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Author: Will

Romans 4:11 – Signed and Sealed

Posted on January 4, 2010 by Will

Romans 4:11

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also,

Truth to Learn

Abraham’s circumcision was a seal of his righteousness.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “sign” is sēmeion, which means “a sign, a mark, or a token.” The same word is used of Jesus who performed many signs in the form of miracles which “marked” Him as the true Messiah.

“Seal” is translated from the Greek word sphragis, which means, “a signet or a seal which is used as an indication of genuineness.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous two verses we learned that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousness while he was still uncircumcised. As noted in the previous verse study, it was probably about 15 years after his experience of faith that God reaffirmed His covenant with Abram (exalted father), renamed him Abraham (father of a multitude), and commanded him to circumcise himself and every male in his household who was at least 8 days old (read Genesis 17 for the details).

Why was there such a lengthy period between Abram’s being declared righteous and Abraham receiving the sign of circumcision? Perhaps God did this so that there would be no doubt that faith was imputed well before circumcision. And, according to this verse, circumcision was given to Abraham as a sign that he had a special covenant relationship with God.

In the current verse we see that it was also given to Abraham as a “seal.” It was God’s guarantee that He had proclaimed Abraham righteous through faith. That makes Abraham the spiritual father of everyone who believes without being circumcised.

This righteousness, which God declares for a person as a result of faith, comes regardless of whether a person is circumcised or not. Based on Paul’s line of reasoning and the carefully laid argument and evidence that he has just placed before the predominantly Jewish Christians in Rome, there is no way they could ever again insist that a person had to become a Jew and be circumcised in order to become a Christian.

One more thing to notice from Genesis 17:1: when God gave Abraham the sign of circumcision, he also commanded Abraham to be “perfect” (“blameless” in some translations). The Hebrew word tamiym means “to be without blemish” or “to be morally clean.” This was not commanded of him until well after he was declared righteous. In other words, Abraham didn’t earn his righteousness by being morally pure; it was commanded of him after he was declared righteous. This is another piece of evidence that we don’t earn our salvation (righteousness), it is given to us!

Application

Righteousness and moral purity are things that God expects of us. But, as long as we have this sin nature we will never be righteous or morally pure by ourselves. Praise God that He declares us righteous when we believe the good news about Christ’s sacrifice for us. And He gets all the glory!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 4:10 – Before or After

Posted on January 3, 2010 by Will

Romans 4:10

How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised.

Truth to Learn

Obedience to God is the result of faith, not the cause of it.

Behind the Words

“While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised?” could more literally be translated as “Being in circumcision or uncircumcision?”

Meaning Explained

Remember Paul’s question? “Is the blessedness of God, who does not impute sin, something that only those who keep the law can experience, or is it something that those who don’t keep the Law but simply believe in God’s promise can obtain?”

He now asks another rhetorical question with a potentially startling answer. “When was the righteousness imputed to Abraham? Was it imputed to him while he was circumcised or was it before he was circumcised?”

Do you see why this is such an important question? If Abraham was declared righteous after he obeyed God by circumcising himself and his household, then it can be argued that he was declared righteous as a result of being obedient, that is, by works of righteousness. But… if Abraham was declared righteous before he was obedient, then his circumcision had nothing to do with his being declared righteous. That’s why Paul asks, “Was this crediting of righteousness to Abraham done while he was circumcised or uncircumcised?” Let’s look and see. In Genesis fifteen God declared Abraham (then called Abram) righteous. He was about 84 years old at the time:

And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. (Genesis 15: 6)

Then in Genesis chapter seventeen Abraham was circumcised:

Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. (Genesis 17:24)

The answer is that Abraham was declared righteous about thirteen years before he was circumcised. He was declared righteous as a result of faith, not as a result of obedience! He didn’t earn it; it was freely given to him.

Likewise, we are saved by faith and by faith alone. It has nothing to do with any act or deed on our part. We don’t have to obey any laws or rules or set of standards to be saved. In fact, we don’t do anything ourselves. We simply believe God’s promise! That’s what Paul meant in Ephesians 2:8, 9 when he said,

For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Obedience comes after salvation as a result of our freedom; it is not the cause of our salvation or our freedom!

Application

If you believe that you’re a Christian because you belong to a church and have gone through their “process,” then you may not be saved. However, if you believe that you are a sinner and that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross to pay for your sins, then you definitely are saved.

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 5:4 – Rejoice in Hope

Posted on January 1, 2010 by Will

Romans 5:4

and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Truth to Learn

Difficulties should give us hope and assurance of our salvation.

Behind the Words

“Character” is translated from the Greek word dokimē, which is derived from the verb dokimadzō, meaning “to test for the purpose of finding good.” It is the word used of testing gold to ascertain its value. Hence, dokimē refers to the quality that a person has after they have been tested and proven to be good or worthy. In that sense it means “proof of genuineness, trustworthiness or character (as it is translated here).”

This word “hope” is from a Greek word that we have looked at recently. It is the word elpida, which is a form of elpis, meaning “the desire of obtaining something good with the full expectation of obtaining it.” It is the type of hope that Christians have of being resurrected to eternal life. We certainly desire it and we have full expectation that it will happen because God has promised it to us.

Meaning Explained

Paul has been describing for us the effects of the justification we have through grace. One effect is that we have peace with God. Another is that we have access into grace, that is the throne of grace and the eternal effects of grace by which we have access to the mercy and presence of God. Also, because of our justification by grace, we rejoice in tribulation, which produces patience in us.

Paul now tells us that the patience we develop in times of tribulation, as it gets reinforced over and over again, produces character. Patiently enduring tribulation is a proof to us that the righteousness that God has bestowed on us is genuine.

This character, or proof of genuineness, then creates hope in us. Hence, the patient enduring of tribulation produces a proof of the genuineness of our faith (our righteousness) and knowing that this is genuine, we have a confident expectation that what God has promised He will certainly do.

If you think about it, believing His promise is what we did initially that resulted in God declaring us righteous. So, patiently enduring tribulation strengthens our faith. That’s why we can rejoice in tribulation! It is through tribulation and trials that our faith grows and we are being made more Christ-like.

In a sense, the trials that continually come our way are a confirmation that our salvation is real. And, as we encounter trials, we turn to our Heavenly Father for strength and wisdom, thus drawing us closer to Him. God does not isolate His children from difficulties; He graciously allows trials to help us grow.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul tells us that God will continue His work on us until the day He comes back:

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ; (Philippians 1:6)

Application

The next time you go through a difficult situation (perhaps it’s right now), be patient. Give thanks to God that He loves you and wants you to grow stronger, becoming more like Christ. And, when these trials come, rejoice!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Galatians 3:26 – Heirs by Faith

Posted on November 15, 2007 by Will

Galatians 3:26

²⁶For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Truth to Learn

We who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are given a legal status of inheritors of God, not because of adherence to a set of rules, but because of faith.

Behind the Words

The word translated “sons” is a form of the Greek word “huios” which refers to an offspring or a descendent. It is different from the Greek word “teknon,” which refers to a child, in that “huios” generally refers to a legally grown son who no longer needs a pedagogue and is now in a position to inherit.

The term “sons,” though a masculine pronoun, is used in this case in the generic sense of children (male and female).

Meaning Explained

If you read the preceding verses carefully you will notice that Paul had been using the first person pronouns “we,” “our,” and “us” but he now changes to “you.” The use of the first person pronouns was a reference to those who were under the condemnation and guidance of the law (Jews). Though they were direct descendents of Abraham, they couldn’t inherit the promises. The change to “you” (second person plural) is specifically a reference to those who are of the faith, that is, Christians. We are God’s grown children.

The Jews believed that because they were direct descendents of Abraham, they were in a privileged position with God. But though they are descendents of Abraham, they were still under the guardianship of the Law. They were, in a sense, spiritual minors, not yet “of age.” But Christians, rather than being sons of Abraham, are sons of God according to Paul. And not mere descendents, but legally mature inheritors. We don’t need a pedagogue to lead us to the truth because we now believe the truth.

The distinction will become more apparent in the next chapter of this letter where Paul will tell us:

Galatians 4:1, 2 ¹Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, ²but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.

Those who are under the Law of Moses are little children, no different that a slave. But we, as sons of God, are now in a privileged position that allows us to inherit the promises of God.

Granted, there are a lot of Christians who aren’t very mature spiritually. But in God’s legal system we Christians are all grown-up children who can legally inherit from our Father.

So What?

The world often uses the term “children of God” in reference to all of mankind. In God’s record book, however, only those who have their sins paid for, through faith in Jesus Christ, are true children of His.

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Galatians 3:25 – No More Guide

Posted on November 13, 2007 by Will

Galatians 3:25

²⁵But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Truth to Learn

Once we are saved, we no longer need the Law of Moses to be our guard or our guide.

Behind the Words

“after faith has come” is the translation of “elthousēs tēs pisteōs.” The word “tēs” is the definite article for faith (pisteōs) and as we saw in Galatians 3:23 this means that Paul is talking about “the faith,” that is, faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, not faith in general. The word “elthousēs” is an aorist participle of “erchomai” which means to come or to go. The significance of the aorist participle is that it refers to action that was happening in the past but is now completed. To put this all in perspective, this verse could be translated as “But the faith having come, we are no longer under a tutor.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse we learned that the Law of Moses acted both as mankind’s prison guard, constantly reminding us of our sinfulness, and mankind’s guide, leading us to faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The law, with all its rites and ceremonies, required the blood of a sacrificial lamb to atone for sins. Not only did this make those under the law keenly aware of their own sinfulness and need for atonement, but it was the very picture of Jesus Christ as the sacrificial Lamb of God.

Now that the Lamb of God has been slain and His blood applied to cover our sins we can appropriate that blood payment for our own sins. We who have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (the faith having come) no longer need to have the guide (tutor).

The Christians in the churches of Galatia had been led astray by the false teachers into believing that they had to obey some of the commandments and practices of the Mosaic Law in order to be completely saved. They were being taught that circumcision and subjection to the law were required for salvation.

But, now that Paul has shown them the purposes of the Law of Moses, which have been fully accomplished in Christ, the Galatians could clearly see that they have been led astray by the false teachers.

So What?

Are you being told by your church that you have to be baptized in a certain way to be saved? Are you being told that if you are not a member of their church then you aren’t really a Christian? Are you being taught that you have to complete a set of classes and partake of the “Sacraments” in order to be acceptable to God? These are all false teachings. Do you recall what God said to Abraham?

Genesis 15:5, 6 ⁵Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” ⁶And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

Abraham simply believed and he was declared righteous. When we believe the gospel of Jesus Christ we, too, are declared righteous. Nothing more is needed!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 3:24 – Personal Guide

Posted on November 12, 2007 by Will

Galatians 3:24

²⁴Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Truth to Learn

The law not only acted as our prison guard in the past, but it also served as our guide, bringing us to faith in Christ.

Behind the Words

“Therefore” is translated from the Greek word “hōste” which is often translated as therefore but actually means, so too.

The word translated “tutor” is “paidagōgos” from which we get our English word pedagogue. This is a compound word made up of “pais,” meaning a child and a form of “agōgos” which means a leader. So, literally it means one who leads children. Originally it referred to a slave who took young boys from home to school and back. Later, though, it came to mean an instructor or “ teacher.

The word translated “was” is not the normal Greek verb of being. It is a form of the word, “ginomai” which means to cause to exist or to become. It is used here in the perfect tense which indicates past completed action with a continuous ongoing effect. The emphasis of the perfect tense, however, is on the effect. In this instance, it means that the law has now become our instructor or, literally “the law has become the one who leads us.”

Meaning Explained

In the past few verses Paul told us that we were imprisoned by the scriptures because of our sinfulness and kept under guard by the law until saving faith in the blood of Christ came along. We are now told, “So too, the law has become our child leader to bring us to Christ, …” Not only was the law our guard, making sure that we did not escape the realization of our sinfulness, but it also has served to lead us like little children to faith in Jesus Christ.

The result being, because of our believing God’s promises concerning the death and resurrection of His son, God has now declared us to be righteous. That is, we are now “justified by faith.”

Paul’s point in this section of his letter to the Galatians is that trying to observe the law can not produce righteousness because the law is condemning and enslaving. It was implemented to show us how sinful we really are. But it also was implemented to lead us to the awareness of, recognition of, and belief in Jesus the Christ, the Messiah. And through this faith in Christ we are declared righteous by God and set free from the condemnation of the law.

So What?

Now that we have been declared righteous and set free from the condemnation of the law, how can anyone think that returning to obedience of the law can add anything to the righteousness and freedom that we now have?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 3:23 – Liberating Faith

Posted on November 11, 2007 by Will

Galatians 3:23

²³But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.

Truth to Learn

The purpose of the Law was to demonstrate our own sinfulness and our inability to become righteous through its observance. Now that Christ has come and offered Himself, we are no longer bound and kept under guard by the Law.

Behind the Words

The word translated “faith” has the definite article in the Greek. Hence it refers to “the faith.” This is a reference to faith in Christ as the specific faith rather than faith in general.

The word translated “we were kept in custody” is “ephrouroumetha” which means to be kept under guard or under custody. This is a continuation of the imagery that Paul used in the previous verse when he said we were “confined in sin.” It is a picture of someone who is imprisoned and kept under constant watch to ensure there is no escape. Under this imprisonment we were “shut up.” This is a word that we looked at in the previous verse meaning “enclosed as in a prison.”

The expression “to the faith” in the latter half of this verse is from the Greek, “eis tēn pistin.” The Greek word “eis” means into or unto but it also carries the idea of for. In this case it likely means that we were shut up in preparation for the faith to be revealed.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse we learned that scripture has declared us all to be sinners so that we are imprisoned by our inability to earn our righteousness. Paul continues on with this analogy by declaring that until faith in Christ came along we were kept under guard in our imprisonment by the Law.

The purpose for this imprisonment was not to prevent us from obtaining righteousness but to keep us aware of our sinfulness until righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ came along. At the time the Law was delivered to the Israelites they were already looking for a Messiah but the “Anointed One” that they were expecting was a conquering, liberating ruler. Before He could come as a King, however, the Messiah had to come as a sacrificial Lamb. This is the Lamb that Abraham was speaking of when he told his son Isaac:

Genesis 22:8a ⁸And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.”

Now that the Lamb has come and has been sacrificed for us we are no longer kept under guard by the Law. The Law no longer has that purpose. Belief that the blood of Christ paid for our sins now liberates us from the Law.

So What?

Do you want to be free? Trying to obey the Law or any other set of rules produces imprisonment. Only the truth about the Lamb of God frees us from the Law and sin.

John 8:32 ³²And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 3:22 – Imprisoned by Sin

Posted on November 8, 2007 by Will

Galatians 3:22

²² But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Truth to Learn

Scripture has declared that all of us are trapped by sinfulness. Since we can’t earn our righteousness by obeying a set of rules, we have to rely on the goodness and grace of God.

Behind the Words

The verb translated “has confined” is “sunekleisen,” which is a compound word made up of “sun” meaning together and a form of “kleio” meaning to shut up or to enclose. Hence, it means to confine together as if in a prison. The same word is used in Luke 5:6 where it is translated as “enclosed.”

Luke 5:6 ⁶When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break;

All of the fish which they caught were confined together by the net just as we are confined, or imprisoned, by Scripture.

Meaning Explained

Once again Paul is personifying the Scripture. That is, he is giving it personal attributes and abilities, whereas in reality it is God who is doing the action. He tells us that Scripture has enclosed us, like in a prison, because we are all sinners. Paul is likely referring to:

Psalms 14:2-3 ²The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. ³They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

This is repeated again in the New Testament in:

Romans 3:10-12 ¹⁰As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; ¹¹There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. ¹²They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.”

And, in that same letter Paul tells the Romans, as he does the Galatian Christians here, that we are imprisoned by our sin:

Romans 11:32 ³²For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.

But why would God allow all of mankind to be imprisoned by sin? Because God wants the promise of eternal life, the covenant of righteousness, the blessing of salvation, to be a gift from Him to us. Do you see it? Paul is making it clear once again that we can’t earn our righteousness. We can’t perform acts of obedience or acts of contrition that will earn us righteousness. If we could earn it by obedience, then obeying the Law would be able to produce righteousness, but it can’t.

The promise of eternal life, the covenant of righteousness, is a one-sided contract with God as the only signatory. He gives us eternal life, not because we have done anything to earn it, but because He wants us to know how merciful and gracious He is.

So What?

Has Paul convinced you yet? There is nothing that you can do to earn your salvation. If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for your sins, then God has declared you righteous and eternal life is promised to you. Period!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Galatians 3:21 – Bad Law?

Posted on November 7, 2007 by Will

Galatians 3:21

²¹Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.

Truth to Learn

The Law of Moses is not contrary to the promises of God, but it is still not possible to obtain righteousness by obeying the Law.

Behind the Words

The expression “Certainly not!” that Paul uses in this verse is one which he uses frequently in answer to rhetorical questions. It is translated from the Greek, “mē genoito” which could very easily be translated into our vernacular as, “No way!”

Meaning Explained

Paul has presented a very strong case as to why salvation is not dependent on fulfilling any part of the requirements of the Law of Moses. This has been his objective since the beginning of this letter to the Galatian Christians; however, many of the converts throughout Galatia, like many in the first century church as a whole, were converts from Judaism. They grew up being taught that God required all Jews to obey the Law. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for these Jewish converts to think that the Law which they grew up with is contrary to the faith that they now hold. So, in anticipation of their objection, Paul now presents the question that they would likely pose so that he can answer it: “Is the Law of Moses contrary to God’s promises through faith?”

He answers his own question with a very familiar expression of his: “No way!” The Law of Moses is as good as a law can be. It is good, and pure, and true, but it is not capable of giving eternal life because no man (except the incarnate Son of God) can be justified by perfect obedience to it. The Law of Moses was as well adapted to justification by obedience as a law could be. Its demands are as just and its terms as favorable as any of the terms of mere law could be.

Because we have a sin nature, we will all break at least some part of the law. And, as James told us:

James 2:10 ¹⁰For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

Therefore, no one can be justified by the Law of Moses. The fact that no one can be justified by the pure law revealed on Mount Sinai forever settles the question about the possibility of being justified by any law or set of rules.

So What?

The Law of Moses, presented to the children of Israel on Mount Sinai detailing how we should live with one another and how we should behave before our God, is the best set of guidelines ever given to man. Obeying these guidelines, or any other set of rules and regulations, cannot make a person righteous in God’s eyes.

The only ones who can stand in the presence of God Almighty are those whom God Himself has declared righteous, and that only happens by faith.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 3:20 – One Sided Agreement

Posted on November 6, 2007 by Will

Galatians 3:20
²⁰Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.

Truth to Learn

The law of Moses was delivered through a mediator but we’re incapable of keeping our end of the agreement. The only way we can obtain righteousness is if God is the only one involved in the agreement. He always keeps His promises.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “mediator” is “mesitēs,” which literally means one who is in the middle. In this case it refers to one who is a moderator or mediator between two parties. And it is required of the mediator that he has the best interests of both parties in mind. In the previous verse this word is used in reference to Moses as the mediator with respect to the Law between God and man.

Meaning Explained

A mediator has to have two parties to mediate between, but our agreement of righteousness only involves God. We know that Moses was the mediator between God and man in delivering the law to the Israelites. The Israelites could not stand in God’s presence without being killed. In fact, they could not even touch Mount Sinai while the law was being delivered to Moses or they would be killed (Exodus chapters 19 and 20). Moses’ mediation was necessary for the delivery of the law. But, as we have seen in the previous verses, the purpose of the law was to show man how sinful he is, and as Paul has pointed out, Abraham was declared righteous by God long before the law existed.

The covenant, or the contract, between God and Abraham was all the work of God without a mediator. It was promised and reckoned to Abraham with God as the only party involved. It did not require Abraham to do anything in return. Hence, there was only one contracting party. And, if there was only one contracting party, and He made an unconditional promise requiring nothing from the other party, there was no need of a mediator. The fact that the law required a mediator implied that those under the law must keep their part of the agreement.

Paul’s point is this: with a mediator, both parties have to uphold their end of the agreement. With respect to the law, we can’t fulfill our obligation; therefore, the law can never be the means of righteousness. Righteousness can only come as a result of a covenant of promise executed by God alone. He will always uphold His end of the agreement.

So What?

We can’t make any “deal” with God in order to secure our salvation because, as sinners, we can’t keep our end of the agreement. Trying to keep the law to become righteous is futile because we can’t keep our end of the bargain. In the same way, trying to obey a set of church rules is futile. The only way to have a covenant of righteousness between us and God is if that agreement is dependent on God alone.

That’s called grace!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –