What Advantage Hath the Jew? Justified by Faith pt.2

He preaching to bring about the obedience of faith among the Gentiles for Jesus's name sake. He writing to make it clear and firm that faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ the Son of God is the only single way to be set right with God the Father and destroy the system of works as a means of having right standing and fellowship with God. He's keeping the death of Christ from being in vain by promoting the obedience of faith in Him that teaches righteousness apart from human work by embracing the works of Christ thru faith that sets man right with God.

Rom.1:16 it was for the Jews first and also to non-Jews. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed.

Rom.1:18 Some people want to suppress the truth (force it to an end, keep it from being revealed and going public) in unrighteousness within themselves.

Pauls ministry to the Gentiles was often challenged by the stubborn Jews who wouldn't turn a loose the law and embrace the Messiah.

Rom.2:25 it's not the outward cut that makes a man righteous or a Jew but its the inward cut of conviction of the heart that makes a Jew and God recognizes it not legalistic critics.

Rom.3:19 The advantage that the Jew had was chiefly the oracles of God. But the teachings of Moses was to show them that they were sinners (Rom.3:20) who were in need of being set right with God but they missed that point.The law didn't justify it only exposed their guilt.

They had a hard time embracing Paul exposing righteousness apart from the law. The Jews wanted to remain distinct from the Gentiles thru their pridefully motivated rule keeping and not except that they were in the same identical situation with non-Jews - sinners. They wanted to be justified by how "good" they were when God is only a justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

He says he maintains that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.He keeps that message consistent. For God justifies the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised thru faith is one.

We must shift our focus from what we do to what God does. And thru that we confirm that and establish the righteousness of the law within us.

Righteousness is not "I" did it right. Righteousness is I could never do it right and if it's going to be done God has to do it for me, in me and thru me. It's free. It's not worked for, it's free thru faith

Our righteous works are only confirmation that righteousness that comes thru faith in Jesus Christ has been fulfilled in me.

This whole confrontation with Peter was about the covenant. The preaching of the gospel is about the covenant that is accessed thru faith as did Abraham. He trusted God to make something out of his nothing and that made him fit before God. Not that he could do it on his own, but that he yet trusted God to do it for him. when Peter and the religious Jews began to teach against that, they turned the promise into a contract were both parties God and man had to keep their end of the deal or the whole thing was broken and called off. But God brought Abraham into what He was going to do for him thru a promise and all that was required from Abraham was for his faith to connect with God's word. And since the promise was made by God and not Abraham, Abraham couldn't break it b/c it wasn't his to break. Abraham didn't promise to have a son God promised he would give a son of his own bowels. So, Abrahams futile body and his wife's barren womb did not put the covenant at risk. The same way our inability to live righteously and keep flawlessly what God commands put the covenant at risk in our lives. We are justified thru faith in the one who loves us and has given His life for us.

Created over 1 year ago