Clarification of faith

 Romans 4:9-16; 12/22/2024; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang

Introduction

It can be said that the theme of Romans is to explain faith clearly.  Do you agree? Faith is a clear subject that cannot be explained clearly.  It is not that faith is unclear, but that people are often confused in their faith.  After Paul talked about the scope of justification by faith, he felt the need to clarify faith. Let’s look at the first point:

Faith has nothing to do with circumcision

 How does faith have anything to do with circumcision?  Kind of baffling to us today, right?  However, we must not forget that the audience for Paul’s message were believers from a Jewish background two thousand years ago, and they were all circumcised people.  First, the meaning of circumcision.  The meaning of circumcision must be understood from the original records in the Bible.  God once said to Abraham:  “This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. (Gen. 17:10)”  Therefore, the initial meaning of circumcision is to establish a covenant and is a sign of the covenant.  The Israelites made a covenant with God on Mount Sinai, but later continued to worship idols.  How could they please God?  What Paul was trying to say was that although Abraham was circumcised, he did not rely on circumcision to please God.  Of course, circumcision is a sign that God calls and chooses the Israelites. From then on, the Israelites have the identity of God’s children.        

Secondly, the need for faith.  But as the electorate moved forward, circumcision gradually became a ritual, even a custom. Leviticus says: “And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. (Lev. 12:3)”  Although circumcision continues to this day, it has gradually become disconnected from the spiritual life of the elect.  On his missionary journey, Paul preached the gospel to both circumcised Jews and uncircumcised Gentiles.  Circumcision is no longer a standard or necessity; it is a matter of faith in Christ Jesus.  The Jews might not understand it at first, but Paul said to them:  God counted “Abraham’s faith as righteousness to him.”  If the ancestors did this, the Jews understood it.        

Finally, the confirmation of faith.  Maybe the Jews were also puzzled at first: As soon as Abraham had faith, God counted him as righteousness.  Why?  How to count it?  Doesn’t it have anything to do with Abraham’s circumcision?  Paul’s calculation is also very simple.  Abram was 75 years old when God called him.  There are still 25 years left until he is 100 years old and has a son.  What happened to him during this period?  The point is, before he was circumcised at the age of 99, “  “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (Gen. 15:6)” Explain that Abram’s circumcision had nothing to do with his being justified by God.  Let’s look at the second point:

Faith is linked to the promise

It can be said that God’s promise was the motivation for Abraham’s path of faith,  that is, the driving force generated by it.  First, become a great nation.  While Abraham was still in Haran, God called him and said: “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. (Gen. 12:1)”  This sentence is God’s first word for the salvation of mankind, and it is also God’s first call to choose Abraham.  In fact, it is also the original template for God’s call to His servants.  That is to say, if someone is called by God, they will have similar words.  It was during this call that God also made a promise to Abraham, namely “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.  (Gen. 12:2) …in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. (Gen. 12:3)”

Secondly, become a great family.  After Abram and Lot separated, Lot gradually moved his tents to Sodom.  The Lord God came to comfort Abram and said: “I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted.  (Gen. 13:16)”  A great nation refers to the scope of influence of the kingdom of God, which blesses all nations.  A great family means that wherever the gospel goes, all nations and peoples will come to the Lord. The conversion of the whole family of Israel to the Lord is no longer limited to the descendants of Jacob, but all those who believe in Jesus Christ will be included in the great family of Abraham, fulfilling God’s promise that the whole family of Israel will be saved.

Lastly, it became great righteousness.  After Abraham finished tithing to Melchizedek, king of Salem, Jehovah God promised Abram in a vision: “Your very own son shall be your heir. (Gen. 15:4b)”  It was even said that Abram’s descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.  When these words were spoken, Abram and his wife were already in their seventies or eighties.  If it were you, would you believe it?   However, the Bible says: “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (Gen. 15:6)” It was not easy to believe, but Abram believed.  No one can explain why, just as we can’t explain why we believe in Jesus Christ.  In short, God takes this as our righteousness and even declares us righteous.  Let’s look at the third point:

Faith is tied to grace

I don’t know when faith and grace are married, loving each other, coworking with each other, and fulfilling the gospel.  First, salvation is by grace.  The religious reformers of Martin Luther used five solas to express their differences with Catholicism.  It is Scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, and the glory of God alone.  Ephesians 2:8 says that by grace you have been saved, which is the basis of Abraham’s belief that he was justified by God.  Why did God call you Abraham in Ur and not someone else?   Of course God has His own authority, but isn’t it more about His grace?  The same goes for Paul.  There are so many Pharisees, why would God shine light on Paul on the Road of Damascus?  Thinking about you and me, isn’t it the same?  God has chosen us from among all nations to be His children in the lineage of Christ.  How can we be so virtuous?

Secondly, salvation is by faith.  What is faith?  Faith is the advancement of grace, illuminating the way of Jesus, leading to the truth of the incarnation, and living a life like Christ.   Paul said, “That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. (Romans 4:16)”   So from now on both Jew and Gentile will be one in Christ Jesus.  Because the veil was rent, the hindrance was removed and the obstacles were gone.  The Israelites and the new Israel constitute the whole family of the Israelites.  In the kingdom of God, this whole family must be saved.  This is what God has said.

Finally, the law returns to faith.  Paul said:  “For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. (Romans 4:14)” The Bible never denies the law.  Jesus said that heaven and earth will pass away, and not one stroke of the law will pass away.  However, the law cannot save people,  but it can point people out of their sins and lead them to Christ.  Therefore, the law has also become the partner of faith in order to fulfill the gospel mission of Christ and fulfill the grace of justification by faith.  For the sake of God’s salvation, the law chooses humility, cooperates with the gospel, and even ultimately returns to the steps of faith, in order to save the world and walk with those who have faith on the path to heaven.

Conclusion

Thank the Lord!  Faith has nothing to do with circumcision because God justified Abraham before circumcision.  God connects faith with promises because God promises great nations, great families, and great righteousness.  Then, faith is linked to grace, which means Bible alone, faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, and the glory of God alone.

Let us pray……

9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 

10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 

11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 

12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 

14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 

15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.

16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.