A Life in Exile

In his letter to the believers in Rome, Paul provides a deep dive into the doctrines of our faith, but I’m so grateful he does not do it without the use of references. How many times have we had a professor or teacher tell us to “document, document, document”? You cannot accuse Paul of such, for he knew the Torah, the psalms, and the prophets. He was a student of the Word from a young age, and it shows as he constantly pulls from the Old Testament to verify teaching.

Judaism is a works-heavy religion. It requires faith but emphasizes obedience to the Law. As Jews began turning to Christ in the first century, the baggage of works came along with them. Paul, who had been a Pharisee of Pharisees, who knew the burden of trying to live up to the standards of a Law-based religion, pointed back prior to the Law to reveal the righteousness God had revealed to him through Christ.

Long before the Law there was a man of faith.

Abraham was a name known to every Jew. They knew their history, and how God had called Abram out of the land of his fathers. They knew the promises, the covenant, the sacrifice of Isaac, and how he was saved from death at the last moment. Paul wrote to them about this man they knew:

What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about—but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness. Now to the one who works, pay is not credited as a gift, but as something owed. But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness.

Romans 4:1-5 CSB

In taking believers all the way back to Genesis 15:6, Paul is reminding them that God credited Abraham with righteousness, not because of his obedience to the Law, which had yet to be established, nor because of his standing because this was before his circumcision, but because of his faith in God’s power to do the impossible. What was the impossible that Abraham believed God could accomplish? The provision of a child. This is faith—belief in the One who can accomplish what we cannot.

God credits us with the same righteousness when we believe in the One who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead (Romans 4:24). This is the Jesus who was given over to death for our sins and raised to life anew for our justification with God. What was impossible through our own standing or work is made possible by faith in the One who can accomplish it.

Saved by grace through faith.

Believers in Galatia were hung up on the same concept, confusing their way to God as being because of their works and not faith alone through Christ alone. Paul would have none of it, and as he hammered in the subject in his letter, he turns again to the one who started it all.

Are you so foolish? After beginning by the Spirit, are you now finishing by the flesh? Did you experience so much for nothing—if in fact it was for nothing? So then, does God give you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law? Or is it by believing what you heard—just like Abraham who believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness? You know, then, that those who have faith, these are Abraham’s sons. Now the Scripture saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and proclaimed the gospel ahead of time to Abraham, saying, All the nations will be blessed through you. Consequently, those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, who had faith.

Galatians 3:3-9

Sometimes prejudice can cause a Christ-follower to fall back on works to justify their standing with God. This would often happen in the days of the early church, as Jewish believers saw Gentiles coming into the Kingdom. Gentiles didn’t have the Law to begin with, so they had no hindrance in accepting Christ through faith alone. The Jewish followers of the Way struggled with the simplicity of seeing their enemies turn to Christ and began placing an unneeded emphasis on the Law and their continued need to adhere to it to be “true” Christians. 

Paul says, “Nope, don’t go there. Remember Abraham?” He didn’t want them to fall back into the thinking that it was by their works they could reach God. Just as God had credited Abraham with righteousness because of his faith alone, he also said that through him all nations would be blessed. All who believe in Christ are seen as children of Abraham.

Faith versus works—a constant struggle.

Just in case you think it’s only Paul who had to address this issue, I bring you James, the brother of Jesus and a leader in the Jerusalem church. In his letter, he addresses what saving faith looks like in the life of the believer. Where does he go for his example? Genesis 15:3.

Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete, and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.

James 2:21-23

The faith that Abraham showed in the God of the impossible was revealed in his obedience to God’s command. Faith comes first, but without the works, it is not valid.

How do we know a person is a Christ follower without actions to reveal where their faith lies? It is not the work that saves, but the faith in God who enables us to do good to his glory.

Are you trying to prove yourself to God by your works or living in faith and letting him work through you? Look to Abraham for encouragement today.

Grace and Peace

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