Archives For Gospel

Should We Preach Repentance, Faith, or Both?

March 10, 2014

Many Christians today think that those believers in Scripture who preached evangelistically or who evangelized sinners in other ways did so with messages or testimonies that varied substantially from occasion to occasion. In fact, it is not uncommon to hear believers today say that sometimes the disciples preached that people should repent and other times they preached that people should believe.

This view of biblical evangelism stems from an approach to the evangelistic accounts in Scripture that I believe does not account for all the biblical data. To see why this is the case, consider the following analysis of the gospel ministries of John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul.

The Gospel Ministry of John the Baptist

The Gospels consistently present John the Baptist as preaching repentance to sinners (Matt. 3:2, 8; Luke 3:3, 8). Noting this data, many have concluded that John only preached that people should repent and that he did not tell people to believe.

In the book of Acts, however, Luke makes clear (through a widely overlooked statement by the apostle Paul) that this is an incorrect assessment of the evangelistic ministry of John:

Act 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

This Pauline summary statement about the gospel ministry of John the Baptist shows us that it was a ministry of preaching to sinners that they should both repent and believe. It also teaches us that we should not take brief statements about evangelistic ministry (such as Matt. 3:2 and Luke 3:3) and draw definitive conclusions about what content that ministry did not include.1

The Gospel Ministry of Jesus

A key statement in the Gospel of Mark shows that the gospel ministry of Jesus included the same dual emphasis that was in the evangelism of John the Baptist:

Mar 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Notice that this statement is not just about Jesus’ preaching in one location on one specific evangelistic occasion—it is an inspired summary statement of certain key elements of His gospel preaching throughout His gospel ministry in Galilee. Both John the Baptist and Jesus, therefore, preached to sinners that they should both repent and believe.

The Gospel Ministry of Paul

A summary statement of Pauline evangelistic ministry over an extended period (“from the first day that I came into Asia” [Acts 20:18]; cf. “by the space of three years” [Acts 20:31]) reveals that his gospel ministry included similar testimony to both repentance and faith:

Act 20:20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,

 21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

For three years, Paul told both Jews and Greeks everywhere he went in Asia that they had to repent toward God and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Like John the Baptist and Jesus, Paul’s gospel ministry thus had the same dual emphasis of preaching to sinners that they should both repent and believe.

Discussion

From the Gospels and Acts, we have seen that John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul all evangelized sinners by telling them both to repent and to believe. Because we have seen that summary statements about the gospel ministries of all three of these leading evangelists in Scripture explicitly mention this dual emphasis, we should adjust our views of biblical evangelism to reflect properly this key biblical data.

Moreover, the lack of explicit testimony to both elements in many evangelistic accounts in Scripture does not show that the disciples often preached only one of these elements but not the other. Rather, we should allow the above-discussed comparison of Acts 19:4 with the other evangelistic accounts of John’s ministry to teach us that the lack of an explicit record of testimony to a key evangelistic element in a particular evangelistic account does not provide valid evidence that such testimony was lacking on that occasion.

Conclusion

Whenever our circumstances allow us to do so, we should preach both repentance and faith to the people that we evangelize. Doing so, our gospel ministries will best reflect all the biblical data about the evangelistic ministries of John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul!

1 A close comparison of two statements in Acts 9:20-22 with Acts 26:20 fully confirms this interpretation. Luke writes that Paul’s evangelistic ministry began in Damascus and provides two brief summary statements about that ministry:

Act 9:20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Act 9:22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

Neither of these reports about Pauline evangelism in Damascus mentions that he told people there to repent. In Acts 26, however, Luke records that Paul testified to King Agrippa about his entire evangelistic ministry by giving him this key summary statement:

Act 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Based on Paul’s own testimony, we can be certain that he preached repentance in Damascus—even though Acts 9 does not record that he did.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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Learning from “The Cross-Billy Graham’s Message to America”

November 15, 2013

Watching Dr. Billy Graham’s recent message[1] has motivated me to write again about sound gospel ministry that is based fully on all that the Bible says. To that end, I share this assessment of his message.

Biblical Aspects of His Message

Dr. Graham’s message has many biblical aspects to it. The following are things that stood out to me:

1. A moving, proper emphasis on God’s love for sinful mankind

“The Cross expresses the great love of God for man.”

2. A necessary testimony to both Jesus and God the Father that distinguishes them from each other

3. A valuable underscoring of the exclusivity of Christ as the only way of salvation and the only hope for ending the misery of living a sinful life

He quotes John 14:6, and the message makes this truth plain in other ways as well, including through two moving testimonies from people whose lives have been delivered from hopeless entrenchment in sin.

4. An appropriate confrontation of every viewer with the reality that the leading causes of the world’s greatest problems are spiritual in nature

5. A clear declaration that all humans are sinners and worthy of hell and judgment

“The Cross was the most terrible form of execution by the Romans for criminals, and Jesus endured all that in our place because of our sins. We deserve the Cross. We deserve hell. We deserved judgment and all that that means.”

6. An inescapable testimony to the Cross and to the Resurrection

 “In that terrible moment, He and God the Father were separated.”

 “The Cross and the Resurrection of Christ offers forgiveness of sin.”

7. A strong exhortation and challenge  to receive forgiveness of sins through repentance and faith

“The Cross and the Resurrection of Christ offers forgiveness of sin, offers a whole new life, and offers you eternal life, if you come to the Cross by repentance and faith.”

Given that the message has these many biblical aspects to it, some may wonder what could possibly be wrong with such ministry.

Unbiblical Aspects of His Message

Although there are many important aspects of this message that are biblical, it also has many key aspects that are unbiblical.[2] The following are some of the main criticisms that I have of his message:

1. A declaration that God has directed him to friendship with some who belong to a system of belief that has led to the martyring of millions of Christians

“As I look back over my life, it’s full of surprises. I never thought that I would become friends with people in different countries all over the world. . . . I see how God’s hand has gathered me. . . . God has done this.”

These statements are made as various pictures are shown at that point in the video, including one of Dr. Graham meeting a high-level religious official of Roman Catholicism.

A sound understanding of biblical teaching about separation (2 Chron. 19:2; 2 Cor. 6:14-18; 2 John 9-11) informs us that such a declaration has no place in sound gospel ministry.

2. A besmirching of the holiness of God (cf. Rom. 12:1-2) by using someone (Lecrae Moore) to testify how he was saved who now employs a depraved worldly means of communication (hip hop) to present the truth to others. The presentation of how and where Moore “ministers” undercuts the call to repentance presented elsewhere in the message.

3. A complete lack of testimony to the infernal role of Satan in bringing about the problems of the world and of all the people in it (cf. Gen. 3:15; Acts 10:38; I John 3:8)

4. A disproportionate emphasis on the Cross

Unlike the gospel preaching of the apostles that highly emphasized the Resurrection, Dr. Graham and the others who testify in the video spend far more time talking about the Cross than they do about the Resurrection. In fact, Dr. Graham’s testimony to the latter is limited to the word “Resurrection” early in the message and to two brief sentences toward the end of the message.[3]

5. A highly objectionable and erroneous explanation of what happened when Jesus died

“And when Christ died on that Cross, He became guilty of lying, He became guilty of slander, He became guilty of jealousy, He became guilty of the most filthy, dirty sins. Christ took the hell that you and I deserve.”

Yes, Jesus Christ took the penalty for our sins, but Scripture presents no evidence that He became guilty of committing any sin!

6. A lack of biblical testimony to the bodily resurrection of Christ and its significance for all men

It is tragic that Dr. Graham did not take advantage of such an excellent opportunity to communicate clearly and emphatically to potentially multiplied millions of viewers that Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead. He does not mention anything about those who saw Him after He arose (1 Cor. 15:5-8), and he does not testify that those witnesses heard Him, touched Him, and ate and drank with Him (cf. Acts 10:41).[4]

Instead of spending so much time focused on testimony to the Cross, Dr. Graham should have used some of that time to provide vital testimony that would have made it impossible for any attentive and honest viewer to come away with a deficient understanding of the nature of the Resurrection of Christ (e.g., Christ only rose spiritually). He also should have borne clear testimony to what God has proven to all men everywhere through His raising Jesus from the dead (Acts 17:30-31).

7. A problematic model prayer

At the end of his message, Dr. Graham asks people to follow him in praying to God. He begins that prayer in this way:

“Dear Heavenly Father, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe that you’ve died for my sins and rose from the dead.”

God the Father did not die on the Cross! The apostles never taught people to pray this way. This is not a biblical way to pray.

Discussion

Dr. Graham’s video message presents many biblical truths that God could use in the lives of unbelievers. It is highly questionable, however, that a lost person with little or no biblical background would understand the truths communicated properly so that he would be genuinely saved.

Lacking sufficient and proper testimony to key truths and presenting an emotionally moving message, the video has significant potential for resulting in false professions. Lost people, however, who have had other exposure to the gospel that has given them a proper understanding of the key aspects that this message does not communicate could be genuinely saved through God’s use of their viewing this video.

Believers who view the video and invest the terminology communicated with proper biblical meaning will likely find the video to be stirring in spite of its serious flaws. For believers who have not had thorough training in biblical evangelism, the video has the potential of misleading them concerning how key biblical truths about salvation should be presented.

Conclusion

In spite of the many flaws in this video message, may God graciously see fit to use the truths that are properly communicated to work in the hearts of many needy people who are lost and need salvation from their sins. From both the biblical and unbiblical aspects of this message, let us who already know Him learn better (and put into practice) how we should properly communicate God’s saving truth to lost people.


[1] The Cross-Billy Graham’s Message to America (a Youtube video)

[2] The points in this section follow the order of what is presented in the video. They are not arranged in any particular order of increasing or decreasing seriousness.

[3] Lacey Sturm, another key person in the video, actually bears more testimony to the Resurrection in the excerpt from one of her songs shown in the video than Dr. Graham does in his entire message.

[4] Moore and Sturm also do not bear testimony explicitly to the bodily resurrection of Jesus.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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Schnabel on Forgiveness of Sins through Jesus as the Judge

November 1, 2013

What is the content of the message that brings forgiveness of sins to any sinner? Are you sure that your sins are forgiven?

At the climax of his gospel message to many lost people in Caesarea, the apostle Peter proclaimed how they could have their sins forgiven:

Act 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Why did Peter end his gospel message with these words, which to many people seem an odd way to climax a message about the good news through Jesus Christ?

In his commentary on Acts, Schnabel helpfully explains these verses:

The content of the proclamation is “the good news of peace through Jesus Christ” (v. 36) and Jesus’ role as “judge” (κριτής) of “the living and the dead” (v. 42c-d), i.e., of all people. This is the role of the heavenly Son of Man of Daniel’s vision, to whom God gave the authority to execute judgment (Dan. 7:13-14; Luke 12:8). Presiding at the last judgment is a divine function. The reference to Jesus’ role as judge may at first sight seem surprising, but note the connection with the beginning of Peter’s speech (which began with a reference to God’s impartiality, v. 34) and with its center (in which Jesus was described as “Lord of all,” v. 36). The universal scope of Jesus’ role as judge is tied to the universal scope of his status as Lord, which in turn is connected with the fact that forgiveness of sins—the decisive factor for the divine verdict on the day of judgment—is found only through Jesus Christ. This is the emphasis of the next verse. . . . 

At the end of his explanation of the message of Jesus and its significance, Peter emphasizes that forgiveness can be obtained by everyone who believes in Jesus. God grants forgiveness of sins “through” (διά) Jesus (cf. 2:38), God’s appointed judge of all people (v. 42). If the Judge himself is involved in forgiving sins, the accused will certainly go free since the sins that have been committed will not affect the outcome of the trial. 

However, people must receive (λαβεῖν) forgiveness of sins; it is not simply “declared” as a reality that affects all people. It can and will be received by “all people,” whether they are Jews, Greeks, or Romans (note the context of the speech), who believe in Jesus (πιστεύοντα εἰς αὐτόν), i.e., who acknowledge Jesus as Lord of all and as Judge of all and as the one through whom God makes forgiveness of sins possible.

—Eckhard J. Schnabel, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Acts, 503-504; bold added

Based on what Peter preached at the climax of his gospel message, have you believed in Jesus properly to receive the forgiveness of your sins?

For more help with this all-important matter, please see The Gospel of God and His Christ and The Good News for All.

For other scholarly comments about this vital passage, see Scholarly Comments on the One Who Forgives

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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Was the Philippian Jailor Saved by Hearing a One-Sentence Gospel Message?

October 5, 2013

Was the Philippian jailor saved by hearing a one-sentence gospel message (Acts 16:31)? A sound handling of the passage answers this question definitively.

The Evangelistic Record (Up to Acts 16:31) of the Jailor’s Salvation

Following the miraculous events that took place (Acts 16:26), the Philippian jailor asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (16:30). They responded, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (16:31).

Some believe that the jailor was saved by hearing only this one sentence. Many more seem to reflect this same view by using this one verse as if it was a one-sentence gospel message.

For example, a person argued with me years ago that the jailor was saved without testimony to the resurrection to the Jesus. He based his view on the fact that the passage does not say anything about Paul and Silas’ bearing testimony to the resurrection.

Biblical considerations from the rest of the passage as well as from other passages show that these views are unsound. These considerations become clear from various indications in Acts 16 and 26.

Indications from the Rest of Acts 16 of Additional Testimony beyond Acts 16:31

Following Acts 16:31, Luke writes, “And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house” (16:32). We know therefore that Paul and Silas testified more from the word of the Lord than just what verse 31 records.

Because Luke does not tell us what that additional testimony was, some may still argue that whatever else they said was additional testimony that was not necessary for him to hear to be saved. We can be certain, however, that this is a wrong handling of the passage because Acts 16:31 itself does not testify to either the crucifixion or the Resurrection of Jesus—truths that are essential parts of the gospel message (Cf. 1 Cor. 15:3-5).

The following verses implicitly confirm the interpretation that verse 32 signifies the communication of vital truths. Luke tells us that the jailor was baptized (16:33), but he does not tell us how it came about that he knew that he was to be baptized and consented to doing so. Plainly, we are to understand that Paul and Silas bore testimony to him to do so.

Furthermore, Luke concludes his record of this evangelistic encounter by saying, “And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house” (16:34). Although it is possible that Luke intends for us from this statement to believe that these people believed in Jesus as God, it is far more likely that this statement reflects their salvation through belief in testimony about God the Father’s raising Jesus from the dead and through their subsequent confession of Jesus as Lord (cf. Rom. 10:9-10).

Indications from Acts 26 of Additional Testimony to the Jailor beyond Acts 16:31

In addition to the additional considerations present in Acts 16, Paul’s testimony in Acts 26 about his evangelistic practice throughout his Christian life points conclusively to additional testimony given to the jailor beyond what Acts 16:31 records. Paul told King Agrippa that his obedience to his heavenly vision of the glorified Jesus (Acts 26:12-18) comprised his testifying to key truths to everyone everywhere from the beginning of his evangelistic ministry up to that very day:

Act 26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 

 20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. 

 21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. 

 22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: 

 23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. 

These verses make clear that Paul certainly challenged the jailor to “repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance” (26:20). We also can be certain that Paul testified to the jailor about both the suffering and the resurrection of Christ (26:23). 

Because Acts 16:31 does not specify that Paul told the jailor to repent, we know that Acts 16:31 is not an exhaustive record of the gospel testimony that he received. Similarly, because Acts 16:31 does not specify that Paul testified to the jailor about the crucifixion and resurrection, we can be certain that it does not tell us all that he heard to be saved. 

Conclusion

Because we know conclusively from several considerations that Acts 16:31 is not an exhaustive record of the gospel testimony that the jailor received, it is illegitimate to say that he was saved by hearing only the statement recorded in Acts 16:31. Moreover, based on essential biblical teaching about the gospel message, we can be certain that Acts 16:31 is not a one-sentence gospel message that by itself communicates all the truth that a sinner needs to hear to be saved.

A sound handling of Acts 16:31 shows conclusively that the Philippian jailor was not saved by hearing a one-sentence gospel message.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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“The Heart of the Good News” in Peter’s Gospel Message at Caesarea

September 20, 2013

The resurrected Jesus is announced to be the Judge-designate. . . . Without this point, we might be tempted to think of the resurrection as something tremendous that happened to him but which has no relation to us at all. Without this statement that the resurrected Lord is the Judge-designate, we might believe the story of Easter and comment, ‘Terrific! But after all, that was Jesus. What has that got to do with us?’ Verse 42 [of Acts 10] answers this question by linking our destiny to that of Jesus, for it tells us that Jesus is every man’s Judge. This statement says that the man whom God designated to judge us is the man executed on Golgotha and raised on Easter. If, then, our destiny depends on the verdict of this Judge, we must recognize that the story of Jesus is the story of the one who will be the arbiter of our status before God. Suddenly for each individual, the story of Jesus is transformed from a piece of interesting ancient history to the disclosure of ‘where my destiny hangs.’ This change makes the story of Jesus real news. But it still does not show why this is good news; it could just as well be bad news. . . . These words [v. 43] transform the information about Jesus into the good news for all mankind. According to this early sketch of the gospel, the good news consists of the headline that the Judge forgives those who believe on his name. That is, he forgives those who believe he is really the Judge. Here is the heart of the good news in this sermon: The Judge forgives.

—Leander E. Keck, Mandate to Witness: Studies in the Book of Acts, 68-69; bold added.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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Is Your Evangelism Lacking Testimony to a Key Cosmic Element?

July 24, 2013

Much evangelism today testifies exclusively to human sinfulness and to how God has provided a way for people to have their sins forgiven through the work of Jesus on the Cross. Based on the combined teaching of two key texts, I believe that such evangelism lacks testimony to a key cosmic element.

Peter’s Evangelistic Testimony about the Life of Christ

In his preaching of the gospel (Acts 15:7) to an unsaved centurion and many others, both of his household and of his close friends (Acts 10:27, 33), Peter testified key information about the life of Christ:

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him (Acts 10:38).

Saying these words, Peter told these lost people how Jesus through the power that God gave Him healed all who were oppressed by the devil. He thus explained to these lost people that multitudes of people were not being oppressed by other sinful humans, but by the devil.

Peter then testified key truths about Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and exaltation (Acts 10:39-42). Finally, he declared to them that all who believe in that Jesus receive forgiveness of their sins (Acts 10:43).

To be saved, his hearers would have had to believe not just about their own sinfulness because he testified to them about Jesus’ delivering humans from the sinful activities of an evil supernatural being. Moreover, they had to believe testimony not only about Jesus’ dying for them to save them, but also about Jesus’ dealings with the sinfulness of the devil before His death.

These lost people, therefore, were not given testimony exclusively about human sinfulness—Peter’s gospel message also emphasized to them the sinfulness of the devil and Jesus’ delivering people from the devil’s sinful actions. 

Paul’s Evangelistic Testimony about the Mission Christ Gave Him

Standing on trial before two unsaved authorities, King Agrippa and Festus (the Roman governor), as well as many other lost people (Acts 25:23), Paul testified to the mission that Christ gave him:

Act 26:15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

To these powerful lost people, Paul made known that Christ commissioned him to minister to lost Gentiles to turn them from darkness and the power of Satan. Saying this, Paul confronted those who were trying him with their own need of being delivered from the power that Satan was sinfully exercising over them to keep them in darkness!

Paul proceeded to witness to them also about the crucifixion, resurrection, and exaltation of Christ (Acts 26:19-23), just as Peter did before him to other lost people (Acts 10). He then declared how he desired that all the lost people who were present at his trial would become Christians (Acts 26:24-29)!

In his gospel preaching to many lost people on this occasion, Paul testified not just to human sinfulness but also to the sinful activities of the devil. He also spoke to them not just about Jesus’ death, but also of Jesus’ work of delivering people from Satan’s sinful activities through His sending Paul to minister to them to that end.

Conclusion

From these two accounts of apostolic evangelism, we learn that our evangelism needs to have a cosmic element to it—testimony to the sinfulness not just of humans, but also to the sinfulness of the devil, a supernatural being! Moreover, we need to testify not just about Jesus’ dying for people on the Cross but also about His delivering people through His other dealings with the sinfulness of Satan.

The gospel that we should give to others includes the good news that God through Jesus has dealt with the sinfulness of both humans and evil spirit beings! Let us follow Peter and Paul in evangelism by adding this key cosmic element to our witnessing.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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"The Just Shall Live Faith: A Faith That Works" — Lesson VIII (7/21/13)

July 21, 2013

The Use of Habakkuk 2:4 in Galatians 3:11 and the Issue of Legalism Among the Galatians

The key text for our Sunday school series is Habakkuk 2:4. We have been examining biblical teaching in key passages to understand more about how those who are the just who live by faith have a faith that works.

The NT uses Habakkuk 2:4 three times (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38). Interestingly, the three books in which the noun faith occurs more than any other books in the NT are those same books: Romans (39x), Hebrews (32x), and Galatians (21x).

Introduction to Galatians

Paul preached to the Galatians as part of his gospel ministry on his first missionary journey (Acts 13-14). Notice how Paul ends his gospel message in a synagogue in Antioch of Pisida by using Habakkuk 1:5 to warn his hearers to accept the good news that justification is by faith in Jesus and not by the works of the Law (Acts 13:38-41)!

Later, Paul preached the gospel to some pagan idolaters in one of the cities of Galatia (Acts 14:15-17). Notice that his preaching the gospel to them corresponds to his later ministry to idolaters in Athens (Acts 17:16-31) and to his key testimony about his practice everywhere of challenging everyone to turn to God (Acts 26:20).

At the end of his missionary journey, Paul returned to Antioch (Acts 14:26-28). Acts 15:1-2 record the events that then took place that likely led to Paul’s writing the book of Galatians.

Paul probably wrote Galatians in about 49 AD or so, just before the Jerusalem Council, which we studied carefully from Acts 15. Galatians is one of the key books in Scripture about the gospel (Romans has the word 10x; Galatians has it 11x).

Its purpose is to refute legalism. The theme of the book is “grace as the basis for salvation” (New Testament Introduction, 6).

Paul wrote to deal with the Galatians because he was amazed at how soon after they had been saved they were being tempted to go after false teaching about the gospel (Gal. 1:6). Some false brethren (Gal. 2:4) had troubled them and were seeking to pervert the gospel of Christ (Gal. 1:7).

Introductory Considerations for Properly Understanding Galatians 3

Galatians 3 is one of the most important chapters about faith in Scripture: the word faith occurs 14x in the chapter and refers to genuine faith every time (only Heb. 11 has more occurrences – 24). Moreover, because 10 of the 11 occurrences of gospel in Galatians come before 3:11, we know that 3:11 comes in connection with intense teaching about the gospel (cf. esp. Gal. 3:8).

How then does Paul use Habakkuk 2:4 in Galatians 3:11 to refute legalism? To answer this question, we need to consider briefly the preceding teaching in Galatians 2:11-21.

Paul’s Confrontation of Peter Concerning Hypocrisy That Was Contrary to the Truth of the Gospel

Galatians 2:11-21 records Paul’s confronting Peter after he came to Antioch (Gal. 2:11). Because he feared certain men who came from James, Peter and others who were misled because of his influence were acting hypocritically in a way that was contrary to the truth of the gospel (Gal. 2:12-14).

To rebuke Peter, Paul explained the truth about how people are justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law (Gal. 2:15-19). He also emphasized that he (Paul) had died through the Law so that he might live to God (Gal. 2:19).

Strikingly, Paul then directly linked his justification by faith with his continuing living by faith (Gal. 2:20). He ends this section by emphasizing that he does not nullify the grace of God by holding that justification is through the Law because that would mean that Christ died needlessly (Gal. 2:21).

What Kind of Legalism is Galatians 3 Addressing?

Galatians 3 is certainly Pauline teaching that refutes legalism, but what kind of legalism is it addressing? Many today believe that Galatians 3:3 has in view legalism concerning sanctification.

Does Paul’s flow of thought in Galatians 3 that leads to his use of Habakkuk 2:4 in 3:11 support this belief? Many considerations about Galatians 3 argue against this belief.

First, Paul used very intense language (Gk. “O” [Gal. 3:1]; “foolish” [Gal. 3:1, 3] to refute a very severe error, which would not be fitting if he were dealing with an erroneous view concerning sanctification. Rather, he was rebuking the Galatians about their serious departure from vital teaching about justification by faith (Gal. 2:15-20).

Second, Paul’s subsequent argumentation in Galatians 3:1-14 does not support holding that he was addressing an error concerning sanctification in Galatians 3:3. It does not do so because the key truth that Paul focused on is how the Galatians received the Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:2; cf. 3:5, 14)—either it was through faith or it was through the works of the Law, but it was not both!

He then challenged them whether they were being perfected by the flesh after having begun in the Spirit (Gal. 3:3). Comparing what Paul says here with the issue that led to the Jerusalem Council proceedings (Acts 15:1, 4, and 5), we understand that when Paul spoke of their being perfected by the flesh, he had in mind that they would be circumcised after they had received the Spirit and then would be directed to keep the Law of Moses.

Furthermore, Paul challenged them about their suffering many things (Gal. 3:4), which does not fit with the view that he was dealing with legalism about sanctification—would there have been legalistic Christians who were actually persecuting these new believers for not having a right view of sanctification? No, clearly, Paul was talking about those who persecuted them because they had believed that they had been justified by faith without being circumcised and keeping the Law of Moses (cf. Acts 13:50; 14:2, 5, 19, 22).

The close parallel between Paul’s teaching in Galatians 3:5 and the apostles’ teaching at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:8, 12) shows that Paul was addressing the same error here that that Council would deal with a short time later. Just as the Council, of which Paul was a part, later conclusively concluded that the Gentiles were saved by faith without circumcision and keeping the works of the Law, so Paul argued for the same truth here (Gal. 3:5).

Paul then further supported that justification is by faith without the works of the Law by arguing for that truth from Scriptural teaching about Abraham’s reception of the gospel promise (Gen. 15:6; 12:3) when he was not circumcised and long before the Law had been given (Gal. 3:6-10). He then explained that the Law itself validates that justification is by faith today as it was with Abraham (Gal. 3:9-10).

Paul then cited Habakkuk 2:4 as conclusive and plain Scriptural evidence that no one is justified by the Law before God (Gal. 3:11). Note carefully that both here as well as in Romans 1:17 Paul removed the pronoun “his” that is in Habakkuk 2:4.

He then argued from Scripture that there is no possibility of mixing faith and the works of the Law (Gal. 3:12). Finally, he concluded this section by speaking of the redemption that Christ provides for us from the curse of the Law (which we never have or could have fulfilled) in order that in Him the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the Sprit through faith (Gal. 3:13-14).

Paul’s chiastic argument about reception of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:2, 14) teaches us that this whole section concerns reception of the Spirit when people are justified by faith (cf. Peter’s emphasis on Cornelius’ reception of the Spirit without any works)! Clearly, then, Galatians 3 is Pauline teaching concerning a legalistic approach to justification, not sanctification.

Conclusion

Those who are just by faith should actively combat those who try to distort the gospel truth that justification is by faith and not by the works of the Law. To do so, they must be solidly grounded in the truths that Paul teaches in Galatians 3.

Furthermore, our study of Galatians 3, including Paul’s use of Habakkuk 2:4 in Galatians 3:11, has shown that Paul was not correcting the Galatians in 3:3 about an erroneous view of Christian sanctification. The common practice in the Church today of using Galatians 3:3 as Scriptural support for calling other Christians “legalists” is therefore illegitimate, and we should not misuse this key text to justify our calling other believers “legalists.”

See the other lessons in this series here.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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“The Just Shall Live by Faith: A Faith that Works” — Lesson VII (7/14/13): Part II

July 20, 2013

The Relevance of Romans 1, 2, and 14 for A Faith That Works

In Part I of this lesson, we examined how Paul used Habakkuk 2:4 in Romans 1:17. In Part II, we consider the relevance that Romans 1, 2, and 14 have (when they are considered together) for our understanding of a faith that works.

Pauline Teaching about Faith in Romans 14

In Romans 14, Paul first challenges believers concerning their making unrighteous assessments about one another (Rom. 14:1-13). He then challenges them about not being an ungodly spiritual influence on others so that they are spiritually harmed (Rom. 14:13-23).

In both sections of Romans 14, Paul stresses the importance of faith. Speaking about receiving weak brethren “in the faith” (Rom. 14:1), he contrasts those who believe one way versus those who believe another concerning some debatable matters (Rom. 14:2). In the latter section, he underscores the need for faith on the part of any believer in everything that he does (Rom. 14:22-23).

The Importance of Romans 14:9

Romans 14:9 is central to Paul’s challenge to believers to stop judging one another and to stop regarding one another with contempt (Rom. 14:10-13a). In a crucial purpose statement, Paul explains that Christ died and rose again in order that “He might be Lord both of the dead and living (Rom. 14:9).

Because the death and the resurrection are the two central elements in Paul’s teaching about the gospel (1 Cor. 15:3-5), we have a vital statement here about the gospel—Christ experienced both key events for the purpose of becoming the God-exalted supreme judicial authority over all. Romans 14:10-12 confirms this interpretation by specifying that the aspect of being Lord over all that Paul has in mind here concerns who is authorized to assess all believers in those debatable areas (as well as in everything else).

He supports his teaching by citing Isaiah 45:23 as Scriptural teaching that all will bow the knee to God and confess to Him (Rom. 14:11). All of us, therefore, will give an account to God (Rom. 14:12).

Paul taught earlier in Romans that God will judge all through Jesus Christ (Rom. 2:16); the same truth is in view in Paul’s purpose statement here (Rom. 14:9) about the death and resurrection of the Christ! Because we all will give an account to Jesus one day, we must stop judging one another (Rom. 14:13).

Only someone who knows the secrets of each person’s heart can judge them righteously—Christ is that God-appointed Judge (Rom. 2:16)! We, therefore, must diligently concern ourselves with not harming others through what we choose to do in debatable areas of our Christian living (Rom. 14:13b).

Whatever we choose to do in such matters must be of faith (Rom. 14:23) because that is the only way we can please God with anything we do (cf. Heb. 11:6). If we do things that we are unsure whether they are right, we sin.

From Romans 1:1-2:16 and Romans 14, we understand that genuine faith in Jesus Christ displays itself in our stopping our judging others hypocritically (Rom. 2:1-5) or without authorization in debatable matters (Rom. 14:1-13) and in our diligence not to cause others spiritual harm through our choices and actions (Rom. 14:13-21). Those who are just by faith must believe that Jesus is the supreme judicial authority who will judge all people, both unbelievers and believers (Rom. 2:16; 14:9-11), and live their lives as believers who are ever mindful of that truth (cf. Rom. 14:13-23).

The Significance of Key Parallels between Acts 17 and Romans 1, 2, and 14

From our study of Acts 17 and Romans 1, 2, and 14, we note many key parallels between what Paul says in both places:

1. Testimony to God as Creator (Acts 17:24; Rom. 1:20)

2. Information about idolatry being wrong (Acts 17:29; Rom. 1:23-25)

3. Explanation about the connection of God’s withholding His judgment and repentance (Acts 17:30; Rom. 2:4-5)

4. Testimony to God’s appointed Day of Judgment as the reason people must repent (Acts 17:30-31; Rom. 2:5)

5. Testimony to God’s appointed Judge (Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:16)

6. Testimony to the relationship between the Resurrection of Jesus and His appointment to be the Judge of all (Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:16; 14:9)

7. Testimony to the gospel significance of Christ as the God-appointed Judge (Acts 17:18-20; cf. 17:30-31; Rom. 1:3-4; 1:16-18; 2:4-16)

These key parallels show that testimony to Christ as the God-appointed Judge was an important part of Paul’s gospel ministry to both unbelievers (Acts 17:30-31; Rom. 2:16) and believers (Rom. 2:16; 14:9-13)! The just who live by faith must have a faith that works by believing and testifying to these same truths to everyone, just as Paul did.

See all the lessons in this series here.

 

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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“The Just Shall Live by Faith: A Faith that Works” — Lesson VII (7/14/13): Part I

July 16, 2013

The Use of Habakkuk 2:4 in Romans 1:17

For the final three weeks of our series, we will examine the three passages in the NT that use Habakkuk 2:4 (Rom. 1; Gal. 3; and Heb. 10). Today, we consider its use in Romans 1:17.

In Part I of this lesson, we will treat the first 48 verses of Romans in this lesson. In Part II, we will examine key related teaching in Romans 14. Doing so, we will discover that Paul’s teaching in Romans correlates directly with key elements of his evangelistic ministry in Athens (Acts 17).

Introductory Aspects of Romans 1:1-2:16

Romans 1:1-2:16 comprises 48 verses that may be considered a unit for two reasons:

(1) The section begins with explicit teaching about the gospel (Rom. 1:1ff.) and ends with another explicit statement about the gospel (Rom. 2:16). Three other references to the gospel (Rom. 1:9, 15, 16) in this section show that the gospel is a key aspect of this section.

(2) The section features at least thirteen clear statements about God as judge (Rom. 1:18, 24, 26, 28, 32; 2:2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 16). Of these, 2:16 is particularly relevant for our series.

The extensive focus on both the gospel and God as judge in this section signal to us the need to consider closely how Paul relates these two truths here.

Romans 1:1-7

Paul begins Romans by explaining his calling to minister the gospel of God (Rom. 1:1-5). He declares that God promised the gospel beforehand in His holy Scriptures through His prophets (Rom. 1:1-2).

The gospel message concerns God’s Son (“His Son” [Rom. 1:3a]), which shows that it is a message about the One who is uniquely related to God the Father. Paul then declares two key truths about His Son (Rom. 1:3b-4).

Read the full article here.

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An Excellent Example of the Value of Comparing Scripture with Scripture

June 29, 2013

Acts 10 and 17 record two key accounts of apostolic evangelism of Gentiles. A careful comparison of the accounts reveals a number of important parallels between the two passages. Attention to these parallels provides us with a biblical basis for rejecting a common wrong assessment of the latter account.

1. Both accounts record evangelistic ministry to very religious but unsaved Gentiles.

— Act 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

— Act 17:22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

2. In unusual ways, lost people directed the evangelists in both accounts to minister to the lost people that they evangelized.

—An angel appeared to Cornelius and told him to send men to summon Peter to come preach to him (Acts 10:3-6; 22; 30-32; 11:13-14). God then gave Peter a perplexing vision followed by the Spirit’s speaking directly to him to direct him to go with the lost men whom Cornelius had sent to him to summon him (Acts 10:9-20).

—Paul was taken to the Areopagus by men who heard him preaching about what they thought were “strange deities” (Acts 17:18-19).

3. Both accounts feature the evangelism of lost authority figures.

—Peter preached to Cornelius, a centurion in Caesarea (Acts 10:1)

—Paul preached at Mars Hill to people who were secular authorities (Acts 17:19).

4. Lost people prompted the evangelists on both occasions concerning what they wanted to hear from them.

—Cornelius explained to Peter how an angel told him to send for him so that he and his entire household would hear from him the words by which they would all be saved (Acts 10:33 cf. 10:22; 11:13-14). He also told Peter that they were all gathered before God to hear all that God had commanded Peter (Acts 10:33).

—The lost philosophers who took Paul to the Areopagus told Paul that they wanted to know what the meaning of his new teaching was (Acts 17:19-20).

5. Both accounts record apostolic proclamation of God’s posture toward all people.

—Peter told Cornelius that God is an impartial Judge who accepts in every nation those who fear Him and work righteousness (Acts 10:34-35).

—Paul told the Athenians that God made all the nations of men of one blood and has predetermined their appointed times and habitation so that they would seek Him (Acts 17:26-27). He also proclaimed that God is now commanding all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).

6. Both accounts emphasize the Father’s work in, for, and through Jesus.

—Acts 10 highlights that the Father anointed Jesus with the Spirit and with power (Acts 10:38), and that He raised Jesus from the dead, showed Him openly, and appointed Him to be the Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:40-42).

—Acts 17 underscores God’s determination of a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He has appointed (Acts 17:31a). It also says that the proof of that fact is that God raised that Man from the dead (Acts 17:31b).

7. The evangelistic messages climaxed on both occasions with truth about the universal vital significance of Jesus as the God-appointed Judge.

—Act 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

—Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

8. Both accounts emphasize key truths that believers should tell to all people everywhere.

—Peter told Cornelius that Jesus commanded the apostles to preach and solemnly testify that He is the One appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42).

—Paul told the Athenians that God is now commanding all people everywhere to repent and that God has given all men proof of the vital significance of the resurrection of Jesus in connection with the Judgment Day and Judge that He has appointed (Acts 17:30-31).

9. Both Peter and Paul preached “Jesus and the resurrection” to their hearers.

—Peter preached that the God-resurrected Jesus commanded the apostles to proclaim a specific message and that through belief in that Jesus people receive the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 10:40-43).

—Paul was asked to explain the meaning of his preaching Jesus and the resurrection (Acts 17:18-20). His message at Mars Hill, therefore, was his explanation of his preaching about Jesus and the resurrection that he had preached earlier in the marketplace to at least some of his hearers who were now also present at Mars Hill. When Paul climaxed his message with a declaration about God’s raising a Man from the dead (Acts 17:31), at least some of his hearers thus knew that Jesus was that Man.

These parallels do not support the view that some hold that Paul “failed” in his evangelistic ministry in Athens because he took a philosophical approach with his hearers instead of preaching the gospel about Jesus to them. Rather, a careful comparison of Acts 10 with Acts 17 shows that Peter and Paul preached the gospel to Gentile authorities in very similar ways on these two occasions.

From these two sterling evangelistic accounts, therefore, we should learn many key principles about how we are to evangelize lost people. We should also learn from our analysis of them that thoroughly comparing Scripture with Scripture is vital for a proper interpretation of Scripture.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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