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Pathways Through Paul, Vol 2
Daily Devotional
January 14
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Today's Pathway:
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Yesterday we saw that Paul questioned Peter as to why he was acting so hypocritically in demanding that the Gentile believers place themselves under the Law when he, a natural born Jew, was no longer living as if he was subject to its ordinances. Paul now gives a theological basis for his rebuke. He states that both he and Peter, as well as the rest of the apostles, understood the fact that no man was ever justified by trying to keep the Law, but justification could only be received by faith in Christ. The word "justification" means to be declared "not guilty". No man could be declared "not guilty" as a result of the Law, for no man was capable of keeping the Law! All the Law could do was reveal a man's sin (Romans 3:20) and then condemn him for it (James 2:9-11). However, because Jesus came in the flesh, lived a sinless life, and shed His blood on the cross, He took the punishment of all mankind upon Himself as our Substitutionary Sacrifice (Romans 8:3; II Corinthians 5:21). When we by faith put our trust in Him and His sacrifice we are declared to be justified (Romans 5:1). Thus, Paul wrote in Romans 3:28,
"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
Paul personalizes all this in verse 16 when he writes,
"even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ".
Paul is not just espousing some theological theory. He has experienced it personally. Charles Spurgeon commented,
"How boldly is this stated! Faith alone and not works justify the soul before God. He who does not believe this rejects the gospel. Nothing is more plainly revealed in Scripture than this: that by the works of the law shall no man be justified. Yet men think that they must prepare for grace, or assist mercy, or in some degree deserve eternal life. They prefer their own flattering prejudices to the declaration of the heart-searching God."
In verse 17 Paul raises a question:
"But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin?".
Paul is asking this rhetorical question based on the accusations that the Judaizers were making against the Christians who believed in justification by faith alone. James Boice explained it this way:
"Paul is answering the objection (of the Judaizers) that to eliminate the law entirely as he is doing is to encourage godless living, living without norms. The argument would go, 'Your doctrine of justification by faith is dangerous, for by eliminating the law you also eliminate a man's sense of moral responsibility. If a person can be accounted righteous simply by believing that Christ died for him, why then should he bother to keep the law or, for that matter, why should he bother to live by any standard of morality? There is no need to be good. The result of your doctrine is that men will believe in Christ but thereafter do as they desire.'"
This accusation continues to be leveled against the doctrine of salvation by grace even today, and particularly against the doctrine of eternal security. I have heard people argue that belief in eternal security turns its proponents into people who can live wicked lives because they believe that their works don't help to save them or keep them saved. Paul then states that the accusation would ultimately be that Jesus Himself is encouraging men to sin by freeing them from the Law. Paul's answer to all that is,
"God forbid!".
He spoke to this in Romans 6:1-2,
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"
The grace of God should not make us think that we have a license to sin. It should make us desire to please the Lord even more because of His great love for us.
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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