Romans 3-3 - The Law of Faith#
Romans 3-3 - The Law of Faith
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Life of the Eagle)
Let us pray together:
Loving Heavenly Father, thank you and praise you! Thank you for gathering us before your word. Every time we meet, you will surely bring your grace to us, allowing us to know you more deeply through your word. Establish our faith in your word, so that we can live a life of faith in our daily lives. We completely dedicate this time to you, open our hearts to receive your word, bless every brother and sister who seeks you, bless this time, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray, Amen!
Romans chapter 3, verses 25 to 31,
25 God set forth Jesus as a propitiation, through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Is God the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
The topic of our sharing is called, The Law of Faith.
God personally set Jesus as a propitiation, demonstrating His righteousness through His blood and through the faith of man. Since we know this is what God has done, what do we have to boast about? Of course, there is nothing to boast about. Thank the Lord! From this point, we see that there are two different laws: one is the law of works, which relies on human actions and efforts, and the other is the law of faith.
The law of works, also known as the law of actions. A person in faith will not boast of themselves. But if a person relies on their own efforts to achieve success and glory, they will inevitably boast. For example, if someone is very successful in business, if you tell them that all of this is given by God, how many people would believe what you say? Most people would say, I clearly earned this through my hard work, why should I say it was given by God! This is called the law of works. They hope to gain praise from others through their own efforts.
The law of works is self-centered and belongs to the realm of the law. In the beginning, when Satan tempted Eve, he spoke to her in this way, saying, eat it, as long as you eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you will be able to discern good and evil like God. He wanted to tell Eve that doing this would bring her great benefits.
What is the result of the law of works? It makes one feel stronger than others, and thus deserves more respect. Why does God not want us to live by the law of works? Because when a person succeeds, it is easy to despise those who are not as good as them. When a person fails, it is easy to fall into a state of inferiority.
The law of works is self-centered, judging everything based on human performance. This is exactly the standard of judgment in the world, judging your worth based on your achievements. In the beginning, why did God not allow Adam and Eve to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? What is so different about this fruit?
In fact, there is nothing wrong with the fruit itself, just like the law, the law is righteous, it is holy, there is no problem with the law itself. However, when a person transgresses the law, they must be punished.
After Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they left the God-centered way of living, departing from the complete supply of God, leaving a life centered on faith, and entering a self-centered life, taking responsibility for themselves.
God said to Adam, because you have heeded the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.
Brothers and sisters, do you see? In fact, at the beginning, he did not need to toil and sweat to do these things because God had already provided everything. However, after he ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he began to be self-centered, indeed able to discern good and evil, but the standard of discernment was self-centered.
Genesis 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him out of the Garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.
What is the characteristic of being self-centered? It is centered on one's own gains and losses. If it is unfavorable to oneself, one will try every means to protect oneself, even at the cost of shirking responsibility.
When God asked Adam, "Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"
Genesis 3:12-13 Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
Adam clearly had faults as well, but at this point, they had already become self-centered. When God asked them, he shifted the blame to his wife Eve to protect his own interests. When people use themselves as the standard, they cannot see their own problems, only the faults of others. This is the law of works, being self-centered.
Why is it that now, with the economy developed, people do not worry about food, drink, and clothing, but the relationships between people have become more distant, and problems have increased? With a little conflict, people cannot tolerate it; where does this problem lie? Especially now, many families have only one child, and the whole family centers around this child, making self-centeredness more apparent. Therefore, such children enter society and cannot tolerate the shortcomings of others. They demand others based on their own standards, and at the same time, we often see many "angry youth" complaining about society and family. In fact, such people judge everything based on their self-centeredness. The law of works brings two results: either pride when successful, or deep inferiority and self-destruction when failing.
In the letter to the Laodicean church in Revelation, the Spirit mentions in chapter 3, verse 17, "Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,' and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked."
The problem with the Laodicean church is that they believed they were already very wealthy and lacked nothing! Why did this happen? Originally, the Laodicean church was very famous for three things: they had a prosperous textile industry; they produced eye ointment, making a lot of money. Since they were in the textile business, their clothes were beautiful, and they had no lack of clothing. They also had no lack of wealth. They began to boast, saying, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing."
But what does God say? God says, "You are wretched, miserable, poor." The Laodiceans indeed made a lot of money, but in God's eyes, they were poor. They made eye ointment, but their eyes could not see God; they made clothes for others, yet they were naked before God. Why do we say they are naked? Without the life of Christ, there is no robe of righteousness from Christ. When a person is born, they come naked, and when they leave, they will also leave naked. Only those who accept the Lord Jesus will have the robe of righteousness of Christ.
Psalm 49:6 Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.
This person may be very wealthy, but if he lives self-centeredly, relying on his own actions, he cannot obtain redemption from God. Thank the Lord.
Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
If we turn it around, we know what it is talking about: those who are wise in their own eyes, who think they understand everything, are in trouble! They do not see clearly their own condition, do not know they are still living without life, they do not have God, and are still living in self. But God wants to save people from this vicious cycle because people cannot escape from the law.
Even if a person accepts the Lord Jesus, if they do not live centered on Jesus, they can easily fall into the law of works. What I just mentioned are those who do not believe, living in the law of works. Many people say, "People live for a breath," pursuing fame, status, and money because they do not have God; this is very normal.
However, among believers, many have misunderstandings about God, living under the law, still wanting to exchange God's blessings through their good deeds. For example, some people say, "I pray for more than 10 hours every day, so God must bless me." It is not that we should not pray more; that is not the point. The point is that no matter how much you pray, you cannot say, "I have prayed for 10 hours, so you must bless me." In fact, in the Bible, blessings are given to us freely by God, not earned through the law of works.
It is not about doing things for God and performing well to receive blessings; it is through the work of Jesus that we have already received. God set Jesus as a propitiation, and through faith in Him, we receive everything centered on faith. This is the law of faith; thank the Lord.
We will focus on sharing the law of faith. When a person is in faith, they will not boast of themselves. Because they believe what the Bible says, they only boast in Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 1:31, it says, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."
Why should people not boast? Because everything a person has is given by God; the grace received by believers is purchased for us by Jesus Christ with His life and blood. When we were sliding towards death, living under the law, in curses, it was because Jesus Christ was willing to save us from the law, allowing us to receive His blessings.
When a person understands all this, they will not boast of their own greatness before God, nor will they boast of how many good deeds they have done, because in the face of Christ's salvation, everyone is a recipient. Since they are recipients, they naturally will not boast.
1 Corinthians 4:6-7
Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
When a person knows that everything they have is given freely by God, they will humble themselves before the Lord. This is the law of faith. A person will openly acknowledge that their life is given by God, health is given by God, and their inheritance is given by God. No matter how big their business is or how good their relationships are, it is all the wisdom and intelligence given by God. Such a person will give glory to God; this is the law of faith, and such a person often lives in gratitude.
When others tell him, "You are so successful!" he will tell others, "Actually, it is not my ability; it is the ability given to me by the Lord Jesus Christ." When others say, "You are so wealthy!" he will tell others, "All of this is from God." When a person lives under the law of faith, they will often give glory to God. And like Christ, they will generously help others.
Verse 28, therefore (some ancient manuscripts say "because") we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. (Romans 3:28)
A person is justified by believing, not by human achievements. Today, a person can receive salvation not because of how many good deeds they have done, nor because of a better background... none of this matters. It is not about following the law, meaning it has nothing to do with human actions; this is the grace given by God, the grace of Christ revealed outside the law.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Salvation is God's grace. Grace is unearned, undeserved, not something that can be earned, but is freely given by God. As long as a person believes, they can receive it. Salvation has nothing to do with actions.
Mark 10:17-20
Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'" And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."
This young man thought that eternal life could be obtained through the law of works, and he arrogantly asked Jesus, "What good thing shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus, facing such a person, gave him the law. This is the wisdom of Jesus. For those who want to boast, He first gives them the law to let them know their shortcomings, so that they can humbly receive God's grace. If a person does not know their problem, they will not receive God's grace.
Just like this young man. When Jesus told him the law, he confidently said, "All these things I have kept from my youth." In fact, no one can fully keep the law of Moses. But this young man did not realize his problem. Jesus pointed out his problem to save him.
Mark 10:21-22
Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Facing the pride of the young man, Jesus did not strike him down or condemn him. Jesus loved him and hoped he would pursue life. So He said, "You lack one thing." In fact, everyone is always lacking one thing before the law; no one can fully keep the law. This is a law that cannot be violated throughout life.
When Jesus said to sell everything and give to the poor, and then come and follow Him, this young man could not part with what he valued most, so he left sorrowfully.
Do you see? If the young man truly kept all the laws as he claimed, he should have had such love. Because the summary of the law is to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. However, in the practical application of the law, this young man was unwilling, indicating that his obedience was merely a willingness in his heart, which he could not actually fulfill.
No one can save themselves through the law of works; there is no way to obtain salvation through good deeds. Only through the law of faith, which is to believe in the righteousness accomplished by the Lord Jesus on the cross, believing that the righteousness of Jesus Christ is upon people, such righteousness is eternal and unchanging.
As Christians, when others constantly attack you, slander you, and exclude you, saying your abilities are terrible and that no one loves you, you should tell yourself that God's righteousness is still upon me, and the Lord Jesus still loves me. Even if no one in this world loves me, my Lord will not forsake me. God's love for us is not based on our good deeds, but because we believe in Him.
Some people are very talented and have achieved remarkable accomplishments, but that does not mean they are perfect in every way, nor does it mean they are righteous in God's eyes. Today, only by believing in the righteousness of Jesus Christ can one stand boldly before God. This is called the law of faith. It is by faith that we receive salvation. By faith, we receive God's blessings.
Genesis 15:6 And Abram believed the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
Through some historical materials, we find that Abraham's father used to sell various idols, and what God hates most are these idols. When Abraham was very young, he may have played among these idols. Did God say, "Abraham, you are surrounded by idols every day, and you are covered from head to toe with the evil of idols..."? God simply said, "Abraham, I will bless you; if you are willing, go to the place I will show you, and I will make you a great nation, and you will be a blessing to others." Abraham believed what the LORD said, and God accounted it to him for righteousness.
When God said all this, Abraham's eyes had not yet seen, but he believed. He left his homeland, kindred, and father's house according to God's word. It was this kind of faith that made Abraham the father of faith, a model for our faith.
Acts 13:39 also says, "And by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses."
"This One" refers to our Lord Jesus Christ. Here it does not say, "You were unable to be justified by the law of Moses, but now some of you can be justified." It says, "Everyone who believes in this One can be justified." This means God does not choose people; He does not look at what kind of person you are now, who your identity is, who your father is, or what your status is. As long as a person is willing to believe, they can be justified.
Unfortunately, many Christians mistakenly believe that after believing in the Lord, they still need to use the law of works to obtain God's blessings. For example, some say, "Lord, I attended prayer this morning; I believe you will make my day smooth." If the next day they do not pray, they worry, "Lord, does this mean you will not bless me today?" If they do not attend prayer or church that week, they worry, "Is God going to discipline or punish me in some way?" If a person thinks this way, they fall back into the law of works because God does not look at your actions; God is always willing to bless you as long as a person continues to believe in Him and is willing to follow Him.
What is the role of the law? The law is our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. The law is not without effect; it also has efficacy, making people aware that they are sinners and that they cannot reach God's standards through their own abilities or the law of works. Therefore, God has given us another way, which is to believe in His Son Jesus Christ and the grace accomplished on the cross; this is justification by faith.
Verse 29 mentions, "Is God the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also."
It is one question, one answer. What is mentioned here? If it is by keeping the law that one can be blessed, then without the law, what do we follow? It says that God is not only the God of the Jews but also the God of all humanity. Many people may say, "The Lord you believe in is a foreign religion; He is the God of Israel. Chinese people should believe in our local gods." If that is the case, would there not be many gods? If one country believes in one god, which god is the greatest? If there is one god who is the greatest, then just believe in that one.
Today we can tell others that the God of Israel is the only true God for all humanity. The true God does not distinguish between countries because He is the God of all humanity. Everyone is under His control. That is what makes Him God. If this God can only manage a certain area and cannot manage outside of that area, it shows His power is limited, and there is no need to believe in this God.
Jesus Christ is not only the God of the Jews; He is also the God of all humanity, the God of the Gentiles. Faith tells you that there is only one God. But actions will tell you that there are many gods. However, faith tells you that there is only one God, who treats all people fairly. Every person is created by God; therefore, He is the God of all humanity. Of course, He is also the God of the Jews and the God of the Gentiles. God is the Creator of all humanity. There is only one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we for Him (1 Corinthians 8:6).
Acts 17:26 also says, "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth."
Who does it depend on? It depends on our God. If one day our God takes back the world, everything will cease to exist. Today, the fact that people can live, walk, and exist is all because this God upholds all things with His power. One day, He will roll up the world like a garment because this garment has grown old. When He rolls it up, what will happen to the wealth you possess, to everything you have in this world? What will you leave behind?
We must draw on God's blessings through faith, while living on earth according to the words of the Bible, to exist in heaven with eternal and unchanging assets. Thank the Lord! Therefore, God is the only God. He does not distinguish between Israel or nations; everyone can believe in Jesus and be justified. The method is the same: justification by faith. God is absolutely fair to people and does not show favoritism. He does not require some people to do difficult things to be saved. Since God is one, our salvation relies entirely on faith. In the past, the Israelites relied on circumcision to establish a covenant with God in the flesh, but even if you are circumcised, you must believe that God is willing to bless you through this method.
Verse 30 says, "Since there is one God, He will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith."
It speaks of two types of people; both can receive salvation and be justified. The first type is through circumcision, keeping the Old Testament law, but must fully comply to be justified (this is something no one can do except Jesus). The other type is that you can believe that Jesus Christ has already fulfilled the law for you on the cross, and you can also be justified.
In the Old Testament, the Israelites made a covenant with God, knowing that a Messiah would come in the future to wash away all their sins. They offered bulls, sheep, and doves as sacrifices to God, and because of their belief, God "accounted" it to them for righteousness. At that time, they could not be called righteous because the matter had not yet been accomplished; it was only accounted to them for righteousness.
Their sins were only temporarily covered by the blood of bulls and sheep, not removed. They believed that the coming Savior would remove all their sins; now their sins were only covered. When Jesus came,
Jesus made it very clear, "You must believe in Me." Because He is the living sacrifice, the sinless sacrifice. As long as you believe in Him and follow Him, you will be justified. You just need to believe what He says, that He will die for you, and after dying, He will rise again on the third day. If you believe these words spoken by Jesus, you will be counted as righteous.
Where is the difference between us and them? Now, all who believe in Jesus Christ are those who live after Jesus Christ has died and risen again. We believe in the Savior who has already come—the Messiah, whose name is Jesus. He has borne all our sins and completed all the work of salvation; He has already called us righteous. Jesus completed this over two thousand years ago, so by faith, you have already been justified by God.
Why do we use the past tense when we pray? Because by His stripes, I have been healed; this matter was completed over two thousand years ago. We receive the healing already given by Jesus through faith. By His stripes, we are healed.
In the Old Testament, they believed in the God who would come later. In Jesus' time, they believed in the Lord they could see now. We now believe in the Jesus who has come; He has already completed the work of redemption for us. Regardless of the era, people believe in the same Savior.
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.
In the Old Testament, they were only following a shadow of the coming Savior; they did not know to call Him Jesus. But we have seen the result, so we are blessed because we have seen the result, and we just need to receive it. Thank God. Peter said, "I truly understand that God shows no favoritism. In every nation, He accepts those who fear Him and do what is right."
Romans 10:12 also says, "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him."
If you call upon Him, He will give to you; thank the Lord! When a person believes that God can save them and that in Christ they have already been justified, when you believe this way, God will give to you.
What does verse 31 say? "Do we then make void the law through faith?" Paul immediately says, "Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law."
Last time I shared that "certainly not" is a very strong word used by Paul, meaning it is absolutely impossible! Jesus did not abolish the law; He established the law. When a person lives under grace, the righteousness of the law is always upon them; this is not obtained by one's own adherence but through Jesus. Such righteousness is eternal and stable.
Here we will share three points on "What does it mean that we are under faith, and the law is established in the law of faith?"
- Because people believe that Jesus Christ has fulfilled the law.
Jesus met all of God's standards on earth; everything required by God's law, all righteousness, all holiness, and all requirements, Jesus has met. Moreover, He did not violate God's words; He is the ideal sacrifice in God's eyes, the most perfect obeyer. Therefore, when He fulfilled all the requirements of the law, those who believe receive everything that Jesus has done.
So what did Jesus do? He not only met the requirements of the law—not sinning, which Jesus could absolutely do—but if Jesus only did not violate the law, He could only save Himself. However, because He is sinless, He willingly died for our sins and rose from the dead for our righteousness. This is related to each of us. When we believe in Jesus, we put on the robe of righteousness of Christ.
When we believe that Jesus shed His precious blood for our sins, all our sins are cleansed. In God's eyes, we are justified and accepted by God. People live in the love of Christ, in the provision of God. This is incredibly good.
Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus came to fulfill the law and establish the law. We are not abolishing the law under grace; we are supporting the law; we are establishing the law; the love of Christ has completed the law.
The second point is that people acknowledge they are sinners and need Jesus to fulfill the law.
How does the law get established? By knowing that we cannot, by our own ability, keep all the laws, so people need to come before Jesus and let the Holy Spirit give us strength to overcome all problems.
How can one overcome sin after believing in the Lord? This requires the power and love that comes from the Lord Jesus. In His love, we can overcome sin and various bad habits. People need to focus on Jesus and the work He accomplished on the cross. When a person's eyes are fixed on Christ, changes will happen unconsciously.
The law has a role in bringing people to Christ, so that they may be justified by faith. Because the law cannot justify a person, nor can it give a person the strength to overcome sin. But Jesus Christ has the complete ability to help people overcome sin because He has already overcome the world, sickness, and death.
So we must believe that when we live by faith, relying on the grace of Christ, we can live out the likeness of Christ; this is the establishment of the law.
Galatians 3:22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
All the blessings we receive are obtained by believing in Jesus Christ. Therefore, the ability to overcome sin is also in the Lord Jesus Christ. When a person's focus is on the Lord Jesus, they will receive blessings from Christ. This is freely given by God.
The third point is that love fulfills the law.
Romans 13:8-10
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Legalists are often self-centered; in these people, love is not visible. But God's grace allows us to see the love of Christ. In the love of Christ, people are willing to give; love is sharing. When believers love one another, they perfectly fulfill the law. This is something the law cannot do.
Under grace, people serve God not because they must serve to be blessed, but because they are motivated by the love of Christ and are willing to serve. This is the power that comes from love, and such power is lasting and will bring forth the glory of Christ.
People do not obtain God's righteousness through good deeds. Rather, they know that the righteousness of Christ is upon them; we are not living for ourselves, but Christ lives in us. When we live for Christ, our actions will naturally change. Because we know our identity is precious and pleasing to God, we will experience God's goodness and wonders in serving every day.
Take reading the Bible as an example; it is not that we do not read the Bible, and God is unhappy, but because we feel that when we see the words of Christ in the Bible, our faith is filled, our joy is full, and we are filled with hope.
Brothers and sisters, it is the love of Christ that motivates us to move forward today; it is the love of Christ that motivates us to serve; it is the love of Christ that motivates us to love one another; it is also the love of Christ that allows us to live a different life. Every time we meditate on the work Christ did on the cross, our hearts are filled with gratitude and strength. He loves us so much; we are filled with His love and are willing to share this love, thus perfectly fulfilling the law. Love transcends the law and is above the law.
Let us pray together:
Father, all the salvation and blessings we receive are not based on the law of works, not because of our good behavior, but because of what you have given. You are willing to grant us such blessings, allowing us to live out the likeness of Christ in this world, which is a blessed pattern and also a pattern that the world envies.
Thank you for preserving this time; during this time, let us return to faith and draw strength from the words of Christ. We live each day by faith, expecting good things to happen in faith. We are a blessed people; Jesus Christ is the source of all our blessings. We believe you will bless the work of our hands, allowing us to experience your goodness, and all the glory belongs to you. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!