27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.
31 Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.
V. 27 - “Where then is boasting?” - Who can brag of the amazing their feat of satisfying the requirements of God? Absolutely no one. (Other than Jesus Christ, the LORD.) This is not exactly a new idea. “Thus says the LORD, ‘Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,’ declares the LORD.” ( Jer. 9:23-24)
“By what kind of law?” - Which part of the law followed exactly, without fail, justifies us to God? What part from Genesis through Deuteronomy? What about working through ALL of it? Not works, but faith.
Placing our trust in our own efforts encourages us to say, “Look! I did this!” However: “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” (Titus 3:5-6)
V. 28 - “A man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law” - This message had to be distressing to the Jews for they had based their whole existence on doing the Law. They were operating by rote, not by trusting God. We must be careful to not sneer at the Jews for their failure. It is far too easy to ‘love God’ by habit. We are drifting into the area of ‘works’ if our relationship with God and Jesus is founded on singing worship songs, going to church on Sunday mornings, baptism or communion, or any other of the things we do as Christians,.
The Jewish leaders wanted to know what to do, so they asked Jesus. "'What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?' Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.' " (See: John 6:28-35) His answers was, “Believe.”
V. 29-30 - “Is God the God of Jews only?” - This is a rhetorical question. Paul wants you to know faith in the Law means only Jews can be saved, hence: “God of the Jews only.” But God’s plan of salvation was not just for a few, but to be offered to all - both Jews and Gentiles. God's plan is to save all humans. Judaism was not designed for all, but for the chosen descendants of Abraham.
Perhaps that statement is too simplistic. It would seem to imply that only if you were born a Jew did you have any hope. After all were not the Jews God's chosen? But we can see in the laws God gave them that a Gentile who follows all of the Law - from circumcision through offering sacrifices and obeying holy days and festivals, and following His laws could be 'Jewish'. So it was not the birth that made you a follower of God, but obedience. For me, the understanding that the Jews were God's own special people is based on the fact that Jesus Christ, the savior of the world who took all of our sin upon Himself was to come from the Jewish nation. The Jews were to be tutors for the world, so the world would know that following God and His rules leads to salvation, blessing and mercy.
“God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.” - There is one God, the LORD. He is God of all creation. He has bridged the sin chasm between His Holy Being and sinful man, sinful Jews, sinful Gentiles.
Salvation does not come from a system of works. Salvation comes by knowing and believing in Jesus Christ - accepting His death as payment for your failure.
V. 31 - “Do we then nullify the Law through faith?” - Does faith in Jesus invalidate God’s Law? Does belief that Christ died for sin counteract the effectiveness of the Law?
No!
The Law was not given to provide salvation, but to teach us what sin is, and to teach us that we needed God to save us. We need to know that we cannot save ourselves. The act of sacrificing a lamb, a bull, a goat, or a bird did not save. The belief and faith in God and His command provided the cleansing power. Doing the act without the faith, in escence by rote, would be as effective as playing a round of golf.
“we establish the Law.” - Other translations use “we uphold the Law.” The Law has not lost its value. We still need to be reminded what sin is. I am not referring to the “civil” or “ceremonial” parts of the Mosaic Law, but to the “moral” laws, including the Ten Commandments.
***End of Chapter
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