Topical Studies
What the Bible says about
Faith Establishes Law
(From Forerunner Commentary)
|
Romans 3:20-22
The book of Romans contains some of nominal Christianity's favorite lines. Nominal Christianity really belts out those parts of the book. During other parts, though, where the lyrics are not as familiar, it hums and does a little head-nodding to get through those lines until it returns to familiar lyrics, at which point it sings with gusto once again. Yet, if nominal Christianity really grasped the song's meaning, it would sing a different tune. Like a song by a skilled musician, some lines are memorable, but their full meaning comes from their place in the overall work. One stanza does not make a song. While Peter's caution extends to all of Paul's writings (II Peter 3:14-18), it is common within nominal Christianity to use select verses in Romans to support the idea that God's law has been “done away”—or at least certain parts. Indeed, hardly anyone argues that idolatry, adultery, or murder are acceptable since Christ died for our sins. Charges of legalism are rarely laid when considering most of the Ten Commandments. For example, when men and women consistently uphold their marriage vows, we call them “faithful” or “committed.” When a man is careful about honesty, we consider him “trustworthy”—and wish there were more like him! However, when the fourth commandment is under discussion, the tune changes. The seventh-day Sabbath—which Jesus and the apostles clearly kept—quickly brings out the hostility to God's law in the carnal mind (Romans 8:7), which often uses various verses in Romans to defend breaking it. Further, the carnal-minded frequently call those who keep the fourth commandment “legalistic” or “Pharisaical” or accuse them of trying to earn salvation. These allegations are never made about the other nine commandments. Why the double standard? Due to how Paul arranges the material in Romans, he sometimes appears to contradict himself. Yet, such is not the case because God's Word cannot be broken (John 10:35). What he does is explore one side of the issue in one passage, then in the following passage, he switches to another side of the issue and explains it before returning to the first side. But what commonly happens with the untaught and unstable (II Peter 3:16) mirrors what we experience when singing a song we do not know well. Nominal Christianity will jubilantly belt out those sections that sound as if Paul says the law is done away (Romans 3:28; 4:2-3; 5:1-2), but when the apostle changes keys and upholds God's law, it hums and mumbles and looks around uncomfortably. Later, when the lyrics sound like they might indicate it can ignore the fourth commandment, nominal Christianity cranks up the volume and resumes singing. It lasts until Paul again upholds God's law (Romans 2:12-13; 6:1-2; 7:12), at which point worldly Christianity gets quiet and fidgety, waiting for the next line that sounds like he asserts that God's law no longer applies. Peter was right to say some things Paul wrote are hard to understand! Despite some considering it to be so, the apostle who wrote so much New Testament theology is not contradicting himself. On the contrary, all he writes is true; otherwise, God would not have included it in His Word. However, such things as timing, context, and purpose, among others, are critical factors in properly understanding Paul's arguments and explanations, aspects that many misunderstand or miss altogether.
David C. Grabbe
How Does Faith Establish the Law? (Part One)
|
|
Romans 3:31
In his writings, Paul uses these terms—faith, grace, and justification—interchangeably. He uses one word here, another there, depending on which nuance he wants to bring to the fore, so that we get a complete picture of what is happening. Here, he is talking about faith, and within the subject of justification, he says, "No, faith in the blood of Jesus Christ establishes the law!" not "does away with" it. Faith in no way invalidates God's law. None of it! Notice that your Bible very likely reads "the law." However, it does not say that in the Greek; the definite article does not precede "law" either time it appears in this verse. The Interlinear Bible, which is a literal translation, reads: "Law then do we nullify through faith? Not let it be! But law do we establish." Establish means "cause to stand, confirm." One might argue, "What difference does the lack of an article make?" In this case, if it read "the law," Paul would have been referring to either the entire Pentateuch or to a specific law. But writing it as he did, he means law in general as a legal argument. Any law! Man's law, God's law, the Ten Commandments, the sacrifices—everything is included under that blanket statement. He says, "Faith establishes law." It remains for other passages to tell us about a specific law or body of laws that might be set aside. So, then, faith—used here in connection with grace and justification—establishes law. It does NOT do away with it; such an interpretation is the exact opposite of what is written! When a person is justified, it is for the very reason that he is out of alignment with what he is being measured against. So after justification, the standard is not just thrown away! Indeed, the standard becomes more important than ever because we do not want to get out of alignment ever again. We need the law's guidance to help us in what we must do and to warn us when we are veering from the way.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Four)
|
|
2 Peter 3:14-18
Peter cautions that some of the things the apostle Paul writes are hard to understand, as though some people do not truly understand Paul's lyrics and thus end up with wrong impressions of his compositions. Knowing a couple of lines from a piece of music is not the same as grasping the totality. Yet, nominal Christianity gives an embarrassing performance before God because it latches onto some memorable lines from Paul and believes it knows the whole song. The terms Peter uses provide clues about what is on his mind. When we perceive where he is coming from, we can know what lyrics from brother Paul we should listen to extra carefully to ensure that we are not mishearing. In verse 14, Peter commands diligence, meaning we must exert ourselves and be zealous. He emphasizes robust and focused effort instead of offhandedly grabbing a line or two from Paul and believing our understanding is complete. Peter urges us to “be diligent to be found by God in peace, without spot and blameless.” Since he is telling us to be diligent, it means that the spotlessness and blamelessness he has in mind are not what God imputes to us. Christ's righteousness was imputed to us when we accepted His blood, and then, in a legal sense, we became without spot and blameless. But accepting Christ's blood did not require the diligence Peter talks about here. After we come under His blood, though, we must submit to God in living up to that imputed spotlessness and blamelessness. Doing so requires significant effort; thus, Peter uses “diligent.” In verse 16, he warns that misusing Paul's words leads to destruction, a term frequently used concerning God's judgment on the disobedient. Jesus says that “wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction” (Matthew 7:13). In other words, the easy way does not end well. The future “man of sin” is called “the son of perdition [destruction]” (II Thessalonians 2:3), at least in part because he is destined for the Lake of Fire—his sins lead him to destruction. Earlier in the chapter, Peter warns of the fire that characterizes the coming day of judgment (evaluation against a standard) and destruction of ungodly men (II Peter 3:7). To summarize, then, the unstable and untaught will interpret Paul's teaching in such a way that will lead them into God's judgment—to destruction or perdition. In verse 17, Peter adds another warning, this time against apostasy, or as he puts it, “fall[ing] from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked.” He describes a change from a good spiritual state to a bad one. The New King James Version uses the phrase “the wicked,” giving the impression that Peter is talking about deeply depraved people. However, the people the apostle describes do not have to be characterized as extreme at all. Several translations interpret the phrase as being “carried away with the error of the lawless.” The Greek word translated as “wicked” or “lawless,” athesmos (Strong's #113), indicates a person who is against what has been instituted as law, custom, ordinance, precept, or rule. The wicked do not have to be mass murderers but simply those who disregard the established standards. In this context, the established standards are the laws of God. To summarize, Peter warns us to check ourselves regarding Paul's material so we are not led away by false teachers (the theme of Peter's previous chapter) or our own incorrect impression of what Paul says. If we fail to hear it correctly, we will fall into the error of those who disregard God's law, those who are ignorant of the whole counsel of God (“untaught”), and who thus are not steadfast (“unstable”). These individuals avoid the narrow way because they find it constraining, even though it leads to eternal life.
David C. Grabbe
How Does Faith Establish the Law? (Part One)
|
|
 |
The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment
Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day.
Email Address:
|
We respect your privacy. Your email address will not be sold, distributed, rented, or in any way given out to a third party. We have nothing to sell. You may easily unsubscribe at any time. |
|
|
