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Faith is Not a Work
In today's passage, Paul continues to specifically address Jews and the connection between Jewish belief and Christianity. If you're going to do that, you MUST bring Abraham into the picture - the Father of the Jewish faith. That is exactly what Paul does.
Circumcision was given to Abraham as a sign of God's covenant with Abraham, and was the premier sign of being a Jew - it comes up often in in Acts and the letters as a point of contention surrounding Jews, Gentiles and the Gospels. Circumcision seemed inextricably bound up with the Jewish (Abrahamic Covenant) with God, so that is what Paul deals with here. Citing the Old Testament (Genesis 15:6), Paul pinpoints Abraham's "salvation moment", when He believes the promise of God and the Bible says "it was credited to Him as righteousness". Why is this moment in time important? Because it happens BEFORE Abraham is circumcised. Abraham's salvation, Paul argues, does not come through his circumcision, but through his FAITH. The circumcision was merely a sign of his faith, and a sign that is not necessary now that all nations may receive the promise and righteousness of God.
The second, intertwined line of argument has to do with the nature of faith and justification. The big question that seems to emerge from what Paul has been writing is a bit complicated. "Abraham believed, and it was credited to him as righteousness" can be understood in more than one way. It COULD mean that although circumcision and other works cannot ever earn salvation, the one work that does access salvation is the act of believing - faith. So, is faith the one work we can do that earns salvation? I hope that you know the answer is no. Here's why:
Verse 4: "And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly..." Faith is categorized here as "not work". So, what is faith then? I'm not sure there's a totally fitting analogy for it, but it's kind of like faith is the glue that sticks us to the promise of God. What I mean is this: the important part is not our faith, but God's promise. We can have faith enough to move a mountain, but if it's placed in the wrong thing, it is totally useless. What makes faith effective in any way is the promise of God. ALL of the power lies in that - the faith is merely the means by which it is accessed.
Faith is Not a Work
In today's passage, Paul continues to specifically address Jews and the connection between Jewish belief and Christianity. If you're going to do that, you MUST bring Abraham into the picture - the Father of the Jewish faith. That is exactly what Paul does.
Circumcision was given to Abraham as a sign of God's covenant with Abraham, and was the premier sign of being a Jew - it comes up often in in Acts and the letters as a point of contention surrounding Jews, Gentiles and the Gospels. Circumcision seemed inextricably bound up with the Jewish (Abrahamic Covenant) with God, so that is what Paul deals with here. Citing the Old Testament (Genesis 15:6), Paul pinpoints Abraham's "salvation moment", when He believes the promise of God and the Bible says "it was credited to Him as righteousness". Why is this moment in time important? Because it happens BEFORE Abraham is circumcised. Abraham's salvation, Paul argues, does not come through his circumcision, but through his FAITH. The circumcision was merely a sign of his faith, and a sign that is not necessary now that all nations may receive the promise and righteousness of God.
The second, intertwined line of argument has to do with the nature of faith and justification. The big question that seems to emerge from what Paul has been writing is a bit complicated. "Abraham believed, and it was credited to him as righteousness" can be understood in more than one way. It COULD mean that although circumcision and other works cannot ever earn salvation, the one work that does access salvation is the act of believing - faith. So, is faith the one work we can do that earns salvation? I hope that you know the answer is no. Here's why:
Verse 4: "And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly..." Faith is categorized here as "not work". So, what is faith then? I'm not sure there's a totally fitting analogy for it, but it's kind of like faith is the glue that sticks us to the promise of God. What I mean is this: the important part is not our faith, but God's promise. We can have faith enough to move a mountain, but if it's placed in the wrong thing, it is totally useless. What makes faith effective in any way is the promise of God. ALL of the power lies in that - the faith is merely the means by which it is accessed.
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