Waiting for the Plants To Pop Up

 Hidden Lily multiplies and is fun to give away.

All of my Crepe Myrtles are leafing out, except the big one. Tomorrow I will prune to wake it up faster, clipping off the remnants of seedheads. We just had two more inches of rain, so almost everything else is growing well, including a bit of lawn in the backyard and a few dandelions.

I am now removing old, dry stems - like Joe Pye. Why so late? Wild bees like hollow stems for their winter slumber. Anything above ground level is attractive to birds, too. They plant their favorite foods, a double blessing. They get more of their favorites and I have ground cover (Wild Strawberries) and green fences (Pokeweed).

About 60 birds love Poke berries, and they thoughtfully plant them with some fertilizer where they roost.

I used logs from one tree to build a rustic fence in the backyard. My aim was to have a generous allotment for birds to use when looking for food or preening their feathers. I had been trying to screen the distant backyard with purchased plants. The birds deposited Poke seeds along the log fence and a thick green fence appeared, adorned with the favorite fruit of birds and a hangout for beneficial insects when flowering.

The Wild Ginger Hidden Lily has yet to appear. It is also called turmeric, a new health fad. I like the big leaves and lush growth, without dying from the slight winter we have. The flowers are interesting enough for the altar.

 Picotee Crepe Myrtle - wide and red blossoms.

Romans 4 - The Path To Understanding Justification

Romans 4 – Abraham as the Example of Justification by Faith

Romans 4:1-3

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4 τι ουν ερουμεν αβρααμ τον πατερα ημων ευρηκεναι κατα σαρκα

² ει γαρ αβρααμ εξ εργων εδικαιωθη εχει καυχημα αλλ ου προς τον θεον

³ τι γαρ η γραφη λεγει επιστευσεν δε αβρααμ τω θεω και ελογισθη αυτω εις δικαιοσυνην

Repetition is a form of emphasis - Paul declared Justification by Faith at the end of chapter 3. He opened chapter 4 by connecting Abraham with Justification by Faith and quoting the passage from Genesis 15:6.

Romans 4:4-5 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

⁵ τω δε μη εργαζομενω πιστευοντι δε επι τον δικαιουντα τον ασεβη λογιζεται η πιστις αυτου εις δικαιοσυνην

Isolating part of a verse will satisfy those who cannot see Justification by Faith in these two verses, this chapter, this Pauline book, these unified and harmonious Scriptures. “He justifies the ungodly! Romans 4:5” has been used repeatedly, as if fencing off a few words will reveal the essence of the verse. The entire verse should be kept in mind and repeated to those who imagine a mere segment of Romans 4:5 means the entire world was absolved of all sin and declared righteous –

1.     at the death of Christ, or alternatively,

2.     when Jesus rose from the dead.

Clearly, the last half of the verse repeats the teaching of Justification by Faith –

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

λογιζεται η πιστις αυτου εις δικαιοσυνην (the bolded part of Romans 4:5).

Γένεσις 15:6 καὶ ἐπίστευσεν ῞Αβραμ τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην.

Those who knew Greek and the Greek Old Testament would have recognized the same terms used for Abraham – faith or believing, counted/reckoned, and righteousness – in Romans 4:5.

Romans 4:6-7

6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,[1] 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

⁶ καθαπερ και δαβιδ λεγει τον μακαρισμον του ανθρωπου ω ο θεος λογιζεται δικαιοσυνην χωρις εργων ⁷ μακαριοι ων αφεθησαν αι ανομιαι και ων επεκαλυφθησαν αι αμαρτιαι ⁸ μακαριος ανηρ ω ου μη λογισηται κυριος αμαρτιαν

This chapter is a continuous emphasis on the words – counted (imputed, reckoned) righteous/righteousness, and faith/believing. Unlike the Greek, which uses the same basic letters for these words, English varies. The English-only reader (typical of ministers and many professors) do not see or feel the majesty of the same words repeated and used over again, like Bach’s baroque counterpoint music. Paul’s three-fold beatitudes in this section, supporting the opening.

Romans 4:9-10

9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

⁹ ο μακαρισμος ουν ουτος επι την περιτομην η και επι την ακροβυστιαν λεγομεν γαρ οτι ελογισθη τω αβρααμ η πιστις εις δικαιοσυνην

¹⁰ πως ουν ελογισθη εν περιτομη οντι η εν ακροβυστια ουκ εν περιτομη αλλ εν ακροβυστια

Abraham’s circumcision (Genesis 17:10ff.) was much later than his justification by faith (Genesis 15:6), making the patriarch the father of all who would believe in the Messiah, whether Jewish or not.

Romans 4:11-12 – who walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham

11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

¹¹ και σημειον ελαβεν περιτομης σφραγιδα της δικαιοσυνης της πιστεως της εν τη ακροβυστια εις το ειναι αυτον πατερα παντων των πιστευοντων δι ακροβυστιας εις το λογισθηναι και αυτοις την δικαιοσυνην

¹² και πατερα περιτομης τοις ουκ εκ περιτομης μονον αλλα και τοις στοιχουσιν τοις ιχνεσιν της εν τη ακροβυστια πιστεως του πατρος ημων αβρααμ

The great issue was whether circumcision was the true sign of blessedness. This is already answered in Genesis – Abraham believed, and it was counted as righteousness. Thus Abraham is the example of all who believe, the example of blessedness, righteousness, and forgiveness.

Romans 4:13-15 – But through the righteousness of faith

13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

¹³ ου γαρ δια νομου η επαγγελια τω αβρααμ η τω σπερματι αυτου το κληρονομον αυτον ειναι του κοσμου αλλα δια δικαιοσυνης πιστεως

¹⁴ ει γαρ οι εκ νομου κληρονομοι κεκενωται η πιστις και κατηργηται η επαγγελια

¹⁵ ο γαρ νομος οργην κατεργαζεται ου γαρ ουκ εστιν νομος ουδε παραβασις

The argument may be clearer in the original Greek word order, emphasizing not through the Law:

Not through the Law was the promise made to Abraham or his seed – the he is heir of the world – but through the righteousness of faith. (Jackson Literal)

Romans 4:16-17 – Of faith, by grace

16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

¹⁶ δια τουτο εκ πιστεως ινα κατα χαριν εις το ειναι βεβαιαν την επαγγελιαν παντι τω σπερματι ου τω εκ του νομου μονον αλλα και τω εκ πιστεως αβρααμ ος εστιν πατηρ παντων ημων

¹⁷ καθως γεγραπται οτι πατερα πολλων εθνων τεθεικα σε κατεναντι ου επιστευσεν θεου του ζωοποιουντος τους νεκρους και καλουντος τα μη οντα ως οντα

To counter Justification by Faith, some fanatics have tried to make faith a work and to pit grace against faith, as if one cannot exist with the other. Quite the contrary is true in Paul’s exposition. If righteousness is of faith, then it is also by grace.

Romans 4:18-21 – against hope, believed in hope, not weak in faith

18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

¹⁸ ος παρ ελπιδα επ ελπιδι επιστευσεν εις το γενεσθαι αυτον πατερα πολλων εθνων κατα το ειρημενον ουτως εσται το σπερμα σου

¹⁹ και μη ασθενησας τη πιστει ου κατενοησεν το εαυτου σωμα ηδη νενεκρωμενον εκατονταετης που υπαρχων και την νεκρωσιν της μητρας σαρρας

²⁰ εις δε την επαγγελιαν του θεου ου διεκριθη τη απιστια αλλ ενεδυναμωθη τη πιστει δους δοξαν τω θεω

²¹ και πληροφορηθεις οτι ο επηγγελται δυνατος εστιν και ποιησαι

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[1] Psalm 32:1-2

Let the Dead Bury the Dead

I received my first and only copy of J. T. Mueller, the Cliffnotes version of Pieper's Dogmatics.

Naturally I looked up Justification by Faith in the index and went to that page. That confirmed what I have suspected. By confusing Justification by Faith with the invented term - Subjective Justification - as Mueller does, people are allowed to draw erroneous conclusions.

"Oh, they mean Objective Justification equals the Atonement, so Subjective Justification equals Justification by Faith." But already, that innocent self-delusion is also self-destructing - two justifications.

We cannot escape the fact that Biblical justification is the declaration of innocence. So that delusion - quoted above - returns us to the original CFW Walther formula of universal absolution without faith and making a decision for OJ. See the Walther graphic above. The false teachers always include justification in their terminology, because they share the liberal Pietistic stance that every single person in the world is already forgiven and saved:

• Objective Justification
• Universal Objective Justification
• General Justification
• Justification of the World.

Are those teachers who promote OJ and SJ honestly declaring their agreement with the Chief Article and the Means of Grace? I think not. They are devious liars who lead people to and fro in error's maze astounded.

That is also why the clever clergy correct people who say Justification by Faith, insisting Justification BY GRACE! through faith. Check the ongoing essay about which term is used all the time, which one is used once.