and the people in it. Satan is certainly called the “ruler of this World,” but it is only by God’s permission, who “makes the wrath of man to praise Him,” and he is never called this since the Cross and resurrection of our Lord. But nowhere is Satan entitled as Prince of the Universe.
How could Satan have offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if he did not own them? This is not to say that he rules the world completely; only God does this. But it does mean that God, in His infinite wisdom, has allowed Satan to operate in this world (within the boundaries God has set for him) and has allowed Satan to operate with an agenda. When the Bible says Satan has power over the world, it must be made clear that God has given him domain over unbelievers alone. Once a person becomes a born again believer he is no longer under the rule of Satan. (Colossians 1:13). Unbelievers, on the other hand, are caught "in the snare of the devil" (2 Timothy 2:26), lie in the "power of the evil one" (1 John 5:19), and are in bondage to Satan (Ephesians 2:2).
So, when the Bible says that Satan is the "god of this world," it is not saying that he has ultimate authority. It is conveying the idea that Satan rules over the unbelieving world in a specific way. In the case of the unbeliever following Satan's agenda, according to 2 Corinthians 4:4, the "god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ." Satan's agenda includes pushing a false philosophy onto the unbelieving world—a false philosophy that blinds the unbeliever from the truth of the Gospel. Satan’s philosophies are the fortresses in which unbelieving people are imprisoned, needing to be set free and brought captive to Christ in obedience to the truth.
A simple analogy in understanding the concept of redemption makes use of the illustration of the “Pawn Shop.” The whole idea of a pawnshop is that if you get in a financial bind you can take something that may be rather intrinsically precious to you and get a small amount of money for it. Then, hopefully, down the road you can go back and redeem it by buying it back. And hopefully, in a pawnshop, it will still be there. So, the whole idea of redemption is that you have owned something. It’s been secure, but it was lost, and it will have to be redeemed in order for you to regain ownership. God has had to do this over and over throughout the history of man.
When God put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, who did Adam and Eve really belong to? The Lord! They were His! He enjoyed their fellowship, He enjoyed their company and they enjoyed His. But you see when sin entered, and they became sin creatures, now who took control over Adam and Eve and their surroundings? Satan did. So God lost them, and control over them, Satan now had them, but you see God immediately, in their behalf at least, came in and redeemed them, by virtue of that animal sacrifice and speaking to them in words that they could understand, and they believed Him, so He redeemed them back to Himself.
Now that was just the beginning of the redemption process, and so all the way through Scripture we have this whole idea of redemption.
There is a way whereby God will purchase back that which He lost back there in the Garden of Eden. But when sin entered, that fellowship was broken and God lost control of them because they had come under control of the god of this world (Satan). So immediately God institutes a way whereby He can buy the human race back to Himself, and we call that redemption.
The Old Testament Program Aimed at Redeeming Man
It is the redemption of man that is the main focus of Holy Scripture, and it is to this purpose that brings us to the importance of the Nation of Israel and the Jewish people in God’s plan of redemption. Initially, God’s plan of redemption hinged on the little nation of Israel. In the heart of history, we have the idea of a Divine purpose, working itself out through the calling of a special nation, for the ultimate benefit and blessing of mankind. The overall plan of God to reclaim a world gone wrong. God chooses to send redemption through a specific lineage, of which Eve’s seed, Shem’s tents, Abraham’s children and David’s throne will all be a part. They are to have the pleasure of carrying this good news to all nations. God’s purpose is that through Israel all people would return to rightful worship of Him. God’s desire during the Old Testament was for all peoples to discover a saving faith in the coming Messiah, through Israel’s call to be a light to the nations. An evangelistic mission was at the heart of God’s intention for Israel.
Through a covenant made with the man Abram(Abraham) God promised him that he would be the origin of a nation of the people. From the very promises made to Abraham, that through this one nation of people would come forth, not only the Word of God, but the Messiah, the Redeemer, the Savior of the whole world would come through this one little nation of people.
Because of this Satan plans to destroy that nation before God can use them. But, you see, he’s never quite succeeded. Even today we shouldn’t wonder why the whole world is against Israel over there today. Don’t wonder why the Palestinian and the Arab world hate them so, that’s Satan’s work. Satan is still convinced that if he can destroy the nation of Israel, he can destroy the Bible. That’s his hope. But, it’s not going to happen. God is going to spare the Jew, the nation of Israel, so that they will be there for the end-time results that are coming. This is a major proof that this is the Word of God alone, of all religious writings. Because the Jew is the historic promised fulfillment that the Bible is true.
Here in a nutshell is exactly how the nation of Israel came about. It began back in Genesis 12: After Abraham the next person to come into that Covenant promise was Isaac. The next one in response to that Covenant promise was Jacob. And then out of Jacob came the twelve sons, one of whom was Joseph. And out of those twelve sons who, because of Joseph, ended up down in Egypt because of the grain shortage. And while those twelve sons and their families were in Egypt, what happened? They exploded in population. And those twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel that Moses led out and took through the wilderness experience. Then Joshua led them into the Promised land. Now there's the nation of Israel. They would be given title to an area of land, a King, and a Kingdom. Their nation(called Israel) was to become a nation of priests to bring salvation to the Gentile nations. In the Old Testament, it was no mystery that Israel would someday spread the Word of God to all nations. But, it was prophesied to be after a Messiah had come and set up His kingdom centered in Jerusalem. The people of Israel would then be sent to all nations to lead the Gentiles to their God in Jerusalem. But all Israel did not receive and has not received Him yet. So the fulfillment of the Old Testament program has been postponed. The mystery was that God planned to go to the Gentiles (through the apostle Paul) when Israel rejected the kingdom. After this dispensation of grace (sometimes called the "church age") ends at the removal of the Body of Christ(the church), God will resume the Old Testament prophetic program. That is a very short summary. But In the following pages we will examine the Old Testament kingdom program from the time it began.
With Abram the Kingdom Concept is Born
We learn from Scripture that God’s initial plan of redemption and salvation is to be carried out through the Nation of Israel. Beginning with Genesis 12 we have the Abrahamic Covenant with the call of Abram(Abraham). The promise to Abraham was not just national, but was primarily redemptive, pointing to Jesus as the means of the salvation and blessing of all that would accept him.
The prospect given to Abraham, is that out of Israel would come a King(later identified as the Messiah) who wouldn't just rule the Nation of Israel, but would spread that rule to the whole earth through Israel. The whole Kingship idea began with Abraham, and the Covenant God made with him.
God put His finger on Abraham and told him that He would make of him a nation of people. God is going to take that nation of people and put them into a geographical area of land. At some point later, God Himself would come and set up their government, because you can't have people in a geographical area without government, or you will have anarchy. You don't have a functional society unless you have a government. God in so many words says that nation has become visible (and we know that they became a nation in Egypt in slavery. We know they came out of Egypt under Moses as a nation of people).
God gave Abraham that Covenant promising a nation of people dwelling in the land, and that someday there would come a government. That Covenant concerning the government did not really come into play until God gives it to King David. David is promised that coming from his loins would be a royal family of kings who would rule and reign over the little Nation of Israel. But through that line of kings would some day come the King of Kings, and that of course was Christ born of Mary with Joseph his legal father. Both Mary and Joseph come down those royal family blood lines through David and Solomon.
God told David that this royal family would go down through history, and beyond history right on into eternity, and out of this royal family of David would come the King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, and He is going to come as He did the first time to the Nation of Israel.
So, out of the main stream of humanity, God calls this one little nation, the Nation of Israel. And to them He makes these promises that they would be a Kingdom of Priests. In order to prepare them for that Kingdom of Priests, He puts them under Law. He gave them the temple worship, the priesthood, and the Old Testament. As for the Gentiles, they remained outside the Covenant promises as seen in Ephesians Chapter 2. They were not citizens of the Nation of Israel. At that time they were without hope, without God, and so they continued on their pagan way until such time as Israel could be funneled back into the Gentile nations, with the idea of bringing them to a knowledge of their God. So this is the whole scope of the Old Testament.
Ephesians 2:12 is very plain. Our Gentile forefathers were strangers from the covenants of Promise, without hope and without God in this world. But, now in Christ Jesus Gentiles are included, not by covenants, but by the Blood of Christ. By the finished work of the Cross we are now in a greater relationship than even the covenants, we are joint-heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:14-17).
Abraham had been promised that a nation emerging from his own loins would against all odds survive and declare the name of the one God to the world. This is the whole scope for bringing the Nation of Israel on the scene. Giving them the Abrahamic Covenant that God would make them a nation of people. He would put them in a geographic area of land, and then one day He Himself would come in the person of the Messiah to be their King. This is what the Abrahamic Covenant and the Old Testament state. As you read the Old Testament, note that most of the time everything is written in the future tense. For example, "I will make of you a great nation." When God spoke of King Cyrus the King of Persia, God named Him 150 years before he was born. When you see the text in future tense then that is prophecy. Also, God can keep things secret and then reveal them in His own time. Many times in the Old Testament, He reveals things prophetically before they happen. So you have both of them to cope with.
"Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. (verse 6 is one of the benchmarks of Scripture) And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation (set apart), These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel." (Exodus 19:5,6)
This verse says that the day would come when every Jew would be a priest of God. What is a priest? He's a go-between. So every Jew was to get to the place that he could have been a go-between; between this pagan Gentile and this Jewish priest's Jehovah God. Here we are talking about reaching out to Gentiles. That was the promise, but it was conditional; they had to be obedient to God's voice, and keep God’s Covenant.
"Thus saith the LORD of hosts; `In those days (these prophetic days that are out there) it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations (Gentiles), even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew (recall Exodus 19:6 --- they shall be a Kingdom of priests), saying, `We will go with you: (why?) for we have heard that God is with you.'" (Zechariah 8:23)
This is the role that God is preparing the Nation of Israel for. So that when the appropriate time comes, every Jew would have been a priest of God, to bring Gentiles to a knowledge of God. That is the Old Testament format. And that is all God is revealing so far. This is the way that God was going to reach the Gentiles, and it was to be through the Nation of Israel.
After Israel had the King and the Kingdom they could carry out all of these promises of taking the knowledge of salvation to the Gentiles. However, there are to be no unbelievers going into the Kingdom.
"Except a man be born again he cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven." There's the word kingdom, but it's the same kingdom. The kingdom is the kingdom is the kingdom. It is this physical kingdom that is coming upon the earth. No unbeliever will go into that kingdom; flesh and blood or otherwise. But this was the program offered to Israel. Scripture shows the plan of redemption changed when Israel rejected the King and the Kingdom, and Jesus was crucified.
After their forty year wilderness experience, Joshua takes the nation of Israel into the Promised Land. Then they were ruled by judges for over 400 years, and they didn't like that idea, so they asked God for a king. The first king, Saul, was a total flop. He fell flat on his face and God couldn't use him. Out of David would come the King. David was the next king, and becomes the beginning of that "Royal Family," that is not just going to lead through generations of this existence, but all the way into eternity. What did God promise David? That beginning with him, a royal family would proceed. And that down through the ages that royal family would be ancestors of the King. And that, of course, is Who Jesus is presented as, THE KING.
Because out of the loin of Abraham and David would come this government. But this government will not be a democracy, but a monarchy. It's going to be ruled by "THE KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS." But remember He will be a benevolent King. His Kingdom will be righteous, fair, and glorious. This was the prospect as it was laid out in the Abrahamic Covenant.
The Coming of The Messiah
"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he (the messenger) shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek ( the Lord here is Jehovah, God the Son), shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant (The Covenant, see), whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts." (Malachi 3:1)
That's John the Baptist being promised that he would come on the scene, to be the messenger to announce the King. The King is also the fulfillment of that Abrahamic Covenant. Abraham had been promised a nation of people that would end up in a geographical area of land. And then at some future time, God would come and be their King as well as their Redeemer. That's all in that Covenant. And then, of course, after that Covenant made with Abraham you came to the Covenant of Law, then the Covenant God made with David concerning the royal family. And the Covenant He made with Moses concerning the Land of Palestine. Now those are all separate covenants, but they were all under the Abrahamic Covenant. And now here it is. They've been a nation of people for 1,500 years, since they came out of Egypt. Here the Nation of Israel is in the Book of Matthew and their King is here.
"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea (and here's John's message), And saying, `Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" (Matthew 3:1,2)
What made the Kingdom at hand? The King! Now when the King went back to Heaven at the ascension in Acts Chapter 1, where is the Kingdom? It's in Heaven! When the King comes back to Earth, where will the Kingdom be? On Earth. So wherever the King is, you have the Kingdom. Now the King is here. And the Kingdom of Heaven is just over the horizon. This is His whole scope of approaching the Nation of Israel. But it's in fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant. That's what God promised.
Repent and Be Baptized
We have so many different views of baptism. Some feel that it's mandatory for salvation. Some, that it has nothing to do with salvation. Some in sprinkling, some in immersion. There is probably no other one thing in all of Christendom that will cause enmity and ill will like baptism. So you have all of these conflicting ideas. But what does the Scripture say about baptism?
The following verses from Scripture are the ones most used as “proof texts” by those who hold that baptism is necessary for salvation”
“And Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”(Acts 2:38).
"And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name." (Acts 22:16).
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned”(Mark 16:16).
“Jesus answered and said to him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Nicodemus said to Him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?' Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'"(John 3:3-7).
Groups that believe in baptismal regeneration often turn ton Galatians 3:27) as one of their “proof texts” for the view that baptism is necessary for salvation. Those who believe that baptism is required for salvation are quick to use 1 Peter 3:21 as a “proof text,” because it states “baptism now saves you.”
I think the reason for so many conflicting ideas related to baptism is the failure to rightly divide the Word while searching the Scriptures. Here we find modern Bible scholars falling into the error of blending Old Testament Jewish religious customs with New Testament revelations. Law and Grace Gospels cannot be mixed without introducing conflicting concepts. The Kingdom Gospel was to believe Who Jesus was, followed by repentance and water baptism. The Grace Gospel is to believe that not only did Christ die for our sins, but that He rose from the dead. Many people try to blend the two gospels into one, but you see the Bible says they’re different, and that’s what Paul meant when he said, we should be "Rightly Dividing the Word of God."
The concept of using water for cleansing or purification is a theme used throughout the Old Testament. God’s people following the Mosaic Law begin using water in many of their religious ceremonies, such as washing parts of an animal before sacrificing it. God demonstrates water’s use in a religious ceremony during the consecration rites of Aaron and his sons (Leviticus 8:6). Moses washes Aaron and his sons with water as God commands before the rest of the ceremony can take place. Much like in the creation story, water comes first as a vital ingredient for whatever comes next. In this case water must first wash away all that is unclean before Aaron and his sons can truly be purified in God’s eyes.
Later on in the Old Testament, detailed descriptions are given on different situations and ceremonies involving water (Numbers 9:17). Here, a description is given on the ritual of water for purification after a person has been deemed unclean by touching a corpse or grave. River water is used to cleanse not only the unclean person, but the corpse or grave and all those who were present when the corpse or grave was touched. The clean person who washes the others with water must wash their clothes in water immediately after. The detail put into the description of this ceremony emphasizes the importance the Hebrew people put on cleanliness. When a person is unclean, anything they touch is unclean, and failing to be purified by water results in being ostracized from the community. These ceremonial acts are reminiscent of the story of the flood. Once again, water is being used to wash away all that is impure and wicked, leaving only what is pure to begin rebuilding.
The laws concerning cleansing, given by God through Moses, were not something far off from the thought of that age. These laws are far stricter in this matter of cleanliness than any of our present codes. Cleanliness of person, of dress, of house, of furniture, of utensils, of habits, of food, was prescribed with minute insistence. The Israelite who from the heart strove to be true to the teaching of God was, in consequence, an excessively clean man. No priest and no others could take part in the sacrifices and services of the temple or even in the Passover with any uncleanness upon him, under the penalty of being cut off from his people.
No Israelite could be sure of his being ceremonially clean. And hence the bath was a constant religious necessity, frequently repeated, and always taken before offering sacrifice. Its high importance in the service of the temple is marked on the greatest of all the high days of Israel, the day of atonement, when the high priest, though he had bathed before, was required during those supreme services to "bathe his Mesh in water" when he exchanged his usual dress for the holy linen garments, and again when he put off the holy linen to take his usual dress.
What the form of this washing (bath) was, how it was clearly understood in Western Asia, is plain from Elisha’s direction to Naaman the Syrian, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times." "Then went he down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God." The New Testament terms these various washings, baths, "various dippings," "baptisms" (Heb. 9:10). The authoritative Jewish writings on these subjects from New Testament days teach that these ceremonial washings were complete immersion. Baptism (dipping) as found in the New Testament was a complete immersion and is still acknowledged and taught by many Christian denominations.
"For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias (It's also in Isaiah. Isaiah also speaks of John the Baptist) saying, `The voice of one crying in the wilderness, `Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'" (Matthew 3:3) "And were baptized of him(John the Baptist) in Jordan, confessing their sins." (Matthew 3:6)
Here John maintains that if these Jews of Israel are going to show saving faith in the fact that their King and Kingdom is here, then they would have to show it with the baptism of repentance. And that is why it is always called the "Baptism of Repentance." The two could not be separated. These Jews were repenting then of their failure of the system of law, and everything else. They were now preparing their hearts and minds for the King and His Kingdom. Why baptism? Remember that we are dealing with the Jew, and if you go back to the Old Testament economy, in order for the priest to be prepared for service the first thing they had to do was wash, wash, and wash some more. They had lots of practice at washing. Throughout the whole system of the Law of Moses there was that constant washing to show to the very mind of Israel that sin was a filthy thing. The priesthood with their wash, wash, wash, were merely emphasizing their need for a spiritual cleansing. The water in no way could do that. Remember Israel was told that every Jew was to be a priest of God. What little rite had to happen before they would be ready for a priesthood? They had to be washed. And they experienced that symbolic washing with their baptism. Now that is all you can put on it. Nothing more!
Jesus Was Baptized
Many times the question is asked, "Why was Jesus baptized? He didn't have any sin to repent of." But again, He came to be a prophet, priest, and King, and in order to fulfill all of the requirements of the priesthood. Symbolically what did He have to experience? The washing. So as He went down into that baptism in the Jordan, where he symbolically fulfilled the washing of the priesthood, and at the same time He identifies Himself with His Covenant people the Nation of Israel. He was attempting to prove to the Israelites exactly who He was!! The Jews always required a sign, and Jesus provided that sign.
Jesus was born a Jew, raised under Jewish Law, and was schooled as a Jew under all the Old Testament teachings. His entire earthly ministry was based on the Mosaic Law of the Old Testament. When He said search the Scriptures he meant the Old Testament, and when he told his disciple to go forth and baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, it was all under the Old Testament format of repent and be baptized. It was this admonition by Jesus to his disciples that later on evolved into a variety of interpretations in regard to the rite of baptism. A good example of the confusion taking place is evident early on with the visit of Peter and his entourage to the house of the gentile Cornelius. Compare how Peter preached to Israel in Acts chapter 2 where the process was repent, be baptized, have the remission of sins, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. That was the process in Acts chapter 2. In that order. But at the house of Cornelius, it was reversed. While Peter was yet preaching, the Holy Spirit fell on those believing Romans, and then Peter says, "What hinders us from baptizing them?" Completely reversed? Why? Because now we’re introducing the Gentiles to a whole new system of salvation. It is not through repentance and baptism and so forth, but by believing. That’s what Peter recognizes here. They had heard the gospel that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, and when they believed it, the Holy Spirit fell on them, and they were designated in Peter’s sight as believers. Now, it wasn’t Paul’s Gospel yet. We’ve got to clarify that. That hadn’t been revealed yet, but God can save them any way He wants to, and in this case, they believed Peter’s gospel according to the Jewish format. A person could only receive the Holy Spirit after being baptized with water, but in the case of Cornelius, he received the Holy spirit when he first believed, then Peter baptized him with water after the fact. John's baptism with water anticipates Jesus' baptism with the Holy Spirit and not Christian baptism with water. Those who receive the Holy Spirit and fire are those who truly repent. So here we have an early example of conflict over the rite of baptism, which continues throughout Christendom to this very day.
The Israelite could be cleansed from the greater uncleanness only by certain ceremonies. Until the appearance of John the Baptist, the dipping of the person in water was the absolute prerequisite under the law for every man and woman who would enter the inner court to take part in the worship. It is not at all surprising, therefore, that, when John came dipping, baptizing in living, running water. There should be no query by the Jews as to the well-known custom. Their only query was as to John himself: "Who art thou? Art thou the Christ? Art thou Elijah? Art thou the prophet?"
John the Baptist was the forerunner of the Messiah. He was the foreordained and foretold prophet that would prepare the way of the lord’s Anointed. Aside from our Lord Jesus Christ there has never been a greater man than John. Jesus said so Himself.
The great sacrifice, "once for all time," was about to take place, and it was in exact accordance with the law and the promise that those who repented of their sins should be dipped, baptized, "unto remission of sins"; that is, that they might enter in and have part in that final really atoning sacrifice. "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him who should come after him; that is, on Jesus." They were baptized in expectation and hope of that sacrifice.
The whole sacrificial system of the Jews in itself didn't take away sin. The blood of animals, repentance and water baptism couldn't take away sin. All of that had been part and parcel of the Gospel of the Kingdom. In verse 10 all that was practiced; the sacrificial lamb, the sprinkling of the blood, the washing, and the approaching a Holy God on Holy ground, all of this was symbolic at that time.
"Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers (what's the next word?) washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation." (Hebrews 9:10)
The Greek word translated "washing" is "Baptismos." So if the translators would have translated the word "Baptismos" like they did every other place in the New Testament, this is how it would have read: All of these things "stood only in meats and drinks, and divers baptism." The Jew was perfectly aware of what John the Baptist was doing. It was indicating a cleansing, even though the water couldn't take away sin. Don't ever get that idea. It was a symbolic gesture indicating a need for a spiritual cleansing.
Now go to Ephesians. What a difference is there! The Apostle Paul is writing to the Gentile Church.
"That he (Christ) might sanctify and cleanse it (He's talking about the Body of Christ, the Church, back in verse 25) with the washing of water by (baptism? No by) the word." (Ephesians 5:26)
The Bible is our cleansing vehicle. It's the Word that cleanses. And water baptism (although very appropriate for the Jew, because he was accustomed to all of that), cannot be claimed to have any kind of cleansing effect today. Because it's the Word that cleanses daily. People can twist the Scriptures very easily, because they really don't see what the Scriptures say. Go to Matthew Chapter 3. So John the Baptist is preaching repentance and baptism because the King and the Kingdom are on the scene. The King is ready to fulfill the Covenant promises of being Israel's King.
There will be other covenants. God made the Covenant with Moses that we call the Law. He made the Palestinian Covenant with Moses and the Nation of Israel, that even though they are uprooted out of the land, they will be brought back. It's going to be their homeland. Along with that Covenant, God promised David there will be a Royal Family, leading up to the King and the Kingdom.
And now John the Baptist says in verse 11:
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance (they are tied together): but he that cometh after me (speaking of Christ) is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he (Christ) shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:" (Matthew 3:11)
There are two alternatives. You will either be baptized with the Spirit or the lake of fire. Those are the only choices. We are either saved or lost. The Holy Spirit Baptism is found in I Corinthians Chapter 12. In Matthew Chapter 3, the verb tenses were future. In the present, John is baptizing in water, but he said in the future Christ would baptize you with the Holy Spirit. Here in I Corinthians Chapter 12 we pick that up.
"For as the body (this human body) is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body (if you hurt your toe, you hurt all over): so also is Christ. For by one Spirit (Holy Spirit is capitalized) are we all (not just the chosen few, but every believer) baptized into one body,..." (I Corinthians 12:12,13). Now what body? The Body of Christ, the Church. Every believer is connected to the Head(Christ) who is in Heaven.
Conclusion
While baptism is important as the sign that one has been justified by faith and as the public declaration of one’s faith in Christ and membership in a local body of believers, it is not the means of remission or forgiveness of sins. The Bible is very clear that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone
Those who believe Acts 2:38 teaches baptism is required for salvation is what is sometimes called the Negative Inference Fallacy. Simply put, this is the idea that just because a statement is true, we cannot assume all negations (or opposites) of that statement are true. In other words, just because Acts 2:38 says “repent and be baptized….for the forgiveness of sins…and the gift of the Holy Spirit,” it does not mean that if one repents and is not baptized, he will not receive forgiveness of sins or the gift of the Holy Spirit.
There is an important difference between a condition of salvation and a requirement for salvation. The Bible is clear that belief is both a condition and a requirement, but the same cannot be said for baptism. The Bible does not say that if a man is not baptized then he will not be saved. If that were true, Jesus would never have been able to assure the criminal crucified with Him that he would be with Him in paradise that very day(Luke 23:39-43). One can add any number of conditions to faith (which is required for salvation), and the person can still be saved. For example if a person believes, is baptized, goes to church, and gives to the poor he will be saved. Where the error in thinking occurs is if one assumes all these other conditions, “baptism, going to church, giving to the poor,” are required for one to be saved. While they might be the evidence of salvation, they are not a requirement for salvation
The fact that baptism is not required to receive forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit should also be evident by simply reading a little farther in the book of Acts. In Acts 10:43 , Peter tells Cornelius that “through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (please note that nothing at this point has been mentioned about being baptized, yet Peter connects believing in Christ with the act of receiving forgiveness for sins). The next thing that happens is, having believed Peter’s message about Christ, the “Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message”( Acts 10:44). It is only after they had believed, and therefore received forgiveness of their sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit, that Cornelius and his household were baptized(Acts 10:47-48). The context and the passage are very clear; Cornelius and his household received both forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit before they were ever baptized. In fact, the reason Peter allowed them to be baptized was that they showed evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit “just as Peter and the Jewish believers” had.
The Jews rejected Jesus
As soon as John the Baptist came on the scene what did he start preaching to Israel? The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Why? The King was here in their midst and the Kingdom is centered in the King. Had Israel accepted that, they could have had the King and the Kingdom. It was a valid offer but they couldn't see it, and rejected it. Why couldn’t they see it? Because of Ignorance! Now define the word `ignorant.' When someone is ignorant it doesn't mean that they don't have the brain power. Someone who is ignorant isn't someone who is incapacitated to a degree, but rather ignorance is simply a lack of being taught. I consider myself ignorant regarding the quantum theory. I know the ramifications of it, but to get right into the mathematical details , I'm lost, Why? Because I've never been taught about it. I'm sure I could learn it if I had to, and it's the same way with Scripture, most people are ignorant of the Scriptures not because they don't have the capacity but because no one has taught them.
Even after the Crucifixion the Jews could have had their King and their Kingdom
Replacement Theology
Around 400A.D., about 75 or 80 years after the Roman emperor Constantine opened the church to the masses, and the theologian Augustine comes on the scene embracing Origen's teaching of replacement theology.
Origen, one of the early church fathers was the first one to promote replacement theology. And the reason was, he had witnessed the destruction of the Temple, the destruction of Jerusalem. and the dispersion of the Jews. And the Jews were already dispersed around the then-known world. He came to conclusion that God was all through with the Jewish people and that in time they would assimilate and disappear. Now that’s why we call it replacement theology, because the Church was supposedly replacing what Israel dropped.
After Augustine, the masses embraced replacement theology, and replacement theology rests primarily—not exclusively, of course—but primarily on the synoptic gospels. So Augustine picked up on Origen's replacement theology and it became the number one tenet for Christendom. That erroneous theory has been carried on for nearly 2000 years. Consequently, almost no knowledge of the end time prophecy is in many of our churches today. If Israel disappeared shortly after the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, as Origen taught, then naturally no prophecy can be fulfilled because Israel is at the heart of prophecy.
Bad theology always leads to bad practice - and in this case, it already has! Replacement Theology has provided the basis for all sorts of mischief, persecution, and atrocities against the Jewish people throughout Christian history. It is an incontestable fact that many of the ideas of Replacement Theology have inspired some horrible atrocities against the Jewish people. Sadly, this view has become normative in much of the Church, including many denominations and their seminaries.
Replacement theology is the theory that teaches that the church has totally replaced Israel in God’s plan of redemption. Replacement Theology says that because of Israel’s unbelief, they were rejected by God and that the rejection was permanent and irrevocable. Basically it says that once the Messiah came Israel’s mission was completed, and a transition occurred at that point, and the Gentile church took over as the people of God and became the focal point for the outworking of God’s plan and purpose in redemption. God was no longer working administratively through ethnic Israel.
This view stands in contrast to the teachings that God is no more finished with Israel than He is finished with the Gentiles. Neither one has been replaced by the other; and God’s plan for both remains intact in spite of their failures. God’s covenant with Israel was permanent and irrevocable, in spite of her many sins and shortcomings (Romans 11:29)
Replacement theology fails to understand God’s covenants with the Jewish people. Adherents fail to understand that a covenant made with God is irrevocable. A covenant is a promise made by God, and God cannot break a promise.
Literally, a covenant is a contract. In the Bible, an agreement between God and his people, in which God makes promises to his people and, usually, requires certain conduct from them. In the Old Testament, God made agreements with Noah, Abraham, and Moses. To Noah, he promised that he would never again destroy the Earth with a flood. He promised Abraham that he would become the ancestor of a great nation, provided Abraham went to the place God showed him and sealed the covenant by circumcision of all the males of the nation. To Moses, God said that the Israelites would reach the Promised Land but must obey the Mosaic law. In the New Testament, God promised salvation to those who believe that Jesus died for the remission of sins, was buried, and rose from the dead..
God made a promise to Abraham, and God alone sealed the deal. The fulfillment of the agreement depends upon God and God alone. As with all contracts it came with clauses. If you eat the apple you shall die / if I promise not to flood the lands you must circumcise all your children, or some such thing. In reality it was not far removed from modern contracts where there are clauses stipulating what each party must do and consequences if these actions are not carried out.
A covenant, by definition, is an agreement that originates and ends with God. Even though it's made with man, it originates and ends with God. In our normal functioning of life we think of a covenant as an agreement, like a lease agreement or a contract or something, but a covenant, Scripturally speaking, is totally different. It should not even be compared to what we would call a human contract, because a covenant in Scripture originates and ends with God.
We think of a contract between two parties. One has to be in agreement with the other. If one breaks it, then he’s going to have to make restitution to the one he’s wronged. But you see, these covenants, all eight of them, begin and end with God Himself. Man has nothing to do with the operation of these covenants. God can break them when He wants to. He can reestablish them if He wants to. But on the other hand, always remember that a covenant begins and ends with God. Regardless of what man does, a covenant never becomes invalid. It is never broken nor rescinded. These covenants stand forever and ever, and they go on into eternity.
If Israel would have accepted the Christ, if they would have embraced Him as their Redeemer, Messiah, and King, what would have happened? They could have had the King and the Kingdom, but according to the Old Testament prophecies had they done that then what could Israel have done? They could have evangelized the Gentiles. That was their prospect, but you see that's all hypothetical. In the foreknowledge of God it couldn't happen, because Jesus had to die and shed divine blood for the remission of all the sins of the world. This would then complete the plan of redemption. But the Nation of Israel rejected Him, they crucified Him, and they continued to reject Him as described in the early Book of Acts. This occurred in spite of Peter and the eleven preaching their hearts out. And finally when Israel proved that they were not going to believe, God turned to the Gentiles by raising up that other little Jew, that rebel, that raging bull who hated Jesus of Nazareth, Saul of Tarsus. God saved him by Grace, and that is the epitome of Grace in the Salvation of Saul of Tarsus, which is developed fully in Chapter 8.
In spite of what God may have to do in disciplining Israel, watch the promise, "My mercy shall not depart from them." There is a teaching amongst most of Christendom - Catholic and Protestant as well; that when Israel rejected their Messiah and crucified Him, God did away with all these promises to Israel and gave them to the new Israel - the Gentile Church. That is man's idea. That is not what Scripture teaches.
The Abrahamic Covenant is still going to be fulfilled. You want to remember that this was still the whole idea of Christ's first coming to fulfill these promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Israel rejected it out of hand to the place that they crucified their Messiah. Did God turn His back on them forever? No. He has set them aside, and He blinded them, but He hasn't taken them out of His program. He's still going to come back to finish the Abrahamic Covenant. Absolutely He is.
Israel is the nation through whom God had chosen to give us the Word of God. It was this nation through whom Christ came. It’s this nation around which all of prophecy revolves. If you take Israel off the planet there’s nothing left for prophecy. Nothing. There is no prophecy if there is no Israel.
"For a small moment I have forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee." (Isaiah 54:7). This is the hope of Israel. One day, they are still going to have all these Old Testament promises fulfilled and Christ Himself will be their King.
"In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; (for a little while) but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer." (Isaiah 54:8) Now there’s comparativeness. Here 3,000 years compared to eternity is what? A moment. None of us have a concept of eternity. It’s just beyond us. But eternity is eternity is eternity. And 3,000 years of time as we know it is just (snap) nothing. All right, so he makes this comparison in verse 9.
"For this is as the waters of Noah (the Noahic Flood) unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so I have sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee." (Isaiah 54:9). Now, what’s the comparison again? As soon as the floodwaters left and the rainbow appeared, what did God tell Noah? "That’s my covenant promise, the bow in the sky, that I will never again destroy planet earth with water." And that’s what we’re to be reminded of whenever we see the rainbow. That’s God’s covenant promise with mankind that He will never again destroy the earth with water. Has He? No! And will He? No! But what’s the reason for it here? To make the comparison, neither will He ever give up on Israel.
They may rebel, they may be wicked, they may be sinful, they may be guilty of unbelief, but God will not give up on His chosen people. Go to II Samuel chapter 7, because this is one of the first promises that this is exactly the way it’s going to be. Israel will be rebellious, they’ll be sinful and wicked, but God will never withdraw His mercy from the Nation.
Here it’s being spoken by God through the prophet Nathan to David. Verse 14: Here’s the promise that God makes to David concerning the Nation. Not just Solomon by himself but the whole Nation.
"I will be his father, and he shall be my son. (Now, He’s speaking here of the nation of Israel.) If he commit iniquity, (and we know they have and they will) I will chasten him with the rod of men, (What’d He mean? Invading armies, the enemies that would overrun them over and over and over again) and with the stripes of the children of men:" (II Samuel 7:14). God would punish them.
But now verse 15, what’s the first word?
"But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took from Saul, whom I put away before thee. (Then verse 16, here’s the promise that the kingdom will never fail to make its appearance.) 16. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee: thy throne shall be established forever" (II Samuel 7:15-16). That’s God’s promise, that the Kingdom will be established forever. It won’t be just the 1000 years of Revelation, but it’s going to slip right on into the eternal estate so that this Kingdom will be established forever.
In other words, God will never, never give up on the nation of Israel. There may be those who think that God is all through with the Jew. They may think that everything ended in 70 AD. But, here is a question for them. Then what are you going to do with these verses? This is the Word of God. You can’t just throw it out and say, "Well, God has forgotten about it." No, He hasn’t.
Jeremiah 31 verses 35 & 36, is a promise of God concerning His earthly people.
"Thus saith the LORD, (Well, that’s all you need isn’t it? God said it!) which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar;…" (Jeremiah 31:35a) 36"If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, (In other words, if all of a sudden the tides would stop going in and out, or if the sun or the moon should suddenly cease to function…) then the seed of Israel shall cease from being a nation before me forever. " But they haven’t departed. And Israel hasn’t stopped being a nation, nor will they.
Israel has to understand although they can’t give a reason for all their suffering. Why are they so downtrodden? Why are they so hated? And it’s going to get worse. What did the Lord tell them in Matthew 24?
"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake." (Matthew 24:9). Again, this is the reason - Satan knows they are God’s people. Satan knows that nothing can finalize prophecy if Israel is gone. So what’s he trying to do? Destroy them. If Satan can destroy the Jewish people, then God is defeated and He cannot fulfill the prophecies.
So, he will never give up. The anti-Christ is going to be Satan’s tool, and he’s going to bring in the worst persecution that Israel has ever known. But, the finality of it is the return of Christ and the blessings of the Kingdom. So, even for Israel there was no way they could comprehend why God dealt with them the way He did. In verse 10 He gives an analogy.
"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither,…" (Isaiah 55:10a). It has to go out to the oceans and then it’ll evaporate and come back, of course, but we’re not looking at that part. We’re just looking at its original fall. When the rain falls it stays where it’s at for its own purposes. The snow doesn’t return back to the clouds, but… …but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: (This is all part of God’s Divine purposes.) 11. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void,…" (Isaiah 55:10b-11a).
That’s God’s promise. His Word is always going to accomplish His purpose. This is the nation through whom God has chosen to give us the Word of God. It was this nation through whom Christ came. It’s this nation around which all of prophecy revolves.
The Shedding of Blood
In Genesis 3:15, as soon as the curse fell, God came back and said, "I have a remedy," and that would be through a Redeemer, through God’s Son, through the Seed of the woman.
One of the absolutes of Scripture says that “without the shedding of blood there is no remission.” (Heb. 9-11-28). It was only through God’s Son that this saving, redeeming, shed blood could originate, whereby the curse could be lifted. To this end resides one of the main themes of Holy Scripture.
"Because the creature itself (all of creation) also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption (the curse, and creation is going to be restored as it was before Adam fell. In other words, wildlife will not fear anymore. Before the curse nothing ate meat, everything ate of that which grew naturally. So the creation is going to be delivered from the bondage of corruption, and who is going to gain control of it as we see in the last part of this verse? The children of God) into the glorious liberty of the children of God." (Romans 8:21)
When you become a believer you become a child of God. So what is all creation waiting for? The day when Christ will rule as King of Kings and we'll be reigning and ruling with Him, and we'll be in dominion over this glorious new creation that will be brought out from under the curse. Now, verse 21.
"For we know that the whole creation (everything) groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." (Romans 8:22)
When I say that all of creation is aware of His coming, and of His restoring everything, as it was in the beginning, you might say, "Now, wait a minute, you mean to tell me that the rocks and the mountains are aware of God's coming and reigning?" Yes they are, and the verses of reference to that are in Luke Chapter 19. Go there to see what the Word says. Start at verse 39, and this is at the triumphant entry in the last week of Jesus' ministry. The people have been shouting "Hosanna," and laying the palm branches in His way, and the religious leaders of Israel got all shook up:
"And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, `Master, rebuke thy disciples.' And he answered and said unto them, `I tell you that, if these (the multitude who are shouting "Hosanna") should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.'" (Luke 19:39,40 ). Jesus said that, and He's the Creator - He knows what the stones are capable of doing. Now go to Psalms Chapter 148 because this says it all. When all of creation sees the calling out of the believers, they know it's only a little while until the curse is lifted, and they will enter into that glorious dominion under Christ's rule and reign, and with Whom we, the believers, will be joint heirs.
"Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. (now watch it) Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light (the whole creation). Praise ye him, ye heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them forever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass. Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word: Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth (now do you see they're all put into the same basket? Everything is thrown into this same account of responding to the Creator. It's unreal isn't it? I couldn't believe it if it was any place but here in God's Word, but that's what it says and I believe it. They are all subject to the power of their Creator God): Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children (all of these we have read about since verse 1 are included in): Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven." (Psalms 148:1-13)
It's going to happen when the curse is lifted, and Christ returns. Go to the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 11 to drive the point home, and that is the animal and bird kingdom under the curse have to live in constant fear of being somebody else's lunch. So to bring it down to almost every household wherever they may live in this United States, and then consider the little cottontail rabbit. They're everywhere, almost everyone has seen one someplace. The point is this: does that little cottontail ever relax? Never! The neighbor's cat will have him if he could, an owl or hawk will swoop down and grab it, or the foxes and coyotes might catch them. All of these predator creatures would love to eat that little cottontail, and he knows it. This is nature today, this is the ecology that everything is laboring under, it's the curse. But someday that little cottontail will be able to relax. Now see what happens when the curse will be lifted, and the Scripture defines it so clearly.
"And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins (and now we come into the animal kingdom, and how things will be after the curse has been lifted, and what the animals are looking forward to in Romans Chapter 8). The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid (all these animals will eat of the green things, and berries rather than meat) and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them (Mama's won't have to worry about their children in these situations). And the cow and the bear shall feed (together in the same place); their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain ( a mountain in Scripture is a Kingdom): for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea." (Isaiah 11:5-9)
So this is what everything in creation, as well as we believers, are looking for, and that is for this day when the curse will be lifted Now, verse 22:
"For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." (Romans 8:22,23). As with the little cottontail rabbit, most of creation is under constant duress. Now, verse 23:
"And not only they (the things of nature), but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit,..."
The believer is the only one who is anxiously looking forward to The Lord's coming. The unbeliever shrinks from it, he's not ready for it, he'd like to think it all away, but he's not going to succeed, because our Lord is coming! The whole world is moving faster, and faster to that final moment when Christ is going to intervene once again in human history, and He's going to set things straight. The curse is going to be lifted, He's going to rule King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Verse 23 again:
"And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." (Romans 8:23)
God has never used the human being as just a soul and spirit, it has to be the complete entity of body, soul, and spirit. We know our loved ones in heaven don't have their body yet. When we go from time to eternity it's a whole different set of circumstances. Since eternity is out of time, and time is not reality, and although Adam has been dead nearly 6000 years he won't realize that that much time has elapsed. So for those in heaven it may only be a moment in time.
The body hasn't experienced redemption because it's still under the curse. We all get sick and, if The Lord doesn't come, we're all going to die. But the day is coming when we will have a new body, and it's part of the complete redemption. The sealing of the Holy Spirit in verse 13 is the down payment.
"Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:14 )
We know He's already redeemed our soul, and our spirit, but what's waiting? The redemption of the body. Paul tells us in Romans 8:23 everything is moving to the day when we will have that final redemption of the heavenly glorified body; we'll be complete; ready to enter eternity.
A world of pain, cruelty, suffering, and death is the result of man's sin, not of God's love.
God's love was manifested not only in creating a perfect world to begin with, but then—even more—of paying the terrible price to redeem it once man had almost ruined it. How sad is the testimony of John 1:10. "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not." Yet how glorious is the truth that "God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:17).
Yes, "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). For all who receive that priceless gift by faith, "to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12). And in that new world to come, "there shall be no more curse" and "there shall be no more death" (Revelation 22:3; 21:4).
The Plan of Redemption
Part 1
Salvation Through God’s Chosen people
I don’t think that there’s a book in this Bible that doesn’t have something in reference to God’s plan of redemption, especially after Israel becomes a nation.
The “Scarlet thread of redemption” runs from Genesis to Revelation. You never lose it. It’s always someplace. Even in a book like Esther, where God’s name is never mentioned, you can still see that scarlet thread of redemption as it pertained especially to Israel and now as it’s come on to the Gentile world.
God who created everything. He created man and put him in the garden knowing what he would do, and yet the moment he sinned, the very next thing that God does is, put in gear the whole plan of redemption, where He is promising the "SEED" of the woman in Genesis 3:15. And that begin that Red Scarlet cord of Redemption that goes all the way through this Book.You never lose it. It’s always someplace. Even in a book like Esther, where God’s name is never mentioned, you can still see that scarlet thread of redemption as it pertained especially to Israel and now as it’s come on to the Gentile world.
Following the progressive revelation by God through Holy Scripture brings us now to that place in history where God is going to carry out His plan to restore man to his original state of creation as it existed in the Garden of Eden. The little-understood truth is that God's initial purpose for mankind is that he is not to die.
From the Genesis account it appears God taught Adam everything he “needed to know” as a man made in His image. The Genesis account does not provide details, but we can assume that Adam was wholly man, and as such, was given the freedom to act on his own according to the wisdom imputed to him at creation. His subsequent behavior and its consequences would become a permanent property of all his progeny for all eternity. However, the temporary existence that ended in a physical death, bringing suffering and loss, does not appear to be God's original purpose for mankind. It became part of the curse for sin brought on humanity by the poor freewill choice made by our first parents, and all of their progeny(save one) who have chosen to follow that sinful way ever since.
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27) . Yet God's purpose for mankind stands; His purpose to give mankind eternal life will ultimately succeed! Every person born, given the free will to choose between belief or unbelief, saved or unsaved, will spend eternity in a resurrected body somewhere. God will finally judge where every person is to live eternally, and under what terms.
Throughout the rest of the Bible we see the unfolding of God's plan of redemption—the purchase of mankind for a price. All Men, we see, can be rescued from death by the priceless shed blood of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, but first it must be appropriated.
As soon as our first parents fell into sin at the hands of Satan, God instituted His plan to redeem mankind --“buying back something that was originally owned and lost.” The whole idea of redemption. The word `redemption' refers to losing something and buying it back. And it's a Scriptural term. We say God lost the human race when Adam sinned. We're all in Adam. It was there man disobeyed God, and we say He lost us. So now, what does He have to do? Buy us back with a price. Satan is the fly in the ointment. Satan is terrible to deal with; he won't let go of us easily. And this is the whole idea of redemption -- that God will buy us back for Himself after losing us in Adam.
The foundational truth of Christianity is that Christ Jesus died on the cross for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3). In this way he fulfilled the old covenant sacrificial system, reconciled us to God, and changed our lives forever.
That is the doctrine of the Atonement. Its reality is not in dispute. However, many Christians struggle to understand and live this doctrine better. We know that the Atonement works; but how it works is not as clear. Over the centuries many different theories have been suggested to explain how the Atonement works.
When Adam sinned, he disobeyed God by the simple act of eating of the tree. What happened to that dominion? He lost it! Who picked it up? Satan! Never forget that. Adam dropped the ball, and just that quick Satan picked it up. So consequently, for the last 4,000 years, who’s been the god of this world? Satan! Yes, under God’s Sovereignty. We don’t take anything away from that, but Satan has been the god of this world for the last 4,000 years.
Did God really lose man to Satan? If Satan and man are in rebellion against God and try to usurp His authority, and apparently succeed to a certain extent, it is only by His permission and within strictly prescribed limits. No! God has never fully relinquished the reins of government of the Universe or of this world. Satan is called the "prince of the power of the air" in Ephesians 2:2. He is called the "ruler of this world" in John 12:31. These titles, and many more attributed to Satan throughout Scripture, signify his capabilities. To say, for example, that Satan is the "prince of the power of the air" is to signify that in some way he rules over the world and the people in it. Satan is certainly called the “ruler of this World,” but it is only by God’s permission, who “makes the wrath of man to praise Him,” and he is never called this since the Cross and resurrection of our Lord. But nowhere is Satan entitled as Prince of the Universe.
How could Satan have offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if he did not own them? This is not to say that he rules the world completely; only God does this. But it does mean that God, in His infinite wisdom, has allowed Satan to operate in this world (within the boundaries God has set for him) and has allowed Satan to operate with an agenda. When the Bible says Satan has power over the world, it must be made clear that God has given him domain over unbelievers alone. Once a person becomes a born again believer he is no longer under the rule of Satan. (Colossians 1:13). Unbelievers, on the other hand, are caught "in the snare of the devil" (2 Timothy 2:26), lie in the "power of the evil one" (1 John 5:19), and are in bondage to Satan (Ephesians 2:2).
So, when the Bible says that Satan is the "god of this world," it is not saying that he has ultimate authority. It is conveying the idea that Satan rules over the unbelieving world in a specific way. In the case of the unbeliever following Satan's agenda, according to 2 Corinthians 4:4, the "god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ." Satan's agenda includes pushing a false philosophy onto the unbelieving world—a false philosophy that blinds the unbeliever from the truth of the Gospel. Satan’s philosophies are the fortresses in which unbelieving people are imprisoned, needing to be set free and brought captive to Christ in obedience to the truth.
A simple analogy in understanding the concept of redemption makes use of the illustration of the “Pawn Shop.” The whole idea of a pawnshop is that if you get in a financial bind you can take something that may be rather intrinsically precious to you and get a small amount of money for it. Then, hopefully, down the road you can go back and redeem it by buying it back. And hopefully, in a pawnshop, it will still be there. So, the whole idea of redemption is that you have owned something. It’s been secure, but it was lost, and it will have to be redeemed in order for you to regain ownership. God has had to do this over and over throughout the history of man.
When God put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, who did Adam and Eve really belong to? The Lord! They were His! He enjoyed their fellowship, He enjoyed their company and they enjoyed His. But you see when sin entered, and they became sin creatures, now who took control over Adam and Eve and their surroundings? Satan did. So God lost them, and control over them, Satan now had them, but you see God immediately, in their behalf at least, came in and redeemed them, by virtue of that animal sacrifice and speaking to them in words that they could understand, and they believed Him, so He redeemed them back to Himself.
Now that was just the beginning of the redemption process, and so all the way through Scripture we have this whole idea of redemption.
There is a way whereby God will purchase back that which He lost back there in the Garden of Eden. But when sin entered, that fellowship was broken and God lost control of them because they had come under control of the god of this world (Satan). So immediately God institutes a way whereby He can buy the human race back to Himself, and we call that redemption.
The Old Testament Program Aimed at Redeeming Man
It is the redemption of man that is the main focus of Holy Scripture, and it is to this purpose that brings us to the importance of the Nation of Israel and the Jewish people in God’s plan of redemption. Initially, God’s plan of redemption hinged on the little nation of Israel. In the heart of history, we have the idea of a Divine purpose, working itself out through the calling of a special nation, for the ultimate benefit and blessing of mankind. The overall plan of God to reclaim a world gone wrong. God chooses to send redemption through a specific lineage, of which Eve’s seed, Shem’s tents, Abraham’s children and David’s throne will all be a part. They are to have the pleasure of carrying this good news to all nations. God’s purpose is that through Israel all people would return to rightful worship of Him. God’s desire during the Old Testament was for all peoples to discover a saving faith in the coming Messiah, through Israel’s call to be a light to the nations. An evangelistic mission was at the heart of God’s intention for Israel.
Through a covenant made with the man Abram(Abraham) God promised him that he would be the origin of a nation of the people. From the very promises made to Abraham, that through this one nation of people would come forth, not only the Word of God, but the Messiah, the Redeemer, the Savior of the whole world would come through this one little nation of people.
Because of this Satan plans to destroy that nation before God can use them. But, you see, he’s never quite succeeded. Even today we shouldn’t wonder why the whole world is against Israel over there today. Don’t wonder why the Palestinian and the Arab world hate them so, that’s Satan’s work. Satan is still convinced that if he can destroy the nation of Israel, he can destroy the Bible. That’s his hope. But, it’s not going to happen. God is going to spare the Jew, the nation of Israel, so that they will be there for the end-time results that are coming. This is a major proof that this is the Word of God alone, of all religious writings. Because the Jew is the historic promised fulfillment that the Bible is true.
Here in a nutshell is exactly how the nation of Israel came about. It began back in Genesis 12: After Abraham the next person to come into that Covenant promise was Isaac. The next one in response to that Covenant promise was Jacob. And then out of Jacob came the twelve sons, one of whom was Joseph. And out of those twelve sons who, because of Joseph, ended up down in Egypt because of the grain shortage. And while those twelve sons and their families were in Egypt, what happened? They exploded in population. And those twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel that Moses led out and took through the wilderness experience. Then Joshua led them into the Promised land. Now there's the nation of Israel. They would be given title to an area of land, a King, and a Kingdom. Their nation(called Israel) was to become a nation of priests to bring salvation to the Gentile nations. In the Old Testament, it was no mystery that Israel would someday spread the Word of God to all nations. But, it was prophesied to be after a Messiah had come and set up His kingdom centered in Jerusalem. The people of Israel would then be sent to all nations to lead the Gentiles to their God in Jerusalem. But all Israel did not receive and has not received Him yet. So the fulfillment of the Old Testament program has been postponed. The mystery was that God planned to go to the Gentiles (through the apostle Paul) when Israel rejected the kingdom. After this dispensation of grace (sometimes called the "church age") ends at the removal of the Body of Christ(the church), God will resume the Old Testament prophetic program. That is a very short summary. But In the following pages we will examine the Old Testament kingdom program from the time it began.
With Abram the Kingdom Concept is Born
We learn from Scripture that God’s initial plan of redemption and salvation is to be carried out through the Nation of Israel. Beginning with Genesis 12 we have the Abrahamic Covenant with the call of Abram(Abraham). The promise to Abraham was not just national, but was primarily redemptive, pointing to Jesus as the means of the salvation and blessing of all that would accept him.
The prospect given to Abraham, is that out of Israel would come a King(later identified as the Messiah) who wouldn't just rule the Nation of Israel, but would spread that rule to the whole earth through Israel. The whole Kingship idea began with Abraham, and the Covenant God made with him.
God put His finger on Abraham and told him that He would make of him a nation of people. God is going to take that nation of people and put them into a geographical area of land. At some point later, God Himself would come and set up their government, because you can't have people in a geographical area without government, or you will have anarchy. You don't have a functional society unless you have a government. God in so many words says that nation has become visible (and we know that they became a nation in Egypt in slavery. We know they came out of Egypt under Moses as a nation of people).
God gave Abraham that Covenant promising a nation of people dwelling in the land, and that someday there would come a government. That Covenant concerning the government did not really come into play until God gives it to King David. David is promised that coming from his loins would be a royal family of kings who would rule and reign over the little Nation of Israel. But through that line of kings would some day come the King of Kings, and that of course was Christ born of Mary with Joseph his legal father. Both Mary and Joseph come down those royal family blood lines through David and Solomon.
God told David that this royal family would go down through history, and beyond history right on into eternity, and out of this royal family of David would come the King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, and He is going to come as He did the first time to the Nation of Israel.
So, out of the main stream of humanity, God calls this one little nation, the Nation of Israel. And to them He makes these promises that they would be a Kingdom of Priests. In order to prepare them for that Kingdom of Priests, He puts them under Law. He gave them the temple worship, the priesthood, and the Old Testament. As for the Gentiles, they remained outside the Covenant promises as seen in Ephesians Chapter 2. They were not citizens of the Nation of Israel. At that time they were without hope, without God, and so they continued on their pagan way until such time as Israel could be funneled back into the Gentile nations, with the idea of bringing them to a knowledge of their God. So this is the whole scope of the Old Testament.
Ephesians 2:12 is very plain. Our Gentile forefathers were strangers from the covenants of Promise, without hope and without God in this world. But, now in Christ Jesus Gentiles are included, not by covenants, but by the Blood of Christ. By the finished work of the Cross we are now in a greater relationship than even the covenants, we are joint-heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:14-17).
Abraham had been promised that a nation emerging from his own loins would against all odds survive and declare the name of the one God to the world. This is the whole scope for bringing the Nation of Israel on the scene. Giving them the Abrahamic Covenant that God would make them a nation of people. He would put them in a geographic area of land, and then one day He Himself would come in the person of the Messiah to be their King. This is what the Abrahamic Covenant and the Old Testament state. As you read the Old Testament, note that most of the time everything is written in the future tense. For example, "I will make of you a great nation." When God spoke of King Cyrus the King of Persia, God named Him 150 years before he was born. When you see the text in future tense then that is prophecy. Also, God can keep things secret and then reveal them in His own time. Many times in the Old Testament, He reveals things prophetically before they happen. So you have both of them to cope with.
"Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. (verse 6 is one of the benchmarks of Scripture) And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation (set apart), These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel." (Exodus 19:5,6)
This verse says that the day would come when every Jew would be a priest of God. What is a priest? He's a go-between. So every Jew was to get to the place that he could have been a go-between; between this pagan Gentile and this Jewish priest's Jehovah God. Here we are talking about reaching out to Gentiles. That was the promise, but it was conditional; they had to be obedient to God's voice, and keep God’s Covenant.
"Thus saith the LORD of hosts; `In those days (these prophetic days that are out there) it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations (Gentiles), even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew (recall Exodus 19:6 --- they shall be a Kingdom of priests), saying, `We will go with you: (why?) for we have heard that God is with you.'" (Zechariah 8:23)
This is the role that God is preparing the Nation of Israel for. So that when the appropriate time comes, every Jew would have been a priest of God, to bring Gentiles to a knowledge of God. That is the Old Testament format. And that is all God is revealing so far. This is the way that God was going to reach the Gentiles, and it was to be through the Nation of Israel.
After Israel had the King and the Kingdom they could carry out all of these promises of taking the knowledge of salvation to the Gentiles. However, there are to be no unbelievers going into the Kingdom.
"Except a man be born again he cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven." There's the word kingdom, but it's the same kingdom. The kingdom is the kingdom is the kingdom. It is this physical kingdom that is coming upon the earth. No unbeliever will go into that kingdom; flesh and blood or otherwise. But this was the program offered to Israel. Scripture shows the plan of redemption changed when Israel rejected the King and the Kingdom, and Jesus was crucified.
After their forty year wilderness experience, Joshua takes the nation of Israel into the Promised Land. Then they were ruled by judges for over 400 years, and they didn't like that idea, so they asked God for a king. The first king, Saul, was a total flop. He fell flat on his face and God couldn't use him. Out of David would come the King. David was the next king, and becomes the beginning of that "Royal Family," that is not just going to lead through generations of this existence, but all the way into eternity. What did God promise David? That beginning with him, a royal family would proceed. And that down through the ages that royal family would be ancestors of the King. And that, of course, is Who Jesus is presented as, THE KING.
Because out of the loin of Abraham and David would come this government. But this government will not be a democracy, but a monarchy. It's going to be ruled by "THE KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS." But remember He will be a benevolent King. His Kingdom will be righteous, fair, and glorious. This was the prospect as it was laid out in the Abrahamic Covenant.
The Coming of The Messiah
"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he (the messenger) shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek ( the Lord here is Jehovah, God the Son), shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant (The Covenant, see), whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts." (Malachi 3:1)
That's John the Baptist being promised that he would come on the scene, to be the messenger to announce the King. The King is also the fulfillment of that Abrahamic Covenant. Abraham had been promised a nation of people that would end up in a geographical area of land. And then at some future time, God would come and be their King as well as their Redeemer. That's all in that Covenant. And then, of course, after that Covenant made with Abraham you came to the Covenant of Law, then the Covenant God made with David concerning the royal family. And the Covenant He made with Moses concerning the Land of Palestine. Now those are all separate covenants, but they were all under the Abrahamic Covenant. And now here it is. They've been a nation of people for 1,500 years, since they came out of Egypt. Here the Nation of Israel is in the Book of Matthew and their King is here.
"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea (and here's John's message), And saying, `Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" (Matthew 3:1,2)
What made the Kingdom at hand? The King! Now when the King went back to Heaven at the ascension in Acts Chapter 1, where is the Kingdom? It's in Heaven! When the King comes back to Earth, where will the Kingdom be? On Earth. So wherever the King is, you have the Kingdom. Now the King is here. And the Kingdom of Heaven is just over the horizon. This is His whole scope of approaching the Nation of Israel. But it's in fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant. That's what God promised.
Repent and Be Baptized
We have so many different views of baptism. Some feel that it's mandatory for salvation. Some, that it has nothing to do with salvation. Some in sprinkling, some in immersion. There is probably no other one thing in all of Christendom that will cause enmity and ill will like baptism. So you have all of these conflicting ideas. But what does the Scripture say about baptism?
The following verses from Scripture are the ones most used as “proof texts” by those who hold that baptism is necessary for salvation”
“And Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”(Acts 2:38).
"And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name." (Acts 22:16).
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned”(Mark 16:16).
“Jesus answered and said to him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Nicodemus said to Him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?' Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'"(John 3:3-7).
Groups that believe in baptismal regeneration often turn ton Galatians 3:27) as one of their “proof texts” for the view that baptism is necessary for salvation. Those who believe that baptism is required for salvation are quick to use 1 Peter 3:21 as a “proof text,” because it states “baptism now saves you.”
I think the reason for so many conflicting ideas related to baptism is the failure to rightly divide the Word while searching the Scriptures. Here we find modern Bible scholars falling into the error of blending Old Testament Jewish religious customs with New Testament revelations. Law and Grace Gospels cannot be mixed without introducing conflicting concepts. The Kingdom Gospel was to believe Who Jesus was, followed by repentance and water baptism. The Grace Gospel is to believe that not only did Christ die for our sins, but that He rose from the dead. Many people try to blend the two gospels into one, but you see the Bible says they’re different, and that’s what Paul meant when he said, we should be "Rightly Dividing the Word of God."
The concept of using water for cleansing or purification is a theme used throughout the Old Testament. God’s people following the Mosaic Law begin using water in many of their religious ceremonies, such as washing parts of an animal before sacrificing it. God demonstrates water’s use in a religious ceremony during the consecration rites of Aaron and his sons (Leviticus 8:6). Moses washes Aaron and his sons with water as God commands before the rest of the ceremony can take place. Much like in the creation story, water comes first as a vital ingredient for whatever comes next. In this case water must first wash away all that is unclean before Aaron and his sons can truly be purified in God’s eyes.
Later on in the Old Testament, detailed descriptions are given on different situations and ceremonies involving water (Numbers 9:17). Here, a description is given on the ritual of water for purification after a person has been deemed unclean by touching a corpse or grave. River water is used to cleanse not only the unclean person, but the corpse or grave and all those who were present when the corpse or grave was touched. The clean person who washes the others with water must wash their clothes in water immediately after. The detail put into the description of this ceremony emphasizes the importance the Hebrew people put on cleanliness. When a person is unclean, anything they touch is unclean, and failing to be purified by water results in being ostracized from the community. These ceremonial acts are reminiscent of the story of the flood. Once again, water is being used to wash away all that is impure and wicked, leaving only what is pure to begin rebuilding.
The laws concerning cleansing, given by God through Moses, were not something far off from the thought of that age. These laws are far stricter in this matter of cleanliness than any of our present codes. Cleanliness of person, of dress, of house, of furniture, of utensils, of habits, of food, was prescribed with minute insistence. The Israelite who from the heart strove to be true to the teaching of God was, in consequence, an excessively clean man. No priest and no others could take part in the sacrifices and services of the temple or even in the Passover with any uncleanness upon him, under the penalty of being cut off from his people.
No Israelite could be sure of his being ceremonially clean. And hence the bath was a constant religious necessity, frequently repeated, and always taken before offering sacrifice. Its high importance in the service of the temple is marked on the greatest of all the high days of Israel, the day of atonement, when the high priest, though he had bathed before, was required during those supreme services to "bathe his Mesh in water" when he exchanged his usual dress for the holy linen garments, and again when he put off the holy linen to take his usual dress.
What the form of this washing (bath) was, how it was clearly understood in Western Asia, is plain from Elisha’s direction to Naaman the Syrian, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times." "Then went he down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God." The New Testament terms these various washings, baths, "various dippings," "baptisms" (Heb. 9:10). The authoritative Jewish writings on these subjects from New Testament days teach that these ceremonial washings were complete immersion. Baptism (dipping) as found in the New Testament was a complete immersion and is still acknowledged and taught by many Christian denominations.
"For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias (It's also in Isaiah. Isaiah also speaks of John the Baptist) saying, `The voice of one crying in the wilderness, `Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'" (Matthew 3:3) "And were baptized of him(John the Baptist) in Jordan, confessing their sins." (Matthew 3:6)
Here John maintains that if these Jews of Israel are going to show saving faith in the fact that their King and Kingdom is here, then they would have to show it with the baptism of repentance. And that is why it is always called the "Baptism of Repentance." The two could not be separated. These Jews were repenting then of their failure of the system of law, and everything else. They were now preparing their hearts and minds for the King and His Kingdom. Why baptism? Remember that we are dealing with the Jew, and if you go back to the Old Testament economy, in order for the priest to be prepared for service the first thing they had to do was wash, wash, and wash some more. They had lots of practice at washing. Throughout the whole system of the Law of Moses there was that constant washing to show to the very mind of Israel that sin was a filthy thing. The priesthood with their wash, wash, wash, were merely emphasizing their need for a spiritual cleansing. The water in no way could do that. Remember Israel was told that every Jew was to be a priest of God. What little rite had to happen before they would be ready for a priesthood? They had to be washed. And they experienced that symbolic washing with their baptism. Now that is all you can put on it. Nothing more!
Jesus Was Baptized
Many times the question is asked, "Why was Jesus baptized? He didn't have any sin to repent of." But again, He came to be a prophet, priest, and King, and in order to fulfill all of the requirements of the priesthood. Symbolically what did He have to experience? The washing. So as He went down into that baptism in the Jordan, where he symbolically fulfilled the washing of the priesthood, and at the same time He identifies Himself with His Covenant people the Nation of Israel. He was attempting to prove to the Israelites exactly who He was!! The Jews always required a sign, and Jesus provided that sign.
Jesus was born a Jew, raised under Jewish Law, and was schooled as a Jew under all the Old Testament teachings. His entire earthly ministry was based on the Mosaic Law of the Old Testament. When He said search the Scriptures he meant the Old Testament, and when he told his disciple to go forth and baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, it was all under the Old Testament format of repent and be baptized. It was this admonition by Jesus to his disciples that later on evolved into a variety of interpretations in regard to the rite of baptism. A good example of the confusion taking place is evident early on with the visit of Peter and his entourage to the house of the gentile Cornelius. Compare how Peter preached to Israel in Acts chapter 2 where the process was repent, be baptized, have the remission of sins, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. That was the process in Acts chapter 2. In that order. But at the house of Cornelius, it was reversed. While Peter was yet preaching, the Holy Spirit fell on those believing Romans, and then Peter says, "What hinders us from baptizing them?" Completely reversed? Why? Because now we’re introducing the Gentiles to a whole new system of salvation. It is not through repentance and baptism and so forth, but by believing. That’s what Peter recognizes here. They had heard the gospel that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, and when they believed it, the Holy Spirit fell on them, and they were designated in Peter’s sight as believers. Now, it wasn’t Paul’s Gospel yet. We’ve got to clarify that. That hadn’t been revealed yet, but God can save them any way He wants to, and in this case, they believed Peter’s gospel according to the Jewish format. A person could only receive the Holy Spirit after being baptized with water, but in the case of Cornelius, he received the Holy spirit when he first believed, then Peter baptized him with water after the fact. John's baptism with water anticipates Jesus' baptism with the Holy Spirit and not Christian baptism with water. Those who receive the Holy Spirit and fire are those who truly repent. So here we have an early example of conflict over the rite of baptism, which continues throughout Christendom to this very day.
The Israelite could be cleansed from the greater uncleanness only by certain ceremonies. Until the appearance of John the Baptist, the dipping of the person in water was the absolute prerequisite under the law for every man and woman who would enter the inner court to take part in the worship. It is not at all surprising, therefore, that, when John came dipping, baptizing in living, running water. There should be no query by the Jews as to the well-known custom. Their only query was as to John himself: "Who art thou? Art thou the Christ? Art thou Elijah? Art thou the prophet?"
John the Baptist was the forerunner of the Messiah. He was the foreordained and foretold prophet that would prepare the way of the lord’s Anointed. Aside from our Lord Jesus Christ there has never been a greater man than John. Jesus said so Himself.
The great sacrifice, "once for all time," was about to take place, and it was in exact accordance with the law and the promise that those who repented of their sins should be dipped, baptized, "unto remission of sins"; that is, that they might enter in and have part in that final really atoning sacrifice. "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him who should come after him; that is, on Jesus." They were baptized in expectation and hope of that sacrifice.
The whole sacrificial system of the Jews in itself didn't take away sin. The blood of animals, repentance and water baptism couldn't take away sin. All of that had been part and parcel of the Gospel of the Kingdom. In verse 10 all that was practiced; the sacrificial lamb, the sprinkling of the blood, the washing, and the approaching a Holy God on Holy ground, all of this was symbolic at that time.
"Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers (what's the next word?) washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation." (Hebrews 9:10)
The Greek word translated "washing" is "Baptismos." So if the translators would have translated the word "Baptismos" like they did every other place in the New Testament, this is how it would have read: All of these things "stood only in meats and drinks, and divers baptism." The Jew was perfectly aware of what John the Baptist was doing. It was indicating a cleansing, even though the water couldn't take away sin. Don't ever get that idea. It was a symbolic gesture indicating a need for a spiritual cleansing.
Now go to Ephesians. What a difference is there! The Apostle Paul is writing to the Gentile Church.
"That he (Christ) might sanctify and cleanse it (He's talking about the Body of Christ, the Church, back in verse 25) with the washing of water by (baptism? No by) the word." (Ephesians 5:26)
The Bible is our cleansing vehicle. It's the Word that cleanses. And water baptism (although very appropriate for the Jew, because he was accustomed to all of that), cannot be claimed to have any kind of cleansing effect today. Because it's the Word that cleanses daily. People can twist the Scriptures very easily, because they really don't see what the Scriptures say. Go to Matthew Chapter 3. So John the Baptist is preaching repentance and baptism because the King and the Kingdom are on the scene. The King is ready to fulfill the Covenant promises of being Israel's King.
There will be other covenants. God made the Covenant with Moses that we call the Law. He made the Palestinian Covenant with Moses and the Nation of Israel, that even though they are uprooted out of the land, they will be brought back. It's going to be their homeland. Along with that Covenant, God promised David there will be a Royal Family, leading up to the King and the Kingdom.
And now John the Baptist says in verse 11:
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance (they are tied together): but he that cometh after me (speaking of Christ) is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he (Christ) shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:" (Matthew 3:11)
There are two alternatives. You will either be baptized with the Spirit or the lake of fire. Those are the only choices. We are either saved or lost. The Holy Spirit Baptism is found in I Corinthians Chapter 12. In Matthew Chapter 3, the verb tenses were future. In the present, John is baptizing in water, but he said in the future Christ would baptize you with the Holy Spirit. Here in I Corinthians Chapter 12 we pick that up.
"For as the body (this human body) is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body (if you hurt your toe, you hurt all over): so also is Christ. For by one Spirit (Holy Spirit is capitalized) are we all (not just the chosen few, but every believer) baptized into one body,..." (I Corinthians 12:12,13). Now what body? The Body of Christ, the Church. Every believer is connected to the Head(Christ) who is in Heaven.
Conclusion
While baptism is important as the sign that one has been justified by faith and as the public declaration of one’s faith in Christ and membership in a local body of believers, it is not the means of remission or forgiveness of sins. The Bible is very clear that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone
Those who believe Acts 2:38 teaches baptism is required for salvation is what is sometimes called the Negative Inference Fallacy. Simply put, this is the idea that just because a statement is true, we cannot assume all negations (or opposites) of that statement are true. In other words, just because Acts 2:38 says “repent and be baptized….for the forgiveness of sins…and the gift of the Holy Spirit,” it does not mean that if one repents and is not baptized, he will not receive forgiveness of sins or the gift of the Holy Spirit.
There is an important difference between a condition of salvation and a requirement for salvation. The Bible is clear that belief is both a condition and a requirement, but the same cannot be said for baptism. The Bible does not say that if a man is not baptized then he will not be saved. If that were true, Jesus would never have been able to assure the criminal crucified with Him that he would be with Him in paradise that very day(Luke 23:39-43). One can add any number of conditions to faith (which is required for salvation), and the person can still be saved. For example if a person believes, is baptized, goes to church, and gives to the poor he will be saved. Where the error in thinking occurs is if one assumes all these other conditions, “baptism, going to church, giving to the poor,” are required for one to be saved. While they might be the evidence of salvation, they are not a requirement for salvation
The fact that baptism is not required to receive forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit should also be evident by simply reading a little farther in the book of Acts. In Acts 10:43 , Peter tells Cornelius that “through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (please note that nothing at this point has been mentioned about being baptized, yet Peter connects believing in Christ with the act of receiving forgiveness for sins). The next thing that happens is, having believed Peter’s message about Christ, the “Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message”( Acts 10:44). It is only after they had believed, and therefore received forgiveness of their sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit, that Cornelius and his household were baptized(Acts 10:47-48). The context and the passage are very clear; Cornelius and his household received both forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit before they were ever baptized. In fact, the reason Peter allowed them to be baptized was that they showed evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit “just as Peter and the Jewish believers” had.
The Jews rejected Jesus
As soon as John the Baptist came on the scene what did he start preaching to Israel? The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Why? The King was here in their midst and the Kingdom is centered in the King. Had Israel accepted that, they could have had the King and the Kingdom. It was a valid offer but they couldn't see it, and rejected it. Why couldn’t they see it? Because of Ignorance! Now define the word `ignorant.' When someone is ignorant it doesn't mean that they don't have the brain power. Someone who is ignorant isn't someone who is incapacitated to a degree, but rather ignorance is simply a lack of being taught. I consider myself ignorant regarding the quantum theory. I know the ramifications of it, but to get right into the mathematical details , I'm lost, Why? Because I've never been taught about it. I'm sure I could learn it if I had to, and it's the same way with Scripture, most people are ignorant of the Scriptures not because they don't have the capacity but because no one has taught them.
Even after the Crucifixion the Jews could have had their King and their Kingdom
Replacement Theology
Around 400A.D., about 75 or 80 years after the Roman emperor Constantine opened the church to the masses, and the theologian Augustine comes on the scene embracing Origen's teaching of replacement theology.
Origen, one of the early church fathers was the first one to promote replacement theology. And the reason was, he had witnessed the destruction of the Temple, the destruction of Jerusalem. and the dispersion of the Jews. And the Jews were already dispersed around the then-known world. He came to conclusion that God was all through with the Jewish people and that in time they would assimilate and disappear. Now that’s why we call it replacement theology, because the Church was supposedly replacing what Israel dropped.
After Augustine, the masses embraced replacement theology, and replacement theology rests primarily—not exclusively, of course—but primarily on the synoptic gospels. So Augustine picked up on Origen's replacement theology and it became the number one tenet for Christendom. That erroneous theory has been carried on for nearly 2000 years. Consequently, almost no knowledge of the end time prophecy is in many of our churches today. If Israel disappeared shortly after the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, as Origen taught, then naturally no prophecy can be fulfilled because Israel is at the heart of prophecy.
Bad theology always leads to bad practice - and in this case, it already has! Replacement Theology has provided the basis for all sorts of mischief, persecution, and atrocities against the Jewish people throughout Christian history. It is an incontestable fact that many of the ideas of Replacement Theology have inspired some horrible atrocities against the Jewish people. Sadly, this view has become normative in much of the Church, including many denominations and their seminaries.
Replacement theology is the theory that teaches that the church has totally replaced Israel in God’s plan of redemption. Replacement Theology says that because of Israel’s unbelief, they were rejected by God and that the rejection was permanent and irrevocable. Basically it says that once the Messiah came Israel’s mission was completed, and a transition occurred at that point, and the Gentile church took over as the people of God and became the focal point for the outworking of God’s plan and purpose in redemption. God was no longer working administratively through ethnic Israel.
This view stands in contrast to the teachings that God is no more finished with Israel than He is finished with the Gentiles. Neither one has been replaced by the other; and God’s plan for both remains intact in spite of their failures. God’s covenant with Israel was permanent and irrevocable, in spite of her many sins and shortcomings (Romans 11:29)
Replacement theology fails to understand God’s covenants with the Jewish people. Adherents fail to understand that a covenant made with God is irrevocable. A covenant is a promise made by God, and God cannot break a promise.
Literally, a covenant is a contract. In the Bible, an agreement between God and his people, in which God makes promises to his people and, usually, requires certain conduct from them. In the Old Testament, God made agreements with Noah, Abraham, and Moses. To Noah, he promised that he would never again destroy the Earth with a flood. He promised Abraham that he would become the ancestor of a great nation, provided Abraham went to the place God showed him and sealed the covenant by circumcision of all the males of the nation. To Moses, God said that the Israelites would reach the Promised Land but must obey the Mosaic law. In the New Testament, God promised salvation to those who believe that Jesus died for the remission of sins, was buried, and rose from the dead..
God made a promise to Abraham, and God alone sealed the deal. The fulfillment of the agreement depends upon God and God alone. As with all contracts it came with clauses. If you eat the apple you shall die / if I promise not to flood the lands you must circumcise all your children, or some such thing. In reality it was not far removed from modern contracts where there are clauses stipulating what each party must do and consequences if these actions are not carried out.
A covenant, by definition, is an agreement that originates and ends with God. Even though it's made with man, it originates and ends with God. In our normal functioning of life we think of a covenant as an agreement, like a lease agreement or a contract or something, but a covenant, Scripturally speaking, is totally different. It should not even be compared to what we would call a human contract, because a covenant in Scripture originates and ends with God.
We think of a contract between two parties. One has to be in agreement with the other. If one breaks it, then he’s going to have to make restitution to the one he’s wronged. But you see, these covenants, all eight of them, begin and end with God Himself. Man has nothing to do with the operation of these covenants. God can break them when He wants to. He can reestablish them if He wants to. But on the other hand, always remember that a covenant begins and ends with God. Regardless of what man does, a covenant never becomes invalid. It is never broken nor rescinded. These covenants stand forever and ever, and they go on into eternity.
If Israel would have accepted the Christ, if they would have embraced Him as their Redeemer, Messiah, and King, what would have happened? They could have had the King and the Kingdom, but according to the Old Testament prophecies had they done that then what could Israel have done? They could have evangelized the Gentiles. That was their prospect, but you see that's all hypothetical. In the foreknowledge of God it couldn't happen, because Jesus had to die and shed divine blood for the remission of all the sins of the world. This would then complete the plan of redemption. But the Nation of Israel rejected Him, they crucified Him, and they continued to reject Him as described in the early Book of Acts. This occurred in spite of Peter and the eleven preaching their hearts out. And finally when Israel proved that they were not going to believe, God turned to the Gentiles by raising up that other little Jew, that rebel, that raging bull who hated Jesus of Nazareth, Saul of Tarsus. God saved him by Grace, and that is the epitome of Grace in the Salvation of Saul of Tarsus, which is developed fully in Chapter 8.
In spite of what God may have to do in disciplining Israel, watch the promise, "My mercy shall not depart from them." There is a teaching amongst most of Christendom - Catholic and Protestant as well; that when Israel rejected their Messiah and crucified Him, God did away with all these promises to Israel and gave them to the new Israel - the Gentile Church. That is man's idea. That is not what Scripture teaches.
The Abrahamic Covenant is still going to be fulfilled. You want to remember that this was still the whole idea of Christ's first coming to fulfill these promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Israel rejected it out of hand to the place that they crucified their Messiah. Did God turn His back on them forever? No. He has set them aside, and He blinded them, but He hasn't taken them out of His program. He's still going to come back to finish the Abrahamic Covenant. Absolutely He is.
Israel is the nation through whom God had chosen to give us the Word of God. It was this nation through whom Christ came. It’s this nation around which all of prophecy revolves. If you take Israel off the planet there’s nothing left for prophecy. Nothing. There is no prophecy if there is no Israel.
"For a small moment I have forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee." (Isaiah 54:7). This is the hope of Israel. One day, they are still going to have all these Old Testament promises fulfilled and Christ Himself will be their King.
"In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; (for a little while) but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer." (Isaiah 54:8) Now there’s comparativeness. Here 3,000 years compared to eternity is what? A moment. None of us have a concept of eternity. It’s just beyond us. But eternity is eternity is eternity. And 3,000 years of time as we know it is just (snap) nothing. All right, so he makes this comparison in verse 9.
"For this is as the waters of Noah (the Noahic Flood) unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so I have sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee." (Isaiah 54:9). Now, what’s the comparison again? As soon as the floodwaters left and the rainbow appeared, what did God tell Noah? "That’s my covenant promise, the bow in the sky, that I will never again destroy planet earth with water." And that’s what we’re to be reminded of whenever we see the rainbow. That’s God’s covenant promise with mankind that He will never again destroy the earth with water. Has He? No! And will He? No! But what’s the reason for it here? To make the comparison, neither will He ever give up on Israel.
They may rebel, they may be wicked, they may be sinful, they may be guilty of unbelief, but God will not give up on His chosen people. Go to II Samuel chapter 7, because this is one of the first promises that this is exactly the way it’s going to be. Israel will be rebellious, they’ll be sinful and wicked, but God will never withdraw His mercy from the Nation.
Here it’s being spoken by God through the prophet Nathan to David. Verse 14: Here’s the promise that God makes to David concerning the Nation. Not just Solomon by himself but the whole Nation.
"I will be his father, and he shall be my son. (Now, He’s speaking here of the nation of Israel.) If he commit iniquity, (and we know they have and they will) I will chasten him with the rod of men, (What’d He mean? Invading armies, the enemies that would overrun them over and over and over again) and with the stripes of the children of men:" (II Samuel 7:14). God would punish them.
But now verse 15, what’s the first word?
"But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took from Saul, whom I put away before thee. (Then verse 16, here’s the promise that the kingdom will never fail to make its appearance.) 16. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee: thy throne shall be established forever" (II Samuel 7:15-16). That’s God’s promise, that the Kingdom will be established forever. It won’t be just the 1000 years of Revelation, but it’s going to slip right on into the eternal estate so that this Kingdom will be established forever.
In other words, God will never, never give up on the nation of Israel. There may be those who think that God is all through with the Jew. They may think that everything ended in 70 AD. But, here is a question for them. Then what are you going to do with these verses? This is the Word of God. You can’t just throw it out and say, "Well, God has forgotten about it." No, He hasn’t.
Jeremiah 31 verses 35 & 36, is a promise of God concerning His earthly people.
"Thus saith the LORD, (Well, that’s all you need isn’t it? God said it!) which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar;…" (Jeremiah 31:35a) 36"If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, (In other words, if all of a sudden the tides would stop going in and out, or if the sun or the moon should suddenly cease to function…) then the seed of Israel shall cease from being a nation before me forever. " But they haven’t departed. And Israel hasn’t stopped being a nation, nor will they.
Israel has to understand although they can’t give a reason for all their suffering. Why are they so downtrodden? Why are they so hated? And it’s going to get worse. What did the Lord tell them in Matthew 24?
"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake." (Matthew 24:9). Again, this is the reason - Satan knows they are God’s people. Satan knows that nothing can finalize prophecy if Israel is gone. So what’s he trying to do? Destroy them. If Satan can destroy the Jewish people, then God is defeated and He cannot fulfill the prophecies.
So, he will never give up. The anti-Christ is going to be Satan’s tool, and he’s going to bring in the worst persecution that Israel has ever known. But, the finality of it is the return of Christ and the blessings of the Kingdom. So, even for Israel there was no way they could comprehend why God dealt with them the way He did. In verse 10 He gives an analogy.
"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither,…" (Isaiah 55:10a). It has to go out to the oceans and then it’ll evaporate and come back, of course, but we’re not looking at that part. We’re just looking at its original fall. When the rain falls it stays where it’s at for its own purposes. The snow doesn’t return back to the clouds, but… …but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: (This is all part of God’s Divine purposes.) 11. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void,…" (Isaiah 55:10b-11a).
That’s God’s promise. His Word is always going to accomplish His purpose. This is the nation through whom God has chosen to give us the Word of God. It was this nation through whom Christ came. It’s this nation around which all of prophecy revolves.
The Shedding of Blood
In Genesis 3:15, as soon as the curse fell, God came back and said, "I have a remedy," and that would be through a Redeemer, through God’s Son, through the Seed of the woman.
One of the absolutes of Scripture says that “without the shedding of blood there is no remission.” (Heb. 9-11-28). It was only through God’s Son that this saving, redeeming, shed blood could originate, whereby the curse could be lifted. To this end resides one of the main themes of Holy Scripture.
"Because the creature itself (all of creation) also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption (the curse, and creation is going to be restored as it was before Adam fell. In other words, wildlife will not fear anymore. Before the curse nothing ate meat, everything ate of that which grew naturally. So the creation is going to be delivered from the bondage of corruption, and who is going to gain control of it as we see in the last part of this verse? The children of God) into the glorious liberty of the children of God." (Romans 8:21)
When you become a believer you become a child of God. So what is all creation waiting for? The day when Christ will rule as King of Kings and we'll be reigning and ruling with Him, and we'll be in dominion over this glorious new creation that will be brought out from under the curse. Now, verse 21.
"For we know that the whole creation (everything) groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." (Romans 8:22)
When I say that all of creation is aware of His coming, and of His restoring everything, as it was in the beginning, you might say, "Now, wait a minute, you mean to tell me that the rocks and the mountains are aware of God's coming and reigning?" Yes they are, and the verses of reference to that are in Luke Chapter 19. Go there to see what the Word says. Start at verse 39, and this is at the triumphant entry in the last week of Jesus' ministry. The people have been shouting "Hosanna," and laying the palm branches in His way, and the religious leaders of Israel got all shook up:
"And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, `Master, rebuke thy disciples.' And he answered and said unto them, `I tell you that, if these (the multitude who are shouting "Hosanna") should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.'" (Luke 19:39,40 ). Jesus said that, and He's the Creator - He knows what the stones are capable of doing. Now go to Psalms Chapter 148 because this says it all. When all of creation sees the calling out of the believers, they know it's only a little while until the curse is lifted, and they will enter into that glorious dominion under Christ's rule and reign, and with Whom we, the believers, will be joint heirs.
"Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. (now watch it) Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light (the whole creation). Praise ye him, ye heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them forever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass. Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word: Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth (now do you see they're all put into the same basket? Everything is thrown into this same account of responding to the Creator. It's unreal isn't it? I couldn't believe it if it was any place but here in God's Word, but that's what it says and I believe it. They are all subject to the power of their Creator God): Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children (all of these we have read about since verse 1 are included in): Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven." (Psalms 148:1-13)
It's going to happen when the curse is lifted, and Christ returns. Go to the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 11 to drive the point home, and that is the animal and bird kingdom under the curse have to live in constant fear of being somebody else's lunch. So to bring it down to almost every household wherever they may live in this United States, and then consider the little cottontail rabbit. They're everywhere, almost everyone has seen one someplace. The point is this: does that little cottontail ever relax? Never! The neighbor's cat will have him if he could, an owl or hawk will swoop down and grab it, or the foxes and coyotes might catch them. All of these predator creatures would love to eat that little cottontail, and he knows it. This is nature today, this is the ecology that everything is laboring under, it's the curse. But someday that little cottontail will be able to relax. Now see what happens when the curse will be lifted, and the Scripture defines it so clearly.
"And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins (and now we come into the animal kingdom, and how things will be after the curse has been lifted, and what the animals are looking forward to in Romans Chapter 8). The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid (all these animals will eat of the green things, and berries rather than meat) and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them (Mama's won't have to worry about their children in these situations). And the cow and the bear shall feed (together in the same place); their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain ( a mountain in Scripture is a Kingdom): for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea." (Isaiah 11:5-9)
So this is what everything in creation, as well as we believers, are looking for, and that is for this day when the curse will be lifted Now, verse 22:
"For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." (Romans 8:22,23). As with the little cottontail rabbit, most of creation is under constant duress. Now, verse 23:
"And not only they (the things of nature), but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit,..."
The believer is the only one who is anxiously looking forward to The Lord's coming. The unbeliever shrinks from it, he's not ready for it, he'd like to think it all away, but he's not going to succeed, because our Lord is coming! The whole world is moving faster, and faster to that final moment when Christ is going to intervene once again in human history, and He's going to set things straight. The curse is going to be lifted, He's going to rule King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Verse 23 again:
"And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." (Romans 8:23)
God has never used the human being as just a soul and spirit, it has to be the complete entity of body, soul, and spirit. We know our loved ones in heaven don't have their body yet. When we go from time to eternity it's a whole different set of circumstances. Since eternity is out of time, and time is not reality, and although Adam has been dead nearly 6000 years he won't realize that that much time has elapsed. So for those in heaven it may only be a moment in time.
The body hasn't experienced redemption because it's still under the curse. We all get sick and, if The Lord doesn't come, we're all going to die. But the day is coming when we will have a new body, and it's part of the complete redemption. The sealing of the Holy Spirit in verse 13 is the down payment.
"Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:14 )
We know He's already redeemed our soul, and our spirit, but what's waiting? The redemption of the body. Paul tells us in Romans 8:23 everything is moving to the day when we will have that final redemption of the heavenly glorified body; we'll be complete; ready to enter eternity.
A world of pain, cruelty, suffering, and death is the result of man's sin, not of God's love.
God's love was manifested not only in creating a perfect world to begin with, but then—even more—of paying the terrible price to redeem it once man had almost ruined it. How sad is the testimony of John 1:10. "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not." Yet how glorious is the truth that "God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:17).
Yes, "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). For all who receive that priceless gift by faith, "to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12). And in that new world to come, "there shall be no more curse" and "there shall be no more death" (Revelation 22:3; 21:4).
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Part 2
The Plan of Redemption-- The Promised Messiah
In part 1 we learned that after the Fall of man God’s plan of redemption was to occur through the Nation of Israel. They were chosen to help bring God’s plan of redemption to fruition. It all began with the Abrahamic Covenant which consisted essentially of three promises made by God; They would be a nation of people, living in a specified an area of land, with a government ruled by their anointed Messiah King. In addition to those three promises, the nation of Israel was to serve as the oracle of God by means of the written Word.
"I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and I will make thy name great; Thou shalt be a blessing: 3. And I will bless them that bless thee, and I’ll curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12:2-3)
The whole idea of separating this little nation of people was to prepare them for the day when they could be all that God wanted them to be. That is, to bring the remainder of mankind into a perfect knowledge and relationship with God. As we have already seen after 2000 years they have become a great nation of people living in their promised land, but they have not yet received their King, the anointed one, their Messiah. They are well versed in Holy Scripture (the Old Testament) and are ready to receive their prophesied Messiah.
After the nation Israel had been in slavery in Egypt for many years, God called Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt and gave them an extensive set of laws that are referred to collectively as "the law of Moses", or simply as "the law". Forty years later, they entered into the land of Canaan which had been promised to their ancestor Abraham long before. Over the course of time, God would speak to Israel through various prophets. Many of the prophecies were about the future King that would come one day and about His kingdom which He would set up.
One such promise of the King is in Isaiah 9:6-7. Written around 750 BC, it says, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."
A Redeemer Was Required
The Israelites knew their Old Testament and they were fully cognizant of the prophecies contained therein. They knew the content of God’s covenants with His chosen people, and were looking forward to their Messiah-King to rule over them.
One of the major prophecies in which the Jewish people were so interested was the coming Messiah. The people and the priests of the entire Old Testament period constantly prayed to God, asking him for a concrete sign by which they would recognize the coming Messiah. They should have known that God had revealed the secret over 600 years before His birth to the prophet Daniel. Had the Jews of Jesus' day been aware of this ancient prophecy, they would have recognized instantly that Jesus was THE Jewish Messiah -- just as the Wise Men knew when they set out to come see Jesus once they had seen the "Star in the East". These wise men knew of all Daniel's writings, undoubtedly had copies of the Book of Daniel, and they knew of the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27. At the time of the appearance of the Star, they knew they were within a lifetime of this prophecy coming to pass. When they saw the Star, their knowledge of this remarkably precise prophecy, plus the promptings of the Holy Spirit, caused them to embark on the very long journey to Israel to pay their homage to the Jewish King-Messiah.
An Unparalleled Precise Prophecy
"Seventy weeks of years, or 490 years are decreed upon your people and upon your holy city Jerusalem, to finish and put an end to transgression, to seal up and make full the measure of sin, to purge away and make expiation and reconciliation for sin, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint a holy of holies. Know, therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem until the coming of the anointed one, a prince, shall be seven weeks of years, and sixty-two weeks of years; it shall be built again with city square and moat, but in troublous times. And after the 62 weeks of years, shall the anointed one be cut off (killed) and shall have nothing and no one belonging to and defending Him..." (Daniel 9:24-26)
The remaining one week is found in verse 27, and refers to the last seven years of earth's history, the period which we know as the "Great Tribulation".
The term "Weeks of Years" was a common Jewish term. It meant literally seven years. The term comes from God's commandment in Leviticus 25:3-4 to farm a piece of land for only six years, allowing it to lie fallow for the seventh. This seven-year period came to be known as a "week of years". Therefore, Seventy Weeks of Years was 490 Hebrew years.
At the precise point in history when the 7 + 62 Weeks of Years occurred, Israel could expect Messiah to announce Himself as Messiah. What great news! This means that Israel could not miss their Messiah. All they had to do was to count, be cognizant of current events in Israel as they unfolded, and be aware of this prophecy. The learned Magi surely knew of Daniel's prophecy and of his reputation of reliability in such matters. Therefore, just prior to Jesus' birth, they had to have been excited with anticipation, because they knew they were living within the life-time (approximately 30-40 years) of this date. If one was to announce Himself as Messiah in just 30 years, he would have to be born now. Thus were the Magi looking for a sign. The Holy Spirit was also not leaving anything to chance, and was prompting their minds to anticipation and to understanding of what they were about to observe in the Heavens.
Even the gifts which the Magi brought to Jesus suggests that they were being prompted by Daniel's prophecy. Consider these gifts: 1. Gold--Daniel said in 9:25 that the coming Messiah was to be a "prince". This term denotes royalty, a king. Gold was the perfect gift for a king. 2. Frankincense--God stipulated in Exodus 30:34-36 that frankincense was to be prepared for the "purpose of sacrificial fumigation". Jesus Christ was killed on Calvary as the Perfect Sacrifice which would be acceptable to God to take away the sins of all who would accept it. Did Daniel's prophecy reveal this sacrificial aspect? Yes!! In 9:26, God revealed that Messiah would be "cut off" (sacrificially killed). Interestingly, frankincense was also used by the priests during the sacrificial service. Therefore, this frankincense gift could also point to Jesus Christ as the ultimate High Priestly, an office which He assumed after His ascension into Heaven. 3. Myrrh--The Jews used Myrrh for embalming bodies for burial preparation. Again, the verse quoted above would have prepared the Magi to bring this gift.
It is extremely interesting that two of the three gifts which the Magi presented to baby Jesus related to His death and burial. The Daniel prophecy contained all the information which the Magi needed to know to bring these gifts.
The second question is why Israel's spiritual leaders missed this prophecy, when the pagan Magi did not. The answer is really quite simple. Several hundred years before Christ was born, Jewish leaders began to believe and propagate two grievously erroneous teachings. First, they taught that the sacred Scriptures could not be taken literally because they were not totally inspired by God, and thus contained errors. Secondly, they taught that prophecies were not to be taken literally, but spiritually. Prophetic books such as Daniel were not even taught anymore because they contained so much prophecy. After several generations had come and gone, each believing this nonsense, Jewish spiritual leaders of Jesus' day were completely unaware of this prophecy.
The nation Israel had a wonderful opportunity before them. The long-promised Messiah King had arrived on the scene and the kingdom was announced as being at hand or near. But the people were also told that they needed to repent. Although a minority of Jews did repent and turn to Christ, the great majority did not. The rejection of Christ by the nation Israel and by Israel's leaders is clearly seen in Matthew chapters 11-12. This rejection is tersely summarized in John 1:11---"He came unto His own and His own received Him not."
The Lord Jesus Christ came to His own people (Matthew 1:21; 2:6) but the nation Israel did not receive Him as their Messiah, King, and Saviour (John 1:11). They wanted a King who could feed and heal their bodies (John 6:26), but cared not for a Saviour who could feed and heal their souls (John 6:58-66). Christ, through His miracles and mighty works, gave unmistakable and undeniable evidence that He was indeed the Messiah, the Son of the living God; yet the Jews in their unbelief still asked for a sign (John 2:18; Matthew 12:38-40; 13:58; Luke 4:23; 1 Corinthians 1:22).
The main point and argument of Matthew's 28 chapters is to convince the Jews that Jesus is their Messiah King, the Anointed One, the Christ, the Son of God and founder of the kingdom of God. Matthew's account uses the word "kingdom" 50 times, and the "kingdom of heaven" 32 times.
Matthew's account emphasizes Jesus' kingly rule and divine authority. Jesus says to Peter, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19). Jesus' last words to his apostles also speak about his kingly authority over all: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.. teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always..." (Matthew 28:18-19) Matthew uses the word "all" four times in this passage alone. Matthew also shows Jesus' authority over nature by his miracles, his authority over sin by forgiving sins, and his authority over death by his resurrection.
The Gospel of the Kingdom
Matthew writes as a Jew to his fellow Jews to present to them the evidence for Jesus' claim to be the King of the Jews. He quotes extensively from the Old Testament prophets to show how Jesus fulfilled all that was spoken about the Messiah who would come to establish the reign [or kingdom] of God. He frequently writes, "as it is written in the prophet..." or "this was done to fulfill what was spoken by the prophets..." Nine times Matthew refers to Jesus as the "son of David". The prophets had foretold that the Messiah would be a direct descent of David. Matthew's gospel begins with the genealogy of Jesus, tracing him back to David, King of Israel, and then to Abraham, the first Jew. Matthew traces Jesus' lineage through Joseph, his foster father, rather than through Mary, his biological mother [as Luke's account does]. Matthew, the observant Jew, notes that according to Jewish genealogy, the father's lineage counted legally for royalty.
This King would also be the Redeemer who would redeem Israel from their sin. "And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD" (Isaiah 59:20). "And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities" (Psalms 130:8). "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness" (Zechariah 13:1).
God’s plan of redemption requires a blood sacrifice that only He can provide. After the Fall of man, it had to be the sacrificial death of the Son of God that made possible the whole plan of Salvation. It had to be the shedding of Divine blood. The rituals and sacrifices practiced by the Nation of Israel under the Law of Moses with the shedding of animal blood was of no avail.
So what did God do? As we saw in Part 1 above, the Son of God was to be the key to the plan of redemption. In fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant He sent His Son, His only begotten, in the form of a man. His Word became a man - a man just like any other, weak, temptable, and with all the sinful qualities that we all share. In another passage it says Christ was like his brothers in every way, becoming like us so that he could save us and save us absolutely through his death, shed blood, and resurrection.
But even as we go into the New Testament beginning with what we call the synoptic gospels, it is still God dealing with the Jews under the Mosaic Law. The gospel that was being preached by Jesus and the twelve was still the Kingdom Gospel. Contrary to about 90% of Bible readers and church members, the New Testament doesn't suddenly start something totally different as most people think. They think there is a big wall between the New and Old Testament, and some feel you can cut the Old Testament out because it has nothing to do with us. Nothing is further from the truth. And Matthew 1:1 immediately tells us that you can't do that.
"THE book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." (Matthew 1:1). It doesn't go back to the beginning with Adam. Now the other genealogy in Luke Chapter 3, does go all the way back to Adam. Matthew depicts Christ as the King. And that is why the terminology "The Kingdom of Heaven" so often occurs in Matthew. It is unique to the Book of Matthew. Although the Kingdom goes all the way through the four Gospels, it is uniquely referred to as the Kingdom of Heaven here in Matthew.
As you get into Matthew 1, this is not yet Christianity. This is still an extension of God dealing with Israel, based on all those Old Testament covenants and promises, and Christ is going to come on the scene, as we see in Luke 1, as the angel announced it. Not with the message that He's going to the Cross to die for the sins of the world, although that's certainly in the mind of God, but He's going to come first to fulfill the promise made to the Nation of Israel. So it's all Jewish with few exceptions. Remember, too, it's all under the Mosaic Law, The Temple is still operating, sacrifices are still being offered. And even these people who become believers and followers of Christ don't shed their Judaism. They still maintain everything that is associated with the Law. And Christ doesn't rebuke them for it. No one has told them that they're not under Law, until much later on when Paul the Gentile Apostle will. That is why I emphasize that the Bible is a progressive revelation. God doesn't just suddenly tell the Old Testament people everything that's coming. Now there is a lot of prophecy, but always remember God hid some things until it met His purposes to reveal them. In Luke Chapter 1; we find the angel announcing to Mary what is about to happen. This is just another little introduction as to why Christ is making His first Advent to the Nation of Israel.
"And the angel said unto her, `Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shall conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.'". (That comes out of the Old Testament promises.) And he (This Son) shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his (what?) kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke 1:30-33)
All of this is based on what God had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and then as a further ramification of that, the Law was given to Moses. Then as David comes on the scene he is promised that out of him will come a genealogy that will lead to the King. This is all coming into fulfillment.
Since Christ is presented in the Book of Matthew as the King in the opening verse of this Book, it takes us back to where that whole Kingship idea began with Abraham, and the Abrahamic Covenant. Verse one drives us back to Genesis Chapter 12. It all ties in beautifully, and dovetails together.
A recent article by a rabbi in the Jerusalem Post shows that the present day Jews(2014) are still looking for their Messiah. This rabbi makes reference to the Messiah almost every week, and in this particular article, he says in so many words that, "Israel is looking for the one who will bring the Nation of Israel to the peak of peace and prosperity so that she can funnel it out to all the other nations of the world." This is in total agreement with the prospect given to Abraham, that out of Israel would come a King who wouldn't just rule the Nation of Israel, but would spread that rule to the whole earth through Israel.
As one reads through the Four Gospels, We note the reason for all of Jesus’s miracles, preaching, and teaching is to prove to the Jews that He was that promised Messiah. This was the whole scope of His ministry. Everything that Jesus says and does is to prove to the Jew of His day that He is this promised King. Jesus starts His ministry with a miracle and He ends it with the greatest miracle of all, and that was when He arose from the dead! But all of these things were to prove to the nation of Israel who He was.
Israel has already become a nation. They are already in the Promised Land, but the government part hadn't happened yet. But Jesus is here to bring in that government, Kingdom rule, and that reign for which He had been prepared. So He says He's here to fulfill. When He presented Himself as The King, and did everything to prove He was their King, what did Israel do? They crucified Him, and said "Away with Him." Here comes Christ in His earthly ministry, not as the royal King as yet (although He is presenting Himself as the King), but He is coming more as a lowly servant, riding upon a foal of an ass. This is what confounded the Jews. They were looking for someone to come riding on a white steed like a Roman General or Emperor. Jesus epitomized the servant when He washed the disciples' feet. And that is why they couldn't understand how this One, Who was the very Creator of the universe; The One Who had come to be the King of Kings not only of Israel, but of the whole planet could get down on His knees and wash the disciples' feet. The King and the Kingdom! The Jews wanted it and expected it, but they didn't recognize Him. So they missed it. But that didn't stop God; that didn't interrupt Him. It was already preconceived in the counsels of the Godhead during eternity past. God wasn't caught by surprise.
Jesus is concerned to point out that no one takes his life from him but that he lays it down of his own accord (John 10:18). In the end, Jesus suffers and dies because nobody identified with him. The people cried, "Crucify him!" One of his disciples betrayed him, another denied him, the rest forsook him and fled. He died alone, forsaken even by God.
Why God would save me, or anyone else for that matter? God's decision to choose us was made prior to the fall of mankind. He made the decision before the Fall, with the knowledge that the Fall will come and with the knowledge of its consequences. In other words, God couldn't possibly make it his choice to save persons who were in no need of salvation. Only sinners are in need of salvation, so God must have considered us as being sinners and fallen as we were considered in the divine mind for salvation. Ultimately, the decision to save all believers was made in eternity past, according to God's divine knowledge of us.
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"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, (what?) It is finished:" (John 19:30a)
What does it mean? Just what it says. That is one of the most profound statements uttered by Jesus as He died for our sins. There wasn’t one more iota of anything that He could do to embellish that salvation that He had just accomplished. Just as surely as the universe and the Garden of Eden and everything in it was perfect and God rested, so also when He finished that work of the cross.
The Bible says it's finished. It's complete! God has done everything that needs to be done to take care of old Adam, to give us a new divine nature, to set our feet on a Rock, all the things that you want to put in there, it was all accomplished when He said, "It is finished!" And we just can't add anything to it.
When Christ said while on the cross that, "It is finished" how in the world can people then say, that you have to do this and that? If that's the case then our Lord lied! If He said it was finished, and it wasn't, then Christ lied. But we all know that our Lord did not lie, because He did finish it! And all He's asking us to do is to believe it with all our heart, and then let these other work things follow.
Salvation always comes down to believing doesn't it? It's not what our denomination demands. When someone says I must do this, and someone else tells me I've got to do that. I just say to all that, "Forget it!" There's only one requirement and that is faith, and believing, but it must be genuine, and not just a mental assent. Scripture is full of verses that it's all faith on our believing the Gospel of Grace alone! And remember the only way you can do that in Scripture is rightly divide the Word. Keep Peter's teaching and the Law separate from Paul's teaching and Grace. If you don't separate the two then you will wind up with a mixture of Law and Grace, and God won't have any part of it.
So God the Son, the One Who had walked the earth, had humbled Himself to be crucified and slain, and as He said on the cross, "It is finished!" And nothing else can be added to it. Nobody can put their fingers to the work that Christ accomplished, because it’s all done.
"…If they shall enter into my rest." (Hebrews 4:5b) And how is it to be entered? By faith and faith alone, plus nothing else, because it’s finished. There is no other way to put it. Go to Hebrews 1:3. And this again is just more support to show that when Jesus said it’s finished, He meant what He said, speaking of the Son in verse 2. Now verse 3. "Who being the brightness of his glory, (He was God from the beginning, from eternity past. He was God in the flesh. He, as God took the sins of the world upon Himself. So being the brightness of His glory) and the express image of his person, and upholding all things (that is everything in this universe is held together) by the word of his power, when he had by himself (alone, without any help from anyone. When He had by Himself) purged (or taken away) our sins, (what did He do? What does it say?) sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;" (Hebrews 1:3)
What does that imply? It’s finished. He rested, and there was nothing more to do. He had done everything that God demanded. It doesn’t matter how great our faith, I don’t care how great an understanding a person can have of the Bible, there is no way that you and I as mortals will ever comprehend more than just an infinitesimal amount of what was accomplished on that cross. I’ll never comprehend it. And when Paul in Ephesians speaks on the unsearchable riches of Christ, was he playing with words? No way. It is unsearchable. There is no way that I can understand all that God poured out first from the wrath side on God the Son who became the epitome of sin itself. I cannot begin to comprehend that. And on the other hand, He poured out Mercy. It was a two-pronged attack. He poured out His wrath because of the sin aspect, then He poured out His mercy because of the love aspect. How can mortal man comprehend that? We can’t. If we could live to be a thousand years we would never comprehend it all. We take it by faith. God, you did it, you said it, it’s complete, it’s finished. I’m resting.
God has said it’s finished and we don’t have to sweat and work and try to do this and do that. We just rest in it. That doesn’t mean we don’t work. I’m talking about the salvation experience. And see that’s why Canaan became such a beautiful picture of the whole scenario. Rest was rejected because of unbelief but on the other hand a picture of what rest really can be for the believer. We can just revel in the fact that we don’t have to work, work, work, work for salvation, as that’s all been done. It’s finished. But just stop and think a minute of all the things that even Christendom lays upon their adherence to works. You’ve got to do this, you’ve got to do that. You’ve got to fulfill this obligation; you’ve got to fulfill that obligation. But God will have nothing of it because He finished it, and He cannot let man change it. It’s a done deal.
And when we talk about believing, It’s not talking about a simple acknowledgment that "yes, I guess that's the way it was." That's not what we are talking about, we're talking about a genuine heart-felt condition, when that old Adam has been convicted by the Law that has condemned him and then we realize that all of God's mercy has already been poured out, and we merely appropriate it. We say thank you Lord I believe it!
Jesus Christ, and His sacrificial death on the cross, is the central and most important fundamental, basic tenet of the Christian faith. Jesus Christ is God’s only plan of eternal salvation for the entire world. God makes it very clear that it is only through His Son Jesus and His sacrificial death on the cross that will give people eternal salvation and thus eternal life with Him in heaven.
Jesus Himself said in the New Testament that He did not come to bring peace – but division! What He means by this is that He is drawing a line in the sand. You either believe in Him and everything that He stands for – or you do not. In the modern vernacular He is saying, “It’s my way or the highway!“ There are no middle or neutral grounds on this issue.
If you choose not to believe Jesus Christ died for your sins, and arose from the dead, and His message of eternal salvation, then you will die in your sins and remain outside the presence of Jesus Himself-- no if, ands, or buts about it! The life that we live here and now is serious business! The choices that we make in this life will determine our ultimate fate for eternity. Purgatory won’t cut it!
Choose to believe in the Risen Jesus Christ and the blood that He has personally shed for you on the cross – and you will then become saved and born again – and you will then enter into the most incredible place imaginable when you die – in heaven in the presence of Jesus Christ! Choose anyone or anything else, and you will cross over into the most horrible situation imaginable when you die!
God saved us so we could spend eternity with Him in Heaven. And that’s a great reason, isn’t it!
We Have Been Redeemed
“It is Finished!!”
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"But without faith it is impossible to please him..."
(Hebrews 11:6a)
What is faith? Simply, it’s taking God at His word-- really, wholeheartedly, believing God! That’s all He asks, and that is all He expects for our salvation. But if one searches the literature of theology there is no end to man’s attempt to define what is meant by the words faith and justification.
Luther Discovers the Apostle Paul
In the Autumn of 1517 Martin Luther posted Ninety Five Theses on the Wittenberg church door, inadvertently initiating the Reformation. Luther had just discovered the Apostle Paul. He was absolutely convinced that men were blind to the truth about themselves, and he knew that pride was the culprit. As he carried out his studies he discovered that during the period between 400 to 410 Augustine had emphasized the primacy of the Bible rather than Church officials as the ultimate religious authority. He also discovered Augustine believed that humans could not reach salvation by their own acts, but that only God could bestow salvation by his divine grace. Luther came to share Augustine’s two central beliefs, which would later form the basis of Protestantism.
By late 1514 Luther had arrived at the fundamental insight that the proper disposition for justification is humility…God humiliates man, in order that he may justify him; he makes man a sinner, in order that he may make him righteous-and both aspects of this matter are increasingly seen by Luther as works of God.
In other words, Luther saw that the goal of Paul’s gospel was a humbling faith. Luther was convinced that the conviction that one is under God’s wrath is a first sign of God’s favor.
All of this Luther summed up in his most important theological work, The Bondage of the Will. “Bondage” was Luther’s response to a previous work by Erasmus (1456-1536) A diatribe concerning the Freedom of the Will (1524). The bastard son of a Catholic priest, Erasmus was one of the greatest intellects of his day. Because he was critical of the Roman church, most of his peers erroneously assumed that he was sympathetic with Luther. He was under great pressure to take a stand. Was he for or against the disruptive Reformer? Actually, his diatribe was simply an attempt to stake out his own position.
The doctrine Erasmus chose to debate wasn’t Luther’s teaching on the authority of scripture, or justification by faith alone. Instead, he tackled Luther’s teaching on sin, expressed by the bondage of the will. When theologians talk about the bondage of the will they are not saying that you are not free to marry whom you like, or take that job you have always wanted in a neighboring state. No, the bondage of the will is about my willingness or ability to know God, love him, or choose to follow him.
Erasmus saw that the bondage (or freedom) of the will was the practical question upon which the Reformation turned. In other words, how serious is sin? How great is its impact? Has the Fall so crippled my will that I am unable to seek God, desire God, or turn to God without his help? Or, is there a residue of ultimate spiritual good remaining in my fallen heart? Will men and women seek and pursue God out of the natural goodness of their heart? In effect, Erasmus said, sin is not that serious: The will is free
Luther responded with his The Bondage of the Will, a classic in Christian literature. Here Luther wrote sin runs deep. It is comprehensive. It is devastating. It affects the total man: intellect, will, and emotions. Man has no natural love for God or attraction to God. Therefore, the will is bound! He wrote Erasmus: “I give you hearty praise and commendation on this further account—that you alone, in contrast with all others, have attacked the real thing, that is, the essential issue. You have not wearied me with those extraneous issues about the Papacy, purgatory, indulgences and such like—trifles, rather than issues—in respect of which almost all to date have sought my blood (though without success); you, and you alone, have seen the hinge on which all turns, and aimed for the vital spot.”
Purgatory and indulgences, “extraneous issues?” How could Luther say that? Because Luther(ascribing to the Apostle Paul) knew that if sin bound the human will so that it could not, nor would not turn to God, then God must initiate my salvation. And, if sin is this crippling, there is absolutely no hope for anyone through human effort. We are bankrupt. Our only hope is justification by faith alone. And, if salvation is by grace through faith alone, then the whole edifice of Roman Catholicism, built on works righteousness, must come crashing down. The debated doctrines—purgatory, justification by works, the sacramental system, indulgences, the authority of the pope, the need for priestly mediation, etc.—were all just sophisticated tools for earning God’s favor. But, if we cannot earn God’s favor then these are unnecessary.
Luther and Erasmus agreed that the freedom of the will was the central issue. And human freedom was great or non-existent depending upon one’s view of sin. Luther believed man’s part, is to humble his proud mind, to renounce the sinful self-sufficiency which prompts him to treat himself as the measure of all things, to confess the blindness of his corrupt heart, and thankfully to receive the enlightening Word of God.
Other Reformers went along with Luther asserting the helplessness of man in sin, and the sovereignty of God in grace. For example, in his Institutes John Calvin (1509-67) wrote, “I have always believed the foundation of our philosophy is humility”.
Why is this important? On the surface the Reformation seemed to be about the authority of scripture and justification by faith alone. However, underneath were stronger currents dealing with sin, man, and ultimate issues. The strength of the Reformation was its willingness to grapple with, and own, the wrath of God, the reality of final judgment, and the helplessness of man in sin. If these doctrines were true, and they are, we are bankrupt, and there is no remedy but Paul’s message--justification by faith alone. This was the gospel the Reformers preached, and it turned the world upside down. It was Martin Luther's great spiritual and theological breakthrough. The phrase "justification by faith alone" was the key which unlocked the Bible for Luther. Each of these four words he came to understand in relation to the others by the light of Scripture and the Spirit.
SOLA FIDE
It was only after Martin Luther came onto the world’s stage that the question of faith and works as they relate to man’s salvation came to the forefront of religious thought. It was Martin Luther who elevated the term sola fide(faith Alone) to the principal cause of the Protestant Reformation, the rallying cry of the Protestant cause, and the chief distinction between Evangelical Christianity and Roman Catholicism. John Calvin was also a proponent of this doctrine. Luther's German translation of the New Testament took the liberty of adding the word allein (alone) to Romans 3:28, rendering "...is justified by faith..." as "...is justified by faith alone... " . Luther Has been castigated for taking this liberty in his translation, but he is a piker compared to some of the translations found in the modern Bibles, i.e NIV, etc.
Here is the English translation of Martin Luther’s definition of faith as outlined in his "An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans," Luther's German Bible of 1522 by Martin Luther, 1483-1546
“Faith is not what some people think it is. Their human dream is a delusion. Because they observe that faith is not followed by good works or a better life, they fall into error, even though they speak and hear much about faith. ``Faith is not enough,'' they say, ``You must do good works, you must be pious to be saved.'' They think that, when you hear the gospel, you start working, creating by your own strength a thankful heart which says, ``I believe.'' That is what they think true faith is. But, because this is a human idea, a dream, the heart never learns anything from it, so it does nothing and reform doesn't come from this `faith,' either. Instead, faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God. (John 1:13). It kills the Old Adam and makes us completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits, our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn't stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever. He stumbles around and looks for faith and good works, even though he does not know what faith or good works are. Yet he gossips and chatters about faith and good works with many words. Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who has shown you such grace. Thus, it is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from fire! Therefore, watch out for your own false ideas and guard against good-for-nothing gossips, who think they're smart enough to define faith and works, but really are the greatest of fools. Ask God to work faith in you, or you will remain forever without faith, no matter what you wish, say or can do.”
Sola fide (by faith alone), also historically known as the justification by faith, a doctrine held by most Protestant denominations of Christianity, which asserts that it is on the basis of their faith that believers are forgiven their transgressions of the Law of God, rather than on the basis of good works which they have done.
While the precise terminology—"by faith alone"—does not appear in the Bible, but like the doctrine of the Trinity, which also is not found in Scripture, it summarizes the teaching of the New Testament. The doctrine is espoused especially in the Pauline epistles, which systematically reject the proposition that justification is by obedience to the Law of Moses which is a works religion.. Protestants base this on the fact that the New Testament contains almost 200 statements that imply faith or belief is sufficient for salvation. For example: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead , yet shall he live :” (John 11:25 KJV)
Sola fide asserts that, although all people are sinners, God declares those people not guilty who believe what God has done through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, and who consider God's work to be their commendation for acceptance by God. Conversely, the doctrine says that those who trust God in this way do not trust what they themselves have done (which has no worth, because of sin). The doctrine holds that it is not through inherent, personal goodness that God is reconciled to sinners (because we have none, according to adherents of this doctrine). Reconciliation is only through the gift of God himself, made effectual for forgiveness through the sacrifice of his son; thus it is only through the obedience of Christ given in substitute for the disobedience of believers, who for their sake was raised from the dead, that they have hope of eternal life. This doctrine is accepted by most Protestant denominations, including Lutherans and Baptists, and is rejected by Catholics.
The doctrine proposes that believing in Paul’s gospel that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and in three days rose from the dead, is all that is necessary and sufficient for sinners to achieve eternal salvation, after which the Holy Spirit arms the believer with the motive of trust, gratitude and love toward God from which good works will flow. Some Christian groups such as Roman Catholics believe that faith in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection is by itself insufficient for salvation, and that sola fide is in error, because it does not necessarily lead to good works. This amounts to a defacto lack of trust in the indwelling Holy Spirit.
The precise relationship between faith and good works is an issue of continuing controversy in many churches. Even at the outset of the Reformation, subtle differences of emphasis appeared. For example, because a misinterpretation of the Epistle of James which appears to emphasize the importance of good works along with faith. Failing to rightly divide the Word, Martin Luther, unacquainted with ‘rightly dividing the Word,’ sometimes erroneously referred to it as the "epistle of straw." Calvin on the other hand, while not intending to differ with Luther, followed the concept now held by most Protestants of the necessity of good works as a consequence or 'fruit' of faith. The Anabaptists tended to make a nominal distinction between faith and obedience. Recent attempts to form a consensus are not widely accepted among either Protestants or Catholics, so sola fide continues to be a doctrinal distinctive of the Reformation churches.
The following list of verses in the New Testament are cited by adherents of the doctrine of Sola Fide to support their point of view:
Acts 16:31
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Acts 26:18
...that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me...
Romans 3:28
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith alone apart from the deeds of the law. (based on Martin Luther's translation)
Romans 5:1
...having been justified by faith...
Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Galatians 2:21
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Galatians 3:1-3 ... 9-14 ... 21-25 ...
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
... So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
... Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Galatians 5:4,5
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
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The following list of verses are used mostly by Roman Catholics to counter the arguments cited by proponents of the doctrine of Sola Fide. It should be noted the Scripture cited in support of the doctrine is from the pen of the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Risen Lord, while that Scripture cited in opposition is written in accordance to Mosaic Law. The Book of James which is the proof benchmark used in opposition to Sola Fide, cited by the Catholic Church, is written in accordance to Mosaic law also. The controversy then becomes a prime example of “rightly(or wrongly) dividing the Word.’
Matthew 7:21
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 12:36,37
I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter;
For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
Matthew 25:31-46
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.’
Luke 6:46
But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?
Luke 8:21
But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.
Luke 11:28
But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
John 5:29
And will come out--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
Romans 2:6,7
For he will repay according to each one’s deeds
To those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;
2 Corinthians 5:10
For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.
1 Peter 1:17
If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds...
Revelation 2:23
...and I will give to each of you as your works deserve.
Revelation 20:12
...And the dead were judged according to their works...
Revelation 22:12
See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone's work.
James Chapter Two (Excerpts)
... What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ... Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? ... Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
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The Just Shall Live By Faith
"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17). The righteousness Paul had here in mind was not a punitive justice which condemns sinners but a perfect righteousness which God freely grants to sinners on the basis of Christ's merits, and which sinners receive by faith. The doctrine of justification by grace alone (sola gratia) through faith alone (per solam fidem) because of Christ alone (solus Christus) is the heart of the gospel and becomes for us "an open door into paradise.... a gate to heaven."
The phrase "justification by faith alone" is the key which unlocks the Bible for all. The Old Testament affirms that justification is "by faith." Of Abraham's faith Genesis 15:6 states, "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness."
Not one word is mentioned here of work or merit. Rather, in Genesis 15:6, God grants righteousness to Abraham as a free gift. Paul confirms in Romans 4 and Galatians 3:6-14 that the imputed (i.e. reckoned) righteousness of Genesis 15:6 is to be understood in terms of "by or through faith. "The Hebrew verb in Genesis 15:6 is also rendered "was counted" in Romans 4:3 (cf. Galatians 3:6, which uses "accounted" in the text and "imputed" in the marginal notes). This verb most often indicates "what a person, considered by himself, is not, or does not have, but is reckoned, held or regarded to be, or to have." It is clear then that when Abraham was justified by his faith, the righteousness which was reckoned or "charged to his account": was a righteousness not his own but that of another, namely, the righteousness of Christ (Galatians 3:16).
In these verses the Greek preposition eis does not signify "in the stead of," but always means "with a view to" or "in order to." It could be translated "towards" or "unto." Its meaning is clear from Romans 10:10, "with the heart man believeth unto [eis] righteousness" — i.e. faith moves toward and lays hold of Christ Himself.3
When Paul paraphrases this verse [Gen. 15:6] as teaching that Abraham's faith was reckoned for righteousness (Rom. 4:5, 9, 22), all he intends us to understand is that faith—decisive, whole-hearted reliance on God's gracious promise (verse 18.)—was the occasion and means of righteousness being imputed to him. There is no suggestion here that faith is the ground of justification.
Abraham was not justified, and made the father of the faithful, by any of his own works. Therefore all his children become his children and are justified, not by their works, either preceding or following their faith; but by faith alone in Christ.
A second major Old Testament text supporting justification by faith is Habakkuk 2:4: "the just shall live by his faith," or as some scholars would read, "the just by faith shall live." Paul makes clear that this verse, quoted in Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38, is ultimately fulfilled in the righteousness that comes by faith in the gospel of Christ, for which the law itself teaches us to look (Romans 3:21-22; 10:4). Paul's explanation of Habakkuk has inspired countless believers to place their faith in a righteousness not their own, but that of Jesus Christ who is called "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah 23:6).
"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe" (Romans 3:20). "Thou standest by faith" (Romans 11:20). "'Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Galatians 3:24).
What then is the precise relationship of faith to justification? The answer lies in what is entailed in the preposition "by." On every occasion faith is presented as the means of justification. Justification by faith alone is never justification on account of faith, but always justification on account of Christ, i.e. on account of the blood-satisfaction of the Lamb of God being graciously imputed to and received by an undeserving sinner (Galatians 3:6; James 2:23). Ultimately, the ground of justification is Christ and His righteousness alone.
It is fatal to regard faith as a prerequisite which a sinner can fulfill by an act of his own will in order to be saved. In such a case, man really becomes his own savior. Worse yet, everything then depends on the purity and strength or perfection of the sinner's faith. Rather, Scripture teaches that at stake is the very character of faith: Is faith a work of man or the gift of God? The question is answered decisively by the Apostle Paul: "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him(faith), but also to suffer for His sake" (Philippians 1:29; see also Ephesians 2:8). Justification is received in the form of faith since it pleases God to justify a sinner by giving him faith.
An In-Depth Look At What We Mean By Faith
When we say, basically, faith is taking God at His Word, we have only seen the tip of the iceberg. Beyond that, faith is an experiential, convicting, soul-emptying grace. Though faith is the means through which God works salvation, faith is not and cannot be a human condition—that is, if "condition" implicates more than the necessary order or way of salvation. If faith were the conditional (i.e. meritorious) ground of justification, salvation by human merit would be introduced, dishonoring divine grace and subverting the gospel by reducing it to simply one more version of justification by works (Galatians 4:21-5:12). Moreover, since we cannot be accepted by God with less than a perfect righteousness, our faith would have to be perfect. No one's faith, however, is perfect. All our faith is impaired by sin. Nothing in us, including our faith, could possibly succeed as a condition. Faith knows no human merit, and needs no human merit (Ephesians 2:8), for the very nature of faith is to rely wholly on the merit and righteousness of Christ as more than sufficient to acquit us of our sin. We are not justified by our ever-imperfect faith, but by the ever-perfect righteousness of Christ. All the conditions of salvation must be and have been fulfilled by Jesus through His obedience, both active and passive, in the state of His humiliation (Romans 5:19). There can be no conditions for salvation laid upon man, simply because salvation is entirely of God and never dependent on anything of man. "So then it; [salvation] is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy" (Romans 9:16). Justifying faith terminates on or in Christ, in His blood and sacrifice, and in the promises of God; in its very essence, therefore, it involves trust, and, denying its own justifying value, affirms the sole merit of that on which it trusts (Rom 3:15-26; 4:20,22; Gal 3:26; Eph. 1:12-13, 1 Jn 5:10).
The very act of faith by which we receive Christ is an act of utter renunciation of all our own works and righteousness as a condition or ground of salvation. Faith is not work, nor merit, nor effort; but the cessation from all these, and the acceptance in place of them of what Christ has done—done completely, and forever.
The natural man indeed has no ability to reach out to accept the salvation of God in Christ. The natural man is dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). He will never "accept Christ" of his own free will (Matthew 23:37; John 5:40). Scripture teaches that a sinner does not first move toward God, but God first moves toward a sinner to unite him with Christ by faith, for a sinner would never of his own will or desire turn to Christ in faith (Romans 9:16). Even when tormented with the terrors of divine judgment, the natural man cannot be persuaded to flee to God by saving faith for salvation ((Proverbs 1:24-27).
But in regeneration the Holy Spirit grants the gift of a living, empty hand that can turn nowhere else than to Jesus. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13; cf. Psalm 110:3).
Faith is not called a hand because it works or merits justification in any way, but because it receives, embraces, appropriates Christ upon divine imputation. Faith is not a creative hand, but a receptive hand. In justification we read of the precious faith in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1) and of 'faith in His blood' (Romans 3:25), and believers are described as 'receiving the atonement' and receiving 'the gift of righteousness' (Romans 5:11, 17)."
By the Spirit and word of God, justifying faith is a saving grace which, first, convicts of sin and misery; second, assents to the gospel from the heart; third, receives and rests upon Christ and His righteousness for pardon and salvation; and fourth, lives out of Christ, who is the hallmark of appropriating faith (Hebrews 10:39; Romans 10:14, 17; John 16:8-9; Romans 10:8-10; acts 10:43; Philippians 3:9; Galatians 3:11; These marks of faith are experienced in the soul and urge closer examination if we are to ascertain the experiential dimensions of "by" in justification by faith alone.
Faith wholeheartedly "assents to the truth of the gospel" Faith is no mere intellectual assent. Faith believes from the heart that which the Scriptures teach about self, the holiness of God, and the saviorhood of Christ. Thrust before God's holiness, faith repudiates self-righteousness and is brought to need Christ experientially as revealed in the Scriptures and given by the Spirit. Faith abandons all self-merit while being increasingly allured to Christ and his merits (Romans 7:24-25). Faith surrenders to the evangel and falls into the outstretched arms of God. "The act of faith is as much being held by God as holding Him; the power of faith is exercised as much in capitulation as in conquering—the faith that overcomes the world is capitulation to Christ's great victory." Faith looks away from self and itself to Christ, living and moving entirely from and in grace. Justifying faith is especially that act of the soul by which a sinner lays hold of Christ and His righteousness and experiences pardon and peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Faith is nothing less than the means which unites a sinner with his Savior.
Christ-centeredness is the hallmark of faith. Faith's distinguishing mark is the real and redeeming presence of Christ. It is the very nature and fountain of faith to rest entirely upon Christ. Faith does not look at itself. Don’t be too preoccupied with looking at their faith rather than faith's object. It is not faith in our faith, nor faith in the faith, nor faith in our justification, that is salvific, but faith in Christ. First, Faith must look out for Christ; secondly, Faith must look up to Christ for grace; thirdly, Faith must take Christ down, or receive Him and grace.
Christ is faith's only object and only expectation. He is the heartbeat and life of faith. Faith enables the soul to enjoy the whole salvation of Christ; by faith Christ becomes the soul's wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30). Faith commits the total person to the total person of Christ. This Christ-centeredness, more than anything else, makes faith inseparable from justification and superior to all other graces in justification.
"Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6). God is pleased with faith because faith is pleased with Christ. Christ honors faith the most of all graces because faith honors Christ the most. Faith continually takes refuge in the blood, death, passion, and obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ. .
Small wonder then that faith has been called the captain of all spiritual graces. Love is the crowning grace in heaven, but faith is the conquering grace upon earth....Faith is the master-wheel; it sets all the other graces running....Other graces make us like Christ, faith makes us members of Christ. Call forth first that commander-in-chief, and then the private soldiers, the other graces, will all follow.
Justification is a sister-concept to imputation. As a forensic (i.e. legal or judicial) term, justification is the act of God's sovereign grace whereby He imputes to the elect sinner, who is in himself guilty and condemned, the perfect righteousness of Christ, acquits him on the ground of Christ's merits of all guilt and punishment, grants him a right to eternal life, and enables him to lay hold of and appropriate to himself Christ and His benefits. Imputation signifies to credit something to someone's account by transfer, i.e. God transfers the perfect righteousness of Christ to the elect sinner as a gracious gift, and transfers all of the sinner's unrighteousness to Christ who has paid the full price of satisfaction for that unrighteousness. By means of this mutual transfer the justified sinner is viewed by God as if he "never had had, nor committed any sin," but had himself "fully accomplished all that obedience which Christ has accomplished" cf. Romans 4:4-6; 5:12-19; 2 Corinthians 5:21.
I now hold that Christ's merited righteousness cannot tolerate any human addition. All our works are a stench in God's nostrils in terms of meriting any righteousness in His holy sight (Isaiah 64:6). Neither our sweetest experiences of God's love and grace, nor our faith itself granted by the Holy spirit can add one stitch of merit to the white robe of Christ's spotless righteousness. Nothing will satisfy the justice of God except the eternally valid righteousness of Christ Jesus. We are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24; cf. Job 25:4-6).
I also maintain that faith is the instrumental cause of justification, while the alien righteousness of Christ, external to the believer and imputed to him, is the formal cause, i.e. the ground upon which God can justly justify sinners. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21; cf. Romans 3:26). It is critical to maintain that this formal cause of justification resides in Christ's righteousness alone, for all the Scriptures dealing with the fundamentally depraved nature of man make clear that there is no righteousness inherent in the natural man upon which a divine verdict of justification could be based. "They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Psalm 14:3). I now hold that faith is the conscious, personal, immediate reliance of a sinner on Christ alone. My faith brings me, a sinner, into Christ's church and makes me a member of Christ's body even if I had never heard of a visible, physical church. Sacraments are not essential for salvation but for the consummation of discipleship. The sacraments are signs and seals of the grace that are received by faith; they are no part of justifying faith.
If the visible church is the dispenser of the sacraments, and the sacraments are necessary for salvation, this church becomes the dispenser of salvation. And so we have arrived at the ultimate error — the church replacing Christ — as one of many unavoidable consequences of her defective views of justification.
How Much Faith is Enough?
If we base our justification on our faith, our works, or anything else of our own, the very foundations of justification must crumble. Inevitably the agonizing, perplexing, and hopeless questions of having "enough" surfaces. Is my faith strong enough? Are the fruits of grace in my life fruitful enough? Are my experiences deep enough, clear enough, persistent enough? Every detected inadequacy in my faith is going to shake the very foundations of my spiritual life. Is my best believing always defective? Am I always too ungodly even in my faith? Apart from Christ, the best of my best is "as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).
So many Christians live in constant dispair because they cannot distinguish between the rock on which they stand and the faith by which they stand upon the rock. Is Faith our rock or is Christ our rock? Do we get faith by having faith in our faith or by looking to faith, or by looking to Christ. Looking to Christ is faith.
What kind of faith justifies? Is it perfect faith, great faith, fruitful faith, or strong faith? If we start qualifying our faith, we destroy the gospel. Our faith may be weak, immature, timid, even indiscernible at times, but if it is real faith it is justifying faith (Matthew 6:30). Our degree of faith affects sanctification and assurance, but not justification. Faith's value in justification does not lie in any degree in itself but in its uniting us to Christ and His glorious achievement.
Jesus Said We Must Be Perfect
“You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is Perfect.” (Matt. 5:48).
This command by Jesus seems impossible to obey. What did Jesus mean by this? How is it possible to be perfect when we know that only God is perfect?
Someone once asked Jesus, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” “Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the One he has sent.’” (Jn 6:29). The greatest thing you can do is believe the good news of God’s grace revealed in the One he has sent. Believe that because of what Jesus has done, you are forgiven, you have been clothed with his righteousness, and you have been adopted into his family--the Body of Christ. When you believe Jesus suffered, died for your sins, was buried, and was resurrected to eternal life, he moves into your life and you become one with him in spirit. When we believe this with all our heart--we are seen as perfect in the eyes of God. On the inside, you now look exactly like Jesus and your status before God is “perfect forever” (Heb 10:14).
Faith is simply Taking God at His Word. In other words, when God says it, we believe it, this is what God is pleased with. And that's all faith is; nothing more. And then this term of justification. It is that judicial act of God, where the Sovereign God in all of His Holiness and righteousness, the moment He sees the sinner believe the Gospel (Ref. I Corinthians 15:1-4) then God declares him justified. Just as if he had never sinned. Now that's hard for us to comprehend, and certainly none of us `feel' it.
`Feel' is the word that so many people use mistakenly when it comes to our Christian experience. "Well, I don't feel this and I don't feel that." The Bible never uses the word `feel,' we're not supposed to feel justified, or forgiven. You know you are because The Book says so. Don't try to figure it out in the human, because it can't be done. Rather just rest on what God has said, and The Word says that when we recognize we are indeed a child of Adam, there's that great gulf fixed between us and the Creator; and the only way back to a fellowship with Him is by believing the Gospel. "That Christ died for our sins, that He was buried, and that He arose from the dead." And the moment we believe that with all our heart, then God does everything on our behalf.
So far as our salvation is concerned it's based totally upon our faith in the Gospel, and what God has said concerning the finished work of the Cross.
"For therein (that is, in the power of God in the Gospel) is the righteousness of God revealed (being unveiled)..." (Romans 1:17a).
Remember when Christ was hanging on the Cross, and when He finally gave up the ghost, as it says, what happened in the Temple? The veil was rent from the top to the bottom. What did that indicate? That now the way into the very Holy of Holies, the very presence of God, had been opened up and made available, not just to the High Priest on the Day of Atonement, but to everybody. And that is what we must understand, that when Christ died, He completely fulfilled everything that a Holy God could possibly demand. That's why when man tries to say, "But I've got to do this, or I've got to do that," then it's an embarrassment to God Himself, because He said it's done! Everything that we need has already been accomplished.
“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, `The just shall live by faith.'" (Romans 1:17). Who are the just? The justified ones. What is the definition of justification? That judicial act of God whereby He declares the believing sinner just as if he had never sinned. That's the way God sees us.
God hasn't changed and sin hasn't changed. But the whole sin problem began in Adam, and everyone of us, so far as God is concerned, are in Adam. That's the beginning of all of our troubles. We were in Adam, but when Christ died on the Cross, and we believe what He says about the Cross, then every believer is removed out of Adam, and placed in Christ. And now instead of God seeing us in that cesspool of sin which we were in Adam, now He only sees the righteousness and Holiness of Christ, we are now perfect because we're in Him. And if you're in Him, He doesn't see you at all. He sees Christ.
We Serve Because We’re Saved
We’re saved by faith alone because of the finished work of the cross and the Grace of God. But being inspired by the indwelling Holy Spirit we get busy and we serve. We are like Abraham—how that by faith alone God was able to declare him righteous. More on the significance of Abraham concerning this doctrine is found on page 146.
“Therefore being justified by faith (alone) we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” (Romans 5:1). Now what have we got? Peace. God-given peace! We have that transcending peace through Jesus Christ our Lord. We don’t have to fret and wonder—am I going to make it? Have I done enough? Am I trying hard enough?
Just because we’re justified by faith, that’s as far as we have to go. Oh, no way!
“For by grace are ye saved through faith;…”(Ephesians 2:8a). That is God’s unmerited favor toward us—which means we didn’t have anything going for us and couldn’t make it without God’s help. So by His unmerited favor you are saved through faith. Plus some works? No. You’re saved by God’s grace through what? Faith—which is taking God at His Word. What do I take at His Word? That He died for my sin and yours. His Blood was shed. He arose from the dead. And we believe it for salvation. And the moment we believe it, God moves in.
What came first – justification, forgiveness, or redemption? It all happened instantly! It didn’t come in a sequence of events. God didn’t first forgive you, and then come back and say I’ll justify you, and then come back and say, well, you’re redeemed. That was a one-second transaction! The moment we believed with heart-faith, God did all of that. Instantly! It’s all done. So we’re been saved through faith,
“…and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”(Ephesians 2:8b). How much work do you do for a gift? Nothing. Somebody doesn’t say, well, I’ll give you a diamond ring IF you do this. Someone doesn’t say, well, I’ll give you something or other IF you do this. Then it’s not a gift. A gift is that which comes totally without merit. So salvation is by God’s Grace through faith in what He has said. It’s not of anything that we can do, because it’s the gift of God.
“Not of works, lest any man should boast.”(Ephesians 2:9). What are works? Anything that you can do by making up your mind to do something. It doesn’t make any difference what it is. When you can make up your mind and say, well, I’m going to do this, or I’m going to do that to be saved. I don’t care what it is—then it’s a works. And it does not count for eternity.
“For we are his workmanship,…” (Ephesians 2:10a). Now the Greek word here is poema--from which we get the word poem—from which we also get the word a little further down the way – symphony. In other words, something that has been beautifully and artistically put together—that’s what we are as believers. God has formed us and has given us particular gifts and abilities and talents for a particular use. And that’s what we’re to do. We’re to use it. Everybody has a different ability, but they all work together to be just like a symphony. So we are His workmanship. We are something that He has now put together. We have been created as a new creature in Christ – for what purpose? Good works! Of course, good works.
AFTER the Lord has saved us. We're saved to serve. After we’ve gained peace with God. AFTER we’re forgiven and we’re redeemed and we’re justified. Now what do we do? We get to work.
“…created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”(Ephesians 2:10b). In other words, we live to serve. And it’s not for salvation, but it is for reward. And whenever we start doing something that is not for salvation, now we’re starting to do it simply because we’re doing good works. Being human, what’s our question? What am I going to get? And there’s nothing wrong with that.
“Every man’s work (As a believer, we’re not talking about the lost here.) shall be made manifest: (going to be put in the spotlight) for the day…”(I Corinthians 3:13a). The judgment day, the Bema Seat day. Not the White Throne Judgment for lost people, but the judgment of the Bema Seat for believers. We pick that up in II Corinthians 5. All right, the day when we’ll stand before the Lord Jesus as the judge of our Christian life.
“…the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed (or tested) by fire; and the fire shall test every man’s work of what sort it is.” (I Corinthians 3:13b). In the Book of Revelation—what are the eyes of Jesus likened unto? Eyes of fire. Now these eyes of fire are going to examine the works of the believer. He’s going to look at what we have built in our little section of the wall on that foundation, which is Christ Jesus. Now here we’ve been building throughout our whole Christian life with good works. But some of those good works are going to go up in a puff of smoke. They’re nothing more than wood, hay, and stubble. Some are going to remain, because they were comprised of gold, silver, and precious stones. See the analogy? It’s all based on motive—why do we do the things we do?
You can be the best worker that anybody can imagine, and if you’re just doing it to elevate the self, forget it. It’s a puff of smoke. But if you’re doing it to bring honor and glory to the Lord; if you’re doing it to enhance fellow believers, it’s gold, silver, and precious stones. That’s what it’s going to be.
“If any man’s work abide,…” (I Corinthians 3:14a). If it survives those fiery eyes, it’s gold, silver, or precious stones. Now remember, what does fire do to those three elements? It purifies them and takes away all the dirt and the dust and the dross. It purifies them. So, the Lord Jesus will look at the works of believers whose motives are right, and they’ve been doing it for – not self – but for others.
“…which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.”(I Corinthians 3:14b). This is what the Book says.
Paul uses the analogy of the Olympic runners. And we’re to be like them up to a point. How? They trained and they worked and they prepared for the race. And why did they run the race? To gain the crown—which was only a wreath in those days. It wasn’t even a gold medal. But the analogy was that they went through all that period of training to run the race with all that was in them, to receive the reward. And that’s what we’re to do. We’re not saved to sit. We’re saved to serve.
Is being old a deterrent to performing good works? “Well, I can’t do anything anymore.” Oh, yes, you can! Don’t ever say—I’m too old to serve. You can always pray.
“If any man’s work shall be burned, (It’s nothing but hay, wood, and stubble. Now these are believers, and they’ve got works that amount to nothing but wood, hay, and stubble.) he shall suffer loss: (not his salvation, but reward) but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (I Corinthians 3:15).
In other words, it’s going to be a slim escape so far as rewards are concerned. There’s the admonition. We’re saved by faith alone because of the finished work of the cross and the Grace of God. But then we get busy and we serve.
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; (But now we don’t just stop for the mundane men around us, our friends and neighbors, but our prayers are to extend to our men in high places. For us today it’s presidents, senators, and congressmen.) 2. For kings, for all that are in authority; (Now believe it or not, why do we pray for our men in high places? For our own good! There is a bit of selfishness here. We are to pray for these men so that--) that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” (I Timothy2:1-2).
Isn’t that amazing? There’s nothing wrong to pray for that. God doesn’t want us to just grovel in abject poverty and under the heavy boot of some foreign power. God wants us to live quiet and peaceable lives. And we’re to pray to that end. That’s what government is for. Government is to—and I imagine this is where our founding fathers got the term that we are in the pursuit of happiness. That’s our God-given right—the pursuit of happiness. And a very few percent of the population of the world down through history have enjoyed that.
Is Faith dead without Works?
No passage in all of Scripture has been so misunderstood as James 2:14-26. "Faith without works is dead" and is used again and again by those who would add works to salvation as their proof text. It’s a case of not rightly dividing the Word. Most Christians don't know how to explain James 2:14-26; therefore, when those who teach falsely use James to prove their point, seldom does anyone ever refute them. Christians need to know the answer.
Most are agreed that this is not the James of the original twelve who was beheaded quite early after Pentecost. This is no doubt this James was the half-brother of Jesus, the son of Joseph and Mary. He was also the James who replaced Peter as the head man of the Jerusalem church and, consequently, was the moderator of that great Jerusalem Counsel attended by Paul.
James 2:20. Faith without works is dead. Here James is writing to the Jews in the dispersion wherever they were. James makes it so plain that he’s writing to the Twelve Tribes. Well, now that’s Israel.
First of all, James was written to the saved. The Jewish believers. Notice the phrase "my brethren" in James 1:2, James 1:16; James 1:19; James 2:1, James 2:5; James 2:14; James 3:1, etc. James writes to persons who are already saved and the subject is not how to be saved but about the Christian life and how to receive rewards in heaven. James is writing to those who are "born again." "Of his own will beget he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures (James 1:18)." The question is not loss of salvation (which is impossible: see John 6:37,39), but the loss of reward. Blessing, not salvation, is what is promised to the doer of God's work in James 1:25.
Salvation is also without exception "the gift of God." "For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23)." Look at Ephesians 2:8, 9: "For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Read Romans chapter Five where salvation is called God's gift six times.
James 2:14 talks about "profit". Profit is something earned-something deserved. Salvation cannot be earned and is not deserved. Paul uses the same word "profit" in I Timothy 4:8 where again the topic is reward. "For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."
James is speaking of the Judgment Seat of Christ (II Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10; I Corinthians 3:11-15) where reward, gain, profit, treasure or the loss of it is determined. James is saying to a believer that has faith but no works that his faith will not save him the embarrassment, regret, loss of reward that he will experience at the judgment seat of Christ (the judgment of a believer's works for reward or loss of reward).
How do we know that James is speaking of the Judgment Seat of Christ? The context of James demands that interpretation. Notice James 2:12. "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." This could only be referring to the judgment of believers at the judgment seat of Christ. In James 2:14 we find no believer will be saved (exempted) from the believer's judgment of works. No works will bring about no reward (profit). See II Corinthians 5:10.
Death in the Bible always is used to mean "separation". Physical death is the separation of the spirit and soul from the body (See II Corinthians 5:8). The "second death" is the separation of the spirit and soul from God, in hell forever (See Revelation 20:14). Knowing this definition of death, let us examine the phrase "faith without works is dead."
Knowing death speaks of separation and not cession of existence, let us look at James 2:26, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." If I were to die physically, my body would drop to the ground but my spirit would go to be with the Lord. "Absent from the body, present with the Lord (II Corinthians 5:8)." Would I still be alive? Yes, I have eternal life. But my body would not have any vital signs and would not display any life at all, yet I would be present with the Lord and very much alive.
In the same way, James says, "faith without works is dead." What does he mean? Works are to faith what the body is to the spirit. The body displays the life of the spirit. Work displays faith. The only way I can display that I am alive is with my body (movement, pulse, etc.). The only way that I can display that I have faith is by my works.
If I have no works, does that mean that I have no faith? NO! That would be like saying that if I die physically, I would no longer exist. The truth is that I have eternal life, so though I may lose my body, I am still very much alive. If you have faith but no works, you simply cannot demonstrate to another that you have faith. That is the point James is making when he says, "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works (James 2:18)." To be effective, to be able to demonstrate our faith, and to earn rewards, we must have works.
James speaks of justification by works before men. Paul speaks of justification by faith before God. These are two aspects of one truth. Paul speaks of that which justifies man before God, via: faith alone, wholly apart from works: James of the proof before men, that he who possesses to have justifying faith really has it. Paul speaks of what God sees-faith; James of what men see-works, as the visible evidence of faith. Paul draws his illustration from Genesis 15:6, James from Genesis 22:1-19. James's key-phrase is 'ye see' (James 2:24), for men cannot see faith except as manifested through works.
James teaches salvation by faith without works in James 2:23, "...Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness..." This is a quote from Genesis 15:6 where Abraham gets saved. James 2:21,22 is an illustration from Abraham's life forty years after he was saved. It illustrates, or proves Abraham's faith to others. "Seest thou" James 2:22. In plain English this is saying that you can see by Abraham's willingness to slay Isaac that he had faith.
Salvation is "not of works" according to Ephesians 2:9. "Not of works" means works have no part in our salvation. Jesus Christ finished the work of salvation on the cross. We can be saved only by trusting His finished work on the cross. Trust Christ as your only hope of heaven, then choose to serve Him and receive blessings, rewards, treasures in heaven, profit for eternity.
Comparing Law and Grace--Peter At The Jerusalem Conference
At the conference in Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas received the okay from the leadership that they could continue their ministry to the Gentiles, and that Peter and the rest of the leadership there would continue their ministry to the Jews.
It's interesting how Peter finally came to Paul's rescue at the conference. And if he hadn't, then Paul's Gospel would have died right then and there, but of course God is Sovereign. He had Peter ready to defend Paul, and the biggest reason that God had sent Peter up to Cornelius' house 12 years before, was not only for the house of Cornelius, but that Peter would then come to Paul's defense at this conference in Jerusalem these 12 years later.
Peter suddenly realized that, yes, he'd gone to the house of pagan Gentiles and he hadn't brought them under the Law, he hadn't introduced circumcision, and while he was yet speaking what happened? They believed. And of course Paul's Gospel hadn't been revealed yet, but they believed that Jesus was the Messiah of Israel, and God saved them under those conditions.
"For the Jews require a sign..." (I Corinthians 1:22a ). God knew that and He put up with that all the way up through their history. Note that Christ performed all those signs and miracles during His earthly ministry to prove to the Nation of Israel Who He was. The Gentiles at the house of Cornelius were ready to believe just by being able to hear it, but the Jews required a sign.
It is almost certain that if Paul and Barnabas could not have rehearsed some miraculous signs and miracles in their ministry for these Jews at this conference they would never have gone along with their ideas..
At the Jerusalem conference Paul was told, "Now look, if you're going to go out into the Gentile world and preach this Gospel of Grace that's well and good but for the sake of Jews who are in those pagan communities at least make your converts understand that some of these things are still fundamental going all the way back to the Law of Moses." And that of course Paul agreed, and that‘s the way he taught it..
And the Holy Spirit has seen fit to repeat it. This is part of that written agreement that went from the Jerusalem church up to Antioch.
"That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well." (Acts 15:29).
Even though this was part of the Law yet it was such that God could sanction it's going right on through the Gospel of Grace. As members of the Body of Christ, we're not under Law but rather Grace, but God is still holding us accountable for not doing any of these things.
To make a point. What had to happened to the blood in the Old Testament sacrifices, as well as Christ's Blood for the atonement of sin? It had to be applied. It had to be sprinkled on the altar, it had to be sprinkled on the Ark of the Covenant's mercy seat, and Christ also had to present His Blood remember where? The Holy of Holies in heaven. So it follows all the way through and for this reason God still demands that even under Grace we do not partake of these things. Now the other point was not to practice fornication or immorality. Just because we're under Grace doesn't mean that we are now free to eat blood, and practice immorality, or worship idols. Absolutely not! They're forbidden!
Remember, Peter is a Law keeping Jew, still steeped in legalism, and he still did not fully understand these Pauline truths. So Peter was in perfect accord with his Lord as far as it went. Peter could not comprehend what it was to be totally out from under the Law. So sometime after the Jerusalem counsel, and this had all been supposedly settled that these Gentiles, under Paul's ministry who had been saved like you and I by the Gospel of Grace, were free to eat whatever they wanted to eat. They were not under any dietary law whatsoever.
So when Peter goes up to visit the Antioch Church see what Paul says.
"But when Peter was come to Antioch, (sometime after the Jerusalem counsel) I withstood him to the face,..." That must have been an embarrassing thing for Peter. "...because he was to be blamed. (Peter was at fault. Now this isn't the first time Peter stumbled. Peter was just as human as all of us, and here he stumbled, and Paul called him on it. This is the reason.)12. For before (in time-wise) that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision." (Galatians 2:11-12).
James is now the head man in Jerusalem and when emissaries came from James' congregation, before they arrived Peter ate with Paul and the Gentile believers regardless what the meal was. But after these Jewish people arrived what does Peter do? He's afraid of them. So to continue on and maintain the testimony of Paul's Gospel of Grace that he could prove to these Jews from Jerusalem, we are free to eat whatever we want to, we are no longer under the dietary laws, we've been set free from all that. But instead of standing his ground for these Gentile believers, Peter gives in to his Law-keeping background and refused to go in and eat with Paul's Gentile converts.
Most likely Paul became very upset with Peter. "Now Peter you're being two faced." That's what we'd say today. "When there wasn't anybody from Jerusalem here, you didn't have any problem eating with my Gentile converts, but as soon as those people came from Jerusalem then you say, `No I'm a good Jew, I can't do that.'" So Paul calls him on it.
However, we must recall after Peter witnessed the resurrection and the power of it, what happened to him? He was a different person. He was no longer afraid of anyone. He stood up to the Jewish religious leaders, he stood up to the Romans, and no doubt took a martyr's death because of it. But here in this situation as an ordinary practicing Jew in a moment of weakness among these Gentile believers he blows his testimony again, and Paul has to call him on it
"And the other Jews (because of what Peter did) dissembled (or withdrew) likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas (Barnabas that had seen everything that Paul had accomplished with the Gentiles) also was carried away with their dissimulation. (or hypocrisy that they couldn't eat with these Gentiles.) 14. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly (Peter not walking uprightly? Not here he wasn't. He was failing miserably) according to the truth of the gospel...." (Galatians 2:13-14a). What Gospel? Paul's Gospel of Grace which sets us free from these dietary rules and regulations. There is now no difference between Jew and Gentile, and Peter was not yet ready to recognize that.
To better understand, go to II Peter, which is such an enlightening verse. This is shortly before he and Paul were martyred., near the end of their lives.. He's had all of these years of being in contact with Paul and Paul's message and still he writes by inspiration the following:
"And account (or understand) that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation: even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16. As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; (What things? salvation up in verse 15. The Gospel of Grace) in which (these epistles) are some things hard to be understood,..." (II Peter 3:15-16).
It's hard to imagine that Peter could say anything like that. After all these years Peter still can't quite comprehend what Paul is driving home. He couldn't because he was so steeped in Judaism that it just didn't come through. Peter wasn't the only one that didn't understand. Look at the multitude that is encompassed in the last part of this verse.
"...which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest (or twist. What's Peter still talking about? Paul's epistles. So the unstable, the ones who don't comprehend the Scriptures are still twisting them ) as they do also the other scriptures (And what's the conclusion? They're doing it but, it's ) unto their own destruction." (II Peter 3:16b).
So Peter is saying that to ignore or delete the writings of the apostle Paul they are signing themselves up for their own destruction. And that's exactly why Paul wrote such strong language in the first chapter of Galatians, that if someone is going to preach any other Gospel for salvation than his Gospel let them be accursed. Now that's strong language, but it’s the Word of God.
"But when I saw that they (Peter, and Barnabas, and these other Jews) walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel. I said unto Peter before them all, (this was a public rebuke) If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, (if you're going to admit that the Grace of God has set you free from the Law) and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?" (Galatians 2:14)
People are still adding things that do not belong to the Gospel of Grace and then they wonder why people have a hard time comprehending it.
Paul after coming away from his confrontation with Peter who was still succumbing to the demands of the Law-keeping Jews at Jerusalem says:
"We who are Jews by nature, (by birth) and not sinners of the Gentiles, (we're not after those pagan Gentiles, who were looked down upon by the Jews of that day) 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law, for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." (Galatians 2:15-16)
Romans chapter 3 makes it a little plainer than this. The little letter to the Galatians is sort of like an artist who had the picture in his mind and he drew it first in pencil. And after he saw the whole picture in pencil he then put it on canvas with oil, and that's the Book of Romans. Galatians is just sort of an introduction or outline. It covers all the bases, but you don't get the graphic detail until you get into Romans. Verse 16 of Galatians is a good example of that. It's hard to sort out, but here it is in Romans 3.
"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, (That's the Ten Commandments) it saith to them who are under the law: (in other words the Ten Commandments were given directly to the Nation of Israel, not to the Gentile world. But since it's the Law of the Sovereign Creator God, how far does the influence of that Law go? To the ends of the earth, and look what the rest of the verse says ) that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." (Romans 3:19).
Even a Gentile can't come up after having stolen something and say, "Well I never did anything wrong." Yes, you did because the Law of God says, "That it's against His will, against His Law to steal." So every mouth was stopped, and all the world became guilty before God. That being the case: "Therefore by the deeds of the law (in other words by Law-keeping, by works) there shall no flesh (Jew or Gentile) be justified in his sight:..." (Romans 3:20a). Why? Because the Law only has one function - most of us think by keeping the Law, by keeping the commandments, that we are making brownie points and someday God will just let them slip in under the door, but it's not going to work that way. The Law wasn't given for that reason. The Law had one function and that was to show mankind how sinful they really are. Every human being has been a Law-breaker, and we're sinners by nature. "...for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20b).
Now go to verse 23. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23). Not just Gentiles like the Jews perhaps thought, but everybody, Jews and Gentiles have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And It’s not anything we have done, that's not what makes us sinners but rather we're sinners because of who we are. We're sons of Adam.
Verse 24 has the remedy. "Being justified freely (without a cause) by his grace (His unmerited favor poured out on us) through the redemption (or the buying back process) that is in Christ Jesus: 25. Whom God (this same Christ Jesus) hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, (recall the ramifications of the blood found in Genesis 9, Leviticus 17. The blood was something very special in God's sight because in the blood is the life.) to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26. To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness; (the righteousness of Christ) that he (Christ) might be just, and the justifier of him which (repents and is baptized? No way, but) believeth in Jesus." (Romans 3:24-26).
You can put anything in there that you want to including keeping the Ten Commandments but it just doesn't say that, but only He will be the Justifier to him who believeth. Verse 27. "Where is boasting then? (who can brag?) It is excluded. (Why? Because the law of faith excludes it as you see in the remains of the verse.) By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith." (Romans 3:27). And the law of faith is? Believe the Gospel for your salvation.
In all of the basic salvation verses in Scripture not one of them says anything about what we can do except "BELIEVE." All of those verses say basically the same thing, and that is "When we believe that Christ died and rose from the dead thou shall be saved." Yes, it says it in various and different ways, and they have all come from Paul's various epistles, but none of them mention repentance and baptism. None of them makes mention of any kind of works or doings or keeping, but rather they all say basically the same thing - "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2:8)
All of these basic salvation verses are just like the one in Romans 3, that it's through faith in His Blood, through His death, burial, and resurrection, and that if we believe it in our heart then God does all the rest. We don't have to do anything because He does it. It isn't what we do, but what we believe by faith. "But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, (not by the Law) we ourselves also are found sinners (remember we're children of Adam) is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid." (Galatians 2:17 ). And here's the basic reasoning in verse 18. "For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor,"(Galatians 2:18). He is saying that at one time he was a Law keeping Jew, a great practitioner of Judaism, and he thought the Law and the Temple and the Old Testament was the epitome of everything. But once he saw the truth of the power of the Gospel of Christ how that He died, shed His blood, and rose from the dead then he could literally destroy everything of the old account. Now he says, "if I go back and put my converts back under the Law and command them to keep circumcision then I am rebuilding what I've torn down."
To see this clearer, go to Colossians 2 and nobody understood this better than the apostle Paul. This is a graphic statement. Here he is speaking of the work of the Cross. "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, (the Law, and especially the Law that was being practiced at the time of Christ which was a degenerated 613 rules and regulations.) which was contrary to us, and (the Law was absolutely contrary to human nature. Everything in the Law, human nature says do it. So He) took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;" (Colossians 2;14).
Now that's what Paul means when he writes Galatians 2. That once he helped believing Jews like himself to see that that old economy had been totally done away with. It was nailed to our Savior's Cross.! Now Paul says if I come back and tell these converts that I was wrong, and now I've got to put them back under the Law then he says, "I'm building again that which I have destroyed." But Paul says, he couldn't do that. Paul could not go back on the revelations that the Lord had given him.
Move on to verse 19, and this is his whole reason for pressing on constantly throughout the Roman Empire with the Gospel of the Grace of God. "For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God." (Galatians 2:19 ). What was the Law? It was perfect. It was the very mind of God, and it was perfect from God's point of view. But what was it from man's point of view? It was something that he could not keep. It was weak, it was beggarly, because even though it was perfect from God's point of view, from man's standpoint he couldn't keep it because there was no power in the Law to help him keep it. Remember the Law was given to Moses on cold hard stone. Stone is not soft and warm. It is cold, and it is not something that you can just bring to yourself. That was the Law.
Even Peter had to admit that the Mosaic Law was a yoke. It was like a millstone around people's necks because of its heavy demands, and man's inability to keep it and it had nothing to help him do it. That was the Law, and the Law was severe. If you went out on the Sabbath day and picked up a few sticks for the fireplace, it wasn't a slap on the wrist, but rather a death penalty. If someone was caught in an act of immorality it wasn't a wink of the eye, it was death! That's how severe the Law was. But we have been set free from all of that because of the finished work of the Cross. But you and I and anyone who has experienced salvation would never realize why we needed salvation if it weren't for the Law.
You can never be saved until you know that you're lost. How do you know that you're lost? Because the Law condemns you. If it weren't for the Law then anybody could say, "Well I'm good enough. and God will accept me." But the Law says you're guilty. There isn't a one of us who hasn't broken the Ten Commandments and we know that. And if we've broken the Ten Commandments what are we? We're Law breakers, and if we're a Law breaker then we're a sinner.
A lot of people have the idea that a sinner is just somebody that is down in the gutter. Somebody who has committed murder or somebody who has been in a house of ill repute, or any of these things that the world looks at as maybe sinful. Listen, good people are sinners, nice people are sinners, church people are sinners, because we're all guilty of having broken God's perfect Law. So then what condemns us? The Law.
"What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. (is the Law something evil or wicked?) Nay, I had not known sin, (or the old sin nature) but by the law, for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." (Romans 7:7) See how simple that is? So it was the Law that condemned Paul, and he thought he was keeping it.
"But sin, (the old sin nature) taking occasion by the commandments, (the Law) wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. (it got his mind just broiling) For without the law sin was dead. (it was inoperative) 9. For I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died."(Romans 7:8-9).
Old Adam woke up and old Adam in Saul's makeup said, "Hey that's me, because I'm a coveter." And then what did he do? “I died.” What does he mean? Well he had to die in the realm of that old Adam who was a Law breaker, and with the death of old Adam, what happened? New life. That's salvation. When our old Adam is put to death because he was a Law breaker and we become a believer in the finished work of the Cross which is the Gospel then we're a new creation, we're alive, we have eternal life. Paul is constantly referring to that. Peter also said that salvation was all Paul talks about in all his epistles.
In this next verse Paul gives his own personal testimony under inspiration of the spirit and it becomes the Word of God. "I am crucified with Christ:..." (Galatians 2:20a).
Paul didn't die on a Roman cross. He died a martyr's death. So what's he's talking about? That day on the road to Damascus when the Lord spoke to him, and literally knocked him to the ground, and in a moment Saul of Tarsus recognized that he was dealing with the ascended Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified One, what happened? Saul died that day, he was crucified in the old Adam, and immediately he became a new man, a new creation.
This is Paul's whole thrust of teaching, that now as believers we have these two forces working within us. God reckons old Adam as absolutely dead, but in experience, oh he's still there. Think about that. As you go through a week of life right here and now where do you run into most of your difficulties? Not Satanic as much as old Adam, he's the one that pops those thoughts in your mind, he's the one that catches us in these moments of weakness, and of course don't take away from Satan's power either. But it's our old Adam that just constantly confronts us to still go the direction of the old Adamic nature. But opposite it we now have that new nature which is energized by the Holy Spirit.
"I am crucified with Christ: (when Christ died that's when we died) nevertheless I live; (physically) yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh (here and now, day by day) I live by the faith (or the faithfulness, He is faithful, He will never let us down.) of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
"I am crucified with Christ;..." That is the very function of the Gospel. That Christ died for the sins of the world, and was buried, and that He arose from the dead. When we come under that forgiveness, we are forgiven everything, past, present, and future. We will never, never come into the presence of God with sin on our back so to speak, because it has all been paid for. We can't understand it, but we believe it because that's what the Bible teaches. We have been forgiven all our trespasses, not because of anything we have done, but all because of what Christ has accomplished on our behalf. And that's what makes the Gospel so simple and yet so complex we'll never understand it this side of glory.
Paul goes on to say that even though he's crucified by identification with Christ's death: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith (faithfulness) of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20).
What is meant by the faithfulness? Christ has claimed to have done everything that's necessary, and we've put our faith in that. Now someday when we get to the eternal abode is God going to say, “Heaven wasn't what it seemed to be?" No way, but rather He's going to say, "The Blood of Christ is faithful, He is faithful." And that's why we can trust Him. So this is what Paul is driving at in verse 20. That it's through the faithfulness, his faith in the one who is faithful to keep us, because He loved me and gave Himself for me. The question isn't how much we love Him, but rather how much He has loved us. And that is made clear in John 11 in the account of Lazarus. All through that chapter it isn't how much Mary and Martha loved Jesus, but how much Jesus loved them.
"Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, `Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.'" (John 11:3).
"Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." (John 11:5).
Then when you come down to the shortest verse John 11:35 "Jesus wept." What did the Jews in that area say? "Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!" (John 11:36).
So it wasn't how much they loved Him, but the other way around. So we must remember that it's not how much we love Him but how much He loves us, and has saved us, and has kept us.
God’s attitude is one of total love and mercy and Grace toward us. He wants nothing but the best for everyone. "Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you; (Their testimony was confirmed, sealed, and settled) 7. So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: (In other words they were potentially able to accomplish great things as anybody could be. Now verse 8) Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 1:6-8)
People like these Corinthians with all of their failures and their weaknesses, that if the Lord would have come within a day or two after having received this letter, would they have stood before God shaking in their boots because of all their failures? No. Paul says, "If the Lord should come they would stand before Him blameless." And we know they weren't blameless. So on what basis could God do that? His Grace.
None of us deserve to remain saved. But we do remain saved because of His Grace if we have been truly saved by His Gospel as outlined in I Corinthians 15:1-4 in the first place. So remember we stand before God blameless and perfect because of the Grace of God. That unmerited favor. That doesn't mean the believer can go out and do as they please. No way. But when the believer is under the power of the Holy Spirit and is living in the light of Scripture to walk pleasing in God's sight, and he fails, does God disown him? No. God doesn't expect us never to fall, and when we do He's right there ready to pick us up and put us on our way.
"I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, (legalism) then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2:21a)
Paul says, "I'm not going to fly in the face of the Grace of God and say, "But I have to do this because this is what the Law says." Today we are not under the Law, but where are we? We are under Grace. What a difference that makes. Grace is that attribute of God that's capable of pouring out undeserved favor and mercy on sinners like you and me, sons of Adam. And all because of the love that was poured out at the Cross. That was love epitomized. That was as great an act of love as has ever been done, and all because He loved you and I as sinners, completely undeserving.
If you can be righteous by legalism then Christ was the biggest fool that ever walked to have gone to that kind of a death if indeed it didn't accomplish that for which He went. But He did accomplish it, it's finished and He did not die in vain. The Book of Galatians is constantly showing the difference between Law and Grace - and how Paul is confronting these little congregations up there in Galatia who were being submarined by the Judaisers who were saying that you can't be saved by Grace alone - but rather you have to keep the Law, and you have to keep circumcision.
We're up against that very thing yet today. Not circumcision, but we've got a couple dozen other things that we add that is just as insidious. They creep into the life of believers and they begin to doubt, and begin to wonder, have I really believed enough? And just as soon as you begin to doubt what does Satan pop into your mind? Well maybe I do have to do this or do that. Now that's the way Satan works, so we have to constantly stay in the Word, believe that it's True, and it is by Grace and Faith Alone!
Paul says, "O foolish Galatians, (why does Paul use the word foolish? Because they were being hoodwinked into thinking they had to add to his Gospel.) who hath bewitched you, (who has been fooling with your thinking?) that ye should not obey the truth, (and what was the truth? Jesus Christ crucified, buried, and risen from the dead plus nothing) before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? (Galatians 3:1)
Here these Judaisers were saying salvation had to be faith plus something. And that's the way it had always been with the exception of Abraham. It was always plus something. Many people would say the Old Testament saints were saved by faith. Yes they were saved by faith, but not faith alone. It was faith plus, and even in Christ's earthly ministry they weren't saved by just believing that He was the Messiah. They had to repent and be baptized, they still had to keep the Law, they were still under Temple worship so it was faith plus something.
But beginning with Paul's Gospel it's faith alone. 90% of Christianity says, "It's Faith plus something." But Paul says it's faith alone for salvation. Carefully note we are not talking about the Christian experience as we go on down the road. We’re talking about salvation here, it's faith alone. If it isn't then Christ died for nothing, and that's what Paul says, when he said then He died in vain.
"This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit (The Holy Sprit. Again the evidence of their salvation) by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Galatians 3:2).
To learn more about the hearing of faith, go to Romans 10 to compare scripture with scripture.
"So then faith (saving faith) cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
Saving faith cometh by hearing. There's no work in hearing, and that's how faith comes. We contemplated it. We recognize that Christ died for me and rose from the dead, and that's all I need. And we believe it, and by believing it then we are listening to the Word of God. Remember all faith is taking God at His Word. God said it and I believe it, and God recognizes it, and on the basis of that He moves in and does everything that needs to be done. That's so simple, and many people can't buy salvation being that easy, but scriptures says, "It's by faith and not the works of the Law."
In Galatians 3:3 it's the same thing only in a little different wording. And why does God repeat this? To show its importance. "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, (the work of the Holy Spirit which generated salvation because of their faith) are ye now made perfect (or made right with God) by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:3). What's the flesh a reference to? The Law. The Law was fleshly, it was weak, it was beggarly. "For when we were in the flesh, (we had no spiritual life) the motions of sins, (the activity of what the Law would condemn us for) which were by the law, did work in our members (this body of flesh) to bring forth fruit unto death, (that is what the unsaved person is living for. All he's living for is the day when he dies physically and the works of his unsaved experience are going to come up before him at the great White Throne Judgment. And the fruit that they're going to have is death!) 6. But (the flip side) now we are delivered from the law, (which was an administration of death) that being dead wherein we were held; (that is the Law) that we should serve (now as believers) in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (the Law)(Romans 7:5-6).
We're not under that Law of the oldness of the letter, we are now in this whole new frame of thinking which is the spiritual realm. And how do we get there? Just by believing the Gospel!
"Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, (that is by believing Paul's Gospel through faith alone) are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (are you now going to move into a deeper spiritual life by the flesh? And what does the flesh want in the Galatian Churches? Legalism, Law. It's just part of that old Adamic Nature to want to be under some kind of a Law.) 4. Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, (Holy Spirit) and worketh miracles among you, (whatever it was) doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Galatians 3:3-5).
To answer that question. They couldn't perform any miracles under the working of Law, it was impossible. But when the Holy Spirit activated the hearts and minds of those pagan Galatians and others throughout the Roman Empire, then what was it? It was a miraculous transformation from paganism with all of it's excesses, with it's idolatry, and it's immorality, and what did they do? They stepped out into a whole new lifestyle. Now that's a miracle enough in itself, and no doubt in the early churches there were other manifestations of the miraculous. Paul doesn't explicitly delineate them, but the question is still the same. If you have witnessed a miracle was it through the keeping of the Law? Or was it through the manifestation of the Holy Spirit Who was activated, how? By Faith Alone! This is the whole theme of the Book of Galatians, so we must not permit ourselves to come under some kind of a works religion!
We always have to realize that these letters of the apostle Paul stand in the center of our New Testament pretty much by themselves because this is the part of the Word that is directed primarily to the Gentile Church, or as Paul puts it, "The Body of Christ!" Never forget that the Old Testament and the Four Gospels and the early chapters of Acts were all directed to the Nation of Israel. But when Israel continued to reject everything and would not believe that Christ was the promised Messiah then God moved in providentially and took away their Temple, took away the city of Jerusalem, uprooted the nation from the land and put them out into the nations of the world in what we call a dispersion.
In I and II Corinthians we saw where Paul had to deal not only with problems in the congregation, but a constant flow of attack on his person. His enemies were always decrying that he was an impostor, and he had something that he had drummed up on his own. They would also say, that he did not have the authority from Peter, James, and John, so remember in those two letters to the Corinthians he was always having to defend his apostleship. Now in Galatians the average reader probably can't discern the difference, but in this Book he's not defending his person so much as he is his doctrine. If you don’t have doctrine, then you have nothing. Today the emphasis is on "experience" and that's well and good as far as that goes, but experience does not set your feet in concrete. It takes doctrine, and that's the primary word as we see it in Galatians. Paul in this Book is refuting false doctrine, and teachings that had crept not only into the Galatians Churches, but every Church that he ever founded. But that problem is not just unique to Paul's day. It has plagued Christianity up through the centuries, and is just a applicable today as it was the day Paul wrote it.
Most congregations today are still making the mistake of mixing Law and Grace. They normally think of legalism as simply the Temple worship, and Judaism. No, legalism comes in all kinds of shapes and forms, and it's always so subtle. You see legalism appeals to the human concept, "I have to do something!" And Paul's doctrine says over and over that, "Do nothing but we rest on and believe in only what God has says. That He has finished it on our behalf, and that of course is the Gospel of our salvation, and that is believing in your heart for salvation, that Jesus died for you, was buried, and rose again plus NOTHING!” (compare I Corinthians 15:1-4 and Romans 10:9-10.
So this little letter of Galatians is to refute false doctrine which was primarily the inroad of legalism. Remember in chapter 3 Paul made the point of the fact that they didn't come into this glorious position that they enjoyed now as believers by Law keeping, but how? By faith. By believing the Gospel.
Again as an illustration of faith Paul goes back to the Old Testament and picks up Abraham once again.
"Even as Abraham believed God, and it (his believing God) was accounted to him for righteousness." (Galatians 3:6) as found in Genesis 12:1.
Consider that statement. Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. How much else did Abraham do? Nothing! He didn't bring a sacrifice, he didn't keep a set of commandments, he didn't get baptized in the river Jordan, he didn't do anything but believed God when He told Abraham to go to a land that he would show him.
To believe in God is what the multitude of people around the world do. If it's not the One True God then they're believing in some god. But on the other hand to believe God then that's faith. When we believe God then we're taking Him at His Word, and we're exercising faith. And that's what God is looking for.
So when Paul again says that we are to believe God as Abraham did that sends us back first to the Book of Romans 4, and after that go all the way back to Genesis and see how all of this has been building.
Remember the Bible is a progressive revelation. In other words what was built back there in the Old Testament has not been set aside, but has rather been built upon, and we're going to reconstruct that shortly, but for now go from the top down instead of from the bottom up, and compare scripture with scripture.
"What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2. For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3. For what saith the scripture? (and that's what counts. It doesn't matter what Paul says, or anyone, but what matters is what does God say, and that of course is where the scripture comes in.) Abraham (believed not in God, but rather) believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." (Romans 4:1-3).
What does that tell you? God said something and Abraham believed it. As we said earlier, faith cometh by hearing. And that says, "that God has to say something before mankind can believe it." So here it is. "Abraham believed God, and it was counted (or imputed) unto him for righteousness."
Book of James Cites the Faith of Abraham
Now that brings to mind another thought when we say that Abraham and we are saved by "Faith Alone? And then the Book of James says, "That if he doesn't see works then he can't see salvation."
We covered this subject earlier, but we can attain a much better understanding by seeing how this all ties in with Abraham. Here is one of those places where the scoffer especially and even a lot of well-meaning Christians will say, "Well the Bible contradicts itself, and I have problems with that." Go to James 2, where we will resolve this.
"Was not Abraham our father (James was a Jew just like Paul) justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?"(James 2:21). (this was some 40 years after the call of Abraham)
Remember God dealt with the faith of Abraham at the very beginning like He does with you and me, or back when Isaac is already on the scene which is some 40 years later. So James isn't talking about a young Abraham being saved by faith, but rather he's talking about something that took place some 40 years later at the offering of Isaac. Abraham was a man of faith long before this incident with Isaac..
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was (his) faith made perfect? 23. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." (James 2:22-24).
Is that a contradiction to what Paul says? On the surface it may seem that way, but you see what is James really looking at? He is looking at the faith of an individual as a Jewish man under the Mosaic law. Now if you and I are to determine whether a person has saving faith or not then what's the only criteria we have for that determination? Their works. But God doesn't need works, God looks on the heart, and so Abraham was saved by faith alone because he didn't have to show works to anybody, he was dealing only with God.
So when someone says, "well the scripture contradicts itself because James says, you can't be saved without works, and Paul says you're saved by faith alone."
James is looking at it from a Law-keeping Jewish point of view that absolutely if there are no works then you and I have no idea that a man has saving faith. But God looks at each of us like He did at Abraham and He sees our faith without works. I don't have to do any works to prove to God that I have faith. But if I want to prove that to my neighbor then I'd better show some works. That is the difference, there is no controversy, no contradiction, but just simply two totally difference events.
"For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it (his believing) was counted unto him for righteousness. 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt." (Romans 4:3-4). Spiritually, we will never put God in our debt, so we can't work for salvation, not one iota.
"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. " (Romans 4:5).
Since Paul cites Abraham as the epitome of faith, go to Genesis 12.. The most important part of the whole Old Testament is the Abrahamic Covenant. It is the very proof benchmark of everything on which you and I rest by faith, and faith alone.
"Now the LORD had said ( in chapter 11) unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: (and then God makes these great covenant promises to him) 2. And I will make of thee a great nation, (the Nation of Israel) and I will bless thee, (materially as well as spiritually) and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee (Abraham) shall all families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12:1-3).
Now go to Genesis 3 to pick up that benchmark of all the families of the earth being blessed. Working from the top down instead of from the bottom up, but here we're coming now all the way from Paul's stipulation that as Abraham believed God so this is where we are with like faith today. Then as faith was that which imputed righteousness unto Abraham, and that through him all the families of the earth would be blessed, then in chapter 3 we find that Adam and Eve have just eaten of the fruit, and have totally plunged the whole human race under the curse. And here is a covenant that God makes with Adam. In this covenant God is promising all the ramifications of the curse, and how that everything would come under the curse. But in the very center of this covenant is the promise of a Redeemer.
" And I will put enmity between thee (Satan whom He's addressing) and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; (here we pick up the seed of the woman from this who is Christ. Then there would be a running battle between Satan and Christ) it (the seed of the woman, Christ) shall bruise thy (Satan's) head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15).Satan accomplished that when he cause the suffering of Christ at Calvary.
In Genesis 3 that we find God is going to promise a Redeemer through the woman. On that promise God builds the Abrahamic Covenant that it's going to be through this man and his offspring that the Seed of the woman would come.
In Genesis 3 God promised Adam that one day the Seed of the woman would one day defeat sin, death, and Satan. Abraham is now given the promise that this Seed of the woman would come through his lineage through the Nation of Israel. So the Abrahamic Covenant then becomes the very foundation of everything as we come on up into the New Testament and the appearance of Christ and His earthly ministry, His rejection by Israel, and then we move on into the Church Age after the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. So all of our foundations of faith, not only the how, but also the why all rests on what God promised Abraham.
Recall the last part of the Abrahamic Covenant was that in thee (Abraham) would all the families of the earth be blessed. That comes primarily through Christ, the Seed of the woman coming through the seed of Abraham. It is also a result of what God promised through the apostle Paul in Romans 11, which is an account of how Israel had rejected everything and God is going to literally strip the branches from the tree which is Israel that is rooted in Abraham, and He's going to graft in the Gentiles. This all ties together.
"For if the casting away of them (the Jew, the Nation of Israel) be the reconciling of the world, (the whole world.) what shall the receiving of them (the Nation of Israel) be, but life from the dead? " (Romans 11:15).
Also recall in Ezekiel 37 and 38 how that that valley of dry bones was shaking and finally came together, and finally the flesh came on along with the skin, and finally one day in the future the nation is going to experience life. What is it but life from the dead. .
"For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. (but Israel didn't appreciate that position, and so God broke them off) 17. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; " (Romans 11:16-17).
What's the analogy? When Israel rejected everything and God turned to the Gentiles through the apostle Paul and began to call out the Body of Christ what made it possible? As he removed Israel from feeding on the root and the fatness of their father Abraham, who has he now put in their place? The Gentiles. And so here we are, the whole Gentile world now in this place of privilege, this place of blessing that Israel had enjoyed all through the Old Testament.
But just because Israel was resting on the root and fatness of Abraham, the man of faith, did that automatically make every Jew a believer? No ! Most of them weren't. And it's the same way with the Gentiles. Here we are as Gentiles nations of the world. Everyone is in that place of privilege, and blessing and an opportunity to hear the Gospel and be saved. But that doesn't mean that every Gentile is going to be saved. It means that every Gentile has an opportunity. Every Gentile is going to be held responsible when they come to that Great White Throne Judgment as lost persons.
They're not going to be able to say, " I never had a chance." God's going to say, "Oh yes you did. You rested on the root of Abraham. You had just as much opportunity as the covenant people Israel did of the past, but you didn't take advantage of it, you refused it." Remember, when Christ died, how many sins of the world did He take care of? All of them! Every human being that has ever lived has already been declared reconciled so far as God is concerned. They've been pardoned so far as God is concerned, but until they appropriate it with the kind of faith that Abraham had which was a relatively simple faith, then it's all for nothing. God doesn't look for someone who knows the Bible from cover to cover before he can be saved. God isn't looking for some primary example of Holy living before he can save.
"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." (Romans 4:5). That's where God works.
Our salvation rests on nothing that we can do in the flesh, but it is all resting on the finished work of the Cross through His death, burial, and resurrection, and now we appropriate it by faith. Then after we have received salvation, then yes we move into an area of service and rewards, whatever you put on it. But not for salvation.
"Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, (in other words those of us who have entered into a salvation experience by faith only) the same are the children (or the sons) of Abraham."(Galatians 3:7).
Here Paul is saying we have entered in the faith way plus nothing the same way that Abraham did, and so consequently we are spiritually connected to this man Abraham.
God in His infinite Sovereign Grace was promising Abraham two different groups of people that would be connected to him. Naturally the dust of the earth was his earthly offspring who came by the sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. When God brings him out and tells him to look toward the heavens, now God is talking about a heavenly connection.
Keep in mind that we have two concepts in Scripture, "The earthly people Israel and The heavenly people of the Body of Christ who are the Church." And Abraham is being promised a connection to both of them. He will have an earthly progeny which was the children of Israel, but he's also going to have a heavenly progeny which are those who have entered in like he did by faith, and faith alone.
So you have this two-fold promise the Nation of Israel which would be earthly, but also a group out there some place who would be connected to him only in the realm of the spiritual. We become members of the Body of Christ that is being called out by faith alone! Abraham also became the Friend of God and his righteousness because of his faith plus nothing ! This was done just by believing what God said.
Here we see Abraham received eternal life the same way the Church age believer does, we all came in the same way. But what about the people back with Adam, Abel, Seth, Noah, and all the way up to Abraham, how did they come into a right relationship with God? Was it by faith alone? No way, but rather it was faith plus sacrifice. They couldn't approach God without the sacrifice. Coming up to the Cross even in Christ's earthly ministry, did Jesus ever teach the concept of a salvation by faith and faith alone. No. What were they to do? Jesus told them to keep the Law of Moses, which meant keeping the responsibility of repentance and water baptism, plus their faith. But faith alone wouldn't cut it. Even in the early chapters of Acts, it wasn't just faith and faith alone. They had to repent and be baptized, and that was a requirement. It wasn't just empty words, but a requirement.
Then along comes the apostle Paul with faith alone, and this is why he had so much opposition. Just as surely as Abraham was saved by faith alone when he believed God when He told him to go to a land that He would show him. We, in the Body of Christ, are saved by faith alone when we believe God as he tells us to believe the Gospel for salvation in I Corinthians 15:1-4. So by the basis of faith alone Abraham had imputed righteousness, you and I as members of the Body of Christ have also imputed righteousness, and that makes us just like Abraham.
"So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." (Galatians 3:9). So Abraham was the friend of God. You and I as believers are the friends of God. We're no longer enemies. And all because of our faith in what He has said and what He has said concerns that which He had accomplished in the work of the Cross.
So all the purposes of God are coming to fruition in this glorious age of Grace. Not only do we not have to keep the Law, but as a result of our salvation experience, God gives us something 10,000 times better than the Ten Commandments and what is it? The Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit becomes our guideline, not the Ten Commandments. So when I say we're not under the Law, that doesn't mean that you ignore the fact that it's wrong to kill and steal, because the Holy Spirit is going to show us that, and that's the whole difference. In fact go to Romans chapter 7, which says it so beautifully.
"But now (Paul lays it out how it has been, and then he uses the flip side, but now) we are delivered from the law, (as Grace age believers) that being dead (spiritually) wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, (What's the newness of the spirit? The Holy Spirit that guides and directs us, and remember the Holy Spirit never instructs someone to do something that is contrary to the Law. The Holy Spirit will never tell someone to go commit adultery, or steal, or kill, or covet, or do anything wrong.) and not in the oldness of the letter."(Romans chapter 7:6). The oldness of the letter was the Law. We're no longer under the Law, but rather Grace, and the Holy Spirit takes the place of the Law.
“That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit (how?) through faith." (Galatians 3:14). Has there ever been a man more blessed than Abraham? Probably not, unless it would be the apostle Paul, but you see the apostle Paul didn't get through it as easy as Abraham did. Paul suffered so much just like the scriptures says he would. He suffered so for the sake of the Gospel to get it out to the ends of the Roman Empire. What a lesson, when you see all the immoral remains of that Roman Empire, and to think that that man was in the midst of it constantly, and yet never letting it turn his mind aside, he just preached the Gospel.
For by grace you are saved by faith, without any works of the Law, that's a gift of God that was all part and parcel of that whole plan of redemption that yes we have eternal salvation, but we also have the indwelling Holy Spirit.
"But without faith it is impossible to please him..."
(Hebrews 11:6a)
Part 2
The Plan of Redemption-- The Promised Messiah
In part 1 we learned that after the Fall of man God’s plan of redemption was to occur through the Nation of Israel. They were chosen to help bring God’s plan of redemption to fruition. It all began with the Abrahamic Covenant which consisted essentially of three promises made by God; They would be a nation of people, living in a specified an area of land, with a government ruled by their anointed Messiah King. In addition to those three promises, the nation of Israel was to serve as the oracle of God by means of the written Word.
"I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and I will make thy name great; Thou shalt be a blessing: 3. And I will bless them that bless thee, and I’ll curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12:2-3)
The whole idea of separating this little nation of people was to prepare them for the day when they could be all that God wanted them to be. That is, to bring the remainder of mankind into a perfect knowledge and relationship with God. As we have already seen after 2000 years they have become a great nation of people living in their promised land, but they have not yet received their King, the anointed one, their Messiah. They are well versed in Holy Scripture (the Old Testament) and are ready to receive their prophesied Messiah.
After the nation Israel had been in slavery in Egypt for many years, God called Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt and gave them an extensive set of laws that are referred to collectively as "the law of Moses", or simply as "the law". Forty years later, they entered into the land of Canaan which had been promised to their ancestor Abraham long before. Over the course of time, God would speak to Israel through various prophets. Many of the prophecies were about the future King that would come one day and about His kingdom which He would set up.
One such promise of the King is in Isaiah 9:6-7. Written around 750 BC, it says, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."
A Redeemer Was Required
The Israelites knew their Old Testament and they were fully cognizant of the prophecies contained therein. They knew the content of God’s covenants with His chosen people, and were looking forward to their Messiah-King to rule over them.
One of the major prophecies in which the Jewish people were so interested was the coming Messiah. The people and the priests of the entire Old Testament period constantly prayed to God, asking him for a concrete sign by which they would recognize the coming Messiah. They should have known that God had revealed the secret over 600 years before His birth to the prophet Daniel. Had the Jews of Jesus' day been aware of this ancient prophecy, they would have recognized instantly that Jesus was THE Jewish Messiah -- just as the Wise Men knew when they set out to come see Jesus once they had seen the "Star in the East". These wise men knew of all Daniel's writings, undoubtedly had copies of the Book of Daniel, and they knew of the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27. At the time of the appearance of the Star, they knew they were within a lifetime of this prophecy coming to pass. When they saw the Star, their knowledge of this remarkably precise prophecy, plus the promptings of the Holy Spirit, caused them to embark on the very long journey to Israel to pay their homage to the Jewish King-Messiah.
An Unparalleled Precise Prophecy
"Seventy weeks of years, or 490 years are decreed upon your people and upon your holy city Jerusalem, to finish and put an end to transgression, to seal up and make full the measure of sin, to purge away and make expiation and reconciliation for sin, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint a holy of holies. Know, therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem until the coming of the anointed one, a prince, shall be seven weeks of years, and sixty-two weeks of years; it shall be built again with city square and moat, but in troublous times. And after the 62 weeks of years, shall the anointed one be cut off (killed) and shall have nothing and no one belonging to and defending Him..." (Daniel 9:24-26)
The remaining one week is found in verse 27, and refers to the last seven years of earth's history, the period which we know as the "Great Tribulation".
The term "Weeks of Years" was a common Jewish term. It meant literally seven years. The term comes from God's commandment in Leviticus 25:3-4 to farm a piece of land for only six years, allowing it to lie fallow for the seventh. This seven-year period came to be known as a "week of years". Therefore, Seventy Weeks of Years was 490 Hebrew years.
At the precise point in history when the 7 + 62 Weeks of Years occurred, Israel could expect Messiah to announce Himself as Messiah. What great news! This means that Israel could not miss their Messiah. All they had to do was to count, be cognizant of current events in Israel as they unfolded, and be aware of this prophecy. The learned Magi surely knew of Daniel's prophecy and of his reputation of reliability in such matters. Therefore, just prior to Jesus' birth, they had to have been excited with anticipation, because they knew they were living within the life-time (approximately 30-40 years) of this date. If one was to announce Himself as Messiah in just 30 years, he would have to be born now. Thus were the Magi looking for a sign. The Holy Spirit was also not leaving anything to chance, and was prompting their minds to anticipation and to understanding of what they were about to observe in the Heavens.
Even the gifts which the Magi brought to Jesus suggests that they were being prompted by Daniel's prophecy. Consider these gifts: 1. Gold--Daniel said in 9:25 that the coming Messiah was to be a "prince". This term denotes royalty, a king. Gold was the perfect gift for a king. 2. Frankincense--God stipulated in Exodus 30:34-36 that frankincense was to be prepared for the "purpose of sacrificial fumigation". Jesus Christ was killed on Calvary as the Perfect Sacrifice which would be acceptable to God to take away the sins of all who would accept it. Did Daniel's prophecy reveal this sacrificial aspect? Yes!! In 9:26, God revealed that Messiah would be "cut off" (sacrificially killed). Interestingly, frankincense was also used by the priests during the sacrificial service. Therefore, this frankincense gift could also point to Jesus Christ as the ultimate High Priestly, an office which He assumed after His ascension into Heaven. 3. Myrrh--The Jews used Myrrh for embalming bodies for burial preparation. Again, the verse quoted above would have prepared the Magi to bring this gift.
It is extremely interesting that two of the three gifts which the Magi presented to baby Jesus related to His death and burial. The Daniel prophecy contained all the information which the Magi needed to know to bring these gifts.
The second question is why Israel's spiritual leaders missed this prophecy, when the pagan Magi did not. The answer is really quite simple. Several hundred years before Christ was born, Jewish leaders began to believe and propagate two grievously erroneous teachings. First, they taught that the sacred Scriptures could not be taken literally because they were not totally inspired by God, and thus contained errors. Secondly, they taught that prophecies were not to be taken literally, but spiritually. Prophetic books such as Daniel were not even taught anymore because they contained so much prophecy. After several generations had come and gone, each believing this nonsense, Jewish spiritual leaders of Jesus' day were completely unaware of this prophecy.
The nation Israel had a wonderful opportunity before them. The long-promised Messiah King had arrived on the scene and the kingdom was announced as being at hand or near. But the people were also told that they needed to repent. Although a minority of Jews did repent and turn to Christ, the great majority did not. The rejection of Christ by the nation Israel and by Israel's leaders is clearly seen in Matthew chapters 11-12. This rejection is tersely summarized in John 1:11---"He came unto His own and His own received Him not."
The Lord Jesus Christ came to His own people (Matthew 1:21; 2:6) but the nation Israel did not receive Him as their Messiah, King, and Saviour (John 1:11). They wanted a King who could feed and heal their bodies (John 6:26), but cared not for a Saviour who could feed and heal their souls (John 6:58-66). Christ, through His miracles and mighty works, gave unmistakable and undeniable evidence that He was indeed the Messiah, the Son of the living God; yet the Jews in their unbelief still asked for a sign (John 2:18; Matthew 12:38-40; 13:58; Luke 4:23; 1 Corinthians 1:22).
The main point and argument of Matthew's 28 chapters is to convince the Jews that Jesus is their Messiah King, the Anointed One, the Christ, the Son of God and founder of the kingdom of God. Matthew's account uses the word "kingdom" 50 times, and the "kingdom of heaven" 32 times.
Matthew's account emphasizes Jesus' kingly rule and divine authority. Jesus says to Peter, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19). Jesus' last words to his apostles also speak about his kingly authority over all: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.. teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always..." (Matthew 28:18-19) Matthew uses the word "all" four times in this passage alone. Matthew also shows Jesus' authority over nature by his miracles, his authority over sin by forgiving sins, and his authority over death by his resurrection.
The Gospel of the Kingdom
Matthew writes as a Jew to his fellow Jews to present to them the evidence for Jesus' claim to be the King of the Jews. He quotes extensively from the Old Testament prophets to show how Jesus fulfilled all that was spoken about the Messiah who would come to establish the reign [or kingdom] of God. He frequently writes, "as it is written in the prophet..." or "this was done to fulfill what was spoken by the prophets..." Nine times Matthew refers to Jesus as the "son of David". The prophets had foretold that the Messiah would be a direct descent of David. Matthew's gospel begins with the genealogy of Jesus, tracing him back to David, King of Israel, and then to Abraham, the first Jew. Matthew traces Jesus' lineage through Joseph, his foster father, rather than through Mary, his biological mother [as Luke's account does]. Matthew, the observant Jew, notes that according to Jewish genealogy, the father's lineage counted legally for royalty.
This King would also be the Redeemer who would redeem Israel from their sin. "And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD" (Isaiah 59:20). "And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities" (Psalms 130:8). "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness" (Zechariah 13:1).
God’s plan of redemption requires a blood sacrifice that only He can provide. After the Fall of man, it had to be the sacrificial death of the Son of God that made possible the whole plan of Salvation. It had to be the shedding of Divine blood. The rituals and sacrifices practiced by the Nation of Israel under the Law of Moses with the shedding of animal blood was of no avail.
So what did God do? As we saw in Part 1 above, the Son of God was to be the key to the plan of redemption. In fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant He sent His Son, His only begotten, in the form of a man. His Word became a man - a man just like any other, weak, temptable, and with all the sinful qualities that we all share. In another passage it says Christ was like his brothers in every way, becoming like us so that he could save us and save us absolutely through his death, shed blood, and resurrection.
But even as we go into the New Testament beginning with what we call the synoptic gospels, it is still God dealing with the Jews under the Mosaic Law. The gospel that was being preached by Jesus and the twelve was still the Kingdom Gospel. Contrary to about 90% of Bible readers and church members, the New Testament doesn't suddenly start something totally different as most people think. They think there is a big wall between the New and Old Testament, and some feel you can cut the Old Testament out because it has nothing to do with us. Nothing is further from the truth. And Matthew 1:1 immediately tells us that you can't do that.
"THE book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." (Matthew 1:1). It doesn't go back to the beginning with Adam. Now the other genealogy in Luke Chapter 3, does go all the way back to Adam. Matthew depicts Christ as the King. And that is why the terminology "The Kingdom of Heaven" so often occurs in Matthew. It is unique to the Book of Matthew. Although the Kingdom goes all the way through the four Gospels, it is uniquely referred to as the Kingdom of Heaven here in Matthew.
As you get into Matthew 1, this is not yet Christianity. This is still an extension of God dealing with Israel, based on all those Old Testament covenants and promises, and Christ is going to come on the scene, as we see in Luke 1, as the angel announced it. Not with the message that He's going to the Cross to die for the sins of the world, although that's certainly in the mind of God, but He's going to come first to fulfill the promise made to the Nation of Israel. So it's all Jewish with few exceptions. Remember, too, it's all under the Mosaic Law, The Temple is still operating, sacrifices are still being offered. And even these people who become believers and followers of Christ don't shed their Judaism. They still maintain everything that is associated with the Law. And Christ doesn't rebuke them for it. No one has told them that they're not under Law, until much later on when Paul the Gentile Apostle will. That is why I emphasize that the Bible is a progressive revelation. God doesn't just suddenly tell the Old Testament people everything that's coming. Now there is a lot of prophecy, but always remember God hid some things until it met His purposes to reveal them. In Luke Chapter 1; we find the angel announcing to Mary what is about to happen. This is just another little introduction as to why Christ is making His first Advent to the Nation of Israel.
"And the angel said unto her, `Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shall conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.'". (That comes out of the Old Testament promises.) And he (This Son) shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his (what?) kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke 1:30-33)
All of this is based on what God had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and then as a further ramification of that, the Law was given to Moses. Then as David comes on the scene he is promised that out of him will come a genealogy that will lead to the King. This is all coming into fulfillment.
Since Christ is presented in the Book of Matthew as the King in the opening verse of this Book, it takes us back to where that whole Kingship idea began with Abraham, and the Abrahamic Covenant. Verse one drives us back to Genesis Chapter 12. It all ties in beautifully, and dovetails together.
A recent article by a rabbi in the Jerusalem Post shows that the present day Jews(2014) are still looking for their Messiah. This rabbi makes reference to the Messiah almost every week, and in this particular article, he says in so many words that, "Israel is looking for the one who will bring the Nation of Israel to the peak of peace and prosperity so that she can funnel it out to all the other nations of the world." This is in total agreement with the prospect given to Abraham, that out of Israel would come a King who wouldn't just rule the Nation of Israel, but would spread that rule to the whole earth through Israel.
As one reads through the Four Gospels, We note the reason for all of Jesus’s miracles, preaching, and teaching is to prove to the Jews that He was that promised Messiah. This was the whole scope of His ministry. Everything that Jesus says and does is to prove to the Jew of His day that He is this promised King. Jesus starts His ministry with a miracle and He ends it with the greatest miracle of all, and that was when He arose from the dead! But all of these things were to prove to the nation of Israel who He was.
Israel has already become a nation. They are already in the Promised Land, but the government part hadn't happened yet. But Jesus is here to bring in that government, Kingdom rule, and that reign for which He had been prepared. So He says He's here to fulfill. When He presented Himself as The King, and did everything to prove He was their King, what did Israel do? They crucified Him, and said "Away with Him." Here comes Christ in His earthly ministry, not as the royal King as yet (although He is presenting Himself as the King), but He is coming more as a lowly servant, riding upon a foal of an ass. This is what confounded the Jews. They were looking for someone to come riding on a white steed like a Roman General or Emperor. Jesus epitomized the servant when He washed the disciples' feet. And that is why they couldn't understand how this One, Who was the very Creator of the universe; The One Who had come to be the King of Kings not only of Israel, but of the whole planet could get down on His knees and wash the disciples' feet. The King and the Kingdom! The Jews wanted it and expected it, but they didn't recognize Him. So they missed it. But that didn't stop God; that didn't interrupt Him. It was already preconceived in the counsels of the Godhead during eternity past. God wasn't caught by surprise.
Jesus is concerned to point out that no one takes his life from him but that he lays it down of his own accord (John 10:18). In the end, Jesus suffers and dies because nobody identified with him. The people cried, "Crucify him!" One of his disciples betrayed him, another denied him, the rest forsook him and fled. He died alone, forsaken even by God.
Why God would save me, or anyone else for that matter? God's decision to choose us was made prior to the fall of mankind. He made the decision before the Fall, with the knowledge that the Fall will come and with the knowledge of its consequences. In other words, God couldn't possibly make it his choice to save persons who were in no need of salvation. Only sinners are in need of salvation, so God must have considered us as being sinners and fallen as we were considered in the divine mind for salvation. Ultimately, the decision to save all believers was made in eternity past, according to God's divine knowledge of us.
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"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, (what?) It is finished:" (John 19:30a)
What does it mean? Just what it says. That is one of the most profound statements uttered by Jesus as He died for our sins. There wasn’t one more iota of anything that He could do to embellish that salvation that He had just accomplished. Just as surely as the universe and the Garden of Eden and everything in it was perfect and God rested, so also when He finished that work of the cross.
The Bible says it's finished. It's complete! God has done everything that needs to be done to take care of old Adam, to give us a new divine nature, to set our feet on a Rock, all the things that you want to put in there, it was all accomplished when He said, "It is finished!" And we just can't add anything to it.
When Christ said while on the cross that, "It is finished" how in the world can people then say, that you have to do this and that? If that's the case then our Lord lied! If He said it was finished, and it wasn't, then Christ lied. But we all know that our Lord did not lie, because He did finish it! And all He's asking us to do is to believe it with all our heart, and then let these other work things follow.
Salvation always comes down to believing doesn't it? It's not what our denomination demands. When someone says I must do this, and someone else tells me I've got to do that. I just say to all that, "Forget it!" There's only one requirement and that is faith, and believing, but it must be genuine, and not just a mental assent. Scripture is full of verses that it's all faith on our believing the Gospel of Grace alone! And remember the only way you can do that in Scripture is rightly divide the Word. Keep Peter's teaching and the Law separate from Paul's teaching and Grace. If you don't separate the two then you will wind up with a mixture of Law and Grace, and God won't have any part of it.
So God the Son, the One Who had walked the earth, had humbled Himself to be crucified and slain, and as He said on the cross, "It is finished!" And nothing else can be added to it. Nobody can put their fingers to the work that Christ accomplished, because it’s all done.
"…If they shall enter into my rest." (Hebrews 4:5b) And how is it to be entered? By faith and faith alone, plus nothing else, because it’s finished. There is no other way to put it. Go to Hebrews 1:3. And this again is just more support to show that when Jesus said it’s finished, He meant what He said, speaking of the Son in verse 2. Now verse 3. "Who being the brightness of his glory, (He was God from the beginning, from eternity past. He was God in the flesh. He, as God took the sins of the world upon Himself. So being the brightness of His glory) and the express image of his person, and upholding all things (that is everything in this universe is held together) by the word of his power, when he had by himself (alone, without any help from anyone. When He had by Himself) purged (or taken away) our sins, (what did He do? What does it say?) sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;" (Hebrews 1:3)
What does that imply? It’s finished. He rested, and there was nothing more to do. He had done everything that God demanded. It doesn’t matter how great our faith, I don’t care how great an understanding a person can have of the Bible, there is no way that you and I as mortals will ever comprehend more than just an infinitesimal amount of what was accomplished on that cross. I’ll never comprehend it. And when Paul in Ephesians speaks on the unsearchable riches of Christ, was he playing with words? No way. It is unsearchable. There is no way that I can understand all that God poured out first from the wrath side on God the Son who became the epitome of sin itself. I cannot begin to comprehend that. And on the other hand, He poured out Mercy. It was a two-pronged attack. He poured out His wrath because of the sin aspect, then He poured out His mercy because of the love aspect. How can mortal man comprehend that? We can’t. If we could live to be a thousand years we would never comprehend it all. We take it by faith. God, you did it, you said it, it’s complete, it’s finished. I’m resting.
God has said it’s finished and we don’t have to sweat and work and try to do this and do that. We just rest in it. That doesn’t mean we don’t work. I’m talking about the salvation experience. And see that’s why Canaan became such a beautiful picture of the whole scenario. Rest was rejected because of unbelief but on the other hand a picture of what rest really can be for the believer. We can just revel in the fact that we don’t have to work, work, work, work for salvation, as that’s all been done. It’s finished. But just stop and think a minute of all the things that even Christendom lays upon their adherence to works. You’ve got to do this, you’ve got to do that. You’ve got to fulfill this obligation; you’ve got to fulfill that obligation. But God will have nothing of it because He finished it, and He cannot let man change it. It’s a done deal.
And when we talk about believing, It’s not talking about a simple acknowledgment that "yes, I guess that's the way it was." That's not what we are talking about, we're talking about a genuine heart-felt condition, when that old Adam has been convicted by the Law that has condemned him and then we realize that all of God's mercy has already been poured out, and we merely appropriate it. We say thank you Lord I believe it!
Jesus Christ, and His sacrificial death on the cross, is the central and most important fundamental, basic tenet of the Christian faith. Jesus Christ is God’s only plan of eternal salvation for the entire world. God makes it very clear that it is only through His Son Jesus and His sacrificial death on the cross that will give people eternal salvation and thus eternal life with Him in heaven.
Jesus Himself said in the New Testament that He did not come to bring peace – but division! What He means by this is that He is drawing a line in the sand. You either believe in Him and everything that He stands for – or you do not. In the modern vernacular He is saying, “It’s my way or the highway!“ There are no middle or neutral grounds on this issue.
If you choose not to believe Jesus Christ died for your sins, and arose from the dead, and His message of eternal salvation, then you will die in your sins and remain outside the presence of Jesus Himself-- no if, ands, or buts about it! The life that we live here and now is serious business! The choices that we make in this life will determine our ultimate fate for eternity. Purgatory won’t cut it!
Choose to believe in the Risen Jesus Christ and the blood that He has personally shed for you on the cross – and you will then become saved and born again – and you will then enter into the most incredible place imaginable when you die – in heaven in the presence of Jesus Christ! Choose anyone or anything else, and you will cross over into the most horrible situation imaginable when you die!
God saved us so we could spend eternity with Him in Heaven. And that’s a great reason, isn’t it!
We Have Been Redeemed
“It is Finished!!”
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"But without faith it is impossible to please him..."
(Hebrews 11:6a)
What is faith? Simply, it’s taking God at His word-- really, wholeheartedly, believing God! That’s all He asks, and that is all He expects for our salvation. But if one searches the literature of theology there is no end to man’s attempt to define what is meant by the words faith and justification.
Luther Discovers the Apostle Paul
In the Autumn of 1517 Martin Luther posted Ninety Five Theses on the Wittenberg church door, inadvertently initiating the Reformation. Luther had just discovered the Apostle Paul. He was absolutely convinced that men were blind to the truth about themselves, and he knew that pride was the culprit. As he carried out his studies he discovered that during the period between 400 to 410 Augustine had emphasized the primacy of the Bible rather than Church officials as the ultimate religious authority. He also discovered Augustine believed that humans could not reach salvation by their own acts, but that only God could bestow salvation by his divine grace. Luther came to share Augustine’s two central beliefs, which would later form the basis of Protestantism.
By late 1514 Luther had arrived at the fundamental insight that the proper disposition for justification is humility…God humiliates man, in order that he may justify him; he makes man a sinner, in order that he may make him righteous-and both aspects of this matter are increasingly seen by Luther as works of God.
In other words, Luther saw that the goal of Paul’s gospel was a humbling faith. Luther was convinced that the conviction that one is under God’s wrath is a first sign of God’s favor.
All of this Luther summed up in his most important theological work, The Bondage of the Will. “Bondage” was Luther’s response to a previous work by Erasmus (1456-1536) A diatribe concerning the Freedom of the Will (1524). The bastard son of a Catholic priest, Erasmus was one of the greatest intellects of his day. Because he was critical of the Roman church, most of his peers erroneously assumed that he was sympathetic with Luther. He was under great pressure to take a stand. Was he for or against the disruptive Reformer? Actually, his diatribe was simply an attempt to stake out his own position.
The doctrine Erasmus chose to debate wasn’t Luther’s teaching on the authority of scripture, or justification by faith alone. Instead, he tackled Luther’s teaching on sin, expressed by the bondage of the will. When theologians talk about the bondage of the will they are not saying that you are not free to marry whom you like, or take that job you have always wanted in a neighboring state. No, the bondage of the will is about my willingness or ability to know God, love him, or choose to follow him.
Erasmus saw that the bondage (or freedom) of the will was the practical question upon which the Reformation turned. In other words, how serious is sin? How great is its impact? Has the Fall so crippled my will that I am unable to seek God, desire God, or turn to God without his help? Or, is there a residue of ultimate spiritual good remaining in my fallen heart? Will men and women seek and pursue God out of the natural goodness of their heart? In effect, Erasmus said, sin is not that serious: The will is free
Luther responded with his The Bondage of the Will, a classic in Christian literature. Here Luther wrote sin runs deep. It is comprehensive. It is devastating. It affects the total man: intellect, will, and emotions. Man has no natural love for God or attraction to God. Therefore, the will is bound! He wrote Erasmus: “I give you hearty praise and commendation on this further account—that you alone, in contrast with all others, have attacked the real thing, that is, the essential issue. You have not wearied me with those extraneous issues about the Papacy, purgatory, indulgences and such like—trifles, rather than issues—in respect of which almost all to date have sought my blood (though without success); you, and you alone, have seen the hinge on which all turns, and aimed for the vital spot.”
Purgatory and indulgences, “extraneous issues?” How could Luther say that? Because Luther(ascribing to the Apostle Paul) knew that if sin bound the human will so that it could not, nor would not turn to God, then God must initiate my salvation. And, if sin is this crippling, there is absolutely no hope for anyone through human effort. We are bankrupt. Our only hope is justification by faith alone. And, if salvation is by grace through faith alone, then the whole edifice of Roman Catholicism, built on works righteousness, must come crashing down. The debated doctrines—purgatory, justification by works, the sacramental system, indulgences, the authority of the pope, the need for priestly mediation, etc.—were all just sophisticated tools for earning God’s favor. But, if we cannot earn God’s favor then these are unnecessary.
Luther and Erasmus agreed that the freedom of the will was the central issue. And human freedom was great or non-existent depending upon one’s view of sin. Luther believed man’s part, is to humble his proud mind, to renounce the sinful self-sufficiency which prompts him to treat himself as the measure of all things, to confess the blindness of his corrupt heart, and thankfully to receive the enlightening Word of God.
Other Reformers went along with Luther asserting the helplessness of man in sin, and the sovereignty of God in grace. For example, in his Institutes John Calvin (1509-67) wrote, “I have always believed the foundation of our philosophy is humility”.
Why is this important? On the surface the Reformation seemed to be about the authority of scripture and justification by faith alone. However, underneath were stronger currents dealing with sin, man, and ultimate issues. The strength of the Reformation was its willingness to grapple with, and own, the wrath of God, the reality of final judgment, and the helplessness of man in sin. If these doctrines were true, and they are, we are bankrupt, and there is no remedy but Paul’s message--justification by faith alone. This was the gospel the Reformers preached, and it turned the world upside down. It was Martin Luther's great spiritual and theological breakthrough. The phrase "justification by faith alone" was the key which unlocked the Bible for Luther. Each of these four words he came to understand in relation to the others by the light of Scripture and the Spirit.
SOLA FIDE
It was only after Martin Luther came onto the world’s stage that the question of faith and works as they relate to man’s salvation came to the forefront of religious thought. It was Martin Luther who elevated the term sola fide(faith Alone) to the principal cause of the Protestant Reformation, the rallying cry of the Protestant cause, and the chief distinction between Evangelical Christianity and Roman Catholicism. John Calvin was also a proponent of this doctrine. Luther's German translation of the New Testament took the liberty of adding the word allein (alone) to Romans 3:28, rendering "...is justified by faith..." as "...is justified by faith alone... " . Luther Has been castigated for taking this liberty in his translation, but he is a piker compared to some of the translations found in the modern Bibles, i.e NIV, etc.
Here is the English translation of Martin Luther’s definition of faith as outlined in his "An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans," Luther's German Bible of 1522 by Martin Luther, 1483-1546
“Faith is not what some people think it is. Their human dream is a delusion. Because they observe that faith is not followed by good works or a better life, they fall into error, even though they speak and hear much about faith. ``Faith is not enough,'' they say, ``You must do good works, you must be pious to be saved.'' They think that, when you hear the gospel, you start working, creating by your own strength a thankful heart which says, ``I believe.'' That is what they think true faith is. But, because this is a human idea, a dream, the heart never learns anything from it, so it does nothing and reform doesn't come from this `faith,' either. Instead, faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God. (John 1:13). It kills the Old Adam and makes us completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits, our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn't stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever. He stumbles around and looks for faith and good works, even though he does not know what faith or good works are. Yet he gossips and chatters about faith and good works with many words. Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who has shown you such grace. Thus, it is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from fire! Therefore, watch out for your own false ideas and guard against good-for-nothing gossips, who think they're smart enough to define faith and works, but really are the greatest of fools. Ask God to work faith in you, or you will remain forever without faith, no matter what you wish, say or can do.”
Sola fide (by faith alone), also historically known as the justification by faith, a doctrine held by most Protestant denominations of Christianity, which asserts that it is on the basis of their faith that believers are forgiven their transgressions of the Law of God, rather than on the basis of good works which they have done.
While the precise terminology—"by faith alone"—does not appear in the Bible, but like the doctrine of the Trinity, which also is not found in Scripture, it summarizes the teaching of the New Testament. The doctrine is espoused especially in the Pauline epistles, which systematically reject the proposition that justification is by obedience to the Law of Moses which is a works religion.. Protestants base this on the fact that the New Testament contains almost 200 statements that imply faith or belief is sufficient for salvation. For example: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead , yet shall he live :” (John 11:25 KJV)
Sola fide asserts that, although all people are sinners, God declares those people not guilty who believe what God has done through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, and who consider God's work to be their commendation for acceptance by God. Conversely, the doctrine says that those who trust God in this way do not trust what they themselves have done (which has no worth, because of sin). The doctrine holds that it is not through inherent, personal goodness that God is reconciled to sinners (because we have none, according to adherents of this doctrine). Reconciliation is only through the gift of God himself, made effectual for forgiveness through the sacrifice of his son; thus it is only through the obedience of Christ given in substitute for the disobedience of believers, who for their sake was raised from the dead, that they have hope of eternal life. This doctrine is accepted by most Protestant denominations, including Lutherans and Baptists, and is rejected by Catholics.
The doctrine proposes that believing in Paul’s gospel that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and in three days rose from the dead, is all that is necessary and sufficient for sinners to achieve eternal salvation, after which the Holy Spirit arms the believer with the motive of trust, gratitude and love toward God from which good works will flow. Some Christian groups such as Roman Catholics believe that faith in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection is by itself insufficient for salvation, and that sola fide is in error, because it does not necessarily lead to good works. This amounts to a defacto lack of trust in the indwelling Holy Spirit.
The precise relationship between faith and good works is an issue of continuing controversy in many churches. Even at the outset of the Reformation, subtle differences of emphasis appeared. For example, because a misinterpretation of the Epistle of James which appears to emphasize the importance of good works along with faith. Failing to rightly divide the Word, Martin Luther, unacquainted with ‘rightly dividing the Word,’ sometimes erroneously referred to it as the "epistle of straw." Calvin on the other hand, while not intending to differ with Luther, followed the concept now held by most Protestants of the necessity of good works as a consequence or 'fruit' of faith. The Anabaptists tended to make a nominal distinction between faith and obedience. Recent attempts to form a consensus are not widely accepted among either Protestants or Catholics, so sola fide continues to be a doctrinal distinctive of the Reformation churches.
The following list of verses in the New Testament are cited by adherents of the doctrine of Sola Fide to support their point of view:
Acts 16:31
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Acts 26:18
...that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me...
Romans 3:28
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith alone apart from the deeds of the law. (based on Martin Luther's translation)
Romans 5:1
...having been justified by faith...
Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Galatians 2:21
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Galatians 3:1-3 ... 9-14 ... 21-25 ...
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
... So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
... Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Galatians 5:4,5
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
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The following list of verses are used mostly by Roman Catholics to counter the arguments cited by proponents of the doctrine of Sola Fide. It should be noted the Scripture cited in support of the doctrine is from the pen of the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Risen Lord, while that Scripture cited in opposition is written in accordance to Mosaic Law. The Book of James which is the proof benchmark used in opposition to Sola Fide, cited by the Catholic Church, is written in accordance to Mosaic law also. The controversy then becomes a prime example of “rightly(or wrongly) dividing the Word.’
Matthew 7:21
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 12:36,37
I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter;
For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
Matthew 25:31-46
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.’
Luke 6:46
But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?
Luke 8:21
But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.
Luke 11:28
But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
John 5:29
And will come out--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
Romans 2:6,7
For he will repay according to each one’s deeds
To those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;
2 Corinthians 5:10
For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.
1 Peter 1:17
If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds...
Revelation 2:23
...and I will give to each of you as your works deserve.
Revelation 20:12
...And the dead were judged according to their works...
Revelation 22:12
See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone's work.
James Chapter Two (Excerpts)
... What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ... Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? ... Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
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The Just Shall Live By Faith
"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17). The righteousness Paul had here in mind was not a punitive justice which condemns sinners but a perfect righteousness which God freely grants to sinners on the basis of Christ's merits, and which sinners receive by faith. The doctrine of justification by grace alone (sola gratia) through faith alone (per solam fidem) because of Christ alone (solus Christus) is the heart of the gospel and becomes for us "an open door into paradise.... a gate to heaven."
The phrase "justification by faith alone" is the key which unlocks the Bible for all. The Old Testament affirms that justification is "by faith." Of Abraham's faith Genesis 15:6 states, "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness."
Not one word is mentioned here of work or merit. Rather, in Genesis 15:6, God grants righteousness to Abraham as a free gift. Paul confirms in Romans 4 and Galatians 3:6-14 that the imputed (i.e. reckoned) righteousness of Genesis 15:6 is to be understood in terms of "by or through faith. "The Hebrew verb in Genesis 15:6 is also rendered "was counted" in Romans 4:3 (cf. Galatians 3:6, which uses "accounted" in the text and "imputed" in the marginal notes). This verb most often indicates "what a person, considered by himself, is not, or does not have, but is reckoned, held or regarded to be, or to have." It is clear then that when Abraham was justified by his faith, the righteousness which was reckoned or "charged to his account": was a righteousness not his own but that of another, namely, the righteousness of Christ (Galatians 3:16).
In these verses the Greek preposition eis does not signify "in the stead of," but always means "with a view to" or "in order to." It could be translated "towards" or "unto." Its meaning is clear from Romans 10:10, "with the heart man believeth unto [eis] righteousness" — i.e. faith moves toward and lays hold of Christ Himself.3
When Paul paraphrases this verse [Gen. 15:6] as teaching that Abraham's faith was reckoned for righteousness (Rom. 4:5, 9, 22), all he intends us to understand is that faith—decisive, whole-hearted reliance on God's gracious promise (verse 18.)—was the occasion and means of righteousness being imputed to him. There is no suggestion here that faith is the ground of justification.
Abraham was not justified, and made the father of the faithful, by any of his own works. Therefore all his children become his children and are justified, not by their works, either preceding or following their faith; but by faith alone in Christ.
A second major Old Testament text supporting justification by faith is Habakkuk 2:4: "the just shall live by his faith," or as some scholars would read, "the just by faith shall live." Paul makes clear that this verse, quoted in Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38, is ultimately fulfilled in the righteousness that comes by faith in the gospel of Christ, for which the law itself teaches us to look (Romans 3:21-22; 10:4). Paul's explanation of Habakkuk has inspired countless believers to place their faith in a righteousness not their own, but that of Jesus Christ who is called "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah 23:6).
"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe" (Romans 3:20). "Thou standest by faith" (Romans 11:20). "'Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Galatians 3:24).
What then is the precise relationship of faith to justification? The answer lies in what is entailed in the preposition "by." On every occasion faith is presented as the means of justification. Justification by faith alone is never justification on account of faith, but always justification on account of Christ, i.e. on account of the blood-satisfaction of the Lamb of God being graciously imputed to and received by an undeserving sinner (Galatians 3:6; James 2:23). Ultimately, the ground of justification is Christ and His righteousness alone.
It is fatal to regard faith as a prerequisite which a sinner can fulfill by an act of his own will in order to be saved. In such a case, man really becomes his own savior. Worse yet, everything then depends on the purity and strength or perfection of the sinner's faith. Rather, Scripture teaches that at stake is the very character of faith: Is faith a work of man or the gift of God? The question is answered decisively by the Apostle Paul: "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him(faith), but also to suffer for His sake" (Philippians 1:29; see also Ephesians 2:8). Justification is received in the form of faith since it pleases God to justify a sinner by giving him faith.
An In-Depth Look At What We Mean By Faith
When we say, basically, faith is taking God at His Word, we have only seen the tip of the iceberg. Beyond that, faith is an experiential, convicting, soul-emptying grace. Though faith is the means through which God works salvation, faith is not and cannot be a human condition—that is, if "condition" implicates more than the necessary order or way of salvation. If faith were the conditional (i.e. meritorious) ground of justification, salvation by human merit would be introduced, dishonoring divine grace and subverting the gospel by reducing it to simply one more version of justification by works (Galatians 4:21-5:12). Moreover, since we cannot be accepted by God with less than a perfect righteousness, our faith would have to be perfect. No one's faith, however, is perfect. All our faith is impaired by sin. Nothing in us, including our faith, could possibly succeed as a condition. Faith knows no human merit, and needs no human merit (Ephesians 2:8), for the very nature of faith is to rely wholly on the merit and righteousness of Christ as more than sufficient to acquit us of our sin. We are not justified by our ever-imperfect faith, but by the ever-perfect righteousness of Christ. All the conditions of salvation must be and have been fulfilled by Jesus through His obedience, both active and passive, in the state of His humiliation (Romans 5:19). There can be no conditions for salvation laid upon man, simply because salvation is entirely of God and never dependent on anything of man. "So then it; [salvation] is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy" (Romans 9:16). Justifying faith terminates on or in Christ, in His blood and sacrifice, and in the promises of God; in its very essence, therefore, it involves trust, and, denying its own justifying value, affirms the sole merit of that on which it trusts (Rom 3:15-26; 4:20,22; Gal 3:26; Eph. 1:12-13, 1 Jn 5:10).
The very act of faith by which we receive Christ is an act of utter renunciation of all our own works and righteousness as a condition or ground of salvation. Faith is not work, nor merit, nor effort; but the cessation from all these, and the acceptance in place of them of what Christ has done—done completely, and forever.
The natural man indeed has no ability to reach out to accept the salvation of God in Christ. The natural man is dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). He will never "accept Christ" of his own free will (Matthew 23:37; John 5:40). Scripture teaches that a sinner does not first move toward God, but God first moves toward a sinner to unite him with Christ by faith, for a sinner would never of his own will or desire turn to Christ in faith (Romans 9:16). Even when tormented with the terrors of divine judgment, the natural man cannot be persuaded to flee to God by saving faith for salvation ((Proverbs 1:24-27).
But in regeneration the Holy Spirit grants the gift of a living, empty hand that can turn nowhere else than to Jesus. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13; cf. Psalm 110:3).
Faith is not called a hand because it works or merits justification in any way, but because it receives, embraces, appropriates Christ upon divine imputation. Faith is not a creative hand, but a receptive hand. In justification we read of the precious faith in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1) and of 'faith in His blood' (Romans 3:25), and believers are described as 'receiving the atonement' and receiving 'the gift of righteousness' (Romans 5:11, 17)."
By the Spirit and word of God, justifying faith is a saving grace which, first, convicts of sin and misery; second, assents to the gospel from the heart; third, receives and rests upon Christ and His righteousness for pardon and salvation; and fourth, lives out of Christ, who is the hallmark of appropriating faith (Hebrews 10:39; Romans 10:14, 17; John 16:8-9; Romans 10:8-10; acts 10:43; Philippians 3:9; Galatians 3:11; These marks of faith are experienced in the soul and urge closer examination if we are to ascertain the experiential dimensions of "by" in justification by faith alone.
Faith wholeheartedly "assents to the truth of the gospel" Faith is no mere intellectual assent. Faith believes from the heart that which the Scriptures teach about self, the holiness of God, and the saviorhood of Christ. Thrust before God's holiness, faith repudiates self-righteousness and is brought to need Christ experientially as revealed in the Scriptures and given by the Spirit. Faith abandons all self-merit while being increasingly allured to Christ and his merits (Romans 7:24-25). Faith surrenders to the evangel and falls into the outstretched arms of God. "The act of faith is as much being held by God as holding Him; the power of faith is exercised as much in capitulation as in conquering—the faith that overcomes the world is capitulation to Christ's great victory." Faith looks away from self and itself to Christ, living and moving entirely from and in grace. Justifying faith is especially that act of the soul by which a sinner lays hold of Christ and His righteousness and experiences pardon and peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Faith is nothing less than the means which unites a sinner with his Savior.
Christ-centeredness is the hallmark of faith. Faith's distinguishing mark is the real and redeeming presence of Christ. It is the very nature and fountain of faith to rest entirely upon Christ. Faith does not look at itself. Don’t be too preoccupied with looking at their faith rather than faith's object. It is not faith in our faith, nor faith in the faith, nor faith in our justification, that is salvific, but faith in Christ. First, Faith must look out for Christ; secondly, Faith must look up to Christ for grace; thirdly, Faith must take Christ down, or receive Him and grace.
Christ is faith's only object and only expectation. He is the heartbeat and life of faith. Faith enables the soul to enjoy the whole salvation of Christ; by faith Christ becomes the soul's wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30). Faith commits the total person to the total person of Christ. This Christ-centeredness, more than anything else, makes faith inseparable from justification and superior to all other graces in justification.
"Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6). God is pleased with faith because faith is pleased with Christ. Christ honors faith the most of all graces because faith honors Christ the most. Faith continually takes refuge in the blood, death, passion, and obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ. .
Small wonder then that faith has been called the captain of all spiritual graces. Love is the crowning grace in heaven, but faith is the conquering grace upon earth....Faith is the master-wheel; it sets all the other graces running....Other graces make us like Christ, faith makes us members of Christ. Call forth first that commander-in-chief, and then the private soldiers, the other graces, will all follow.
Justification is a sister-concept to imputation. As a forensic (i.e. legal or judicial) term, justification is the act of God's sovereign grace whereby He imputes to the elect sinner, who is in himself guilty and condemned, the perfect righteousness of Christ, acquits him on the ground of Christ's merits of all guilt and punishment, grants him a right to eternal life, and enables him to lay hold of and appropriate to himself Christ and His benefits. Imputation signifies to credit something to someone's account by transfer, i.e. God transfers the perfect righteousness of Christ to the elect sinner as a gracious gift, and transfers all of the sinner's unrighteousness to Christ who has paid the full price of satisfaction for that unrighteousness. By means of this mutual transfer the justified sinner is viewed by God as if he "never had had, nor committed any sin," but had himself "fully accomplished all that obedience which Christ has accomplished" cf. Romans 4:4-6; 5:12-19; 2 Corinthians 5:21.
I now hold that Christ's merited righteousness cannot tolerate any human addition. All our works are a stench in God's nostrils in terms of meriting any righteousness in His holy sight (Isaiah 64:6). Neither our sweetest experiences of God's love and grace, nor our faith itself granted by the Holy spirit can add one stitch of merit to the white robe of Christ's spotless righteousness. Nothing will satisfy the justice of God except the eternally valid righteousness of Christ Jesus. We are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24; cf. Job 25:4-6).
I also maintain that faith is the instrumental cause of justification, while the alien righteousness of Christ, external to the believer and imputed to him, is the formal cause, i.e. the ground upon which God can justly justify sinners. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21; cf. Romans 3:26). It is critical to maintain that this formal cause of justification resides in Christ's righteousness alone, for all the Scriptures dealing with the fundamentally depraved nature of man make clear that there is no righteousness inherent in the natural man upon which a divine verdict of justification could be based. "They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Psalm 14:3). I now hold that faith is the conscious, personal, immediate reliance of a sinner on Christ alone. My faith brings me, a sinner, into Christ's church and makes me a member of Christ's body even if I had never heard of a visible, physical church. Sacraments are not essential for salvation but for the consummation of discipleship. The sacraments are signs and seals of the grace that are received by faith; they are no part of justifying faith.
If the visible church is the dispenser of the sacraments, and the sacraments are necessary for salvation, this church becomes the dispenser of salvation. And so we have arrived at the ultimate error — the church replacing Christ — as one of many unavoidable consequences of her defective views of justification.
How Much Faith is Enough?
If we base our justification on our faith, our works, or anything else of our own, the very foundations of justification must crumble. Inevitably the agonizing, perplexing, and hopeless questions of having "enough" surfaces. Is my faith strong enough? Are the fruits of grace in my life fruitful enough? Are my experiences deep enough, clear enough, persistent enough? Every detected inadequacy in my faith is going to shake the very foundations of my spiritual life. Is my best believing always defective? Am I always too ungodly even in my faith? Apart from Christ, the best of my best is "as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).
So many Christians live in constant dispair because they cannot distinguish between the rock on which they stand and the faith by which they stand upon the rock. Is Faith our rock or is Christ our rock? Do we get faith by having faith in our faith or by looking to faith, or by looking to Christ. Looking to Christ is faith.
What kind of faith justifies? Is it perfect faith, great faith, fruitful faith, or strong faith? If we start qualifying our faith, we destroy the gospel. Our faith may be weak, immature, timid, even indiscernible at times, but if it is real faith it is justifying faith (Matthew 6:30). Our degree of faith affects sanctification and assurance, but not justification. Faith's value in justification does not lie in any degree in itself but in its uniting us to Christ and His glorious achievement.
Jesus Said We Must Be Perfect
“You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is Perfect.” (Matt. 5:48).
This command by Jesus seems impossible to obey. What did Jesus mean by this? How is it possible to be perfect when we know that only God is perfect?
Someone once asked Jesus, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” “Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the One he has sent.’” (Jn 6:29). The greatest thing you can do is believe the good news of God’s grace revealed in the One he has sent. Believe that because of what Jesus has done, you are forgiven, you have been clothed with his righteousness, and you have been adopted into his family--the Body of Christ. When you believe Jesus suffered, died for your sins, was buried, and was resurrected to eternal life, he moves into your life and you become one with him in spirit. When we believe this with all our heart--we are seen as perfect in the eyes of God. On the inside, you now look exactly like Jesus and your status before God is “perfect forever” (Heb 10:14).
Faith is simply Taking God at His Word. In other words, when God says it, we believe it, this is what God is pleased with. And that's all faith is; nothing more. And then this term of justification. It is that judicial act of God, where the Sovereign God in all of His Holiness and righteousness, the moment He sees the sinner believe the Gospel (Ref. I Corinthians 15:1-4) then God declares him justified. Just as if he had never sinned. Now that's hard for us to comprehend, and certainly none of us `feel' it.
`Feel' is the word that so many people use mistakenly when it comes to our Christian experience. "Well, I don't feel this and I don't feel that." The Bible never uses the word `feel,' we're not supposed to feel justified, or forgiven. You know you are because The Book says so. Don't try to figure it out in the human, because it can't be done. Rather just rest on what God has said, and The Word says that when we recognize we are indeed a child of Adam, there's that great gulf fixed between us and the Creator; and the only way back to a fellowship with Him is by believing the Gospel. "That Christ died for our sins, that He was buried, and that He arose from the dead." And the moment we believe that with all our heart, then God does everything on our behalf.
So far as our salvation is concerned it's based totally upon our faith in the Gospel, and what God has said concerning the finished work of the Cross.
"For therein (that is, in the power of God in the Gospel) is the righteousness of God revealed (being unveiled)..." (Romans 1:17a).
Remember when Christ was hanging on the Cross, and when He finally gave up the ghost, as it says, what happened in the Temple? The veil was rent from the top to the bottom. What did that indicate? That now the way into the very Holy of Holies, the very presence of God, had been opened up and made available, not just to the High Priest on the Day of Atonement, but to everybody. And that is what we must understand, that when Christ died, He completely fulfilled everything that a Holy God could possibly demand. That's why when man tries to say, "But I've got to do this, or I've got to do that," then it's an embarrassment to God Himself, because He said it's done! Everything that we need has already been accomplished.
“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, `The just shall live by faith.'" (Romans 1:17). Who are the just? The justified ones. What is the definition of justification? That judicial act of God whereby He declares the believing sinner just as if he had never sinned. That's the way God sees us.
God hasn't changed and sin hasn't changed. But the whole sin problem began in Adam, and everyone of us, so far as God is concerned, are in Adam. That's the beginning of all of our troubles. We were in Adam, but when Christ died on the Cross, and we believe what He says about the Cross, then every believer is removed out of Adam, and placed in Christ. And now instead of God seeing us in that cesspool of sin which we were in Adam, now He only sees the righteousness and Holiness of Christ, we are now perfect because we're in Him. And if you're in Him, He doesn't see you at all. He sees Christ.
We Serve Because We’re Saved
We’re saved by faith alone because of the finished work of the cross and the Grace of God. But being inspired by the indwelling Holy Spirit we get busy and we serve. We are like Abraham—how that by faith alone God was able to declare him righteous. More on the significance of Abraham concerning this doctrine is found on page 146.
“Therefore being justified by faith (alone) we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” (Romans 5:1). Now what have we got? Peace. God-given peace! We have that transcending peace through Jesus Christ our Lord. We don’t have to fret and wonder—am I going to make it? Have I done enough? Am I trying hard enough?
Just because we’re justified by faith, that’s as far as we have to go. Oh, no way!
“For by grace are ye saved through faith;…”(Ephesians 2:8a). That is God’s unmerited favor toward us—which means we didn’t have anything going for us and couldn’t make it without God’s help. So by His unmerited favor you are saved through faith. Plus some works? No. You’re saved by God’s grace through what? Faith—which is taking God at His Word. What do I take at His Word? That He died for my sin and yours. His Blood was shed. He arose from the dead. And we believe it for salvation. And the moment we believe it, God moves in.
What came first – justification, forgiveness, or redemption? It all happened instantly! It didn’t come in a sequence of events. God didn’t first forgive you, and then come back and say I’ll justify you, and then come back and say, well, you’re redeemed. That was a one-second transaction! The moment we believed with heart-faith, God did all of that. Instantly! It’s all done. So we’re been saved through faith,
“…and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”(Ephesians 2:8b). How much work do you do for a gift? Nothing. Somebody doesn’t say, well, I’ll give you a diamond ring IF you do this. Someone doesn’t say, well, I’ll give you something or other IF you do this. Then it’s not a gift. A gift is that which comes totally without merit. So salvation is by God’s Grace through faith in what He has said. It’s not of anything that we can do, because it’s the gift of God.
“Not of works, lest any man should boast.”(Ephesians 2:9). What are works? Anything that you can do by making up your mind to do something. It doesn’t make any difference what it is. When you can make up your mind and say, well, I’m going to do this, or I’m going to do that to be saved. I don’t care what it is—then it’s a works. And it does not count for eternity.
“For we are his workmanship,…” (Ephesians 2:10a). Now the Greek word here is poema--from which we get the word poem—from which we also get the word a little further down the way – symphony. In other words, something that has been beautifully and artistically put together—that’s what we are as believers. God has formed us and has given us particular gifts and abilities and talents for a particular use. And that’s what we’re to do. We’re to use it. Everybody has a different ability, but they all work together to be just like a symphony. So we are His workmanship. We are something that He has now put together. We have been created as a new creature in Christ – for what purpose? Good works! Of course, good works.
AFTER the Lord has saved us. We're saved to serve. After we’ve gained peace with God. AFTER we’re forgiven and we’re redeemed and we’re justified. Now what do we do? We get to work.
“…created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”(Ephesians 2:10b). In other words, we live to serve. And it’s not for salvation, but it is for reward. And whenever we start doing something that is not for salvation, now we’re starting to do it simply because we’re doing good works. Being human, what’s our question? What am I going to get? And there’s nothing wrong with that.
“Every man’s work (As a believer, we’re not talking about the lost here.) shall be made manifest: (going to be put in the spotlight) for the day…”(I Corinthians 3:13a). The judgment day, the Bema Seat day. Not the White Throne Judgment for lost people, but the judgment of the Bema Seat for believers. We pick that up in II Corinthians 5. All right, the day when we’ll stand before the Lord Jesus as the judge of our Christian life.
“…the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed (or tested) by fire; and the fire shall test every man’s work of what sort it is.” (I Corinthians 3:13b). In the Book of Revelation—what are the eyes of Jesus likened unto? Eyes of fire. Now these eyes of fire are going to examine the works of the believer. He’s going to look at what we have built in our little section of the wall on that foundation, which is Christ Jesus. Now here we’ve been building throughout our whole Christian life with good works. But some of those good works are going to go up in a puff of smoke. They’re nothing more than wood, hay, and stubble. Some are going to remain, because they were comprised of gold, silver, and precious stones. See the analogy? It’s all based on motive—why do we do the things we do?
You can be the best worker that anybody can imagine, and if you’re just doing it to elevate the self, forget it. It’s a puff of smoke. But if you’re doing it to bring honor and glory to the Lord; if you’re doing it to enhance fellow believers, it’s gold, silver, and precious stones. That’s what it’s going to be.
“If any man’s work abide,…” (I Corinthians 3:14a). If it survives those fiery eyes, it’s gold, silver, or precious stones. Now remember, what does fire do to those three elements? It purifies them and takes away all the dirt and the dust and the dross. It purifies them. So, the Lord Jesus will look at the works of believers whose motives are right, and they’ve been doing it for – not self – but for others.
“…which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.”(I Corinthians 3:14b). This is what the Book says.
Paul uses the analogy of the Olympic runners. And we’re to be like them up to a point. How? They trained and they worked and they prepared for the race. And why did they run the race? To gain the crown—which was only a wreath in those days. It wasn’t even a gold medal. But the analogy was that they went through all that period of training to run the race with all that was in them, to receive the reward. And that’s what we’re to do. We’re not saved to sit. We’re saved to serve.
Is being old a deterrent to performing good works? “Well, I can’t do anything anymore.” Oh, yes, you can! Don’t ever say—I’m too old to serve. You can always pray.
“If any man’s work shall be burned, (It’s nothing but hay, wood, and stubble. Now these are believers, and they’ve got works that amount to nothing but wood, hay, and stubble.) he shall suffer loss: (not his salvation, but reward) but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (I Corinthians 3:15).
In other words, it’s going to be a slim escape so far as rewards are concerned. There’s the admonition. We’re saved by faith alone because of the finished work of the cross and the Grace of God. But then we get busy and we serve.
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; (But now we don’t just stop for the mundane men around us, our friends and neighbors, but our prayers are to extend to our men in high places. For us today it’s presidents, senators, and congressmen.) 2. For kings, for all that are in authority; (Now believe it or not, why do we pray for our men in high places? For our own good! There is a bit of selfishness here. We are to pray for these men so that--) that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” (I Timothy2:1-2).
Isn’t that amazing? There’s nothing wrong to pray for that. God doesn’t want us to just grovel in abject poverty and under the heavy boot of some foreign power. God wants us to live quiet and peaceable lives. And we’re to pray to that end. That’s what government is for. Government is to—and I imagine this is where our founding fathers got the term that we are in the pursuit of happiness. That’s our God-given right—the pursuit of happiness. And a very few percent of the population of the world down through history have enjoyed that.
Is Faith dead without Works?
No passage in all of Scripture has been so misunderstood as James 2:14-26. "Faith without works is dead" and is used again and again by those who would add works to salvation as their proof text. It’s a case of not rightly dividing the Word. Most Christians don't know how to explain James 2:14-26; therefore, when those who teach falsely use James to prove their point, seldom does anyone ever refute them. Christians need to know the answer.
Most are agreed that this is not the James of the original twelve who was beheaded quite early after Pentecost. This is no doubt this James was the half-brother of Jesus, the son of Joseph and Mary. He was also the James who replaced Peter as the head man of the Jerusalem church and, consequently, was the moderator of that great Jerusalem Counsel attended by Paul.
James 2:20. Faith without works is dead. Here James is writing to the Jews in the dispersion wherever they were. James makes it so plain that he’s writing to the Twelve Tribes. Well, now that’s Israel.
First of all, James was written to the saved. The Jewish believers. Notice the phrase "my brethren" in James 1:2, James 1:16; James 1:19; James 2:1, James 2:5; James 2:14; James 3:1, etc. James writes to persons who are already saved and the subject is not how to be saved but about the Christian life and how to receive rewards in heaven. James is writing to those who are "born again." "Of his own will beget he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures (James 1:18)." The question is not loss of salvation (which is impossible: see John 6:37,39), but the loss of reward. Blessing, not salvation, is what is promised to the doer of God's work in James 1:25.
Salvation is also without exception "the gift of God." "For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23)." Look at Ephesians 2:8, 9: "For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Read Romans chapter Five where salvation is called God's gift six times.
James 2:14 talks about "profit". Profit is something earned-something deserved. Salvation cannot be earned and is not deserved. Paul uses the same word "profit" in I Timothy 4:8 where again the topic is reward. "For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."
James is speaking of the Judgment Seat of Christ (II Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10; I Corinthians 3:11-15) where reward, gain, profit, treasure or the loss of it is determined. James is saying to a believer that has faith but no works that his faith will not save him the embarrassment, regret, loss of reward that he will experience at the judgment seat of Christ (the judgment of a believer's works for reward or loss of reward).
How do we know that James is speaking of the Judgment Seat of Christ? The context of James demands that interpretation. Notice James 2:12. "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." This could only be referring to the judgment of believers at the judgment seat of Christ. In James 2:14 we find no believer will be saved (exempted) from the believer's judgment of works. No works will bring about no reward (profit). See II Corinthians 5:10.
Death in the Bible always is used to mean "separation". Physical death is the separation of the spirit and soul from the body (See II Corinthians 5:8). The "second death" is the separation of the spirit and soul from God, in hell forever (See Revelation 20:14). Knowing this definition of death, let us examine the phrase "faith without works is dead."
Knowing death speaks of separation and not cession of existence, let us look at James 2:26, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." If I were to die physically, my body would drop to the ground but my spirit would go to be with the Lord. "Absent from the body, present with the Lord (II Corinthians 5:8)." Would I still be alive? Yes, I have eternal life. But my body would not have any vital signs and would not display any life at all, yet I would be present with the Lord and very much alive.
In the same way, James says, "faith without works is dead." What does he mean? Works are to faith what the body is to the spirit. The body displays the life of the spirit. Work displays faith. The only way I can display that I am alive is with my body (movement, pulse, etc.). The only way that I can display that I have faith is by my works.
If I have no works, does that mean that I have no faith? NO! That would be like saying that if I die physically, I would no longer exist. The truth is that I have eternal life, so though I may lose my body, I am still very much alive. If you have faith but no works, you simply cannot demonstrate to another that you have faith. That is the point James is making when he says, "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works (James 2:18)." To be effective, to be able to demonstrate our faith, and to earn rewards, we must have works.
James speaks of justification by works before men. Paul speaks of justification by faith before God. These are two aspects of one truth. Paul speaks of that which justifies man before God, via: faith alone, wholly apart from works: James of the proof before men, that he who possesses to have justifying faith really has it. Paul speaks of what God sees-faith; James of what men see-works, as the visible evidence of faith. Paul draws his illustration from Genesis 15:6, James from Genesis 22:1-19. James's key-phrase is 'ye see' (James 2:24), for men cannot see faith except as manifested through works.
James teaches salvation by faith without works in James 2:23, "...Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness..." This is a quote from Genesis 15:6 where Abraham gets saved. James 2:21,22 is an illustration from Abraham's life forty years after he was saved. It illustrates, or proves Abraham's faith to others. "Seest thou" James 2:22. In plain English this is saying that you can see by Abraham's willingness to slay Isaac that he had faith.
Salvation is "not of works" according to Ephesians 2:9. "Not of works" means works have no part in our salvation. Jesus Christ finished the work of salvation on the cross. We can be saved only by trusting His finished work on the cross. Trust Christ as your only hope of heaven, then choose to serve Him and receive blessings, rewards, treasures in heaven, profit for eternity.
Comparing Law and Grace--Peter At The Jerusalem Conference
At the conference in Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas received the okay from the leadership that they could continue their ministry to the Gentiles, and that Peter and the rest of the leadership there would continue their ministry to the Jews.
It's interesting how Peter finally came to Paul's rescue at the conference. And if he hadn't, then Paul's Gospel would have died right then and there, but of course God is Sovereign. He had Peter ready to defend Paul, and the biggest reason that God had sent Peter up to Cornelius' house 12 years before, was not only for the house of Cornelius, but that Peter would then come to Paul's defense at this conference in Jerusalem these 12 years later.
Peter suddenly realized that, yes, he'd gone to the house of pagan Gentiles and he hadn't brought them under the Law, he hadn't introduced circumcision, and while he was yet speaking what happened? They believed. And of course Paul's Gospel hadn't been revealed yet, but they believed that Jesus was the Messiah of Israel, and God saved them under those conditions.
"For the Jews require a sign..." (I Corinthians 1:22a ). God knew that and He put up with that all the way up through their history. Note that Christ performed all those signs and miracles during His earthly ministry to prove to the Nation of Israel Who He was. The Gentiles at the house of Cornelius were ready to believe just by being able to hear it, but the Jews required a sign.
It is almost certain that if Paul and Barnabas could not have rehearsed some miraculous signs and miracles in their ministry for these Jews at this conference they would never have gone along with their ideas..
At the Jerusalem conference Paul was told, "Now look, if you're going to go out into the Gentile world and preach this Gospel of Grace that's well and good but for the sake of Jews who are in those pagan communities at least make your converts understand that some of these things are still fundamental going all the way back to the Law of Moses." And that of course Paul agreed, and that‘s the way he taught it..
And the Holy Spirit has seen fit to repeat it. This is part of that written agreement that went from the Jerusalem church up to Antioch.
"That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well." (Acts 15:29).
Even though this was part of the Law yet it was such that God could sanction it's going right on through the Gospel of Grace. As members of the Body of Christ, we're not under Law but rather Grace, but God is still holding us accountable for not doing any of these things.
To make a point. What had to happened to the blood in the Old Testament sacrifices, as well as Christ's Blood for the atonement of sin? It had to be applied. It had to be sprinkled on the altar, it had to be sprinkled on the Ark of the Covenant's mercy seat, and Christ also had to present His Blood remember where? The Holy of Holies in heaven. So it follows all the way through and for this reason God still demands that even under Grace we do not partake of these things. Now the other point was not to practice fornication or immorality. Just because we're under Grace doesn't mean that we are now free to eat blood, and practice immorality, or worship idols. Absolutely not! They're forbidden!
Remember, Peter is a Law keeping Jew, still steeped in legalism, and he still did not fully understand these Pauline truths. So Peter was in perfect accord with his Lord as far as it went. Peter could not comprehend what it was to be totally out from under the Law. So sometime after the Jerusalem counsel, and this had all been supposedly settled that these Gentiles, under Paul's ministry who had been saved like you and I by the Gospel of Grace, were free to eat whatever they wanted to eat. They were not under any dietary law whatsoever.
So when Peter goes up to visit the Antioch Church see what Paul says.
"But when Peter was come to Antioch, (sometime after the Jerusalem counsel) I withstood him to the face,..." That must have been an embarrassing thing for Peter. "...because he was to be blamed. (Peter was at fault. Now this isn't the first time Peter stumbled. Peter was just as human as all of us, and here he stumbled, and Paul called him on it. This is the reason.)12. For before (in time-wise) that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision." (Galatians 2:11-12).
James is now the head man in Jerusalem and when emissaries came from James' congregation, before they arrived Peter ate with Paul and the Gentile believers regardless what the meal was. But after these Jewish people arrived what does Peter do? He's afraid of them. So to continue on and maintain the testimony of Paul's Gospel of Grace that he could prove to these Jews from Jerusalem, we are free to eat whatever we want to, we are no longer under the dietary laws, we've been set free from all that. But instead of standing his ground for these Gentile believers, Peter gives in to his Law-keeping background and refused to go in and eat with Paul's Gentile converts.
Most likely Paul became very upset with Peter. "Now Peter you're being two faced." That's what we'd say today. "When there wasn't anybody from Jerusalem here, you didn't have any problem eating with my Gentile converts, but as soon as those people came from Jerusalem then you say, `No I'm a good Jew, I can't do that.'" So Paul calls him on it.
However, we must recall after Peter witnessed the resurrection and the power of it, what happened to him? He was a different person. He was no longer afraid of anyone. He stood up to the Jewish religious leaders, he stood up to the Romans, and no doubt took a martyr's death because of it. But here in this situation as an ordinary practicing Jew in a moment of weakness among these Gentile believers he blows his testimony again, and Paul has to call him on it
"And the other Jews (because of what Peter did) dissembled (or withdrew) likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas (Barnabas that had seen everything that Paul had accomplished with the Gentiles) also was carried away with their dissimulation. (or hypocrisy that they couldn't eat with these Gentiles.) 14. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly (Peter not walking uprightly? Not here he wasn't. He was failing miserably) according to the truth of the gospel...." (Galatians 2:13-14a). What Gospel? Paul's Gospel of Grace which sets us free from these dietary rules and regulations. There is now no difference between Jew and Gentile, and Peter was not yet ready to recognize that.
To better understand, go to II Peter, which is such an enlightening verse. This is shortly before he and Paul were martyred., near the end of their lives.. He's had all of these years of being in contact with Paul and Paul's message and still he writes by inspiration the following:
"And account (or understand) that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation: even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16. As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; (What things? salvation up in verse 15. The Gospel of Grace) in which (these epistles) are some things hard to be understood,..." (II Peter 3:15-16).
It's hard to imagine that Peter could say anything like that. After all these years Peter still can't quite comprehend what Paul is driving home. He couldn't because he was so steeped in Judaism that it just didn't come through. Peter wasn't the only one that didn't understand. Look at the multitude that is encompassed in the last part of this verse.
"...which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest (or twist. What's Peter still talking about? Paul's epistles. So the unstable, the ones who don't comprehend the Scriptures are still twisting them ) as they do also the other scriptures (And what's the conclusion? They're doing it but, it's ) unto their own destruction." (II Peter 3:16b).
So Peter is saying that to ignore or delete the writings of the apostle Paul they are signing themselves up for their own destruction. And that's exactly why Paul wrote such strong language in the first chapter of Galatians, that if someone is going to preach any other Gospel for salvation than his Gospel let them be accursed. Now that's strong language, but it’s the Word of God.
"But when I saw that they (Peter, and Barnabas, and these other Jews) walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel. I said unto Peter before them all, (this was a public rebuke) If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, (if you're going to admit that the Grace of God has set you free from the Law) and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?" (Galatians 2:14)
People are still adding things that do not belong to the Gospel of Grace and then they wonder why people have a hard time comprehending it.
Paul after coming away from his confrontation with Peter who was still succumbing to the demands of the Law-keeping Jews at Jerusalem says:
"We who are Jews by nature, (by birth) and not sinners of the Gentiles, (we're not after those pagan Gentiles, who were looked down upon by the Jews of that day) 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law, for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." (Galatians 2:15-16)
Romans chapter 3 makes it a little plainer than this. The little letter to the Galatians is sort of like an artist who had the picture in his mind and he drew it first in pencil. And after he saw the whole picture in pencil he then put it on canvas with oil, and that's the Book of Romans. Galatians is just sort of an introduction or outline. It covers all the bases, but you don't get the graphic detail until you get into Romans. Verse 16 of Galatians is a good example of that. It's hard to sort out, but here it is in Romans 3.
"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, (That's the Ten Commandments) it saith to them who are under the law: (in other words the Ten Commandments were given directly to the Nation of Israel, not to the Gentile world. But since it's the Law of the Sovereign Creator God, how far does the influence of that Law go? To the ends of the earth, and look what the rest of the verse says ) that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." (Romans 3:19).
Even a Gentile can't come up after having stolen something and say, "Well I never did anything wrong." Yes, you did because the Law of God says, "That it's against His will, against His Law to steal." So every mouth was stopped, and all the world became guilty before God. That being the case: "Therefore by the deeds of the law (in other words by Law-keeping, by works) there shall no flesh (Jew or Gentile) be justified in his sight:..." (Romans 3:20a). Why? Because the Law only has one function - most of us think by keeping the Law, by keeping the commandments, that we are making brownie points and someday God will just let them slip in under the door, but it's not going to work that way. The Law wasn't given for that reason. The Law had one function and that was to show mankind how sinful they really are. Every human being has been a Law-breaker, and we're sinners by nature. "...for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20b).
Now go to verse 23. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23). Not just Gentiles like the Jews perhaps thought, but everybody, Jews and Gentiles have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And It’s not anything we have done, that's not what makes us sinners but rather we're sinners because of who we are. We're sons of Adam.
Verse 24 has the remedy. "Being justified freely (without a cause) by his grace (His unmerited favor poured out on us) through the redemption (or the buying back process) that is in Christ Jesus: 25. Whom God (this same Christ Jesus) hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, (recall the ramifications of the blood found in Genesis 9, Leviticus 17. The blood was something very special in God's sight because in the blood is the life.) to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26. To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness; (the righteousness of Christ) that he (Christ) might be just, and the justifier of him which (repents and is baptized? No way, but) believeth in Jesus." (Romans 3:24-26).
You can put anything in there that you want to including keeping the Ten Commandments but it just doesn't say that, but only He will be the Justifier to him who believeth. Verse 27. "Where is boasting then? (who can brag?) It is excluded. (Why? Because the law of faith excludes it as you see in the remains of the verse.) By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith." (Romans 3:27). And the law of faith is? Believe the Gospel for your salvation.
In all of the basic salvation verses in Scripture not one of them says anything about what we can do except "BELIEVE." All of those verses say basically the same thing, and that is "When we believe that Christ died and rose from the dead thou shall be saved." Yes, it says it in various and different ways, and they have all come from Paul's various epistles, but none of them mention repentance and baptism. None of them makes mention of any kind of works or doings or keeping, but rather they all say basically the same thing - "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2:8)
All of these basic salvation verses are just like the one in Romans 3, that it's through faith in His Blood, through His death, burial, and resurrection, and that if we believe it in our heart then God does all the rest. We don't have to do anything because He does it. It isn't what we do, but what we believe by faith. "But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, (not by the Law) we ourselves also are found sinners (remember we're children of Adam) is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid." (Galatians 2:17 ). And here's the basic reasoning in verse 18. "For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor,"(Galatians 2:18). He is saying that at one time he was a Law keeping Jew, a great practitioner of Judaism, and he thought the Law and the Temple and the Old Testament was the epitome of everything. But once he saw the truth of the power of the Gospel of Christ how that He died, shed His blood, and rose from the dead then he could literally destroy everything of the old account. Now he says, "if I go back and put my converts back under the Law and command them to keep circumcision then I am rebuilding what I've torn down."
To see this clearer, go to Colossians 2 and nobody understood this better than the apostle Paul. This is a graphic statement. Here he is speaking of the work of the Cross. "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, (the Law, and especially the Law that was being practiced at the time of Christ which was a degenerated 613 rules and regulations.) which was contrary to us, and (the Law was absolutely contrary to human nature. Everything in the Law, human nature says do it. So He) took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;" (Colossians 2;14).
Now that's what Paul means when he writes Galatians 2. That once he helped believing Jews like himself to see that that old economy had been totally done away with. It was nailed to our Savior's Cross.! Now Paul says if I come back and tell these converts that I was wrong, and now I've got to put them back under the Law then he says, "I'm building again that which I have destroyed." But Paul says, he couldn't do that. Paul could not go back on the revelations that the Lord had given him.
Move on to verse 19, and this is his whole reason for pressing on constantly throughout the Roman Empire with the Gospel of the Grace of God. "For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God." (Galatians 2:19 ). What was the Law? It was perfect. It was the very mind of God, and it was perfect from God's point of view. But what was it from man's point of view? It was something that he could not keep. It was weak, it was beggarly, because even though it was perfect from God's point of view, from man's standpoint he couldn't keep it because there was no power in the Law to help him keep it. Remember the Law was given to Moses on cold hard stone. Stone is not soft and warm. It is cold, and it is not something that you can just bring to yourself. That was the Law.
Even Peter had to admit that the Mosaic Law was a yoke. It was like a millstone around people's necks because of its heavy demands, and man's inability to keep it and it had nothing to help him do it. That was the Law, and the Law was severe. If you went out on the Sabbath day and picked up a few sticks for the fireplace, it wasn't a slap on the wrist, but rather a death penalty. If someone was caught in an act of immorality it wasn't a wink of the eye, it was death! That's how severe the Law was. But we have been set free from all of that because of the finished work of the Cross. But you and I and anyone who has experienced salvation would never realize why we needed salvation if it weren't for the Law.
You can never be saved until you know that you're lost. How do you know that you're lost? Because the Law condemns you. If it weren't for the Law then anybody could say, "Well I'm good enough. and God will accept me." But the Law says you're guilty. There isn't a one of us who hasn't broken the Ten Commandments and we know that. And if we've broken the Ten Commandments what are we? We're Law breakers, and if we're a Law breaker then we're a sinner.
A lot of people have the idea that a sinner is just somebody that is down in the gutter. Somebody who has committed murder or somebody who has been in a house of ill repute, or any of these things that the world looks at as maybe sinful. Listen, good people are sinners, nice people are sinners, church people are sinners, because we're all guilty of having broken God's perfect Law. So then what condemns us? The Law.
"What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. (is the Law something evil or wicked?) Nay, I had not known sin, (or the old sin nature) but by the law, for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." (Romans 7:7) See how simple that is? So it was the Law that condemned Paul, and he thought he was keeping it.
"But sin, (the old sin nature) taking occasion by the commandments, (the Law) wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. (it got his mind just broiling) For without the law sin was dead. (it was inoperative) 9. For I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died."(Romans 7:8-9).
Old Adam woke up and old Adam in Saul's makeup said, "Hey that's me, because I'm a coveter." And then what did he do? “I died.” What does he mean? Well he had to die in the realm of that old Adam who was a Law breaker, and with the death of old Adam, what happened? New life. That's salvation. When our old Adam is put to death because he was a Law breaker and we become a believer in the finished work of the Cross which is the Gospel then we're a new creation, we're alive, we have eternal life. Paul is constantly referring to that. Peter also said that salvation was all Paul talks about in all his epistles.
In this next verse Paul gives his own personal testimony under inspiration of the spirit and it becomes the Word of God. "I am crucified with Christ:..." (Galatians 2:20a).
Paul didn't die on a Roman cross. He died a martyr's death. So what's he's talking about? That day on the road to Damascus when the Lord spoke to him, and literally knocked him to the ground, and in a moment Saul of Tarsus recognized that he was dealing with the ascended Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified One, what happened? Saul died that day, he was crucified in the old Adam, and immediately he became a new man, a new creation.
This is Paul's whole thrust of teaching, that now as believers we have these two forces working within us. God reckons old Adam as absolutely dead, but in experience, oh he's still there. Think about that. As you go through a week of life right here and now where do you run into most of your difficulties? Not Satanic as much as old Adam, he's the one that pops those thoughts in your mind, he's the one that catches us in these moments of weakness, and of course don't take away from Satan's power either. But it's our old Adam that just constantly confronts us to still go the direction of the old Adamic nature. But opposite it we now have that new nature which is energized by the Holy Spirit.
"I am crucified with Christ: (when Christ died that's when we died) nevertheless I live; (physically) yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh (here and now, day by day) I live by the faith (or the faithfulness, He is faithful, He will never let us down.) of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
"I am crucified with Christ;..." That is the very function of the Gospel. That Christ died for the sins of the world, and was buried, and that He arose from the dead. When we come under that forgiveness, we are forgiven everything, past, present, and future. We will never, never come into the presence of God with sin on our back so to speak, because it has all been paid for. We can't understand it, but we believe it because that's what the Bible teaches. We have been forgiven all our trespasses, not because of anything we have done, but all because of what Christ has accomplished on our behalf. And that's what makes the Gospel so simple and yet so complex we'll never understand it this side of glory.
Paul goes on to say that even though he's crucified by identification with Christ's death: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith (faithfulness) of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20).
What is meant by the faithfulness? Christ has claimed to have done everything that's necessary, and we've put our faith in that. Now someday when we get to the eternal abode is God going to say, “Heaven wasn't what it seemed to be?" No way, but rather He's going to say, "The Blood of Christ is faithful, He is faithful." And that's why we can trust Him. So this is what Paul is driving at in verse 20. That it's through the faithfulness, his faith in the one who is faithful to keep us, because He loved me and gave Himself for me. The question isn't how much we love Him, but rather how much He has loved us. And that is made clear in John 11 in the account of Lazarus. All through that chapter it isn't how much Mary and Martha loved Jesus, but how much Jesus loved them.
"Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, `Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.'" (John 11:3).
"Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." (John 11:5).
Then when you come down to the shortest verse John 11:35 "Jesus wept." What did the Jews in that area say? "Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!" (John 11:36).
So it wasn't how much they loved Him, but the other way around. So we must remember that it's not how much we love Him but how much He loves us, and has saved us, and has kept us.
God’s attitude is one of total love and mercy and Grace toward us. He wants nothing but the best for everyone. "Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you; (Their testimony was confirmed, sealed, and settled) 7. So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: (In other words they were potentially able to accomplish great things as anybody could be. Now verse 8) Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 1:6-8)
People like these Corinthians with all of their failures and their weaknesses, that if the Lord would have come within a day or two after having received this letter, would they have stood before God shaking in their boots because of all their failures? No. Paul says, "If the Lord should come they would stand before Him blameless." And we know they weren't blameless. So on what basis could God do that? His Grace.
None of us deserve to remain saved. But we do remain saved because of His Grace if we have been truly saved by His Gospel as outlined in I Corinthians 15:1-4 in the first place. So remember we stand before God blameless and perfect because of the Grace of God. That unmerited favor. That doesn't mean the believer can go out and do as they please. No way. But when the believer is under the power of the Holy Spirit and is living in the light of Scripture to walk pleasing in God's sight, and he fails, does God disown him? No. God doesn't expect us never to fall, and when we do He's right there ready to pick us up and put us on our way.
"I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, (legalism) then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2:21a)
Paul says, "I'm not going to fly in the face of the Grace of God and say, "But I have to do this because this is what the Law says." Today we are not under the Law, but where are we? We are under Grace. What a difference that makes. Grace is that attribute of God that's capable of pouring out undeserved favor and mercy on sinners like you and me, sons of Adam. And all because of the love that was poured out at the Cross. That was love epitomized. That was as great an act of love as has ever been done, and all because He loved you and I as sinners, completely undeserving.
If you can be righteous by legalism then Christ was the biggest fool that ever walked to have gone to that kind of a death if indeed it didn't accomplish that for which He went. But He did accomplish it, it's finished and He did not die in vain. The Book of Galatians is constantly showing the difference between Law and Grace - and how Paul is confronting these little congregations up there in Galatia who were being submarined by the Judaisers who were saying that you can't be saved by Grace alone - but rather you have to keep the Law, and you have to keep circumcision.
We're up against that very thing yet today. Not circumcision, but we've got a couple dozen other things that we add that is just as insidious. They creep into the life of believers and they begin to doubt, and begin to wonder, have I really believed enough? And just as soon as you begin to doubt what does Satan pop into your mind? Well maybe I do have to do this or do that. Now that's the way Satan works, so we have to constantly stay in the Word, believe that it's True, and it is by Grace and Faith Alone!
Paul says, "O foolish Galatians, (why does Paul use the word foolish? Because they were being hoodwinked into thinking they had to add to his Gospel.) who hath bewitched you, (who has been fooling with your thinking?) that ye should not obey the truth, (and what was the truth? Jesus Christ crucified, buried, and risen from the dead plus nothing) before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? (Galatians 3:1)
Here these Judaisers were saying salvation had to be faith plus something. And that's the way it had always been with the exception of Abraham. It was always plus something. Many people would say the Old Testament saints were saved by faith. Yes they were saved by faith, but not faith alone. It was faith plus, and even in Christ's earthly ministry they weren't saved by just believing that He was the Messiah. They had to repent and be baptized, they still had to keep the Law, they were still under Temple worship so it was faith plus something.
But beginning with Paul's Gospel it's faith alone. 90% of Christianity says, "It's Faith plus something." But Paul says it's faith alone for salvation. Carefully note we are not talking about the Christian experience as we go on down the road. We’re talking about salvation here, it's faith alone. If it isn't then Christ died for nothing, and that's what Paul says, when he said then He died in vain.
"This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit (The Holy Sprit. Again the evidence of their salvation) by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Galatians 3:2).
To learn more about the hearing of faith, go to Romans 10 to compare scripture with scripture.
"So then faith (saving faith) cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
Saving faith cometh by hearing. There's no work in hearing, and that's how faith comes. We contemplated it. We recognize that Christ died for me and rose from the dead, and that's all I need. And we believe it, and by believing it then we are listening to the Word of God. Remember all faith is taking God at His Word. God said it and I believe it, and God recognizes it, and on the basis of that He moves in and does everything that needs to be done. That's so simple, and many people can't buy salvation being that easy, but scriptures says, "It's by faith and not the works of the Law."
In Galatians 3:3 it's the same thing only in a little different wording. And why does God repeat this? To show its importance. "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, (the work of the Holy Spirit which generated salvation because of their faith) are ye now made perfect (or made right with God) by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:3). What's the flesh a reference to? The Law. The Law was fleshly, it was weak, it was beggarly. "For when we were in the flesh, (we had no spiritual life) the motions of sins, (the activity of what the Law would condemn us for) which were by the law, did work in our members (this body of flesh) to bring forth fruit unto death, (that is what the unsaved person is living for. All he's living for is the day when he dies physically and the works of his unsaved experience are going to come up before him at the great White Throne Judgment. And the fruit that they're going to have is death!) 6. But (the flip side) now we are delivered from the law, (which was an administration of death) that being dead wherein we were held; (that is the Law) that we should serve (now as believers) in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (the Law)(Romans 7:5-6).
We're not under that Law of the oldness of the letter, we are now in this whole new frame of thinking which is the spiritual realm. And how do we get there? Just by believing the Gospel!
"Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, (that is by believing Paul's Gospel through faith alone) are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (are you now going to move into a deeper spiritual life by the flesh? And what does the flesh want in the Galatian Churches? Legalism, Law. It's just part of that old Adamic Nature to want to be under some kind of a Law.) 4. Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, (Holy Spirit) and worketh miracles among you, (whatever it was) doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Galatians 3:3-5).
To answer that question. They couldn't perform any miracles under the working of Law, it was impossible. But when the Holy Spirit activated the hearts and minds of those pagan Galatians and others throughout the Roman Empire, then what was it? It was a miraculous transformation from paganism with all of it's excesses, with it's idolatry, and it's immorality, and what did they do? They stepped out into a whole new lifestyle. Now that's a miracle enough in itself, and no doubt in the early churches there were other manifestations of the miraculous. Paul doesn't explicitly delineate them, but the question is still the same. If you have witnessed a miracle was it through the keeping of the Law? Or was it through the manifestation of the Holy Spirit Who was activated, how? By Faith Alone! This is the whole theme of the Book of Galatians, so we must not permit ourselves to come under some kind of a works religion!
We always have to realize that these letters of the apostle Paul stand in the center of our New Testament pretty much by themselves because this is the part of the Word that is directed primarily to the Gentile Church, or as Paul puts it, "The Body of Christ!" Never forget that the Old Testament and the Four Gospels and the early chapters of Acts were all directed to the Nation of Israel. But when Israel continued to reject everything and would not believe that Christ was the promised Messiah then God moved in providentially and took away their Temple, took away the city of Jerusalem, uprooted the nation from the land and put them out into the nations of the world in what we call a dispersion.
In I and II Corinthians we saw where Paul had to deal not only with problems in the congregation, but a constant flow of attack on his person. His enemies were always decrying that he was an impostor, and he had something that he had drummed up on his own. They would also say, that he did not have the authority from Peter, James, and John, so remember in those two letters to the Corinthians he was always having to defend his apostleship. Now in Galatians the average reader probably can't discern the difference, but in this Book he's not defending his person so much as he is his doctrine. If you don’t have doctrine, then you have nothing. Today the emphasis is on "experience" and that's well and good as far as that goes, but experience does not set your feet in concrete. It takes doctrine, and that's the primary word as we see it in Galatians. Paul in this Book is refuting false doctrine, and teachings that had crept not only into the Galatians Churches, but every Church that he ever founded. But that problem is not just unique to Paul's day. It has plagued Christianity up through the centuries, and is just a applicable today as it was the day Paul wrote it.
Most congregations today are still making the mistake of mixing Law and Grace. They normally think of legalism as simply the Temple worship, and Judaism. No, legalism comes in all kinds of shapes and forms, and it's always so subtle. You see legalism appeals to the human concept, "I have to do something!" And Paul's doctrine says over and over that, "Do nothing but we rest on and believe in only what God has says. That He has finished it on our behalf, and that of course is the Gospel of our salvation, and that is believing in your heart for salvation, that Jesus died for you, was buried, and rose again plus NOTHING!” (compare I Corinthians 15:1-4 and Romans 10:9-10.
So this little letter of Galatians is to refute false doctrine which was primarily the inroad of legalism. Remember in chapter 3 Paul made the point of the fact that they didn't come into this glorious position that they enjoyed now as believers by Law keeping, but how? By faith. By believing the Gospel.
Again as an illustration of faith Paul goes back to the Old Testament and picks up Abraham once again.
"Even as Abraham believed God, and it (his believing God) was accounted to him for righteousness." (Galatians 3:6) as found in Genesis 12:1.
Consider that statement. Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. How much else did Abraham do? Nothing! He didn't bring a sacrifice, he didn't keep a set of commandments, he didn't get baptized in the river Jordan, he didn't do anything but believed God when He told Abraham to go to a land that he would show him.
To believe in God is what the multitude of people around the world do. If it's not the One True God then they're believing in some god. But on the other hand to believe God then that's faith. When we believe God then we're taking Him at His Word, and we're exercising faith. And that's what God is looking for.
So when Paul again says that we are to believe God as Abraham did that sends us back first to the Book of Romans 4, and after that go all the way back to Genesis and see how all of this has been building.
Remember the Bible is a progressive revelation. In other words what was built back there in the Old Testament has not been set aside, but has rather been built upon, and we're going to reconstruct that shortly, but for now go from the top down instead of from the bottom up, and compare scripture with scripture.
"What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2. For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3. For what saith the scripture? (and that's what counts. It doesn't matter what Paul says, or anyone, but what matters is what does God say, and that of course is where the scripture comes in.) Abraham (believed not in God, but rather) believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." (Romans 4:1-3).
What does that tell you? God said something and Abraham believed it. As we said earlier, faith cometh by hearing. And that says, "that God has to say something before mankind can believe it." So here it is. "Abraham believed God, and it was counted (or imputed) unto him for righteousness."
Book of James Cites the Faith of Abraham
Now that brings to mind another thought when we say that Abraham and we are saved by "Faith Alone? And then the Book of James says, "That if he doesn't see works then he can't see salvation."
We covered this subject earlier, but we can attain a much better understanding by seeing how this all ties in with Abraham. Here is one of those places where the scoffer especially and even a lot of well-meaning Christians will say, "Well the Bible contradicts itself, and I have problems with that." Go to James 2, where we will resolve this.
"Was not Abraham our father (James was a Jew just like Paul) justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?"(James 2:21). (this was some 40 years after the call of Abraham)
Remember God dealt with the faith of Abraham at the very beginning like He does with you and me, or back when Isaac is already on the scene which is some 40 years later. So James isn't talking about a young Abraham being saved by faith, but rather he's talking about something that took place some 40 years later at the offering of Isaac. Abraham was a man of faith long before this incident with Isaac..
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was (his) faith made perfect? 23. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." (James 2:22-24).
Is that a contradiction to what Paul says? On the surface it may seem that way, but you see what is James really looking at? He is looking at the faith of an individual as a Jewish man under the Mosaic law. Now if you and I are to determine whether a person has saving faith or not then what's the only criteria we have for that determination? Their works. But God doesn't need works, God looks on the heart, and so Abraham was saved by faith alone because he didn't have to show works to anybody, he was dealing only with God.
So when someone says, "well the scripture contradicts itself because James says, you can't be saved without works, and Paul says you're saved by faith alone."
James is looking at it from a Law-keeping Jewish point of view that absolutely if there are no works then you and I have no idea that a man has saving faith. But God looks at each of us like He did at Abraham and He sees our faith without works. I don't have to do any works to prove to God that I have faith. But if I want to prove that to my neighbor then I'd better show some works. That is the difference, there is no controversy, no contradiction, but just simply two totally difference events.
"For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it (his believing) was counted unto him for righteousness. 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt." (Romans 4:3-4). Spiritually, we will never put God in our debt, so we can't work for salvation, not one iota.
"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. " (Romans 4:5).
Since Paul cites Abraham as the epitome of faith, go to Genesis 12.. The most important part of the whole Old Testament is the Abrahamic Covenant. It is the very proof benchmark of everything on which you and I rest by faith, and faith alone.
"Now the LORD had said ( in chapter 11) unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: (and then God makes these great covenant promises to him) 2. And I will make of thee a great nation, (the Nation of Israel) and I will bless thee, (materially as well as spiritually) and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee (Abraham) shall all families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12:1-3).
Now go to Genesis 3 to pick up that benchmark of all the families of the earth being blessed. Working from the top down instead of from the bottom up, but here we're coming now all the way from Paul's stipulation that as Abraham believed God so this is where we are with like faith today. Then as faith was that which imputed righteousness unto Abraham, and that through him all the families of the earth would be blessed, then in chapter 3 we find that Adam and Eve have just eaten of the fruit, and have totally plunged the whole human race under the curse. And here is a covenant that God makes with Adam. In this covenant God is promising all the ramifications of the curse, and how that everything would come under the curse. But in the very center of this covenant is the promise of a Redeemer.
" And I will put enmity between thee (Satan whom He's addressing) and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; (here we pick up the seed of the woman from this who is Christ. Then there would be a running battle between Satan and Christ) it (the seed of the woman, Christ) shall bruise thy (Satan's) head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15).Satan accomplished that when he cause the suffering of Christ at Calvary.
In Genesis 3 that we find God is going to promise a Redeemer through the woman. On that promise God builds the Abrahamic Covenant that it's going to be through this man and his offspring that the Seed of the woman would come.
In Genesis 3 God promised Adam that one day the Seed of the woman would one day defeat sin, death, and Satan. Abraham is now given the promise that this Seed of the woman would come through his lineage through the Nation of Israel. So the Abrahamic Covenant then becomes the very foundation of everything as we come on up into the New Testament and the appearance of Christ and His earthly ministry, His rejection by Israel, and then we move on into the Church Age after the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. So all of our foundations of faith, not only the how, but also the why all rests on what God promised Abraham.
Recall the last part of the Abrahamic Covenant was that in thee (Abraham) would all the families of the earth be blessed. That comes primarily through Christ, the Seed of the woman coming through the seed of Abraham. It is also a result of what God promised through the apostle Paul in Romans 11, which is an account of how Israel had rejected everything and God is going to literally strip the branches from the tree which is Israel that is rooted in Abraham, and He's going to graft in the Gentiles. This all ties together.
"For if the casting away of them (the Jew, the Nation of Israel) be the reconciling of the world, (the whole world.) what shall the receiving of them (the Nation of Israel) be, but life from the dead? " (Romans 11:15).
Also recall in Ezekiel 37 and 38 how that that valley of dry bones was shaking and finally came together, and finally the flesh came on along with the skin, and finally one day in the future the nation is going to experience life. What is it but life from the dead. .
"For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. (but Israel didn't appreciate that position, and so God broke them off) 17. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; " (Romans 11:16-17).
What's the analogy? When Israel rejected everything and God turned to the Gentiles through the apostle Paul and began to call out the Body of Christ what made it possible? As he removed Israel from feeding on the root and the fatness of their father Abraham, who has he now put in their place? The Gentiles. And so here we are, the whole Gentile world now in this place of privilege, this place of blessing that Israel had enjoyed all through the Old Testament.
But just because Israel was resting on the root and fatness of Abraham, the man of faith, did that automatically make every Jew a believer? No ! Most of them weren't. And it's the same way with the Gentiles. Here we are as Gentiles nations of the world. Everyone is in that place of privilege, and blessing and an opportunity to hear the Gospel and be saved. But that doesn't mean that every Gentile is going to be saved. It means that every Gentile has an opportunity. Every Gentile is going to be held responsible when they come to that Great White Throne Judgment as lost persons.
They're not going to be able to say, " I never had a chance." God's going to say, "Oh yes you did. You rested on the root of Abraham. You had just as much opportunity as the covenant people Israel did of the past, but you didn't take advantage of it, you refused it." Remember, when Christ died, how many sins of the world did He take care of? All of them! Every human being that has ever lived has already been declared reconciled so far as God is concerned. They've been pardoned so far as God is concerned, but until they appropriate it with the kind of faith that Abraham had which was a relatively simple faith, then it's all for nothing. God doesn't look for someone who knows the Bible from cover to cover before he can be saved. God isn't looking for some primary example of Holy living before he can save.
"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." (Romans 4:5). That's where God works.
Our salvation rests on nothing that we can do in the flesh, but it is all resting on the finished work of the Cross through His death, burial, and resurrection, and now we appropriate it by faith. Then after we have received salvation, then yes we move into an area of service and rewards, whatever you put on it. But not for salvation.
"Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, (in other words those of us who have entered into a salvation experience by faith only) the same are the children (or the sons) of Abraham."(Galatians 3:7).
Here Paul is saying we have entered in the faith way plus nothing the same way that Abraham did, and so consequently we are spiritually connected to this man Abraham.
God in His infinite Sovereign Grace was promising Abraham two different groups of people that would be connected to him. Naturally the dust of the earth was his earthly offspring who came by the sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. When God brings him out and tells him to look toward the heavens, now God is talking about a heavenly connection.
Keep in mind that we have two concepts in Scripture, "The earthly people Israel and The heavenly people of the Body of Christ who are the Church." And Abraham is being promised a connection to both of them. He will have an earthly progeny which was the children of Israel, but he's also going to have a heavenly progeny which are those who have entered in like he did by faith, and faith alone.
So you have this two-fold promise the Nation of Israel which would be earthly, but also a group out there some place who would be connected to him only in the realm of the spiritual. We become members of the Body of Christ that is being called out by faith alone! Abraham also became the Friend of God and his righteousness because of his faith plus nothing ! This was done just by believing what God said.
Here we see Abraham received eternal life the same way the Church age believer does, we all came in the same way. But what about the people back with Adam, Abel, Seth, Noah, and all the way up to Abraham, how did they come into a right relationship with God? Was it by faith alone? No way, but rather it was faith plus sacrifice. They couldn't approach God without the sacrifice. Coming up to the Cross even in Christ's earthly ministry, did Jesus ever teach the concept of a salvation by faith and faith alone. No. What were they to do? Jesus told them to keep the Law of Moses, which meant keeping the responsibility of repentance and water baptism, plus their faith. But faith alone wouldn't cut it. Even in the early chapters of Acts, it wasn't just faith and faith alone. They had to repent and be baptized, and that was a requirement. It wasn't just empty words, but a requirement.
Then along comes the apostle Paul with faith alone, and this is why he had so much opposition. Just as surely as Abraham was saved by faith alone when he believed God when He told him to go to a land that He would show him. We, in the Body of Christ, are saved by faith alone when we believe God as he tells us to believe the Gospel for salvation in I Corinthians 15:1-4. So by the basis of faith alone Abraham had imputed righteousness, you and I as members of the Body of Christ have also imputed righteousness, and that makes us just like Abraham.
"So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." (Galatians 3:9). So Abraham was the friend of God. You and I as believers are the friends of God. We're no longer enemies. And all because of our faith in what He has said and what He has said concerns that which He had accomplished in the work of the Cross.
So all the purposes of God are coming to fruition in this glorious age of Grace. Not only do we not have to keep the Law, but as a result of our salvation experience, God gives us something 10,000 times better than the Ten Commandments and what is it? The Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit becomes our guideline, not the Ten Commandments. So when I say we're not under the Law, that doesn't mean that you ignore the fact that it's wrong to kill and steal, because the Holy Spirit is going to show us that, and that's the whole difference. In fact go to Romans chapter 7, which says it so beautifully.
"But now (Paul lays it out how it has been, and then he uses the flip side, but now) we are delivered from the law, (as Grace age believers) that being dead (spiritually) wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, (What's the newness of the spirit? The Holy Spirit that guides and directs us, and remember the Holy Spirit never instructs someone to do something that is contrary to the Law. The Holy Spirit will never tell someone to go commit adultery, or steal, or kill, or covet, or do anything wrong.) and not in the oldness of the letter."(Romans chapter 7:6). The oldness of the letter was the Law. We're no longer under the Law, but rather Grace, and the Holy Spirit takes the place of the Law.
“That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit (how?) through faith." (Galatians 3:14). Has there ever been a man more blessed than Abraham? Probably not, unless it would be the apostle Paul, but you see the apostle Paul didn't get through it as easy as Abraham did. Paul suffered so much just like the scriptures says he would. He suffered so for the sake of the Gospel to get it out to the ends of the Roman Empire. What a lesson, when you see all the immoral remains of that Roman Empire, and to think that that man was in the midst of it constantly, and yet never letting it turn his mind aside, he just preached the Gospel.
For by grace you are saved by faith, without any works of the Law, that's a gift of God that was all part and parcel of that whole plan of redemption that yes we have eternal salvation, but we also have the indwelling Holy Spirit.
"But without faith it is impossible to please him..."
(Hebrews 11:6a)