Post by Admin on May 26, 2018 16:54:07 GMT
One of the issues that we see in regards to the Mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the fact that the Gospel of Christ is seen throughout the Word of God, from Genesis 3:15 unto Revelation. Some may conclude that because of this, men were able to place faith in Christ prior to the Incarnation, and His death, burial, and Resurrection. So I thought I would present a few passages that seem to indicate this, beginning with...
Galatians 3:6-8
King James Version (KJV)
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
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.
This states that "...the Scripture...preached before the gospel unto Abraham," and left alone, it indicates that Abraham had the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached unto him. "This," some might say, "proves that Abraham heard the Gospel of Christ."
But if we examine the text what is said is that what was preached to Abraham was "...in thee shall all nations be blessed," a quotation from...
Genesis 12
King James Version (KJV)
1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
We that have received the Comforter and benefit from His teaching, beginning first with the revelation of the Mystery of the Gospel of Christ unto us, can understand that the Gospel was preached unto Abraham in this statement. Just as it was preached unto Satan in the Garden:
Genesis 3:15
King James Version (KJV)
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Just as it was preached through Isaiah:
Isaiah 53:5-7
King James Version (KJV)
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
But it is because we have received the revelation of the Mystery of the Gospel that we can place it in a proper context, whereas the Saints of Old could not:
Ephesians 3
King James Version (KJV)
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Christ states "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad (John 8:56)," but we cannot nullify the inspired teachings of Paul and read into it something that is not there. The "good news" Abraham received is limited to that which Scripture itself testifies of, which as seen above is the good news that through his seed, which Paul clarifies referred to a singular Seed (Christ, Galatians 3:14-16), all nations would be blessed. Abraham believed it, and it was therefore accounted unto him as righteousness. He was justified based on his belief in the Promises of God, not because he understood that Christ would die in his stead, though which he would be eternally redeemed.
We see that same truth here...
Romans 4:16-22
King James Version (KJV)
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
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.
Abraham was justified by his faith in the promise of God. But, Abraham would die still in need of his sins being redeemed through the Cross of Christ.
One more statement of Abraham's justification to consider:
James 2:21-24
King James Version (KJV)
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Is James teaching salvation by faith...and works? Many believe this is the case, but can I suggest another interpretation?
Here it is: because many equate the justification Abraham received during his lifetime to Eternal Redemption in Christ, they misunderstand that this justification is a temporal, rather than eternal justification. We can say that Abraham was "saved" from an eternal perspective through his faith, belief, works, and obedience to God, but, that did not nullify Abraham's need for Salvation through Christ. And this salvation was retro-active to the Old Testament Saints.
That James has a temporal context in view is seen throughout the chapter, unless we want to start preaching to people they can be eternally redeemed by giving food to the hungry, and clothing to the cold. Those who make their faith "perfect through works" will indeed receive a temporal justification, but, just as we distinguish between Positional Sanctification (whereby we are set apart and made holy unto God through Christ (and His Sacrifice)) and Progressive Sanctification (whereby we are made holy in our earthly lives), we must also carefully distinguish between being declared just before men and being declared just before Holy God. The former is wholly the work of Sovereign God, the latter refers to our efforts as Christians.
God bless.
Galatians 3:6-8
King James Version (KJV)
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
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.
This states that "...the Scripture...preached before the gospel unto Abraham," and left alone, it indicates that Abraham had the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached unto him. "This," some might say, "proves that Abraham heard the Gospel of Christ."
But if we examine the text what is said is that what was preached to Abraham was "...in thee shall all nations be blessed," a quotation from...
Genesis 12
King James Version (KJV)
1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
We that have received the Comforter and benefit from His teaching, beginning first with the revelation of the Mystery of the Gospel of Christ unto us, can understand that the Gospel was preached unto Abraham in this statement. Just as it was preached unto Satan in the Garden:
Genesis 3:15
King James Version (KJV)
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Just as it was preached through Isaiah:
Isaiah 53:5-7
King James Version (KJV)
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
But it is because we have received the revelation of the Mystery of the Gospel that we can place it in a proper context, whereas the Saints of Old could not:
Ephesians 3
King James Version (KJV)
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Christ states "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad (John 8:56)," but we cannot nullify the inspired teachings of Paul and read into it something that is not there. The "good news" Abraham received is limited to that which Scripture itself testifies of, which as seen above is the good news that through his seed, which Paul clarifies referred to a singular Seed (Christ, Galatians 3:14-16), all nations would be blessed. Abraham believed it, and it was therefore accounted unto him as righteousness. He was justified based on his belief in the Promises of God, not because he understood that Christ would die in his stead, though which he would be eternally redeemed.
We see that same truth here...
Romans 4:16-22
King James Version (KJV)
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
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.
Abraham was justified by his faith in the promise of God. But, Abraham would die still in need of his sins being redeemed through the Cross of Christ.
One more statement of Abraham's justification to consider:
James 2:21-24
King James Version (KJV)
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Is James teaching salvation by faith...and works? Many believe this is the case, but can I suggest another interpretation?
Here it is: because many equate the justification Abraham received during his lifetime to Eternal Redemption in Christ, they misunderstand that this justification is a temporal, rather than eternal justification. We can say that Abraham was "saved" from an eternal perspective through his faith, belief, works, and obedience to God, but, that did not nullify Abraham's need for Salvation through Christ. And this salvation was retro-active to the Old Testament Saints.
That James has a temporal context in view is seen throughout the chapter, unless we want to start preaching to people they can be eternally redeemed by giving food to the hungry, and clothing to the cold. Those who make their faith "perfect through works" will indeed receive a temporal justification, but, just as we distinguish between Positional Sanctification (whereby we are set apart and made holy unto God through Christ (and His Sacrifice)) and Progressive Sanctification (whereby we are made holy in our earthly lives), we must also carefully distinguish between being declared just before men and being declared just before Holy God. The former is wholly the work of Sovereign God, the latter refers to our efforts as Christians.
God bless.