Nov 19 2007
Ruminations on the Scriptures
We are in the fourth chapter of the book of Romans in my Sunday evening Bible study. It has taken me quite some time to write about this because I have been mulling over the the concepts of this study for the past several weeks. It is, at times, difficult to wrap my brain around Paul in his Hebraic context when my 21st century evangelical mind has been taught so differently. Such is the case in the concept of righteousness.
“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1) God takes us from having no ability to seek him, from doing nothing good, and He does the work in me. “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit”(1 Peter 3:18)
What is Righteousness? ” ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Romans 4:3) Abraham’s faith was credited to his account as righteousness. Righteousness…….acting in accord with moral law, free from guilt or sin. This is the idea that we have of righteousness and we think that it means that we have a ticket to heaven. In one aspect righteousness does mean to act in accord with moral law; to be upright, to do what is right.
If we talk about the righteousness of God…….for example in Romans 1:16-17 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” In the gospel, the good news of God sending Messiah as He promised, His doing what is right is revealed from faith to faith. God’s righteousness is His doing what is right. Faith is the idea of faithfulness. God’s faithfulness and our faithfulness which He enables.
Another aspect of righteousness is in the context of a law court. You see this especially in the book of Psalms where you read of the righteous and the wicked. God will judge the righteous and the wicked. The righteous will one day be vindicated. The wicked will be punished. “Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish. ” Psalm 1:5-6
One final way righteousness is used is covenant membership. In the first few chapters of Romans, Paul is addressing Jews and Gentiles as to who should be covenant members of God’s household. He is using Abraham as an example and the sign of circumcision which was the seal of the covenant. By the time of the Second Temple period, in which Paul was writing, the Jewish elders had made circumcision a requirement to come into the covenant. Paul is making a case that this doesn’t need to happen. “Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”(Genesis 15:6) “”And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.”(Genesis 17:11) God declares Abraham righteous and then makes him a covenant partner.
Now, there are ramifications of being a covenant partner. Covenant partners have obligations. If you look back in Genesis 15 there are three things that God promised Abraham that he would do: give him land, give him descendants, and give him a seed that would bless the nations (Messiah) . But, what were Abraham’s obligations to the covenant? This is where my thoughts have been dwelling these last several days. Since this post is getting long and I have to do final preparations on the two studies that I am leading today, I will come back to this topic of covenant obligation later. Please share any thoughts that you have.
For His Name’s Sake.
As a mother I have tried to educate my children in everything I think about life. I have also found that many times I was learning right along with them. When I didn't know the answer to something the most important thing for me to do was to point them to the One who did have all the answers. We have had to work through many tough issues together, but we have rejoiced in God's blessings to us. Now my children are nearly grown and my life has entered a new season. I have discovered that I have changed also. My blog is a place to express my thoughts and feelings about my God, my family, and about life through word and through photography. May my life bring honor to the Almighty.
