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Romans 4:14 – Precious Promise

Posted on January 7, 2010 by Will

Romans 4:14

For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect,

Truth to Learn

Righteousness comes either by faith or by works, not both.

Behind the Words

The word translated “void” is kenoō, which means “to make empty, to neutralize, or to make false.” It is expressed here in the passive voice indicating what is done to faith.

“Made of no effect” is translated from the Greek word katargeō. This is made up of kata, used as an intensifier and argeō, meaning “to be idle.” Hence it means “to render totally inactive, to be completely idle, or to become absolutely useless.” It is expressed here in the passive voice indicating what is done to the promise.

Meaning Explained

Paul now argues the other side of the fence. Having shown that it is through faith that God reckons righteousness, he now makes a counter statement regarding righteousness through obedience.

He says that if righteousness, being an heir of the world (which was promised to Abraham), is achieved by obedience (obeying the law or any other set of rules), then nothing is accomplished by faith, and God’s promise is useless. After all, what value is there in a promised gift to someone if someone else can attain the same thing by working for it?

Do you understand? What value is there in a promise regarding any unearned future gift if that same thing can be earned? Paul says it makes faith “void.” That is, faith would become void of any meaning, hollow, and empty if righteousness can be earned by works. Not only that, but Paul says that the promise that God made to Abraham would be “of no effect.” It would become absolutely useless and serve no purpose at all.

What Paul is demonstrating is how righteousness by faith and righteousness by obedience are complete opposites. You can’t have both and you can’t have a combination of the two, it has to be one or the other. Either a person is made righteous by obedience or he is made righteous by faith. This is particularly significant when you consider what Paul told us previously:

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

Faith is a matter of believing, while obedience to the law is a matter of doing. Since none of us is righteous based on our doing (works), our only hope for righteousness (and salvation) is through faith. This renders that righteousness very precious because it can’t be earned; it can only be given to us:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (Ephesians 2:8)

Let’s thank God for this precious righteousness by faith!

Application

If you believe that Christ’s death on the cross paid for your sins, then God has declared you to be righteous; you are saved from your sins. How precious does that salvation feel now?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

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Romans 4:13 – Promise Received through Faith

Posted on January 6, 2010 by Will

Romans 4:13

For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Truth to Learn

God’s promise of salvation is based on faith, not obedience.

Behind the Words

The word translated “promise” is epangelia, which is made up of epi, used as an intensifier, and angelō, meaning “to tell” or “to declare.” Hence, epangelia refers to “a message, a summons, or a promise.”

“Heir” is from the Greek word klēronomos, which is made up of klēros, meaning “a lot” or “a die” and a form of nemō, meaning “to have in one’s possession” or “to distribute.” This word is a reference to the person who possesses the right to receive an inheritance.

Meaning Explained

Paul is covering all the bases, making sure that the Christians in Rome who are predominantly Jewish have no way to twist what he is saying into anything resembling “righteousness through obedience.” This verse says something a little bit different from what we found back in verse 10. That verse had to do with righteousness being imputed as a result of faith. This verse is talking about the promises that God made to Abraham. These promises include:

· Gen 12:2 – that God would make of Abraham a great nation

· Gen 12:3 – that in him all the families of the earth should be blessed

· Gen 15:5 – that his descendents should be as numerous as the stars

· Gen 17:5 – that he should be the father of many nations

It is probably this last promise to which Paul is specifically referring when he says that “… he would be the heir of the world.”

His point is that this promise was made to Abraham through the righteousness that comes from faith, not from obedience to the Law. In fact, if you read the Old Testament carefully you will discover that the Law of Moses came some 300 years after Abraham died. Hence, not only was he declared righteous through faith (just as we are declared righteous by faith) but the great promises that were made to Abraham (like the promises that are made to us) were given to him in faith, not obedience. That is, Abraham didn’t have to be obedient in order to receive the promises, he simply had to believe.

In a similar manner, the promises made to us concerning our salvation are not dependent on us being obedient before or after we are saved, they are based solely on our “once for all time” saving faith. In other words, there is no sin that we can commit that will prevent God’s promises from being fulfilled if we have truly accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior!

These promises are based on faith, not obedience! Hallelujah!

Application

Perhaps you are convinced now that you can’t earn your salvation. But do you realize that you can’t keep your salvation (receive God’s promise to you) by obedience either?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

Romans 4:12 – Abraham’s Faithful Footsteps

Posted on January 5, 2010 by Will

Romans 4:12

and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

Truth to Learn

Circumcision doesn’t matter. Faith matters.

Behind the Words

The word translated “father” is patēr, which means “father, ancestor, mentor, or model.” Hence, it can be used in a literal sense or it can be used in a figurative sense as it is in this verse.

“Walk” is the Greek verb stoicheō. It is based on the noun stoichos, which is a military term meaning “a row, a rank, or a line.” Hence, stoicheō means “to advance in rows or ranks” or “to walk in an orderly manner.”

The word translated “steps” is ichnos, which refers to “the sole of the foot.” By application it refers to a footstep or the impression left by the sole of the foot. Figuratively, it refers to the example that someone else has set for us to follow.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul said that Abraham, through his righteousness of faith, became the father of those who believe even though they are uncircumcised. What Paul means is that Abraham became a father figure to them; that is, an example to all non-Jews. In this way, all non-Jewish people can share in the fatherhood of Abraham, figuratively speaking, through the same kind of faith.

In the current verse the wording of the translation makes it a little hard to understand. Here’s another way of wording what Paul is saying in this verse:

And the father of circumcision to those who are not just circumcised but who are also walking in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham while (he was still) in uncircumcision.

You can see from this wording that Paul is making the point that Abraham also is a father figure to the circumcised. Not to all the circumcised, just to those who (like the uncircumcised of the previous verse) have a saving faith like Abraham did. Paul is not talking about the literal fatherhood (ancestor) of Abraham, but the figurative fatherhood. And he’s not the figurative father of those who simply follow his example of circumcision, but of those who follow his example of faith.

In other words, it is not obedience to the Law or to any other set of rules that produces righteousness. It is the faith that produces righteousness. And, as we said in the previous verse, the point is that faith came well before obedience and as a result of that faith, we all (Jews and Gentiles) can look to Abraham as our spiritual, believing father figure.

Application

It doesn’t matter what color your skin is, whether you are male or female, tattooed or not. It doesn’t matter whether your parents are rich of poor and it doesn’t matter whether you are Asian, African, Caucasian, Baltic, Australian, Indo-European, or Inuit. What matters is that you are following in Abraham’s footsteps, in that you believe Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for your sins! Period!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

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,

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

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,

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

Romans 4:9 – Righteous Without Surgery

Posted on December 17, 2009 by admin

Romans 4:9

Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.

Truth to Learn

We can receive the same blessedness that Abraham enjoyed through faith.

Behind the Words

“Blessedness” is from makarismos, which we looked at in verse six, meaning “possessing the fullness of God’s favor.”

“Circumcised” is from the Greek word peritomē, which is a compound word made up of peri, meaning “around” and a form of the verb temnō, meaning “to cut or to cut off.” Hence, this word refers to a circular cutting off of the foreskin.

The word “uncircumcised” is translated from akrobustia, which is made up of akron, meaning “the tip” and a form of the verb buō, meaning “to cover.” Therefore, this word refers to someone who has not had his foreskin cut off.

We can see from these two words, that a literal interpretation would be “round cuts” for those who are circumcised and “tip covers” to refer to those who are not. Though this sounds peculiar to us, it is much the same type of imagery that was used to describe American Indians as “red skins” because of the reddish color of their skin. Given that Paul is specifically talking about the practice of keeping the law with regard to circumcision as it relates to salvation, however, “circumcised” and “uncircumcised” are the best translations of these words.

Meaning Explained

Paul has been quoting from the book of Psalms where David declared the blessedness of the person to whom God will not impute (mark to his account) sin. This blessedness is a characteristic of every person who has saving faith. In Noah’s case it was the belief that God was going to bring a flood. In Abraham’s case is was belief that God was going to give him a son in his old age. In our case it is the belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He died on the cross to pay for our sins. In each of these examples, it is faith that is accounted for righteousness in God’s record book.

Paul, referring to the blessedness described by David, now asks the Jewish Christians in Rome a pivotal question. Remember, the Jews of the early church still believed that you had to keep the law and be a devout Jew before you could become a Christian. They believed that all Christian males had to be circumcised and keep the Law, even after salvation. There are many churches today that have established laws, ordinances, and rules for their constituents. They teach that obedience to these rules is necessary to be a Christian and to be a member of their church. Paul doesn’t think so!

He asks, “Does this blessedness (that God will not impute sin) apply to those of the circumcision (keepers of the Law) only? Or, does this blessedness also apply to those who don’t keep the Law (or obey the ordinances of the Church) but who simply believe. After all, in Abraham’s case it was his faith that was accounted to him as righteousness.”

Application

It doesn’t matter who your ancestors are, what church you go to, or even if you occasionally break some of the rules. If you believe the gospel message you are righteous according to God.

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

Romans 4:5 – Gift of Righteousness

Posted on December 13, 2009 by admin

Romans 4:5

But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,

Truth to Learn

It is our faith that God reckons as righteousness, not our works.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “ungodly” is asebēs. This is a compound word made up of the privative a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of sebomai, meaning “to worship” or “to give reverence.” Hence, asebēs refers to one who does not worship or someone who does not revere any god. According to The Complete Word Study Dictionary, “It does not mean irreligious, but one who actively practices the opposite of what the fear of God demands … one characterized by immoral and impious behavior.”

“Believes” is from pisteuō. This is the verb form of the word pistis (the word translated “faith” in this verse), meaning “persuasion” or “faith.” Hence pisteuō refers to the act of being persuaded or believing.

Meaning Explained

Remember what Paul has just said? If Abraham earned his righteousness, then God had to give it to him because He owed it to Abraham. But God doesn’t justify those who have earned righteousness! Why? Paul told us earlier that there is no one who is righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks after God. In other words, there is no one who has earned righteousness. We are what Paul calls “ungodly” in this verse. Apart from His grace we are opposed to God, we are immoral and impious. That’s how righteous we are based on our works.

He now says that for the one who does not obtain righteousness by working (that’s all of us) but who believes God’s promises, He reckons that faith as righteousness. Again, it is not because He has to, but because He wants to.

Do you see? It was God’s choice to credit Abraham with righteousness as a result of his faith just as it is God’s choice to credit us with righteousness because we believe His promise to us. It was God’s choice that Abraham is saved, not Abraham’s, and it is God’s choice that we are saved, not ours. God did not have to declare Abraham righteous when he believed, and He does not have to declare us righteous when we believe the gospel message. God did it for Abraham, and He does it for us because he chooses to. That’s why it is by grace and not by debt. We don’t earn our salvation by believing in the gospel, God grants it to us!

That’s what Paul is talking about in the book of Ephesians where he said:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8, 9)

Salvation is God’s gift to us, not by any deed that we have done, but because He chose to give it to us.

Application

This truth should not make us proud. On the contrary, it should humble us. Thank you, Lord, for crediting me with righteousness. I didn’t deserve it and I don’t deserve it, but you gave it to me nonetheless!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

Romans 3:31 – Established, Not Nullified

Posted on December 2, 2009 by admin

Romans 3:31

Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Truth to Learn

Living by faith upholds the law, it doesn’t destroy it.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “we make void” is a form of the verb katargeō. This is a compound word made up of kata, used as an intensifier and argeō, meaning “to be idle.” Hence, this verb means “to render completely idle, useless, or ineffective.”

“Certainly not!” is from the Greek words mē genoito, which we have looked at before. The word mē represents a qualified negation (ou represents absolute negation) and genoito means “to cause to be.” Therefore, a literal translation of these two words is “May it not be!”

The verb translated “we establish” is a form of histēmi, meaning “to cause to stand” or “to establish.”

Meaning Explained

This rhetorical question is one of transition for the Apostle Paul. He knows that any devout Jew would be spiritually put off balance by his previous arguments because the Jews have been taught from childhood that obeying the Law is the only way to be justified. They would very likely be asking themselves, “But what about the Law? Does it mean nothing?” There are even those people today who say that justification by faith only leads to licentiousness because it does away with the Law (both the Law of Moses and the moral law).

Paul does not agree. In fact, he declares, “May it not be!” He realizes that justification by faith alone not only does not negate the Law, in fact it establishes it as true and right. You see, by the Law God demonstrated that there is a penalty to be paid for sin and that the Law had to be satisfied in order for anyone to be justified. Jesus Christ came to show that only He could perfectly satisfy the law and that He is the fulfillment of the Law. He is the Passover lamb. He is the lamb without spot or blemish that was demanded by the Law to be the offering in payment for sins. He, the One who satisfied the Law, is the only offering that could be made to pay for our sins. And His payment is made possible to us only if we believe that He is the sinless Lamb of God who has given Himself in payment for our sins. We can’t satisfy the Law by obedience to it but by faith in the one who did satisfy it.

This is precisely what Paul is showing to the Jewish Christians in Rome and to all Christians throughout the ages. When we believe Jesus Christ died on the cross as our Lord and Savior, we are justified by faith, and we actually establish the Law as good and right and holy.

Having now satisfied the assertion that the Law is good and right, in the coming chapter Paul will proceed to use the patriarch Abraham as the example of righteousness by faith apart from the Law. After all, Abraham was declared righteous by God some three hundred years before Moses received the law on Mt. Sinai. Abraham was even declared righteous by God years before the sign of circumcision.

Application

When we get saved by faith, we aren’t required to keep the law or rules of a church in order to stay saved. Instead, we are to walk by faith, doing the good works that God has ordained for us to do as His children and ambassadors. Do your actions and good works reflect the glory of your Heavenly Father?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

Romans 3:30 – Faith for All

Posted on December 2, 2009 by admin

Romans 3:30

since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

Truth to Learn

God will justify anyone who comes by faith.

Behind the Words

The Greek word starting off this verse is different depending on which Greek text is used. Some have it as epeiper, meaning “since indeed” whereas others have it as eiper, meaning “if on the whole.” Although the epeiper is a stronger assertion, they both imply that what follows is a true statement.

The word “by” is from the Greek word ek, meaning “out of, from, or by means of.” In other words, it implies origin.

“Through” is translated from dia, meaning “through,” or “through which.” In other words, it implies instrumentality.

Meaning Explained

Since Paul has just demonstrated that Jehovah is the God of both the Jews and the Gentiles and that man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law, he now takes the next step in his explanation. He says that it is one God who will justify both the Jews and the Gentiles and that justification comes not from keeping the Law but from faith.

The construction of this verse is a little confusing and has been argued back and forth for centuries (in my opinion it is an example of senseless quibbling). Some say that even though the prepositions are different, they are used to express the same thing. They would interpret this phrase as, “… who will justify circumcision by faith and uncircumcision by the same faith.”

Others would argue that the Jews are justified by (out of) the faith which Abraham had and which they now also have, whereas the Gentiles must acquire such faith independently in order to receive justification through such faith. If you think that this is an unnecessary splitting of hairs, I agree with you. The point is that God will declare a person righteous based on faith, whether a Jew or a Gentile.

The two points that Paul has been making all along in this chapter are: 1 – There is no difference between Jews and Gentiles when it comes to justification, and 2 – The only way to obtain justification is by faith.

If you look back through the Old Testament you will see a number of examples where men were justified by faith. For instance, Noah believed God was going to send a flood and demonstrated that faith by building an Ark. Abraham believed that he was going to have a son even when he and Sarah were too old to have children. Moses believed God was going to release the Israelites from bondage when he went in and challenged Pharaoh to “let my people go.”

Throughout the ages, men (and women) have been saved by faith, not by works. That is precisely what Paul is teaching these Jewish Christians in Rome.

Application

The message of salvation is very simple: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. It’s not, believe and keep the Ten Commandments. It’s not, believe and join the church. It’s not, believe and be baptized. It’s simply “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” That’s all there is to it – just believe.

In God’s service, for His glory,

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

Romans 3:28 – Faith Alone

Posted on November 30, 2009 by admin

Romans 3:28

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Truth to Learn

Righteousness comes by faith and faith alone, not by works.

Behind the Words

“Therefore” is from the Greek word oun, which marks a connection between the current phrase and that which proceeded.

The verb translated “we conclude” is logidzomai, which means “to put together with one’s mind, to count, or to make calculations or reckonings in the mind.” When used with oun, as it is here, it indicates “a proof” or “a conclusion.”

The words “apart from” are translated from chōris, which indicates separation of two things in space or time. Therefore, it could be translated here as “separate from.”

“Deeds,” as we have seen before, is from the Greek word ergon, meaning “a deed, a work, something involving labor.”

There is no definite article before the word “law” in the Greek text. Hence, the word “the” has been added by translators.

Meaning Explained

Paul has just gone through a very complete rationalization of why the Jews were falsely confident in the Law, having stated that whether Jew or Gentile we all have sinned and have come short of God’s glory. He further went on to show that the blood of Christ is represented by the mercy seat in that it “covers” our sins, allowing God to pass them by. And, in doing so, He draws attention to His own righteousness as he credits righteousness to anyone who has faith in the covering blood.

He now states the conclusion of this part of his dissertation. That is, that we are justified by faith separate from works of law. In other words, the works have absolutely no bearing on our justification (our being declared righteous).

The Jewish Christians in Rome had always considered their righteousness to be the result of keeping the requirements of the Law. Because of the teachings of the Law and the Prophets, they waited for their Messiah to come. These converts from Judaism considered themselves Christians because they kept the Law AND believed in their Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Paul now tells them that keeping the Law has no effect on salvation, further demonstrating that there can be no boasting in salvation because we didn’t do anything to deserve it.

We can only be justified by the principle (law) of faith. In order to satisfy this principle of faith we must humble ourselves before the mighty hand of our sinless God, agree with Him that we are sinners who are undeserving of justification (salvation), and agree with God (confess) that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.

Our justification does not come about because we perform some work or deed. We are justified in His sight because He reveals His son to us and He draws us to Himself so that we believe. It’s all His work and none of ours.

Application

Paul makes it very clear that we can’t do anything to earn salvation; we can only receive it humbly, as a free gift. Are you still trying to earn “favor” with God? Why? It can’t be done!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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