So this little letter of Galatians is to refute false doctrine
which was primarily the inroad of legalism and religion and is written
in much the same fashion as Hebrews. Remember in chapter 3, Paul made the
point of the fact that they didn't come into this glorious position
that they enjoyed now as believers by Law keeping, but how? By faith. By
believing the Gospel of God's Grace. All right so now then again as an
illustration of faith Paul goes back to the Old Testament and picks up
Abraham once again.
Galatians 3:6
"Even as Abraham believed God, and it (his believing or trusting God) was accounted to him for righteousness." (Genesis 12:1) Now contemplate that statement. "Abraham believed and trusted God and it was accounted to him for righteousness."
Now ask yourself the question, how much else did Abraham do? Well
nothing! He didn't keep a set of commandments, he didn't get baptized in
the river Jordan, he didn't do anything but believe, trusted God when
He told Abraham to go to a land that he would show him. Now we've said
this before and will again, and that is to believe in God which 90% of Americans say they do, verses to believe God.
Now to believe in God is what the multitude of people around the world
do. If it's not the One True God then they're believing in some god. But
on the other hand to believe God, to take Him at His word in total
trust, that's faith. When we believe God then we're taking Him at His
Word, and we're exercising faith. And that's what God is looking for. To
place our will into His hands and then pass through the valley of the
shadow of death where we leave behind doubt, self-will or ego and the
spirit of the world in that death. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:24 that
we're healed (to make whole, to be the completion of Him and He of us)
by His strips, made complete or placed back into right relationship and
union in Him (as a bride or the five virgins who were of the
illumination or light), through those strips if you will. ( Isaiah 53:5;
Malachi 4:2; Matthew 25:1)
So when Paul again says here in Galatians
that we are to believe God as Abraham did that sends us back first to
the Book of Romans chapter 4, and then we're going to go all the way
back to Genesis 12:1 and 3 and see how all of this has been building.
You know we're always making the reference to the fact that the Bible is
a progressive revelation. In other words what was built back there in
the Old Testament has not been thrown aside, but has rather been built
upon, and we're going to reconstruct that in a moment, but we're going
to go from the top down instead of from the bottom up. Let's just
compare scripture with scripture.
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?
(and that's what counts. It doesn't matter what Paul says, or what we
say, but what matters is what God said, and that of course is where the
scripture comes in) Abraham (believed not in God, but rather) believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." Now
what does that tell us? God said something and Abraham believed it,
received it and lived by it. Now we know that faith comes by hearing, we
looked at that before. And that says, "that God has to say something
before mankind can believe it." So here it is. "Abraham believed God, and it was counted (or imputed, accredited) unto him for righteousness." Now
that brings another thought to mind, so maybe we had better deal with
it as we trust the Spirit is leading this way. We hadn't intended to do
this, but let's come on over the other way to the little Book of James.
Here is one of those places where the scoffers especially and even a lot
of well-meaning Christians will say, "Well the Bible contradicts
itself, and we have problems with that." Come back to James chapter 2,
and we'll deal with it. We're sure we are all aware of this verse. James
says, "That if he doesn't see works then he can't see salvation."
James 2:21
"Was not Abraham our father (James is a Hebrew just like Paul) justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?"
(this was some 50-60 years after the call of Abraham) Now the first
thing that we would say would be, when does God deal with the faith of
Abraham? At the very beginning like He does with us or back here when
Isaac is already on the scene (some 13 to 30 years) which is some 50 to
60 years later? At the beginning. So James isn't talking about Abraham's
origin, but rather he's talking about something that took place some 50
or 60 years not prior to but rather later which was at the offering of
Isaac (Genesis 22:2-4 calls them young men, 9; Luke 14:26).
James 2:22-24
"Seest thou how faith wrought with his works (obedience), and by works was (his) faith made perfect? 23. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God (wholeheartedly trusted), and it was imputed (to number with the) unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend (companion)of God. 24. Ye see then how that by works (obedience) a man is justified, and not by faith only." Is
that a contradiction to what Paul says? On the surface it seems that
way, but when we see what James is really looking at? He is looking at
the faith of an individual as man determines it, in the material or
external realm. Now if we are to determine whether a person has saving
faith or not then what's the only criteria we have for that
determination? Their works or the fruit of the Spirit. God doesn't need
works, God looks on our heart, and so Abraham was saved by faith +
nothing because he didn't have to show works to anybody, he was dealing
only with God. Remember that James is talking to believing Hebrews who
are caught in the web of the old works based religion, so all they know
or understand is tied to that religion.
So
the next time somebody jumps you and says, "well the scripture
contradicts itself because James says, you can't be saved without works,
and Paul says we're saved by faith alone." Always remember
James is looking at it from man's point of view that absolutely if there
are no works then we have no idea that a man has saving faith. But God
looks at each of us like He did at Abraham and He sees our faith without
works, for He only sees the fruit of His Spirit. We don't have to do
any works to prove to God that we have faith. But if we want to prove
that to our neighbor then we'd better show some fruits which bear
witness of the Holy Spirit's presence in us. Do you see the difference?
There is no controversy, no contradiction, but just simply two totally
difference events. Now come back to Romans 4 for a moment, and then we
will go back to Genesis.
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