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There are certain laws which control our lives, even though we may rarely, if ever, think about them. Take for example the law of gravity. It keeps us firmly rooted on terra firma and occasionally brings us abruptly into contact with it. There is however one law that surpasses all others in terms of its significance for our lives. It is the Law of Faith.
Paul introduces us to the law of faith in the third chapter of his letter to the church in Rome.
In this part of his letter Paul is explaining the good news of God's righteousness in graciously justifying guilty sinners through faith in Jesus Christ (3:21-24).
God maintained his righteous justice in this gracious acquittal by putting forth Jesus as the atoning sacrifice for everyone who believes in him (3:25). The crucial feature of God's acquittal is explained by Paul in 3:24 with the words "justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." These words highlight the fact that this acquittal is entirely due to God's grace, the favor he freely chooses to bestow. The key aspects of this justification, as explained by Paul in the next chapter, are that God forgives our sins (they are not counted against us because Jesus has atoned or covered them, see 4:7-8; Cf. 3:23-25) and he counts us righteous through Christ, by faith (4:11; Cf. 4:4-5). This is where the law of faith comes into play, because anything that is of grace can only be received by faith. This is the law of faith which Paul then proceeds to explain.
In the last paragraph of chapter 3, Paul explains that the experience of God's justification by grace, through faith, excludes any and all boasting before him, since it is only by his grace, and only through faith.
Paul then turns to the patriarch Abraham to demonstrate that God has always expected faith, and only faith, in his gracious determination to count someone righteous. He focuses on one word, used in one verse of the first book of the Bible (Genesis, the first book of the Law) to demonstrate that the status of righteousness has never been obtained by ones work according to the law, but only by God "counting" one who believes (has faith in) his promise, righteous (4:1-5: Cf. Gen. 15:6).
Paul explains the crucial point in verses 4-5 with this analogy: "Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness."
When we receive remuneration for the goods or services we have worked to provide that is "due" us, it is not a gift of grace. But Paul has already established that justification (having our sins forgiven and being "counted" righteous) is "by his grace, as a gift" (see again 3:24). Therefore, if it is a gift, prompted only by God's grace, it may only be received by believing in him who justifies through the atoning sacrifice of Christ. This is the point that Paul continues to drive home throughout the rest of chapter 4.
This is the reason why the church, the body of Christ, should be united, regardless of the diversity of its ethnic composition, because each one becomes a member of the family in the same way. It's also the reason why every believer can and should be confident in his or her position before God as a member of his family. Do you have this confidence? Have you experienced the Law of Faith? Call us, if you would like to talk about it.
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Finding Faith is written by area pastors. This week's column comes from Pastor Doug Packard of First Baptist Church, Lock Haven.