Therefore we conclude
that a man is justified
by faith apart from
the deed of the law.
Or is He the God of
the Jews only?
Is He not also the
God of the Gentiles?
Yes, or the Gentiles
also, since
there is one God who
will justify
the circumcised by
faith and the
uncircumcised by
faith. Do we then
make void the law
through faith?
Certainly not! On the
contrary,
we establish the law.
Romans 3:28–31
No one can
boast that they are without sin! No one can boast they are of God without the
faith that is of God. Keeping the Law does not make a person saved or
justified. Paul makes this statement that man is justified by faith, and that
apart from the deed of the law. Does this mean that the law is of no use in a
person’s life. That the law is “past tense?” Are we now under a new law? Is
this so because we are not Jews? And then Paul asks this question: “Do we
then make void the law through faith?” The answer: NO! We establish the law
by faith, and that faith is of the law, that is, by faith we keep the law
believing the God gave the law for all of man and especially this is true of
His children. God’s elect keeps the law. The law points us to God, to the
Savior, and without the law then we are a law unto ourselves. It is not the
works, or deeds of the law that saves us from our sins. It is God who saves,
and it is God who justifies, it is all of God and not any of man. We cannot
boast about our works: “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law?
Of works? No, but by the law of faith” (Romans 3:27). Are we to be as the
Deist that believe that God created then sits back and allows everything to
occur without His Providence? Are we to be as the Pantheist that believe that
God is in everything, trees, dirt, animals, man, etc. and their faith is that
God is present literally? Or that God works in modes as the Apostolic movement
which is Modalism which is a faith in God but not in the Trinity? Or is faith
as that of the Atheist which puts faith in whatever they determine to be good,
and teaches that all truth, no matter whose, is valid and not to be questioned?
God requires faith: “Without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews
11:6). Faith is in principle an opposing force against common sense and is
therefore is uncritical enthusiasm as can be seen in religions that promote
enthusiasm by means that are not Scriptural. Yet common sense when opposed to
faith is rationalism which makes common sense the supreme authority. Does this
mean that common sense plays no part in a Christian’s life? No! It is true that
common sense is not faith, and that faith is not common sense (Oswald’s October
30th, article on faith, My Utmost for His Highest). Common sense and
faith are of two substances, common sense is natural, and faith is spiritual.
One is impulsive; the other is inspiration.
Faith, if
then is required of God how do we understand why faith is necessary if we can
and do use common sense? Faith is different from common sense inasmuch as faith
is not based on common sense, that is, those things which we can perceive,
touch, empirical and faith is revelational inasmuch as it is based on that
which cannot be seen, touch, or is empirical. Can the finite understand or know
fully the infinite? No! We cannot see God. We have faith in the unseen, and our
faith must be tried, and no matter what are our circumstances God teaches us
that He is Good and that by His Providence all things work together for good:
(Romans 8:28). The law then is what leads us to know the goodness of God by our
keeping the law in faith and not by common sense. We keep the law so that the
purpose of God through our faith makes our faith real in us. We prove our faith
in everyday practical experience as God shown to be what we believe Him to be,
a revelation by God to His children by means of His word, His law and not by
works. Works is not faith! On the surface faith is so unreal to us as we
attempt to use common sense to prove faith. Common sense cannot! Faith must
have a basis and that basis is Jesus Christ, and by this fact or base of our
faith, we have the principle that is actively working in our lives and that
principle is faith; not blind faith, rather faith that is active, assured, and
is not based on common sense, it is based on Jesus Christ. Make your works
based upon Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the basis of our faith and by such we
do not rely on works for justification; we rely on God who justifies. Our works
is only what God requires of His children.
For many
who claim to be Christian God is only some abstraction and to have faith, a faith
that they perceive as blind, is unjustified. This is the position of the Deist,
and it is how a Pantheist sees God, no faith, just materiality. God is not an
abstraction for He can be seen, real, and present, in our circumstances and
this is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. Faith then is for us to
be rightly related to God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. We are rightly related
to God when we do what He has revealed and commanded, that is, keeping the Law
given to Moses for all of God’s people, and even extending to the world at
large.
God
justifies, God saves, God chooses, God is all in all, and this we have faith in
through His Son Jesus Christ who is the propitiation for sin, our sin. It is
God who draws, enables, and it is God who give to His children eternal life.
Our question then is: Are we using only common sense to attempt to live for
God, or are we applying the faith He has given (Ephesians 2:8), and living by
faith, and then allowing this faith to be the basis for our disposition in all
we do?
But without faith it is impossible
To please
Him, for he who
Comes to God must believe that He is,
And that He
is a rewarder of
Those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6
Give God Praise For Your Faith
Richard L. Crumb
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