Paul begins Romans 3 by asking, "What advantage then hath the Jew? Or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way; chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God." (Romans 3:1-2)
Before we continue, it is important to establish that there is more than a blank page between the old and the new in the Bible. We need to also recognize that the statutes, judgments, ordinances, and commandments of the Lord in the old covenant differ from the new testament wherein Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes. To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Deuteronomy 4:1-5; Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:24; Galatians 4:5)
Am I suggesting that Paul's heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel for their salvation is of no consequence? Of course not, but Paul rightly said, "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge." Why? Because "they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God -- for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to those who believe." (Romans 10:1-4)
Note that I did not say this but apostle Paul who experienced great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart for his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertains the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the law and the service of God and the promises. (Romans 9:1-4)
Still, in this current dispensation of grace, we are privileged to behold the righteousness of God manifested -- the fullness of the Godhead bodily -- the Lord coming forth as a mighty man -- God in Christ -- and witnessed not only by the law and the prophets from afore, but by us to this day, if we believe and have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, keeping His Word, which is truth, hidden in our hearts. (I Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 9:6; Titus 3:4-7; II Corinthians 5:19; Revelation 1:8, 11)
"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation ..." (II Corinthians 5:19)
But this is the point where many new believers struggle in understanding how to reconcile the old with the new testament. And it does not help that the man-made religious culture spends a significant amount of time keeping believers busy doing good works. Nevertheless, the scriptures are clear. "For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law -- that the man which does those things shall live by them." (Romans 10:5)
Note that Paul does not stop here. He addresses the equalizing that must take place if all are to be declared as falling short of the glory of God.
"But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." (Galatians 3:22-25)
The righteousness which is of faith speaks on this wise, "Say not in thine heart -- Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ again from the dead). But what saith it? The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart; that is, the Word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart, that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved ... for with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:5-10; Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 30:12-14)
Indeed, because of His love for us, and after His kindness, we can be justified freely by His grace -- through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus." (Romans 3: ; Titus 3:4-7; Hebrews 9:1-27)
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshippers once purged should have no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices, there is a remembrance again made of sins every year ..." (Hebrews 9:28- Hebrews 10:1-39)
However, not so in Jesus. For by one offering, He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)
This is why believers are so thankful. Because our redemption, our salvation, our sanctification and our justification comes freely because of Jesus, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ephesians 3:11)
"By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them ... but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for He is our peace, who hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in His flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments, contained in ordinances: for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace, and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross ..." (Ephesians 2:816)
This is why apostle Paul asks: "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay, but by the law of faith. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also. Thus, seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith, do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." (Romans 3:27-31)
The law of faith. The law of love whereby we love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and as a consequence, we love one another. And for the Gentiles which believe, "we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication." (Acts 21:25)
Let those who have ears to hear, hear. Stand in the offering plate.
"But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." (Galatians 3:22-25)
The righteousness which is of faith speaks on this wise, "Say not in thine heart -- Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ again from the dead). But what saith it? The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart; that is, the Word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart, that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved ... for with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:5-10; Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 30:12-14)
Indeed, because of His love for us, and after His kindness, we can be justified freely by His grace -- through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus." (Romans 3: ; Titus 3:4-7; Hebrews 9:1-27)
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshippers once purged should have no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices, there is a remembrance again made of sins every year ..." (Hebrews 9:28- Hebrews 10:1-39)
However, not so in Jesus. For by one offering, He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)
This is why believers are so thankful. Because our redemption, our salvation, our sanctification and our justification comes freely because of Jesus, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ephesians 3:11)
"By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them ... but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for He is our peace, who hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in His flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments, contained in ordinances: for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace, and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross ..." (Ephesians 2:816)
This is why apostle Paul asks: "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay, but by the law of faith. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also. Thus, seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith, do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." (Romans 3:27-31)
The law of faith. The law of love whereby we love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and as a consequence, we love one another. And for the Gentiles which believe, "we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication." (Acts 21:25)
Let those who have ears to hear, hear. Stand in the offering plate.
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