Shooting Blanks
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5:1
Justified By Faith – It’s extremely unfortunate that Cardinal Hugo and Joseph Athias divided the Bible up into chapters (introduced about 1240 AD) and Arabic numeral verses (introduced in 1661). While such conventions became necessary for technological reasons, the net result is that we often tend to divide our thought processing according to these very arbitrary numerical divisions. Many times this results in interruptions to the flow of the message. This verse in Romans is a classic example.
In Chapter 4 (thank you Hugo) Paul is discussing the model of Abraham. His argument is this: Everyone recognizes Abraham as the father of the faithful, but Abraham was justified by his faith in God’s promise before he accepted the seal of the covenant (circumcision). Therefore, any declaration that requires performance of a covenant-obedient sign in order to receive grace must be incorrect since such a declaration would have eliminated Abraham himself. God’s imputation of righteousness comes first, based solely on Abraham’s faith (and ours). Covenant obedience follows.
This argument carries over into the text Hugo and Athias designated as Chapter 5. When Paul uses the phrase “justified by faith,” he can only mean the same process exhibited by Abraham. That is the whole point of his argument. So, while we can safely set aside any covenant obedience as the basis of faith, we cannot eliminate covenant obedience entirely. Keeping the covenant commands is the natural and expected consequence of a prior acceptance by God. Paul does not tell us that keeping God’s commandments is unnecessary. He only tells us it is not necessary in order to receive God’s grace. Abraham followed God’s instructions after he was considered righteous because that’s what righteous men and women do.
We must understand the phrase “justified by faith” from its Hebraic perspective. The crucial Hebrew words are tsadaq (to be justified, see Job 25:4) and ‘emunah (faith, see Habakkuk 2:4). Tsadaq covers the range from being right to proving oneself innocent. Its principal meaning in the passive stem is to be put right (God is the actor, we are the passive receipents). What does it mean “to be put right”? It means to be granted a legal status of right relationship. In other words, in spite of our true status as guilty, God decides to treat us as not guilty. He executes a legal decision to change our status on the basis of His grace and compassion. God justifies; we benefit.
But notice two important connections. First, God’s decision affects Abraham because Abraham believes God’s promise. In Hebrew, this is the equivalent of trust. God’s declaration of right standing would make no difference to Abraham if Abraham did not trust what God said. Of course, what God said would still be true, but the truth of God’s statement would not be applied to Abraham’s life because Abraham refused to act upon it. God’s grace is a fact of the universe, but unless men act upon it, nothing about their lives will change.
Secondly, the Hebrew idea of faith (‘emunah) is about reliability. It is fundamentally an action, not a cognitive state of mind. Faith is doing something as a result of God’s decision. It is walking according to the promise (see Habakkuk 2:4). Paul’s deliberate use of this combination implies that Paul saw faith as an active exhibition of trusting God. For Paul, active obedience is the hallmark of taking God at His word. To trust God’s declaration of righteousness is true, and subsequently ignore God’s instructions that follow the declaration is, in effect, to deny what God says. In other words, no man can claim to appropriate God’s gracious act of a change in legal standing and then refuse to change his behavior according to the words of the same God who rescued him. If my life doesn’t match the words of the One who declared me righteous, then in effect I call God a liar.
Abraham believed God’s words – and he acted upon them. God recognized Abraham’s trust and counted it as righteousness. Trust is simply doing what God tells me to do. I am declared righteous before I follow the instructions, but if I really trust God, I will follow the instructions after He declared me righteous.
Topical Index: justified, righteous, faith, tsadaq, ‘emunah, Romans 5:1
Amen, brother Skip. Excellent!- We are (according to G-d’s words)- are saved by grace, through faith, (and lest we forget the third leg of the stool)- unto “good works”.
So, G-d has “saved” me. Rescued, redeemed, renewed, (rejoicing)- all well (and good!), but how are you to know? What “proof” do you have, what “evidence” does the great cloud of witnesses surrounding me have that I have been “born again?” I am no longer my own, I have been bought with a price- wonderful.
A watching world (those who are outside of Messiah) need some “evidence” YHWH is real in my life. Of course we may “see” the birds and the bees, and the majesty of the mountains and say- “Somebody made all that!) There is “evidence” of a Creator. (Psalm 19.1)”Thank you, Hugo.” -“For the director of music. A psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” I wear a watch, “evidence” of a watch factory somewhere, someplace. Watches don’t just “happen.” Intelligent Design is “evidence” of an intelligent designer. We (all) have a very creative Creator.
But what of the “evidence” of Calvary? What is this news about a cross? What is this “news” about a Savior, Redeemer, a Sacrificial Lamb? Something about Atoning Blood, Amazing Love.. What “evidence” do we have for this? Give me some proof.. I’m from Missouri- “show me.”
How may I know the One who claims to be Messiah is who He says He is? How is this possible?
If I “discover” the One who gave His life for me on the cursed tree is the very same one who created me, would that impact my life to the point of “change?” Would this alter my thinking to the point of changed behavior? If I realize and recognize (both involving brain waves), “every word of G-d is pure” and that Elohim is incapable of a lie, (Titus 1:2- thank you, Hugo), I should know -these words: “What does the scripture say?” These are not just words written by just a man, but rather these are “just” words written by a “just” man.
If I were to meet together with Skip, and after a nice lunch, my words to him were: “Skip, it is on my heart to give you five hundred dollars toward your ministry.” (-would he believe me?”). If I sat at our table and wrote a check to him, would he “take it to the bank” and cash it? Benevolence (on my part), Belief,faith and trust (Skip’s part) are all at play here. He can stare at that written check (signed by my name) all day long and “believe”, -(he might even be grateful at this point), but until he “receives” the check (action) and carries it to the bank (action), deposits it to his account (action), my words, written on a piece of paper, even thought they have potential for wealth, are worthless if left laid on the top of the table.
The words of our LORD are not just to be “enjoyed”, -they are to be “employed.” “Faith” (our right response to what G-d says), without works (the doing of what He said) is dead” (useless, vain, unproductive, non-fruit bearing).
We (who are His), have been “bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20- thank you, Hugo), but let us read further.. “therefore”- (maybe we should see what it’s “there for”)- what follows this?- we will glorify God in our body, and in our spirit, which are God’s.”
“Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right.” (Proverbs 20.11- -thank you, Hugo)
“By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another.” (John 13.35) Where does “this love” come from?- (Thank you, Lord.)
This is the most lucid insight into this that I’ve read. It is an enormous relief to me. Thanks.
“It is walking according to the promise (see Habakkuk 2:4).”
“See how he flags, he whose soul is not at rights
but the upright man will live by his faithfulness”
Habakkuk 2:4
Hi Skip,
I read Habakkuk 2:4 a number of times and kept coming back to the meaning of “flags” as a verb.
It didn’t make sense at first, but I remembered flags being used for “tires” when I was very young.
After reading it a few more times, I saw something and said to myself, oh, to flag means “droop.”
Those who follow the maxim “In God We Trust,” feel strong and stand “upright.”
Those who don’t, feel weak and must droop.
Shalom,
Skip … a very nice exposing of how “Scripture” is manipulated to satisfy the needs of particular perspectives and mind sets.
When one simply looks at a Torah Scroll the typical response is confusion when being presented, in essence, a massive run on sentence.
The formatting codification (non-Hebraic) which was super imposed upon Holy Scripture as you point out is sad indeed. Worse yet (as you have shown through the years) is that often times codification and formatting was manipulated to support a specific theological perspective.
But back to the message …
We can only presume that much confusion will continue to surround the sophisticated and often times complex writings of Paul. Why? Because those who desire the ear tickling elements of Paul’s writings will continually refuse to look at Paul’s total corpus in addition to not integrating these writings into the foundational Scripture upon which Paul expounds upon … namely the rest of Torah.
Skip … praise YESHUA that you continue to correctly preach “emunah b’emet” (faith in truth) … 🙂
b/t/w … I personally continue to have logistical challenges (been traveling still) and do miss regular interaction at TW … if you see a spate of comments coming from me over the next few days please understand that I am trying to catch up!
B’rachot
“The formatting codification (non-Hebraic) which was super imposed upon Holy Scripture as you point out is sad indeed.”
1. hidrewgoodtohearfromyouagainicanrelatetoyourlogisticalissuesbutamgladthesomeonehasformattedthebibleformetoreadin its formatted formatthebibleisstillextremelydifficulttounderstandformostofus
2.
Hi Drew,
Good to hear from you again.
I can relate to your logistical issues, but am glad that someone has formatted the Bible for me to read.
In its formatted format, the Bible is still extremely difficult to understand for most of us 🙂
Michael,
🙂 How humorous you can be at times!
You have actually helped me prove my point however! What you first wrote #1 … is not easy to understand for us … BECAUSE … we have been shoveled in another method!
If however we were Jews raised in a household and community that was serious about “The WORD” we would have been taught to read the natural breaks … and just because there are “run on sentences” does not mean that there are not spaces!
And … if haGoyim had gladly received from The Jews what was gifted TO THEM … with the right heart attitude and Spirit then the unnatural branches would have adopted the original … rather than create a “new” formatting and codification schema. Hmmmmm …. seems I have heard this argument before somewhere … you know the issue of doing away with the ways of the Jews for a better … more Hellenistic …. more Worldly method!
B’rachot
“Trust is simply doing what God tells me to do.”
Rebecca St. James, “I Can Trust You”
Yes, I know that You have paved a path for me
Yes, I know that You see what I do and don’t need
But when it comes to the deepest things
I have a hard time relinquishing control
Letting go
God, it hurts to give You what I must lay down
But when I let go, freedom’s found
God, it hurts to give You what I’ve held so dear
Because of Your love it’s clear
I can trust You with this
I can trust You with me
I can trust You
Lord, I know that You are worthy of my trust
For You have shown me time and time again
You’re faithful and yet
I’m so scared of letting go of this
Afraid of what You might do with it
How could I forget who You are like this
Me forsaking
Heart is breaking
I let go of what I’ve held so tight
Freedom’s mine now
For the taking
I move in faith, not by sight
Let Your will be done
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xyLGhtyEnw 4:14 MIN video