Rom 3
19 NOW WE KNOW THAT WHAT THINGS SOEVER THE LAW SAITH, IT SAITH TO THEM WHO ARE UNDER THE LAW: THAT EVERY MOUTH MAY BE STOPPED, AND ALL THE WORLD MAY BECOME GUILTY BEFORE GOD.
20 THEREFORE BY THE DEEDS OF THE LAW THERE SHALL NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED IN HIS SIGHT: FOR BY THE LAW IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN.
21 BUT NOW THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD WITHOUT THE LAW IS MANIFESTED, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 EVEN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD WHICH IS BY FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST UNTO ALL AND UPON ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE: FOR THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 THEREFORE WE CONCLUDE THAT A MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH WITHOUT THE DEEDS OF THE LAW.
29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
30 SEEING IT IS ONE GOD, WHICH SHALL JUSTIFY THE CIRCUMCISION BY FAITH, AND UNCIRCUMCISION THROUGH FAITH.
31 DO WE THEN MAKE VOID THE LAW THROUGH FAITH? GOD FORBID: YEA, WE ESTABLISH THE LAW.
(Blue color and ALL CAPS EMPHASIS MINE)
What the law typified is NOW a reality, the law kept people inline till faith should come AND now we are under a higher law, the law of faith and we CANNOT please God without it. The law showed EVERYONE that they are guilty and anyone who looked at the law and claimed they kept it are liars.
I stopped with Paul saying that the uncircumcised and the circumcised are justified the same way, that being by and through faith. "yea, we establish the law." Paul talks about he law of love a lot just as Jesus Christ did in Matt 7:12 and in John 13:34,35. That is why 9 commandments were repeated in the New Testament and one was left out and NOT only was it left out, it was negated all through the new testament as we have seen and will see more of this truth. The type of the sabbath day was Jesus Christ being our true Sabbath, our Rest, our hope, our righteousness NOT JUST one day being that so it was fulfilled in him. WE ARE TO WALK HOLY, SET APART UNTO GOD 7 DAYS A WEEK NOT JUST ONE. THE SABBATH DAY WAS NEGATED BUT THE SABBATH LIFE WAS ENFORCED. We rest in him daily as we work for him daily. We worship him in Spirit and in truth and it is NOT a one day thing, it is a lifetime thing.
Romans 4
1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2 FOR IF ABRAHAM WERE JUSTIFIED BY WORKS, HE HATH WHEREOF TO GLORY; BUT NOT BEFORE GOD.
3 FOR WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE? ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS COUNTED UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? FOR WE SAY THAT FAITH WAS RECKONED TO Abraham FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
10 HOW WAS IT THEN RECKONED? WHEN HE WAS IN CIRCUMCISION, OR IN UNCIRCUMCISION? NOT IN CIRCUMCISION, BUT IN UNCIRCUMCISION.
11 AND HE RECEIVED THE SIGN OF CIRCUMCISION, A SEAL OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE FAITH WHICH HE HAD YET BEING UNCIRCUMCISED: THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FATHER OF ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE, THOUGH THEY BE NOT CIRCUMCISED; THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS MIGHT BE IMPUTED UNTO THEM ALSO:
12 AND THE FATHER OF CIRCUMCISION TO THEM WHO ARE NOT OF THE CIRCUMCISION ONLY, BUT WHO ALSO WALK IN THE STEPS OF THAT FAITH OF OUR FATHER ABRAHAM, WHICH HE HAD BEING YET UNCIRCUMCISED.
13 FOR THE PROMISE, THAT HE SHOULD BE THE HEIR OF THE WORLD, WAS NOT TO ABRAHAM, OR TO HIS SEED, THROUGH THE LAW, BUT THROUGH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH.
14 FOR IF THEY WHICH ARE OF THE LAW BE HEIRS, FAITH IS MADE VOID, AND THE PROMISE MADE OF NONE EFFECT:
15 BECAUSE THE LAW WORKETH WRATH: FOR WHERE NO LAW IS, THERE IS NO TRANSGRESSION.
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.
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
(Blue color and ALL CAPS EMPHASIS MINE NOT IN God's pure word the KJV that way.)
There is a lot of meat for the soul in this chapter but right now I am only dealing with circumcision so I will not talk about other things in here that negates the law. The law is hard core and it was meant to be hard core until Jesus Christ should come and make us new creatures in him. The word makes it plain if the old covenant was for all time there would have been no need for a new covenant BUT we most definitely have one. So keep in mind from what you are reading that Abraham is the father of the faith NOT the father of the circumsicised BUT the father of the faith whether circumcised or not.
I Cor 7
18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
19 CIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING, AND UNCIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING, BUT THE KEEPING OF THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.
20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
What Paul is saying here by the Spirit of God is important since there are those who claim to be Christians and are seeking to put others under the law in regards to things that God has ruled out NOW such as circumcision. He did not rule out the laws that he repeated in the new testament (covenant) such as don't commit adultery, or lie, don't kill others, etc. After you are born again into the life of God then follow him, walk in the law of love and you will fulfill the law of God or as Jesus Christ put it in Matt 7:12 which is what we call the Golden Rule. "12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." The outward types are done away with now such as circumcision, sabbath days, not eating certain meats. Believe God whether it lines up with your preconceived thoughts or not.
Paul knew what God enforced in the new covenant and what he did away with and that is why he said "… keeping the commandments of God" is what is important, Here he is showing that circumcision is done away with as a command under the new testament (covenant) because circumcision was a command to be followed BUT not any more. NOW the fulfillment is a circumcised heart, a clean one AND he is purifying our heart, our inner man, as we walk in faith, trusting him daily.
Gal 5
6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
It is NOT Jesus Christ plus anything, believe and repent, you receive his life in your life and he empowers you to do that which is right, clean, pure. He will give you the right desires, the correct focus as you submit to him and resist the devil.
Let's get it more in context dealing with the first 14 verses where Paul is tying together those who are going to try it the law way and he brings circumcision into the picture and it doesn't look good for those who are being circumcised to try and keep the whole law. In other words Paul is saying that those who are circumcised are in bondage to keep the WHOLE law and it won't happen. I keep telling people the law is a collective whole, if you have broken any part of it, you broke the law. Sure it is good to want to keep the law and you should try to do so but the law was given to lead us to Christ Jesus so he moves into our lives and gives us the strength to obey the law as we look to him and that is a day to day experience, trusting him on a second to second victory. We are in a war zone and Satan and his devils are doing all they can to bring us down, defeat us, kill us AND our victory is always looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
Galatians 5
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Paul is telling us to stand fast in the liberty where Christ made us free and NOT to go back to bondage and he brings the law into the picture dealing with circumcision which was a type of the real circumcision of the heart. A man cutting the skin off his penis has nothing to do with the heart. God instituted it as a typology and that type has been fulfilled in Jesus, he circumcises our heart by making us new creatures in him.
Once you jump on the law wagon, you will get deeper into seeking to please God by YOUR fleshly works NOT what he has done for you in Christ Jesus. In verse 9 he is showing the leaven is the law. NOW Jesus takes us a lot further and deeper in his ways BY his Spirit NOT by the law. He wants a close relationship with his people, something the law could never do. NOW he does it by having a friendship, kinship, and communion with his people, keeping them on the straight and narrow as they spend time with him.
` In verse 14 Paul sums in up. "FOR ALL THE LAW is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
(Blue color and ALL CAPS EMPHASIS MINE)
IF we walk as Jesus Christ walked in love, we will be fulfilling the law of God, the ultimate law, the law of love. Everybody is hungering for it and they do not know what they are looking for and it is the God of love who created them.
AND I have said many, many times over that God's love without his justice is wishy washy and God's justice without his love is too hard, there is a balance in God and he knows the perfect balance and Jesus will keep us on that balance as we walk in his Spirit. Then we will walk not only in love but is truth and righteousness.
I used all the above in another paper I wrote but I believe it is needed to hear again and the below in another paper I wrote which also needs repeating.
Matt 5
17 THINK NOT THAT I AM COME TO DESTROY THE LAW, OR THE PROPHETS: I AM NOT COME TO DESTROY, BUT TO FULFIL.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
(Blue color and ALL CAPS EMPHASIS MINE)
Since the ones I have been debating like to use this verse a lot and I have used it in some of my teachings and I will use it now in a little bit different way.
In v. 17 Jesus Christ said he came to FULFILL the law NOT to destroy it. Did he fulfill it like he said he cane to do and if he did what does that mean? Does that mean the law is still in force if he fulfilled it???
NOW I am going to use Gal 3:18-26 which I have mentioned some of this before BUT not all.
Gal 3
18 FOR IF THE INHERITANCE BE OF THE LAW, IT IS NO MORE OF PROMISE: BUT GOD GAVE IT TO ABRAHAM BY PROMISE.
19 WHEREFORE THEN SERVETH THE LAW? IT WAS ADDED BECAUSE OF TRANSGRESSIONS, TILL THE SEED SHOULD COME TO WHOM THE PROMISE WAS MADE; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for IF THERE HAD BEEN A LAW GIVEN WHICH COULD HAVE GIVEN LIFE, VERILY RIGHTEOUSNESS SHOULD HAVE BEEN BY THE LAW.
22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23 BUT BEFORE FAITH CAME, WE WERE KEPT UNDER THE LAW, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 WHEREFORE THE LAW WAS OUR SCHOOLMASTER to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But AFTER THAT FAITH IS COME, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER A SCHOOLMASTER.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
(Blue color and ALL CAPS EMPHASIS MINE)
God is clearly showing that the law COULD NOT give life but it could be used to keep mankind in line to a degree but they kept failing at that too. AND the law most definitely did not change the heart BUT faith in Christ Jesus surely does. IF you read the above verses closely, you will see that the "schoolmaster" which is "the law" is what we are NO LONGER UNDER. God does not take us down, he takes us up higher, so to speak. NOW we are UNDER a MUCH higher law, the LAW OF FAITH as Abraham was which is rooted and grounded in love.
Really pay attention to verses 19-26. The law was given to keep us in line UNTIL Jesus Christ should come and NOW we are UNDER a higher law, the law of faith being led by love. We will then walk as Jesus Christ walked AS we are submitting to him, walking in the Spirit. We will be living as overcomers, helping, encouraging, and leading them into the life of God. They are hungering for him and we KNOW it and we will be telling them as we WALK in the Spirit.
I will close with a simple illustration dealing with faith. Abraham looked forward to what God was going to do by faith based on his promises and we look back on his fulfilled promises experiencing what he said he would do through and by faith. A heart faith is a living faith and a head faith does not save anyone. Satan had a head faith but he will be in hell for all eternity. God put it within all to know that there is a God, there are NO atheists. So a head belief like Satan has will not do you any good since God put it within all to know BUT a heart belief is receiving the Lord Jesus Christ into your life and he will make you new and cleanse you from sin and give you the power to live for him.