Wednesday, July 7, 2010
"The Justified" - part 2
So then, Why did Paul use so eloquently the famous verse from Habakkuk 2:4, "The Just shall live by his faith", to lay down the principle of Justification by faith, not by the works of the Law, in Romans 1:17 & Galatians 3:11 ? Because in Habakkuk 2:4, God is instructing Habakkuk about how man should not try and question His judgements, but should rather trust Him to be Just in all His Ways. And that it is in this trusting in the Lord for doing what is best, that faith is then demonstrated in a man's life towards God. But rather, what Paul was putting forth, was a New Way to Live by faith; a Way in which we put our faith in the finished Work of Christ. In other words: The manor in which this verse was received in Habakkuk, was for the Just to live by faith in God and all His ways, including His judgements; but what Paul was demonstrating was that The Just shall Live eternally by his faith in Jesus, and what Jesus did on the cross to remove judgement. Are these two different meanings, or the same? Yes and No! On the one hand, we must Trust God in all His Ways; which makes these two statements the same. But on the other hand, for the Believer in Christ, there is no longer a need for judgement, because Christ has taken the judgement in our place. So, for the one which declares: Man shall live by believing God is Just; the other declares: The New Man shall Live by believing that he is justified by what Christ has done for him. Thus is the reason for Jesus to declare: "I Am The Way"; because it is only through Him which we will have Eternal Life, and will be set free from the Curse of the Law. What a sharp contrast in the levels of Justification: Where one is based on faith in what God will do; While the other is based upon faith in what God has done; But both are based upon Faith! "So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The Just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:9-14)
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