190922 FAITH/GIFT RIGHTEOUSNESS (Pt. 3)
Faith/Gift Righteousness • Sermon • Submitted
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· 7 viewsFaith Righteousness and the Life of Abraham
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But it wasn’t manifested or made known, explained or unfolded, until God revealed it to and through the Apostle Paul—His worst enemy and chief sinner-- to show its basis in the Good News of the Death of Christ.
In , Paul uses the Law and Prophets to witness to this Righteousness by referencing the life of Abraham.
But in one thing the Law and Prophets couldn’t witness to is the ground on which faith righteousness resides—the Death of Christ.
Paul holds back the explanation of the basis of this faith righteousness unto after he dismisses the witness of the Law and Prophets and explains the Good News of the Death of Christ in .
ends with 3 questions and answers:
Q. Is this righteousness based on the principle of works? A. No, it is based on the principle of faith.
It is based on the principle of faith.
Q. Does it only apply to the circumcision, the Jews only? A. No, to the Gentiles too.
Q. Does it make void the Law? A. No, it establishes it.
In , Paul supports his answers with the example of Abraham, the Father of the Jews, with the idea that if it is true of him it is true for all Jews as well.
: Abraham (as an ungodly sinner on enemy status before God) believed God and his faith (not his works) was counted for righteousness so that it would be by grace (not debt), leading to the Blessed state spoken of by David. Justification based on faith righteousness is without works.
: Because Abraham’s faith was counted for righteousness before he was circumcised, it witnesses to the fact that this faith righteousness is not contingent on circumcision and, therefore, can be extended not only the the circumcision (the Jews) but to the uncircumcised (Gentiles) as well. Justification by faith righteousness is without circumcision.
: Because Abraham’s faith was counted for righteousness before the Law the promise of Israel’s Prophetic Program that Abraham and his physical progeny would be heirs of the earth (), comprised of Jews and Gentiles—would be sure for all the because then it would be based on Grace and Faith not the wrath-bringing Law. Justification based on faith righteousness is without the Law.
a. If the physical seed of Abraham (Israel) is going to be the heir of the world, they will need to do it by possessing the gates of their enemies, and the only way they would be able to do that is if God does it for them.
b. On behalf of believing Israel, made up of ungodly sinners who had been on enemy status before God but who believed God, whereby He credited their faith for righteousness by grace (the true Jew and believing Gentiles who associate with them), God goes on to make known the Righteousness of God in saving/delivering His friends while destroying His enemies on behalf of believing Israel and her friends.
: Faith--without works, circumcision, and the Law--in the God who brings to life the dead, and calls into existence things that don’t exist is only source of hope for sinful humanity.
: Faith-without works, circumcision and the Law--is the only way a sinner can glorify God.
: Faith Righteousness—without works, circumcision, and the Law—is the only Hope for us today as well because it is the only way we can be brought into God’s Glory.
God giving hope and making recipients of faith righteousness isn’t something that just applied to Abraham and his physical progeny, Israel. Recipients of faith righteousness today also receive hope and are made participants in His glory not through Israel, Abraham’s multiple seeds, to gain an earthly inheritance but through Abraham’s seed singular the Lord Jesus Christ whereby the Body of Christ receives her heavenly inheritance in Christ.
: God giving hope and making recipients of faith righteousness isn’t something that just applied to Abraham and his physical progeny, Israel. Recipients of faith righteousness today also receive hope and are made participants in His glory not through Israel, Abraham’s multiple seeds, to gain an earthly inheritance but through Abraham’s seed singular the Lord Jesus Christ whereby the Body of Christ receives her heavenly inheritance in Christ.
You don’t have to go beyond the history covered in to find the people Paul is talking about. Abraham’s life plays out every human eventuality.
If this righteousness came by works, then Abraham himself would be excluded because he was saved while an ungodly sinner on enemy status before God (; ; ). Therefore, justification must be based on faith and grace not works and debt (; 4:4-5).
If this righteousness came by being in circumcision, then Abraham and the numerous people who followed in steps of Abraham (; ) from the time he believed to the giving of circumcision--about 17 years--would have been excluded (). Therefore, justification must be apart from circumcision.
If this righteousness came by the Law then Abraham and all those associated with him from the time he believed until the giving of the Law—about 430 yrs—would be excluded, including Isaac and Jacob and his children! Therefore, justification must be apart from the Law as well ().
Faith Righteousness--without works, circumcision, and the Law--is the only source of hope for sinners in Israel’s Prophetic Program ().
Faith Righteousness--without works, circumcision and the Law--is the only way sinners in Israel’s Prophetic Program can glorify God (Rom. 18b-22).
And Faith Righteousness—without works, circumcision, and the Law—is the only Hope for sinner in the Body of Christ’s Mystery Program can be brought into God’s Glory today ().
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Abraham can only witness to the BUT NOW Righteousness of God in relation to Israel’s prophetic program.
2.
In , Paul uses something from Israel’s Prophetic Program to “witness” to an aspect of the Mystery Revelation God gave to the Apostle Paul.
It is not talking about Abraham’s physical seed through the line of Isaac, Jacob and the nation Israel.
In , Paul is talking about the many/multiplied “seed” of Abraham, the “heirs” of the promise that
Abraham and his seed (many) would inherit the world—ie., his physical descendants through the line of Isaac that formed the nation of Israel. (, , ).
—The Lord Jesus Christ isn’t mention even once until the final 2 verses.
Something that happened to Abraham in the past bears witness to what God is doing today. That something is Faith/Grace Righteousness.
In , Paul is doing something different than he is doing here. In it is Prophecy Truth witnessing to Mystery Truth. In Paul reveals Mystery Truth.
3. , however, develops the One “seed” concept
This passage is not about the replacement of Abraham’s physical seed (Israel) with his spiritual children (all who believe). It is not about the Church, the Body of Christ, replacing the Nation of Israel spiritually or any other such nonsense theologians come up with.
This passage explains that this BUT NOW Righteousness of God in saving His enemies based on the redemptive work of Christ on the Cross that is now being manifested through the Apostleship of Paul is not only the basis of the Body of Christ’s Mystery Program but it was also the basis for Israel’s Prophetic Program.
Israel’s Prophetic Program manifested the Righteousness in saving His friends and destroying His enemies. But this begs the question: How does one become a friend so that he or she can participate in the righteousness?
This is the basis of Job’s ages old question that goes all the way back to the fall of Adam: How shall a man be just before God? ()
It is not until the revelation God gave to Paul that the answer is disclosed—the Good News of the Death of Christ—which Paul will bring to the forefront in after he has dismissed the Law and the Prophets from the witness box.
explains that the BUT NOW Righteousness of God in (spiritually) saving ungodly sinners on enemy status before Him unto eternal life pre-dates the Mosaic Law, the formation of the nation of Israel, circumcision and even the Abrahamic Covenant going all the way back to fallen Adam (; ).
You don’t have to go beyond the history covered in to find the people Paul is talking about. Abraham’s life plays out every human eventuality.
It begins with Abraham (and his many seed) according to the flesh (compare ).
It begins with Abraham and his many seed according to the flesh (compare ).
If this righteousness came by works, then Abraham himself would be excluded because he was saved while an ungodly sinner on enemy status before God (; ; ). Therefore, justification must be based on faith and grace not works and debt (; ).
If this righteousness came by being in circumcision, then Abraham and the numerous people who followed in steps of Abraham (; ) from the time he believed to the giving of circumcision--about 17 years--would have been excluded (). Therefore, justification must be apart from circumcision.
If this righteousness came by the Law then Abraham and all those associated with him from the time he believed until the giving of the Law—about 430 yrs—would be excluded, including Isaac and Jacob and his children! Therefore, justification must be apart from the Law as well ().
Faith Righteousness--without works, circumcision, and the Law--is the only source of hope for sinners in Israel’s Prophetic Program ().
Faith Righteousness--without works, circumcision and the Law--is the only way sinners in Israel’s Prophetic Program can glorify God (Rom. 18b-22).
And Faith Righteousness—without works, circumcision, and the Law—is the only Hope for sinner in the Body of Christ’s Mystery Program can be brought into God’s Glory today ().