9.79 The Gospel is the power to salvation to everyone who believes
Yesterday we talked about the “law of faith” that has replaced the “law of works”? What is the law of faith? Let us go back to the verse below.
(Romans 3:27-28)
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the LAW OF FAITH. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
Verse 28 sums up the “law of faith” – the conclusion that man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
Let us also consider a powerful verse at the beginning of the book of Romans. Paul says that he is not ashamed of the gospel message of Christ because it is the power of salvation for everyone who BELIEVES.
(Romans 1:16-17)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
The word salvation here is all encompassing. It goes beyond eternal life to health, healing, protection, deliverance, etc. The power of the provision of the cross is received by those who BELIEVE! It is so simple. Faith apart from works is the key. We are to believe in Jesus and the good news of His finished work!
How do we live life as a Christian? We who started in faith are to continue in faith. Romans 1:17 says that the righteous shall live by faith. We live by faith – believing who we are in Christ, what we have in Christ and what Christ can accomplish through us.
Through faith, our lives are transformed. Faith allows Christ to work through us. We end up doing all the right things because we allow Christ to live in us and through us.
Finally, when we live on the basis of faith, the law is automatically fulfilled & established as a side effect. It is a paradox. Those who pursue the law through works fail to fulfill it, while those who pursue Christ through faith find the law fulfilled.
(Romans 3:31)
Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
(Romans 3:27-28)
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the LAW OF FAITH. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
Verse 28 sums up the “law of faith” – the conclusion that man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
Let us also consider a powerful verse at the beginning of the book of Romans. Paul says that he is not ashamed of the gospel message of Christ because it is the power of salvation for everyone who BELIEVES.
(Romans 1:16-17)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
The word salvation here is all encompassing. It goes beyond eternal life to health, healing, protection, deliverance, etc. The power of the provision of the cross is received by those who BELIEVE! It is so simple. Faith apart from works is the key. We are to believe in Jesus and the good news of His finished work!
How do we live life as a Christian? We who started in faith are to continue in faith. Romans 1:17 says that the righteous shall live by faith. We live by faith – believing who we are in Christ, what we have in Christ and what Christ can accomplish through us.
Through faith, our lives are transformed. Faith allows Christ to work through us. We end up doing all the right things because we allow Christ to live in us and through us.
Finally, when we live on the basis of faith, the law is automatically fulfilled & established as a side effect. It is a paradox. Those who pursue the law through works fail to fulfill it, while those who pursue Christ through faith find the law fulfilled.
(Romans 3:31)
Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 12:31 AM
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