Abraham in Galatians and Romans
If Abraham is a major figure in John and Luke, then he is
dominant in Galatians and Romans. Galatians is first in composition, and Romans
is first as the doctrinal statement. Paul wrote Galatians with great energy to refute
the false claims of needing the Jewish law to be real Christians. The argument
is clear in both books – we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ, which is
impossible through the Law.
The teaching of Justification by Faith is so clear in
Galatians that only the apostates can miss what it means. Abraham was not
circumcised when he was promised a son who would begin a line leading to the
Savior. How could the false teachers entice the Galatians to engage in a
practice that Abraham did not need?
Galatians
3: 3
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the
flesh? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
5
He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you,
doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 6 Even as
Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye
therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
The mainstream,
liberal, apostate mainline denominations – including ELCA, WELS, LCMS, and the
ELS – teach universalism by claiming that the entire world is absolved from sin
and forgiven, without faith. This is clearly contrary to the Scriptures from
Genesis onward. What ties the two Testaments together is the faith of Abraham
in Christ, his example of trusting God’s Promises.
Galatians 3:8 And the
scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith,
preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be
blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Dr. Walter A. Maier
(PhD, Semitics, Harvard) created a radio ministry by teaching the inerrancy of
the Bible and Justification by Faith[1].
His LCMS academic heirs teach the opposite of both – Biblical errors and
justification without faith. The example of Abraham, so often repeated in the
Bible, has no impact on their dogmatics. Nevertheless, the Scriptures connect
Abraham to faith in every possible example.
11
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident:
for, The just shall live by faith. 12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man
that doeth them shall live in them. 13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse
of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one
that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the
Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit
through faith.
The example of Abraham’s
two sons is another way of defining salvation through faith or the Law.
Abraham in Romans – Faith Is Access to Grace
The Apostle Paul, in the early part of Romans, chapters 1
and 2, eliminated all the forms of righteousness which do not enable
forgiveness. Many sentimental funerals emphasize what Paul renounced – “He was
a good man. He had a kind heart. He loved his children and the Cubs.” One
funeral director grew alarmed when a mobster was preached into heaven by a fill-in
minister. The relatives could not connect the praise with his violent history.
Chapter 3
Just
like Galatians, Paul argued for Justification by Faith - followed by Abraham as
the irrefutable example – Abraham believed the Promise and it was counted by
God as righteousness. This righteousness is without the Law and comes by faith
of Jesus Christ to all who believe. The Chief Article of the Christian Faith is
so clear in this passage that people must insert words and distort the meaning
to have it come out the opposite.
Romans
3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being
witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which
is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there
is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus: 25 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; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his
righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth
in Jesus.
Those
who deny the faith of Jesus are blasphemers and no amount of text distortion
and added words can change that sin. Yet Paul has already filled up those bolt
holes that are intended by ignorant interpreters to cinch their dogma against
the Chief Article. “3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness:
that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
Justification and faith
go together. So Paul uses Abraham to show that grace and faith are together,
not opposed to each other. The KJV preserves the truth of the Greek text – the faith
of Jesus – even to the point of confounding those who only know “faith in
Christ,” which is also in the New Testament.
Chapter 4
Nothing shows the ignorance of false teachers more than pruning
a half-sentence from verse 25 and declaring victory. But what did Paul write?
Romans
4:1 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.
The various
Justification by Faith phrases are repetitive because the Chief Article is
based upon one verse – and its consequences – in the Old Testament. Sin begins
with Adam, but forgiveness starts with Abraham, Genesis 15:6.
Paul wrote these verses, aimed at all the congregations,
because of the temptation to make Christianity faith plus works to earn
salvation. Abraham is key because of his justification preceding his
circumcision.
Romans
4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. 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.
This was a major
conflict in the Apostolic Age, and seem odd today, but forms of it repeat and
flourish today, so it must be understood with child-like faith, not with
Barthian-Kirschbaum theology tomes. Imagine an entire volume from Barth and his
mistress that starts with “The gift is a demand.”
Romans
4:16 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.
This chapter is only 25
verses long and has so much to say about Abraham and Justification by Faith.
Everything comes down to the historical fact, that God
chose this elderly couple, longing for a son, to have a son when no one could
imagine. While this alone was a great miracle for them, the greater miracle was
the ultimate blessing for all mankind in providing the Savior in the future by
God’s grace and power.
Romans
4:17 (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.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. 22 And therefore it
was imputed to him for righteousness.
Thus the future of
Israel and the Gentile nations depended on the faith of one elderly man and his
supposedly infertile wife. God works His miracles among the most unlikely
people.
The following verses cannot be adequately understood apart
from the entire chapter and the preceding three chapters. Snipping and clipping
verses and half-verses is an ideal way to twist the truth but not to explain
it.
Romans
4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised
up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was
raised again for our justification.
We are all
beneficiaries of this faith, which gave us, through God’s guidance the Savior,
but also the key to understanding the Word of God. We are declared righteous
through faith in Him.
Romans 5, The Summary of Romans 4
Romans
5: Therefore
being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and
rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in
tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience,
experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the
love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto
us.
[1]
Galatians 2: 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law,
but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ,
that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works
of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. The first
bolded - δια πιστεως ιησου χριστου – not faith in Christ but the faith of Christ.
The second bolded - ινα δικαιωθωμεν εκ πιστεως χριστου – the faith of Jesus.
Neither one is faith in Jesus, a fact skipped by modern translators. The KJV is
correct with “faith of Christ.” Yes, He was both man and God, and He had faith
in God the Father. Salvation comes to all believers from the faith of Christ to
our faith, from faith to faith.
