ACCEPTANCE BY FAITH FORESHADOWED IN THE OLD DISPENSATION In Romans 3:21.; St. Paul set forth the great truth of acceptance by faith. A Jew might object that it was new, and therefore not true. In Romans 3:31; St. Paul answered that in the Law and in faith there is the same moral and religious ideal,... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT.. THEN] refers to Romans 3:27. THAT] RM 'of.' AS PERTAINING TO THE FLESH] i.e. by natural descent. The question is put in the mouth of a Jew. Therefore it does not follow that the Roman Christians were chiefly Jews. Cp. also 1 Corinthians 10:1, 'our fathers,' though the Corinthian Christians we... [ Continue Reading ]
ABRAHAM] St. James also refers to Genesis 15:6, but concludes 'that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only,' James 2:23. St. James wrote of mere intellectual belief: cp. James 2:19. St. Paul meant by 'faith' a complete change of relation towards God, which would affect the believer's act... [ Continue Reading ]
WORKETH] i.e. a workman in daily life.... [ Continue Reading ]
WORKETH NOT] i.e. as ground of acceptance. UNGODLY] not meant of Abraham; the extreme case is put: cp. Romans 5:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
DESCRIBETH, etc.] RV 'pronounceth blessing upon.' IMPUTETH] RV 'reckoneth.' WITHOUT] RV 'apart from.'... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED] i.e. happy; from Psalms 32:1. 9-12. The blessing was not dependent upon circumcision, to which as signifying admission to covenant with God, the Jews attach such importance. PARAPHRASE. '(9) Again. The blessing was irrespective of circumcision. (10) For at the time that Abraham's faith wa... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cometh_] RV 'Is this blessing then pronounced.'... [ Continue Reading ]
Abraham's faith preceded circumcision by many years: cp. Genesis 15:6; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 17:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
SIGN] cp. Genesis 17:11, 'a token of the covenant.' SEAL] ratifying his acceptance. IMPUTED] RV 'reckoned.' 13-17. The promise was independent of any system of law. PARAPHRASE. '(13) Again. The promise to Abraham of world-wide inheritance was not to take effect by obedience to law. (14) For if the... [ Continue Reading ]
HEIR OF THE WORLD] i.e. by the universality of the reign of Christ: cp. Genesis 12:2.; Genesis 22:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
VOID] because an opposite condition would have been brought in: cp. Galatians 3:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. Romans 3:20. FOR WHERE] RV 'but where.'... [ Continue Reading ]
BY GRACE] RV 'according to grace,' i e. on the principle of free gift. SURE] because, (1) not depending on the fulfilment of a law which would certainly be broken, and (2) admitting Jew and Gentile by the same gate of faith. OF THE LAW] i.e. believing Jews. ABRAHAM] who was not under the Law. US A... [ Continue Reading ]
FATHER] cp. Genesis 17:5. BEFORE.. GOD] i.e. God regards Abraham as father of all believers. QUICKENETH] i.e. makes alive. When God promised Isaac, Abraham, and Sarah were as though dead: cp. Romans 4:19. CALLETH] i.e. summons. WHICH BE NOT] i.e. the promised seed. 18-22. It was because Abraham's... [ Continue Reading ]
BELIEVED IN HOPE] i.e. had confident faith. THAT HE MIGHT] RV 'to the end that he might.' SO] i.e. as the stars: cp. Genesis 15:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEING NOT WEAK] RV 'without being weakened.' CONSIDERED NOT] RV 'considered,' i.e. he realised his weakness, but still believed. DEAD] RV 'as good as dead.'... [ Continue Reading ]
RV 'yea, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith.'... [ Continue Reading ]
PERSUADED] RV 'assured.'... [ Continue Reading ]
IMPUTED] RV 'reckoned.' 23-25. Abraham's faith is the pattern of ours. PARAPHRASE. '(23) Thus the history of Abraham's justification teaches us the principle on which God proceeds. (24) As Abraham trusted in God to bring Isaac as it were from death to fulfil His promise, so, if we believe on Him w... [ Continue Reading ]
US] RV 'our sake': cp. Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 9:10. IF WE BELIEVE] RV 'who believe.'... [ Continue Reading ]
DELIVERED] RV 'delivered up,' i.e. by the Father: cp. Romans 8:32 equally by Himself: cp. Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:2. OUR JUSTIFICATION] The Resurrection brings about our justification, because (1) it shows the divinity of Christ, and therefore the value of His death: cp. 1 Corinthians 15:17; (2)... [ Continue Reading ]