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Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Why Romans 4 is not so promising for Calvinists

As I've said many times, when it comes to Romans 4 Protestants basically truncate the chapter to verses 4:2-8 and ignore the rest of the chapter. This is a shame, for it not only causes an improper emphasis on 4:2-8, but it even results in a mangled reading of 4:2-8. A defining characteristic of all heresies is that they appeal to Scripture in selective sound bites, since appealing to the broader context would expose the error. In this post I'll examine some of that ignored context and show why it does harm to the Protestant appeal to Romans 4.

The passage I had in mind was Romans 4:13-16, coming right on the heels of Romans 4:9-12 (another context routinely ignored by Protestants). In 4:9-12, Paul emphasizes that Abraham's faith was regarded as a righteous act prior to his being circumcised, and that is to prove that justification does not depend on whether one is a Jew or Gentile. That passage shows clearly that Paul was not worried about people trying to save themselves by their own works instead of trusting in Jesus alone by faith alone, but rather that the real problem was Jews thinking themselves superior to the Gentiles and missing the fact justification is apart from the Mosaic Law (Rom 3:28). This sets up Paul for summarizing the heart of his Gospel message: 
13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring - not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
If Paul was talking about some generic "law" and generic "works" in Romans 4, then this passage really makes no sense. But if Paul is talking about the works of the Mosaic Law, then the beauty of this passage really pops out. What Paul is saying is that God granted a saving "promise" to Abraham back in Genesis, and reception of this "promise" was not conditioned upon adhering to the Mosaic Law which was instituted in Exodus. In fact, Paul says if this "promise" came through following the Mosaic Law, then the prior condition of Abrahamic faith would be nullified.

Using the Catholic principle of Scripture-interprets-Scripture which Protestants don't like, I'll now turn to Galatians 3 which brings about this same message in a more plain manner:
15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. 19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.
Paul brings out some very amazing points here. First, Paul points out an important nuance which is that the promise God made to Abraham in Genesis mentioned "offspring" (more accurately "seed") in the singular, not the plural. What most Jews were accustomed to doing is reading texts like Genesis 12:7 as speaking of "offspring" in the plural, as in 'one big family'. Really, this "seed" God promised to Abraham was a future son, Jesus! It is through Jesus directly, and Abraham indirectly, by whom all nations would be blessed (Gen 12:3-4 + Galatians 3:8). So Paul is saying it's absurd and wrong to think that the Mosaic Law, "which came 430 years" after Abraham, would somehow steal that privilege and promise from God's covenant with Abraham.

Thus, the grand realization that Protestants miss is that Paul is not talking about people who are trying to 'work their way into heaven', but rather people who are looking to the wrong covenant to be saved. The Jews thought salvation came through being a member of the Mosaic Covenant, when Paul is saying the Mosaic Covenant never offered salvation in the first place! So even if a Jew kept the Mosaic Covenant, that wouldn't save them (Gal 2:21). Salvation always came through one source, faith in the "seed" of Abraham, Jesus. Protestants made a horrific error by thinking that salvation does come by the Mosaic Law but since we could not keep the Mosaic Law perfectly then Jesus had to keep it perfectly for us!

Paul explains that the Mosaic Law had a temporary function, not an eternal one as Jews and Protestants mistakenly think. The Mosaic Covenant lasted for only about 500 or so years and ended at the Cross. The Mosaic Law was "added" (Gal 3:19) to the picture as God's way of getting mankind ready for the Messiah. The Mosaic Law would formally expose sin ("the law brings wrath") and the need to deal with sin, which simultaneously prefigured and prophesied for us the Sacrifice on Calvary. This is why Romans 5:12-14 says sin and death were in the world before the law was given to Moses and why sin is not formally charged without a law in place.

After realizing this, it is clear that if someone ignores or misunderstands Romans 4:13-16 when reading Romans 4 (and Gal 3:15-19 when reading Galatians 3), then they've missed Paul's entire point! They've come up with "another Gospel" (Gal 1:8), which is unfortunately what Protestantism has done the last 500 years.

10 comments:

Steve Martin said...

Love Romans 4!
So much there about the grace of God...given to us. Not dependent upon what 'we do'.

The entire Book of Romans is wonderful that way.

Thanks.

De Maria said...

Steve Martin said...
Love Romans 4!
So much there about the grace of God...given to us. Not dependent upon what 'we do'.

The entire Book of Romans is wonderful that way.

Thanks.


The Bible doesn't contradict Itself, Steve.

Romans 2:1-13
Romans 2:1-13
King James Version (KJV)
1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Romans 4 and Romans 2 are both in the Bible and both true.

If you read Romans 4 a bit more closely, you'll see this:
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Note that, because of his faith, Abraham PERFORMED.

Steve Martin said...

Good for you, De Maria.

You'd better get busy. You've got a lot of work to do.

Steve Martin said...

Listen to this and see if you measure up to Jesus' command on Maundy Thursday:

http://theoldadam.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/the-last-day-of-jesus-life.mp3

De Maria said...

Steve Martin said...
Good for you, De Maria.

You'd better get busy. You've got a lot of work to do.


Steve,

I remind you that you are not God. You have no idea whether I need to do more or not. God is my judge. Not you.

1 Corinthians 4:3-5
King James Version (KJV)
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

March 24, 2013 at 8:20 AM
Steve Martin said...
Listen to this and see if you measure up to Jesus' command on Maundy Thursday:
.

That, however, is another Protestant error. Deciding for themselves that they are saved and others are not. Thereby usurping God's judgment.

Have you not understood that God is the Just Judge?

I don't judge myself. I simply believe and obey. God is my Judge:
Hebrews 5:9
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Revelation 22:12-15
King James Version (KJV)
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

JohnD said...

Nick,

Solid post and tightly argued. However, when you say the function of the law ended at the cross, I will ask you how you interpret Matthew 5:17-19.

Nick said...

Hello John,

Thank you for your comment.

You asked how I interpret Matthew 5:17-19,

"17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished."

Most Protestants only read the first half of these verse such that it comes off as Jesus saying "Don't think I came to get rid of the law! I didn't come to do that!"

But if you read the second half of each verse, Jesus is saying he didn't come to throw out or abandon the law, but rather complete and fulfill it. And once the job of the law is done, then the law is over. The Law was ultimately a finger pointing us to where to find the Messiah. This is why Paul says in Galatians 3:

"23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian"


JohnD said...

Thanks for your reply. However, you left out the all-important verse of Matthew 5:19. I don't think fulfill can mean the law is completed and done with if we are to interpret Jesus' application in Matthew 5:19 in a consistent manner. Let me know what you think.

JohnD said...

Nick,

Just a couple more points since you brought up Galatians 3.

First, I don't think St. Paul is laying down an exhaustive discussion of every reason why God gave us a law and all of its functions.

Second, in the context of the verses you quoted (23-25), the "we" referred to is Christians that have been baptized into Christ. So, then , it is clear St. Paul is talking about how salvation does not come through the law, but rather through Christ Jesus. However, he does not touch on the idea of whether the substance of the law is still binding today.

Nick said...

Hello John,

The commands referenced in Matthew 5:19 was not the OT laws, but rather Jesus' new teachings of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus was raising the stakes in the Sermon on the Mount.

About Galatians 3, I agree Paul is not laying down an exhaustive list, but he is giving the core reasons in Galatians 3. The law as a formal/legal covenant is done with. The 'substance' continues on in spirit form, so to speak, under the fulfilled understanding of Galatians 5:14 and Romans 13:8ff.