Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Bigotry » Paul's argument against
What is the advantage, then, of being a Jew? or what is the good of circumcision? Great in every way. First of all, because the Jews were entrusted with God's utterances. What follows then? Some, no doubt, showed a want of faith; but will their want of faith make God break faith? Heaven forbid! read more.
God must prove true, though every man prove a liar! As Scripture says of God-'That thou mayest be pronounced righteous in what thou sayest, and gain thy cause when men would judge thee.' But what if our wrong-doing makes God's righteousness all the clearer? Will God be wrong in inflicting punishment? (I can but speak as a man.) Heaven forbid! Otherwise how can God judge the world? But, if my falsehood redounds to the glory of God, by making his truthfulness more apparent, why am I like others, still condemned as a sinner? Why should we not say-as some people slanderously assert that we do say-'Let us do evil that good may come'? The condemnation of such men is indeed just! What follows, then? Are we Jews in any way superior to others? Not at all. Our indictment against both Jews and Greeks was that all alike were in subjection to sin. As Scripture says-'There is not even one who is righteous, Not one who understands, not one who is searching for God! They have all gone astray; they have one and all become depraved; there is no one who is doing good-no, not one!' 'Their throats are like opened graves; they deceive with their tongues.' 'The venom of serpents lies behind their lips,' 'And their mouths are full of bitter curses.' 'Swift are their feet to shed blood. Distress and trouble dog their steps, And the path of peace they do not know.' 'The fear of God is not before their eyes.' Now we know that everything said in the Law is addressed to those who are under its authority, in order that every mouth may be closed, and the whole world become liable to the judgment of God. For 'no human being will be pronounced righteous before God' as the result of obedience to Law; for it is Law that shows what sin is. But now, quite apart from Law, the Divine Righteousness stands revealed, and to it the Law and the Prophets bear witness-- The Divine Righteousness which is bestowed, through faith in Jesus Christ, upon all, without distinction, who believe in him. For all have sinned, and all fall short of God's glorious ideal,
God must prove true, though every man prove a liar! As Scripture says of God-'That thou mayest be pronounced righteous in what thou sayest, and gain thy cause when men would judge thee.' But what if our wrong-doing makes God's righteousness all the clearer? Will God be wrong in inflicting punishment? (I can but speak as a man.) Heaven forbid! Otherwise how can God judge the world? But, if my falsehood redounds to the glory of God, by making his truthfulness more apparent, why am I like others, still condemned as a sinner? Why should we not say-as some people slanderously assert that we do say-'Let us do evil that good may come'? The condemnation of such men is indeed just! What follows, then? Are we Jews in any way superior to others? Not at all. Our indictment against both Jews and Greeks was that all alike were in subjection to sin. As Scripture says-'There is not even one who is righteous, Not one who understands, not one who is searching for God! They have all gone astray; they have one and all become depraved; there is no one who is doing good-no, not one!' 'Their throats are like opened graves; they deceive with their tongues.' 'The venom of serpents lies behind their lips,' 'And their mouths are full of bitter curses.' 'Swift are their feet to shed blood. Distress and trouble dog their steps, And the path of peace they do not know.' 'The fear of God is not before their eyes.' Now we know that everything said in the Law is addressed to those who are under its authority, in order that every mouth may be closed, and the whole world become liable to the judgment of God. For 'no human being will be pronounced righteous before God' as the result of obedience to Law; for it is Law that shows what sin is. But now, quite apart from Law, the Divine Righteousness stands revealed, and to it the Law and the Prophets bear witness-- The Divine Righteousness which is bestowed, through faith in Jesus Christ, upon all, without distinction, who believe in him. For all have sinned, and all fall short of God's glorious ideal,
What then, it may be asked, are we to say about Abraham, the ancestor of our nation? If he was pronounced righteous as the result of obedience, then he has something to boast of. Yes, but not before God. For what are the words of Scripture? 'Abraham had faith in God, and his faith was regarded by God as righteousness.' read more.
Now wages are regarded as due to the man who works, not as a favor, but as a debt; While, as for the man who does not rely upon his obedience, but has faith in him who can pronounce the godless righteous, his faith is regarded by God as righteousness. In precisely the same way David speaks of the blessing pronounced upon the man who is regarded by God as righteous apart from actions-- 'Blessed are those whose wrong-doings have been forgiven and over whose sins a veil has been drawn! Blessed the man whom the Lord will never regard as sinful!' Is this blessing, then, pronounced upon the circumcised only or upon the uncircumcised as well? We say that-'Abraham's faith was regarded by God as righteousness.' Under what circumstances, then, did this take place? After his circumcision or before it? Not after, but before. And it was as a sign of this that he received the rite of circumcision-to attest the righteousness due to the faith of an uncircumcised man-in order that he might be the father of all who have faith in God even when uncircumcised, that they also may be regarded by God as righteous; As well as father of the circumcised-to those who are not only circumcised, but who also follow our father Abraham in that faith which he had while still uncircumcised. For the promise that he should inherit the world did not come to Abraham or his descendants through Law, but through the righteousness due to faith. If those who take their stand on Law are to inherit the world, then faith is robbed of its meaning and the promise comes to nothing! Law entails punishment; but, where no Law exists, no breach of it is possible. That is why all is made to depend upon faith, that all may be God's gift, and in order that the fulfillment of the promise may be made certain for all Abraham's descendants-not only for those who take their stand on the Law, but also for those who take their stand on the faith of Abraham. (He is the Father of us all;
Now wages are regarded as due to the man who works, not as a favor, but as a debt; While, as for the man who does not rely upon his obedience, but has faith in him who can pronounce the godless righteous, his faith is regarded by God as righteousness. In precisely the same way David speaks of the blessing pronounced upon the man who is regarded by God as righteous apart from actions-- 'Blessed are those whose wrong-doings have been forgiven and over whose sins a veil has been drawn! Blessed the man whom the Lord will never regard as sinful!' Is this blessing, then, pronounced upon the circumcised only or upon the uncircumcised as well? We say that-'Abraham's faith was regarded by God as righteousness.' Under what circumstances, then, did this take place? After his circumcision or before it? Not after, but before. And it was as a sign of this that he received the rite of circumcision-to attest the righteousness due to the faith of an uncircumcised man-in order that he might be the father of all who have faith in God even when uncircumcised, that they also may be regarded by God as righteous; As well as father of the circumcised-to those who are not only circumcised, but who also follow our father Abraham in that faith which he had while still uncircumcised. For the promise that he should inherit the world did not come to Abraham or his descendants through Law, but through the righteousness due to faith. If those who take their stand on Law are to inherit the world, then faith is robbed of its meaning and the promise comes to nothing! Law entails punishment; but, where no Law exists, no breach of it is possible. That is why all is made to depend upon faith, that all may be God's gift, and in order that the fulfillment of the promise may be made certain for all Abraham's descendants-not only for those who take their stand on the Law, but also for those who take their stand on the faith of Abraham. (He is the Father of us all;
Now these words-'it was regarded as righteousness'-were not written with reference to Abraham only; But also with reference to us. Our faith, too, will be regarded by God in the same light, if we have faith in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead; For Jesus 'was given up to death to atone for our offences,' and was raised to life that we might be pronounced righteous.
Circumcision » Covenant promises of
Then God made with Abraham the Covenant of Circumcision; and under it Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him when he was eight days old; and Isaac became the father of Jacob; and Jacob of the Twelve Patriarchs.
Not after, but before. And it was as a sign of this that he received the rite of circumcision-to attest the righteousness due to the faith of an uncircumcised man-in order that he might be the father of all who have faith in God even when uncircumcised, that they also may be regarded by God as righteous;
Nor, because they are Abraham's descendants, are they all his Children; but-'It is Isaac's children who will be called thy descendants.' This means that it is not the children born in the course of nature who are God's Children, but it is the children born in fulfillment of the Promise who are to be regarded as Abraham's descendants. For these words are the words of a promise-'About this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.' read more.
Nor is that all. There is also the case of Rebecca, when she was about to bear children to our ancestor Isaac. For in order that the purpose of God, working through selection, might not fail-a selection depending, not on obedience, but on his Call-Rebecca was told, before her children were born and before they had done anything either right or wrong, that 'the elder would be a servant to the younger.' The words of Scripture are-'I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.'
Nor is that all. There is also the case of Rebecca, when she was about to bear children to our ancestor Isaac. For in order that the purpose of God, working through selection, might not fail-a selection depending, not on obedience, but on his Call-Rebecca was told, before her children were born and before they had done anything either right or wrong, that 'the elder would be a servant to the younger.' The words of Scripture are-'I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.'
I again declare to every one who receives circumcision, that he binds himself to obey the whole Law.