“Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus”
Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law. Romans 3:31 NASB
Establish – In the 1800’s Duffield and Webb combined their talents to produce a hymn that became a standard battle cry of the Christian army of saints. I don’t know if Duffield and Webb took their lyrics from Paul’s use of histemi, but they could have. The Greek verb means “to cause to stand, to place, to set up, to establish, to make firm, to put.” It is the same verb used metaphorically for the resurrection (to stand again). Paul has just completed a long argument showing that the mere possession of the Torah (Law) is of no consequence when it comes to experiencing God’s grace. All have sinned, with or without the Torah. “Man is justified by faith, apart from the law,” says Paul, quoting Habakkuk. But this leads to the big question. If the Law does not justify me, what good is it? If faith is all that matters, why worry about the Law?
Paul’s answer underscores the lyrics of Duffield and Webb. Faith does not and cannot replace or nullify the Law! God forbid anyone would draw such an erroneous conclusion. Why? Because faith is doing the Law!
How does faith make the Torah stand up? Simple. When I do what God asks me to do, I demonstrate my utter reliance on Him and my trust in His word. But that is faith – to depend entirely on God and what He says. Faith is not the statement of creeds or doctrines. Faith is emunah, trustworthiness, reliability, stability, safety. To have faith is to act in ways that exhibit God’s trustworthiness. Faith is the visible sign of the invisible reality of God’s purposes. The man who has faith shows that he has faith by doing what God asks. His behavior is his faith. Faith isn’t some sort of mental state of mind independent from actions. In the Hebraic worldview, faith is the actions, just as God is His acts of righteousness, goodness and holiness. If we take away holiness, righteousness and goodness from God, we don’t have a god left behind who just doesn’t have those characteristics. If we take them away, there is no God. Just so, if you take away obedience to Torah, you don’t have reduced-calorie faith, a kind of “faith-lite.” What you have is an empty bottle. Nothing. Gone. Faith without works, faith without obedience to Torah (which is what “works” means) is dead! It doesn’t exist.
Now we can see why Paul’s statement is perfectly reasonable. If faith is doing what Torah requires, then of course faith establishes the Law. Anyone who looks at the consequent behavior will see faith because faith is the action of following God’s instructions. Anyone who claims to have faith but does not follow God’s instructions is like the man who buys a six-pack of empty bottles, proudly displaying what a great purchase he made.
Topical Index: stand up, histemi, establish, faith, Romans 3:31
Being taught by a faithful teacher is of great value. Being able to carry that message faithfully to others is a great challenge. Thank you Skip for being one of those teachers, and for challenging me.
I agree!!! Thanks Skip, for always challenging us, and sharing your journey! If excellence is expected, then complacency has no place! L’Chaim!
How I wish people in my congregation would understand this…..
Instead they accuse me of being a ‘legalist’.
Kees, perhaps what you need is not a short antidote, but a long hug. But since, I cannot give you the later I will cautiously offer the former. Legalism is not about the rule, but about the expectation. It’s expecting something from someone what they don’t have to give. It’s holding someone responsible for a service they were not trained or resourced for. Do not let the legalism of others become your legalism. What I mean is, you can only give to others what the Father has given to you (read John 7). If you are an apple tree and people are asking for oranges, however legitimate their need may seem to you, you cannot serve them. Any energy from the apple tree to conjure up oranges is fruitless. Often the most effective way to deal with legalistic people begins with you; you accepting who you are and who you are not. The American actor, Clint Eastwood is correct, “A man’s got to know his limitations.”
Define Legalism! or is what they are doing “projection”. Is their expectation of you, the legalism they are accusing you of? My way or the highway….using the word “legalism” as a weapon to avert truth.
Creed consciousness without deed devotedness is the same as a fruit ripened on a dead vine; there’s some color, but no taste.
Now that is worth bottling! Borrowing that one if I may. 🙂
Rod, i used/quoted you with a link to this article/piece today on my FB site – but now that i think about it a little more – how can fruit ripen on a dead vine – is that possible??? jan
Jan,
My reference is actually based on fact. One that I personally lived and witnessed. Many years ago my maternal grandfather was a prize-winning gardener. Among his specialties were melons. One particular year he brought into the house a melon from the garden and asked my Mom to cut it open and taste test it. Upon doing so she noted how striking the color and texture appeared, but when she tasted it there was no flavor; it was like eating nothing. It was then my grandfather revealed he had found the fruit on a dead vine.
Jan, Roderick, May I give a very up-to-date second true testimony of fruit being on a dead vine? Recall that our area has been in severe drought all summer, fall and up to now, with water rationing still being censored! We have had very little from our usual garden; however recently with the cooler weather we have had sweet and jalapeno peppers, and a few cantaloupes that were all good. Two weeks ago we had a mild freeze, but our garden is well protected with fences and buildings around it, the cantaloupes coming along continue to grow, but four days ago, we had two nights of some 30 degree temps, and the vines died with the melons still on them. So a day or so later, my husband brought them inside the house to ripen further–they did, he cut them and sliced them nicely today–they looked okay, smelled okay,–then he asked me to taste one. I did and spit it out very fast— it was one of the worst tasting things I have ever had it my mouth. I said please go bury them in the compost fast!
LaVaye, goes to prove then that death of a vine produces death of a melon but death of the flesh just may produce fruit in our own lives. I keep thinking about something that someone pointed out in scripture the other day about when Jesus cursed the little fig tree because it was bearing no fruit just leaves – seems that was a lesson in faith to the disciples that were following along that day…
but i have always been taught we are not to curse anything in prayer (that is witchcraft) & not to do that but Jesus did that very thing that day – he cursed something & it died right before their eyes…
yes, this is also about faith & authority in the Name of Christ or about our inheritance in Him also but the matter of the fact was that Jesus cursed something & it died – we have been taught that Jesus would never curse anything – that He is love, etc. etc. etc.
maybe i need to read that book by John Eldridge after all “The Beautiful Outlaw” which is Jesus…
Jesus cursed a little fig tree because it was not bearing fruit & if He only did what his Father told Him to do – God told Jesus to curse a fig tree to death & He did… hmmmmm
can we do that too???? curse what is not producing fruit & also in our own lives???
jan
HERE WAS MY POST/COMMENT:
“Jesus cursed a little fig tree because it was not bearing fruit & if He only did what his Father told Him to do – God told Jesus to curse a fig tree to death & He did… hmmmmm
can we do that too???? curse what is not producing fruit & also in our own lives???”
i found this article in regard to “cursing” (like Jesus cursed the fig tree & it died because it was not producing fruit) while looking for a person by the last name of Spinoza:
Controversial ideas and Jewish reaction
Statue of Spinoza, near his house on the Paviljoensgracht inThe Hague.
On 27 July 1656, the Jewish community issued him the writ of cherem (Hebrew: חרם, a kind of excommunication).
While the language of the cherem is unusually harsh, the exact reason for expelling Spinoza is not stated.[8] However, according to philosopher Steven Nadler an educated guess is quite straightforward: “No doubt he was giving utterance to just those ideas that would soon appear in his philosophical treatises. In those works, Spinoza denies the immortality of the soul; strongly rejects the notion of a providential God—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; and claims that the Law was neither literally given by God nor any longer binding on Jews. Can there be any mystery as to why one of history’s boldest and most radical thinkers was sanctioned by an orthodox Jewish community?”[9]
Spinoza’s cherem was effected by way of public denunciation; the following document translates the official record of that denunciation:[10]
The Lords of the ma’amad, having long known of the evil opinions and acts of Baruch de Espinoza, have endeavord by various means and promises, to turn him from his evil ways. But having failed to make him mend his wicked ways, and, on the contrary, daily receiving more and more serious information about the abominable heresies which he practiced and taught and about his monstrous deeds, and having for this numerous trustworthy witnesses who have deposed and born witness to this effect in the presence of the said Espinoza, they became convinced of the truth of the matter; and after all of this has been investigated in the presence of the honorable chachamin, they have decided, with their consent, that the said Espinoza should be excommunicated and expelled from the people of Israel. By the decree of the angels, and by the command of the holy men, we excommunicate, expel, curse and damn Baruch de Espinoza, with the consent of God, Blessed be He, and with the consent of all the Holy Congregation, in front of these holy Scrolls with the six-hundred-and-thirteen precepts which are written therein, with the excommunication with which Joshua banned Jericho, with the curse with which Elisha cursed the boys, and with all the curses which are written in the Book of the Law. Cursed be he by day and cursed be he by night; cursed be he when he lies down, and cursed be he when he rises up; cursed be he when he goes out, and cursed be he when he comes in. The Lord will not spare him; the anger and wrath of the Lord will rage against this man, and bring upon him all the curses which are written in this book, and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven, and the Lord will separate him to his injury from all the tribes of Israel with all the curses of the covenant, which are written in the Book of the Law. But you who cleave unto the Lord God are all alive this day. We order that no one should communicate with him orally or in writing, or show him any favor, or stay with him under the same roof, or within four ells of him, or read anything composed or written by him.
I WOULD SAY THAT IS A CURSE 4 SURE…
jan
Such is the bane of the western religious mindset.
It so frequently becomes an either/or proposition, faith or works. In my teaching, when it comes to this subject I always direct everyone to reread Hebrews 11, then James 2, and then placing (interpreting) these scriptures within the context of Genius 26:1-6. Moses was not the first to receive his Torah portion directly from God; it all started with Adam, and shall it shall continue as long as God sees fit to raise up but a single true prophet who bears His name (Ephesians 4:1-16).
Legalism is nothing more than an attempted justification before God by the works of the Law and/or by the laws, statutes and ordinances made up by men. One the other hand, the so called ‘easy believism’ movement is nothing more than attempting to secure one’s justification before God by fostering some kind of a mental/intellectual assent concerning the existence and/or nature of God. The one point of view that one almost never hears of is that of the ‘Difficult Believism’: Where faith and works come together, to put what one knows to be God’s will into action (works), and trusting (faith) in Him to see that action through to it ordained conclusion.
Shalom Aleichem
A post script:
“Where faith and works come together, to put what one knows to be God’s will into action (works), and trusting (faith) in Him to see that action through to it ordained conclusion.”
This echoes the words of Paul in Galatians 5:25, “If we live in the Spirit [by faith], let us also walk [do the associated works] in the Spirit.”
——–
Also, a correction: “One the other hand…” in my above post should have read, “On the other hand …”
Thanks Skip. This helps bring closure to my questions from yesterday (about the Centurion).
Faith IS obedience.
Got it!! 🙂
“If faith is doing what Torah requires, then of course faith establishes the Law.”
Hi Skip,
When I read your Hebrew Word this morning, I was amazed by how clear it all seemed.
Then on my walk with Max, I was amazed by how clear recent events in my life also seemed.
But when I got home, I went back to my Bible to the passage I remembered reading in grad school.
And found the following:
Romans: 3:20 No one can be justified in the sight of God by keeping the Law, all that law does is: TELL US WHAT IS SINFUL
And Romans 3:22:
…. justice of God… comes through FAITH to everyone, Jew and pagan alike, who BELIEVES in Jesus Christ. Both Jew and Christian sinned and forfeited God’s glory, and both are justified through the free gift of grace by being redeemed in Christ Jesus………….In this way God makes his justice known…..by showing he is just, and that he justifies everyone who believes in Jesus
At the time I read the book above all I was doing was preparing to teach Humanities classes at UCSD.
And I was just trying to understand what the Book said.
But I had read enough Thomas Kuhn to think “ahh, that Paul is a radically different paradigm” 🙂
Faith, yes, but faith is only as good as the object of our faith. Faith in what? (or more accurately faith in Who?) The object of my faith (and my affection) is the LORD Jesus (who is the)Christ. The incarnated ONE, the ONE who hung naked on the tslav for me and gave unto me, “the” sinner, His life in exchange for mine. Faith in the shed blood of the (only) perfect Passover Lamb.
This blood was also shed for you (and you and you and you..) But one at a time, we (all) must enter in through the narrow gate. The cross (His cross) and His cross alone is the doorway to Heaven. We (all) must bow, and bow low at the foot of tHis cross and confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts, this Jesus is the Christ. The Sent ONE. “Believe on the LORD Jesus (who is the) Christ, and you will be saved. Christ died for sinners of whom “I” am chief.
The purpose of the Law is twofold. Not only to establish the fact of sin, (in order for the whole world to become guilty before G-d) but to define the limits of love. Truth is the edge or border of love. When YHWH says “don’t do this..”- (thou shalt not)- He is saying unto me (and unto we)- little Carl, don’t play in the street- you could get hurt. His “thou shalt nots” are protective. These “commandments” are for our benefit. The Law of the LORD -please notice the Source of the Law,- it is from our Elohim. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and this absolutely, positively includes “the Law.” G-d’s Law (the Law of the LORD) is our exceedingly high, yet obtainable (only with His help) standard.
Back to the apple tree. So, you “say” you are an apple tree..- How do I know you are an apple tree? How does anyone know you are an apple tree?- By the fruit. An apple tree (surprise!) bears apples. And an orange tree bears oranges. (That must be an orange tree..- how about that!) Folks..- the root determines the fruit. The fruit is witness to the root. Now, (once again) let us determine what are the “fruits” of the Ruach HaKodesh- (the Holy Breath.)
What do the scriptures say? (Galatians 5.22,23) It is not up to me or up to you to determine these “fruits.” These have already been defined for us (all) in living color and in high definition. What do the scriptures say? (The word of the LORD?) Do you know His word well enough to know what to look for? What are these “fruits” and am I a fruit-bearing Christian? Yeshua said unto the talmudim (and us) “if you abide in me, (the ever Living Vine) and my words abide in you” Our delightful duty is to abide in the Vine and the Vine will produce the fruit through us. Where, dear friends, are these -His words, found? The words of Life Instruction are bound in a Book, the user’s manual- our (neglected, dust-collecting Bible).
Yeshua again said unto some highly educated, very religious individuals- “you do err, not knowing the scriptures (yes, the O.T.!) nor the power of G-d.” How did Elohim create this world? – (Remember?) Remember this?- “and G-d said..” Or this? and the word of the LORD came unto? Or this?- “Yeshua said unto him.. ” When E.F. Hutton speaks.. When Martha Stewart speaks.. When Ben Franklin speaks.. When the Son of Man speaks..- “life occurs”. “The words I speak unto you- (His words) they are “breath” and they are life. “Man does not live by bread alone.. He also needs a high-def tv, a big house, a trophy wife, and 2.5 well-behaved kids.. NO, NO and no.. – (What do the scriptures say?)- by every word, every word, every word that (has) proceeded out of the mouth of the LORD. We (all) live by the Book. “It is written” is how we roll. Amein? Faith comes by hearing (shema) and hearing (shema) by the word(s) of G-d.
When G-d speaks, what is our right-response? Obedience. What father among us would not delight in obedient children?
“Show me your faith by your “apples.” Love must be demonstrated. I can tell my precious wife I love her all day long, but I must, I must demonstrate love to her. By my lips AND by my life. If I love her (and I do) then I will tenderly say to her and show to her and to all the world,- I love this woman. What is down in the well (love) is going to come up in the bucket. She is my beloved, and we (dearly beloved) are His.
Christianity is not a religion, it is a (an awesome) living relationship. We are loved. More than any of us realize. (Mere) words fail here. This is where tears take over.. – “Because G-d “so” loved the world- He gave.. Love was demonstrated, For G-d demonstrated His love toward us (unworthy, crippled, impotent all-) in that while we were yet sinners- Christ died for us. A substitutionary , atoning, propitiating sacrificial death- even death on a cross. The cross was absolutely necessary for our salvation. It is not an addendum to G-d’s original plan- it was always “plan A,”- before Adam, before Eve- before “time.”
Amazing love..- how can it be? That Thou, my G-d, should die for me.. How may I “demonstrate” my love for Him? (what do the scriptures say?)- What did Him who is the Living Word say? “if you love Me, keep my commandments”-
“You shall not”- don’t hurt yourself Carl.- “You shall”- help yourself to happiness..-(what are the “consequences” of our choice to obey?) “Blessed” is the man.. (Psalm 1)