In this enlightening episode, we delve into the teachings of Paul, exploring the symbolic use of circumcision as a representation of the law. Through Abraham’s story, we uncover the foundational truth about faith and righteousness and why God used Israel as a sign of His mercy and grace to all humanity. Join us as we challenge the common misconceptions surrounding faith and the law, offering a transformative perspective on salvation and holiness.
00:00:05 Paul’s Use of Circumcision as a Code for Law
00:26:30 The Temptation of the Law and the Righteousness of Christ
SPEAKER 01 :
So the next verse in Romans chapter 4 helps us to understand why Paul brings up the issue of circumcision at all. He says, So what Paul is doing here is showing us that he’s using the word circumcision as a sort of code for all the law. He’s using the word circumcision, the act of circumcision, as an identification, an And he’s saying, now, if Abraham received the promise because he was keeping all the laws that God had given him, then faith is void. But the truth is, of course, that God hadn’t given him a law before he was counted as righteous. Abraham was counted as righteous because God gifted him that righteousness through the faith that he was giving him. So then we go back to the verse on circumcision and we say, then why did he give it? Well, he gave it or commanded Abraham to be circumcised and his household as a seal of the righteousness. So in other words, that circumcision was not the law, but it was a sign of the righteousness by faith. How incredible. And what’s more, As you look at the verse, as I said yesterday, he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised. And so Abraham’s circumcision was a sign to the world, not that they be circumcised also, rather that they… can trust in God through Jesus Christ, and in that trust God brings or accounts to humanity righteousness. So this is amazing. What it really is telling us is that the Jewish people are to be a sign to the world of how God brings salvation and righteousness to us all by his mercy and his grace. For the promise, as he says in verse 13, that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, and this is the code we mentioned about of earth’s circumcision, but through the righteousness of faith. Now, many Christians today dismiss Israel and say, well, God forsook Israel because they forsook him, and God has brought up the Christians as spiritual Israel to replace natural Israel. Not at all. Absolutely not. And these verses show it. Because if Abraham’s circumcision was meant to show or reveal to the world that God would receive them also by faith without circumcision or without the law, then Israel was to be a sign of God’s mercy to everyone. Israel is an exhibition of God’s mercy. Now, they haven’t received Christ yet, most of them, but they will. There is no salvation without Jesus Christ. But God will bring that either in the crisis of the last days or at the judgment when every knee shall bow and Israel will look upon the one whom they have pierced as he is on the throne as a lamb slain. but it’s all going to come about. And Israel is going to be a witness to the world of how God receives us. Now look, think of that personally for yourself. How has God received you? He received you in His mercy. Rather, He sought after you. He brought you to Himself. He took the initiative in your salvation. if you are overwhelmed at the moment with struggles of sin and addiction, or struggles and troubles with finances or health, you look to Christ and you say, Lord, I know that you sought after me and found me. It was not I who sought after you and found you, because if I believed that, I could easily lose you. but that you find me, O Lord, I can never be lost if you have found me. That is how you look at salvation. And so you bring every trouble before the Lord. You open your heart to him. For if, it says in verse 14, those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect. Now notice the contrast that Paul is making here between faith and law. Now there are some Christians who are legalists and perfectionists and they believe that Jesus came to lead us back to the law. In other words, they say, well, we couldn’t keep the law, so Jesus came to die for our sins of the past, and now he gives us the power of the Holy Spirit so that we can keep the law. And so Jesus becomes a means. to the law. So it’s as if the law and Jesus line up, rather Jesus and the law. We accept Jesus, and that’s one direction we go, and then we continue on in that direction as Jesus sanctifies us and makes us perfect and obedient to the law. That is not the gospel. Why do I say that, and how may I say that with such authority? Because there it is in chapter 4, verse 14, for if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of no effect. In other words, if you trust in your ability to overcome every addiction and all your troubles before you can make it to heaven, then you are placing the law before you. And if you are placing the law as your goal, then faith is made void. Because faith says that what you are aiming for, you have already received in Jesus Christ, who is our righteousness. Now look, you need to be practical about all of this and apply it to your struggles. Let’s suppose you have an alcohol problem. What has been your mentality in regard to that alcohol problem through the years? Have you not placed it as a goal to overcome, as something to overcome, as an obstacle to remove out of the way in order to be saved? Have you not felt that you cannot possibly be living in God’s presence while you’re still struggling with alcohol? and therefore you set it as a goal to overcome it. You go to AA meetings, you do all this study and reading, and you discipline yourself in order to get it out of the way so that you can be saved. That is the cart before the horse. It is the gospel back to front, inside out and upside down, and it’s going to damage your mind and your faith life. What you and I need to understand is that Christ, by his victory at the cross and his atoning sacrifice for us at the cross, has removed the obstacle of alcoholism. You say, well, he hasn’t removed it, Colin. I still am alcoholic and I’m still struggling. I’m telling you that the issues behind alcohol are not the drug of choice, as I said the other day, but the state of mind. the state of mind which is guilt and shame and fear. Jesus takes our humanity upon the cross and is judged on our behalf so that we are relieved of guilt and shame and fear. And as you exercise faith in that knowledge, then you are gradually recreating your mind, which is, in faith in Christ, a non-alcoholic mind. This is how it works. This is how you can go forward in faith. The obstacle of alcoholism is removed, for there is no identity anymore. You no longer have an identity as an alcoholic, because you are counted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You have no longer the guilt of alcoholism, even though you may have the weakness of it, because Christ took your judgment upon the cross. He is your victory. He overcame all the sins of the world and the struggles of the world on your behalf. And so instead of pleading, oh God, help me, set me free, help me to get free from this and that and the other, rather say, Father, I thank you that there is no power in this, even though it still makes me tremble, even though I am drawn to it, even though I fail in it sometimes, it has no power to break my relationship between me and you, the relationship I have between me and you. It’s a wonderful reality. If those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise of no effect. Because the law, now listen to this, verse 15, the law brings about wrath. Well, now, that’s a revelation, isn’t it? Because some people think the law brings about righteousness. They say, well, now, I need to meditate on the Ten Commandments. I need to keep the Ten Commandments because they will lead me to righteousness. They will help me to understand what sin is. Well, they certainly help you to understand what sin is, for sure. And they certainly cut through the denials and the delusions that you have and bring you to your heart. When Jesus says, you have heard it said, you shall not steal, but whosoever covets has committed theft is a thief. then what is that saying? But it is going to the very core of your heart and showing you what the condition of your heart is. We’re all covetous. We all lust. We all hate in our heart and have therefore committed murder. All of these, the law reveals our sin for sure. But don’t think that the law brings you to righteousness. Not at all. That’s why Paul says the law brings about wrath. What does he mean by that? It brings about the judgment of God. That is, it reveals the judgment of God. The law is meant to help you to understand that you must no longer trust in human nature. You must no longer put confidence in human nature. Rather, you put confidence in Christ’s nature, in whom you are identified. Christ sustains the world. In him all things consist. All things hold together. And so, in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, we are accounted whole. That is how the truth is brought to us, and we live in the truth, because the law brings about wrath. So, you see, we must not be tempted by the law. When you are feeling so imperfect and incomplete and defeated, the devil tempts you to try harder, be better, improve, reach farther. Yes, we can certainly grow, but not with the anxiety that Satan tries to impose upon us. Try harder. White-knuckle it. You’ll get there. No, that’s the temptation of the law. And it’s always in front of us like a carrot that we can never reach. But Christ’s righteousness is ours. We are wrapped in it. We are clothed in it. It is in us and it is upon us and upon all, according to Romans 3. And therefore we can trust in him. And we can say, Father, I thank you that I’m no longer counted an alcoholic. I praise you that the victory is already won. And whether I succeed or am defeated tomorrow or today, I praise you that there is no identification in that anymore for me because Christ is my life. Thank you for listening today. Colin Cook here. For 40 or 50 years, I’ve done faith training counseling. If you would like some faith training counseling by phone, $60 per one hour, please email me at faithquestatfastmail.net or one word, faithquestatfastmail.net and we’ll set up a time for you. Thank you. I’ll see you next time. Cheerio and God bless.
