BY FAITH THROUGH FAITH

How to Study and Teach the Bible Lesson 3:

By Faith and Through Faith

My objective throughout this study is to make sure that you, the son of God, understand the salvation and redemption plan of God, as a “New and Living Way.” Therefore, we will continue to explore all the threads of knowledge that flow from one of our base scriptures until we have exhausted all paths leading to salvation. In this lesson, we will focus on some phrases that might become confusing to you down the road. Nevertheless, be sure not to forget the process we learned in the previous lesson as how to arrive at a comprehensive study. Remember, also, that during your delivery of a subject you may encounter oppositions or innocent questions that you will need to be prepared to address. One obvious opposition to call to our attention would be a verse of scripture that contains two or more contrasting elements. In our chart from Lesson One, we sited our foundational scripture as

Hebrews 10:19-20

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;.

From there we went to;

Romans 5:10

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

as our base scripture in Lesson Two. Today, we will pivot from the scripture above to;

Romans 3:29-31

29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

In an upcoming lesson, we will discuss all the ramifications of faith itself. However, for now we will answer the question: “Why does Paul say that God will justify (save) the Jews “by faith” and the Gentiles “through faith?” To make these teachings as clear as possible I will use a chart format.

2 FOUNDATIONAL THEME: “A NEW AND LIVING WAY”

Focal Point: Saved by His Life Focal Point: Justify the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY By Faith:

Romans 3:1

1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

Like so many religious people today, the nation of Israel wrongly believed that they could work to please God. They believed the keeping of the Law would make them righteous before God. They had no faith in His word to them. They worshiped the Mosaic law; but ignored and rejected Jesus Christ whom the Law described. The method or mechanism by which God will justify.

Romans 9:30-33

30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Keep in mind that these passages refer to the Jews as the circumcision; This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

Hebrews 10:19-20

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

Romans 5:10

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Romans 3:29-31

29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid:

Romans 10:1-4

1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God

4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Genesis 17:10-11

10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you

The Gentiles are referred to as the uncircumcision. The Gentiles were not given the Law of Moses, which is referred to here as the Law of Righteousness; but have achieved the righteousness which is of faith. Even though Israel had the Law and followed it, they could not by the Law come to the righteousness that was in the Law. They constantly failed and came short of satisfying righteousness in their daily walk before God. Now the scripture asks, “Why is this so?” It answers on this wise; ”Because they sought it not by faith; but continued with the works of the Law.” Understand that Paul is referring to the state of Israel after the coming of Christ. The Jewish nation had no faith in their Messiah. He became a stumbling block and an offence to them. But take note here that the stumbling stone and rock of offense is identified in this verse. It is belief or faith in Christ. Again, we see that belief (faith) is essential to salvation. The Jews preferred not to believe; even though they saw the proof of who Christ was in the works He did among them. These passages are a nice way of say, “Israel rejected Christ.” They preferred to do the works of the Law. therefore, they worshiped the Law with much zeal and fervor, not realizing that the Law could never bring them to the righteousness God was requiring in this dispensation. In fact, they never considered there to be a change in dispensation; because they never accepted that Jesus Christ was the end of the Law.

Galatians 3:21-23

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

John 5:39-40

39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:

Now we come to the heart of the matter; the great distinction between the Law and Christ. The Law could not give life. Thus, establishing the fact that the righteousness that is acceptable unto God is the life of Jesus Christ. Both Jew and Gentile were determined to be held captive by sin. The entire world was judged as unrighteous before God. The Jews were no exception; because God had determined that righteousness would come by the giving of the promise to those who believed. Now let us identify the promise.

Galatians 3:14

That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Clearly the promise of Abraham is the Spirit of Christ. With this scripture, we can see that faith came after the Law, thus making faith a dispensation, (the new method by which God will deal with the world). I remind you that faith came by Jesus Christ, therefore, faith is the personage of Jesus Christ. All scripture points to Christ. He came in the volume of the book. It is written of Him. and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. Jesus Christ is the only giver of life. This is significant seeing as how we were all sinners and alienated or dead to God. THROUGH FAITH The expression “through faith” emphasizes the system or process one must participate in; if they are to be a partaker of that which God has said or done. You must understand the reason the scripture renders the terminology “through faith,” as it pertains to the Gentiles; it is because the Jews were already privy to the covenants of God. As such the Gentiles were not even considered to be a people. In one encounter with a Gentile mother, Jesus said… It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs (Matthew 15:26)

Galatians 2:16

“[16] Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified….

[20] I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” To understand this passage, you must go back up to verse 11 to keep the context.

Galatians 2:11-15

11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

Paul confronts Peter with the truth he already knows; no man is justified (saved), by the law. This you know. You also know that he is only justified by the faith of Jesus Christ. Notice that he says, even we, the Jews have believed in Jesus Christ so that we might be justified (saved), by the faith of Christ. The simplicity of this is that the Gentiles were strangers to God and the covenants of God.

Ephesians 2:8-9

[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Galatians 3:8

[8] And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed….

….

[14] That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

#1. Through the faith of Jesus Christ, (His obedience to the will of God and His willingness to suffer so that the whole world could be a partaker of the grace of God),

#2. Through their faith or belief in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, they would be brought into the covenant of God. Paul called it “grafted in.” Don’t forget that Paul said to Peter, they too, (the Jews) must believe the same thing in order to be saved. I like this saying, ‘the scripture foreseeing’ which is another way of saying God predestined the Gentiles to brought into the covenant of faith before the foundations of the world were laid. Because justification or salvation comes through faith it follows that even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness, know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham (Ga.3:6-7).

If Jesus had not died for the sins of the whole world, then the Gentiles would not be partakers of the Spirit. The blessing of salvation would remain only with Israel. Oh, thank God for Grace; for while we were yet in sin and alienated from God, Jesus died that we, too, might be saved!