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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.

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 VI (7/7/13)

July 13, 2013

Pauline Evangelism in Acts 24, 26, and 28

Having examined Pauline evangelism in Acts 17 at length last week, this week we look at it from the records of his ministry in the final chapters of Acts. Comparing all the accounts, we confirm the validity of the previous observations that we have made.

Paul before Felix

A common element in Paul’s defenses recorded by Luke is his emphasis on his being on trial for “the hope and resurrection of the dead” (Acts 23:6; 24:15; 25:19; 26:6, 23; 28:20). This record corroborates the centrality of the resurrection that we observed in Acts 17.

After defending himself publicly before Felix the governor (Acts 24:1-23), Paul had many more private opportunities to speak to him (Acts 24:24-27). Luke specifies that on the first such opportunity, Felix heard Paul “concerning the faith in Christ” (Acts 24:24-25).

On that occasion, Paul “reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come” (Acts 24:25). This record corroborates Paul’s climaxing his witness at Mars Hill with testimony to the judgment to come (Acts 17:30-31).

We thus see that Acts 24 correlates directly with Acts 17 in supporting our understanding that Paul did not “fail” to preach the gospel at Mars Hill. Just the opposite, Paul’s continuing emphasis on the same truths shows that the resurrection and testimony about the judgment to come were central elements in his evangelism about “the faith in Christ” (Acts 24:24).[1]

Paul before Festus and Agrippa

Luke records at length Paul’s defense before Festus the governor and King Agrippa (Acts 25:23-26:29). Paul focused his testimony on his being on trial for the truth that God raises the dead (Acts 26:6, 8, 23).

After testifying to his preconversion persecution of believers (Acts 26:9-12), Paul related how Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus to arrest him and confront him about his persecuting Him (Acts 26:13-14). The subsequent record provides vital information about Paul’s commission from Jesus and his evangelistic practice throughout his life.

Paul testified that Jesus appeared to him to make him a minister and a witness (Acts 26:16). He added that Jesus commissioned him to go to the Gentiles (Acts 26:17) 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 [Jesus]” (Acts 26:18).

Next, Paul explained his obedience to the heavenly vision (Acts 26:19-23). His explanation provides the most comprehensive statements about his evangelistic ministry that we find anywhere.

In statements that were comprehensive ethnologically, geographically, chronologically, and socioeconomically, Paul highlighted his focus on testifying to aspects of his evangelism that many have missed—“showed . . . that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance” (Acts 26:18, 22):

1. Ethnologically – Jews (“them of Damascus and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea”) and Gentiles (“and then to the Gentiles”)

2. Geographically – Where Paul first ministered (“First unto them at Damascus”) and everywhere else thereafter (“them of Damascus and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles”)

3. Chronologically – When Paul began his gospel ministry (“First unto them at Damascus”) right up to his present defense before Festus and Agrippa (“I continue unto this day” [Acts 26:22])

4. Socioeconomically – “witnessing both to small and great” (Acts 26:22)

Paul thus stressed that in his evangelism he demanded that everyone everywhere that he witnessed to throughout his life had to repent and turn to God and do works that showed that they had genuinely repented! His testimony here thus directly corroborates that his emphasis on universal repentance at the climax of his message at Mars Hill (Acts 17:30) was an unchanging element of his entire gospel ministry from its beginning to that very time when he was defending himself before these authorities.

Moreover, Paul made known here something vital that directly confirms the validity of the theme for our entire series—he demanded from all people that those who would be just people who live by their faith (cf. “receive forgiveness of their sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by which that is in [Jesus]”) have a faith that produces works!

What were the works fitting for repentance that Paul testified to everyone about throughout his life? An analysis of the evangelistic record in the book of Acts shows us that being water baptized after salvation was certainly one of these works (cf. Acts 2:37-38; 10:47-48).

Because Paul is the pattern believer for all other believers (cf. 1 Cor. 11:1, etc.), his being a witness from the beginning of his Christian life (in Damascus; Acts 26:20) right to the end of his life implies that being a witness to others about the faith is another of those works. In support of this observation, we should note how Jesus told the demon-possessed man whom he delivered, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee” (Mark 5:19).

(This sermon provides much more detailed information from Acts 26 about how we are to follow Paul in evangelism.)

Paul in Rome

The ending of Acts provides two key accounts of Pauline evangelism in Rome (Acts 28:17-31). These accounts corroborate another key observation that we made previously in our series.

Twice at the end of Acts, Luke records that Paul was ministering to everyone about both the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 28:23, 31). These statements confirm that the record of all believers in Thessalonica testifying to “another king, one Jesus” (Acts 17:7) was not just something that was true in that isolated setting.

Rather, testimony to the kingdom of God was the central focus of apostolic evangelism from beginning to end in the book of Acts (cf. Acts 2, 8, 10, 17, and 28). These concluding statements about Paul’s evangelistic ministry in Rome with everyone show that the gospel did not “change” from being a message about the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ to being a message just about Christ! (See this post for more information about this key point.)

 

[1] Concerning his witness to Felix, Bock concludes that “Jesus’s role as exalted judge is apparently a major point” (Acts in ECNT, 695).

See the rest of the posts in this series here.

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

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Glorious Hope for the Fallen: The Story of Rahab!

July 12, 2013

Scripture does not explain when, how, or why Rahab became a harlot. What Scripture does present about her life, however, displays in a wonderful way the glorious hope that God’s redemption provides for the fallen.

Salvation from Perishing

Hearing what the Lord had done in bringing the Israelites through the Red Sea and how the Israelites were destroying surrounding peoples, Rahab the harlot came to fear the Lord as the true God (Josh. 2:9-11). By faith, she hid two spies who were sent by Joshua to spy out Jericho (Josh. 2:1-21).

Because of what she had done, the Israelites spared her and her entire household when they utterly destroyed Jericho (Josh. 6:17, 21, 23, 25a). Not only was she saved from perishing, but also she continued to live among the Israelites thereafter (Josh. 6:25b).

Rahab went from being a pagan to being a believer in the living and true God! She also became one of the relatively few Canaanites who were allowed to live and become one of His people.

Marriage, Motherhood, and a Glorious Posterity

Rahab was not just spared from unbelief and perishing; she also went from being a harlot to a being married to a prominent Israelite man, Salmon (Matt. 1:5), who was the son of Nahshon (1 Chron. 2:11; Matt. 1:4), a “leader of the sons of Judah” (1 Chron. 2:10)![1] God thus graciously redeemed her from her unbelief, spared her life, rescued her from the horrors of harlotry, and exalted her to marry into a leading family among His people!

Because Salmon was a member of a leading family, he would certainly have known of Rahab’s past. Yet, he still chose to marry her after she had been initially redeemed. Doing so, he became a gracious agent of God’s glorious continuing redemption of her life!

Moreover, through her marriage to Salmon, Rahab became the mother of Boaz (Matt. 1:5), who became the kinsman-redeemer to Ruth (Ruth 4:13-22)! God thus not only gave Rahab the joys of marriage and motherhood, He also used her son to redeem the life of Ruth, a virtuous Moabite woman who came to trust in the God of Israel, even as Rahab had!

Beyond that, Rahab became the great, great grandmother of King David (Matt. 1:5-6a), and ultimately, she became a foremother of Jesus the Christ (Matt. 1:6b-17)! God redeemed Rahab from harlotry and gave her a glorious posterity of which she could never have imagined!

Mentioned Three Times in the New Testament

Long after Rahab had lived her life and died, God exalted her in another way that she never had any possibility of expecting would ever happen—in addition to the record of her life in the book of Joshua, three New Testament books speak of her in key passages! God thus glorified Rahab in a way that few other women in history have experienced!

In his genealogy of Christ, Matthew writes, “And Salmon begat Booz [Boaz] of Rachab [Rahab]” (Matt. 1:5). Rahab has the unique distinction of being one of only five women named in this genealogy!

The writer of Hebrews commends her faith: “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace” (Heb. 11:31). This commendation of Rahab, a former harlot, magnifies the wondrous redemption that God provided for her.

James cites Rahab as an example of someone whose justification was by a living faith that produced works: “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:25-26). This former harlot’s faith and works were thus exemplary, and God memorialized the glory of His redeeming this fallen woman by mentioning her explicitly in four books of Scripture!

Glorious Hope for the Fallen

The story of Rahab testifies to how great a redemption God has made available for fallen people! Although she once was a Canaanite harlot, she repented and believed in Yahweh as the true and living God.

Because she repented and believed in Him, He redeemed her life in ways that she could never have dreamed of when she was a harlot. Her story provides a glorious hope to fallen people whose lives have been ruined by sin—whether their own, of others, or both.

Moreover, Scripture’s silence about the circumstances of how she became a harlot suggest that God wants fallen people to turn their thoughts away from whatever may have caused them to fall and focus instead on the glorious possibilities of whatever God would see fit to do for them in His redeeming love for them. Like Joseph, who through God’s goodness to him was made to forget the injustices that he experienced at the hands of others (Gen. 41:51-52), God wants fallen people to be delivered from bondage to their past.

If you are a fallen person, God offers you this glorious hope through repentance toward Him and faith in Jesus Christ. Turn to Him in faith and He will redeem your life for His glory and your good, both in this life and the life to come!


[1] Nahshon was “Aaron’s brother-in-law (Ex. 6:23; AV gives ‘Naashon’), son of Amminadab and prince of Judah (Nu. 1:7; 2:3; 7:12, 17; 10:14; 1 Ch. 2:10)” (New Bible Dictionary, 809).

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

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“The Just Shall Live by Faith: A Faith that Works” — Lesson V (6/30/13); Part II

July 6, 2013

Pauline Evangelism in Acts 17

In Part I of Lesson V, we examined three major truths that the Cornelius accounts teach us about how people are and are not saved. To profit fully from Part II of Lesson V, I encourage you to be sure that you have first read all of the preceding posts in this series (you can read them here).

In Part II of Lesson V, we consider Acts 17 closely to understand more about how lost people become those who are just people who live by faith. Acts 17 records Pauline evangelism in three cities, Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. Comparing the three accounts brings out important truths about Pauline evangelism.

I. Pauline Evangelism in Thessalonica

Reasoning with Jews in a synagogue for three Sabbaths, Paul testified to them from Scripture that Jesus was the promised Christ who had to suffer and rise from the dead (Acts 17:1-3). Many were saved through his ministry (Acts 17:4), but unbelieving Jews responded to his ministry by persecuting the believers (Acts 17:5-9).

Through his recording the Jews’ complaint to the city authorities about the message that all the believers were testifying of “another king, one Jesus” (Acts 17:7), Luke informs us about a key aspect of Paul’s message—he preached the gospel of the kingdom of God in Thessalonica! Pauline evangelism, therefore, highlighted that the resurrection of Jesus evidenced that He was the promised Christ who was God’s chosen King.

II. Pauline Evangelism in Berea

Because of the persecution, the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. Arriving there, they again evangelized Jews in a synagogue (Acts 17:10). Luke highlights that many Bereans believed because they were noble-minded people who received the word with great eagerness and carefully examined the Scriptures to verify the truthfulness of what Paul and Silas had ministered to them (Acts 17:11-12).

In this account, we see again that people become just by faith by wholeheartedly embracing the gospel message that God gives them through His ministers. Although Luke does not say anything about the explicit content of what Paul and Silas ministered to them, the flow of thought as well as Scriptural information elsewhere assures us that they preached the same message in Berea that they did in Thessalonica.

III. Pauline Evangelism in Athens

Because of Jewish persecution arising in Berea, as it did in Thessalonica, the brethren immediately sent Paul away once again (Acts 17:13-15). Arriving in Athens, Paul was continually provoked in his spirit by the profuse idolatry that he witnessed in the city (Acts 17:16).

In response to that continual provocation, he ministered daily to everyone that he encountered (Acts 17:17). By saying that Paul “disputed” (Gk. διελέγετο) with them (Acts 17:17), Luke showed that Paul ministered to them in the same way and with the same message that he did in Thessalonica (cf. “reasoned” [Gk. διελέγετο Acts 17:2-3]) and Berea.

Some Gentile philosophers heard Paul’s “preaching [Gk. εὐηγγελίζετο] Jesus and the resurrection,” but did not understand its meaning (Acts 17:18). Noting this information, Luke informs us what the content of Paul’s reasoning with everyone in Athens was—the gospel message about Jesus and the resurrection.

Because the philosophers did not understand Paul’s gospel message, they brought him to the Areopagus and asked him to explain the meaning of what he was preaching (Acts 17:19-21). They thereby prompted Paul concerning the content of his message that Luke records in Acts 17:22-31.

Many people have misinterpreted Paul’s message at Mars Hill because they have not connected how and why Paul was brought to the Areopagus with the message that he preached there. Properly making that connection shows us that Paul’s message was his explanation of his gospel preaching of Jesus and the resurrection that at least some of his hearers had heard him preach earlier in the marketplace.

Far from being a record of Pauline “failure” in evangelism because of a supposed experimental, philosophical approach that Paul adopted, Acts 17:22-31 is thus vital apostolic instruction to us about how to explain essential truths about the gospel message of Jesus and the Resurrection! 

IV. Key Aspects of Paul’s Gospel Message at Mars Hill

Acts 17:22-31 reveals many vital truths about Pauline gospel preaching:

1. Paul’s message at Mars Hill was profoundly God-centric (16 statements about God in 10 verses).

2. Paul testified climactically about how God’s raising Jesus from the dead was the event that changed God’s posture toward all men everywhere (Acts 17:30-31). Whereas in “the times of ignorance God winked at [overlooked]” their idolatry, He now commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30-31).

3. Paul testified what God has proven to all men through His raising Jesus from the dead (Acts 17:30-31) – note that Paul’s message climaxes with testimony to essentially the same truth that Peter’s message in Caesarea does (Acts 10:42).

4. Paul declared that God commands all men everywhere to repent because of what He has proven to them through His raising Jesus from the dead (Acts 17:30-31).

Rightly understood from Acts 17:22-31, Paul’s gospel message about Jesus and the resurrection (Acts 17:18), therefore, included his preaching of how God’s raising Jesus from the dead proved to all men everywhere that He has fixed a Judgment Day in which He will judge all men through Jesus, the Judge whom He has appointed. Because God has proven these things to everyone, He demands that everyone repent.

Moreover, Acts 17 shows us that Pauline evangelism everywhere was his preaching of the same message Jesus and the Resurrection. (For a more thorough treatment of this crucial point, you can listen to my messages Another King Jesus and Make Known the True God).

IV. Vital Parallels between Petrine Evangelism and Pauline Evangelism

Paul thus testified to the same key truths at Mars Hill that Peter testified to in Caesarea. Both preached the gospel message about the resurrection of Jesus and its vital significance for all people.

For a more detailed presentation of the many key parallels between Petrine evangelism in Caesarea (Acts 10) and Pauline evangelism in Athens (Acts 17), see my post An Excellent Example of the Value of Comparing Scripture with Scripture.

See all the posts in this series here.

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

In Evangelism, Exposition, Ministry, Preaching, Sunday School
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Toward Fully Understanding the Golden Calf Incident

July 4, 2013

Exodus 32 records at some length the Golden Calf incident, an infamous account of idolatry among God’s chosen people Israel. Because both the OT and the NT refer to this account more than once (Deut. 9; Ps. 106; Neh. 9; Acts 7; 1 Cor. 10), we must carefully compare all six accounts in order to fully understand this incident.

In this article, I treat the first four passages (Exod. 32; Deut. 9; Ps. 106; and Acts 7). In future articles, I will treat the other passages and correlate all six passages carefully.

Exodus 32

While Moses was meeting with God on Mount Horeb (cf. Exod. 31:18), the Israelites corrupted themselves (Exod. 32:1-6). Instigated by the people (Exod. 32:1), Aaron participated in their making a golden calf (Exod. 32:2-4). He also made an altar and declared that there would be a feast to the Lord on the following day (Exod. 32:5).

On the next day, the people sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the idol and then sat down to eat and drink (Exod. 32:6a-b). They then rose up to play (Exod. 32:6c).

God informed Moses about what had happened and told him to go down quickly to the people whom he had brought out of Egypt (Exod. 32:7-8). He then asked Moses to leave Him alone so that He could destroy them and make of Moses a great nation (Exod. 32:9-10). When Moses interceded earnestly with the Lord for the people (Exod. 32:11-14), the Lord relented of His intent to annihilate them (Exod. 32:14).

While Moses was coming down the mountain (Exod. 32:15-16), at some point he met up with Joshua. When they were yet at some distance from the camp, Joshua heard the sound of the people shouting (Exod. 32:17a). He said to Moses that what he heard was the “noise of war in the camp” (Exod. 32:17b).

Moses, however, discerned that the sound was neither the sound of victory (Exod. 32:18a) nor the sound of defeat (Exod. 32:18b). He declared that instead it was the sound of the people’s singing (Exod. 32:18c).

Arriving at the camp (Exod. 32:19a), Moses saw the idol and the people dancing (Exod. 32:19b). He became incensed and quickly acted to destroy the idol (Exod. 32:19c-20).

He then confronted Aaron about his role in the incident (Exod. 32:21-24). He further observed that the people were publicly (cf. Exod. 32:25c) behaving in uncontrolled lewdness (Exod. 32:25a) because Aaron had failed to deal with them to restrain them as he should have (Exod. 32:25b). Through their openly being so wicked, they were bringing themselves into shame with their enemies in some unspecified manner (“Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies” [Exod. 32:25]).

In response to Aaron’s sinful inaction, Moses asked whoever among the people was on God’s side to come over to him where he was standing in the gate of the camp (Exod. 32:26a). All the Levites did so (Exod. 32:26b). He then instructed the Levites to go through the camp and execute many of their own people (Exod. 32:27-28).

In the aftermath of this infamous occasion (Exod. 32:29-34), Moses’ intercession spared the people from complete annihilation at the hand of God. God, however, did still plague the people “because they made the calf, which Aaron made” (Exod. 32:35).

Deuteronomy 9

Some years later, Moses commanded the people not to forget, but to remember how they had provoked the Lord to wrath continually in the wilderness from the day that they left Egypt to the day that they arrived across the Jordan in the wilderness in the land of Moab (Deut. 9:7; cf. Deut. 1:1-5). He then recounted what happened at Horeb with the golden calf (Deut. 9:8-21).

This recounting adds that the mountain was burning with fire when Moses came down (Deut. 9:15), which indicates that these people committed this heinous sin while in the very visible presence of God in His fiery glory. The Golden Calf incident, therefore, was an instance of high-handed, presumptuous sinning against God’s visible presence among His people!

Moses also adds in this recounting that God was so angry with Aaron then that He would have destroyed him had Moses not interceded for him (Deut. 9:20). This information that the Exodus 32 account does not supply shows Aaron’s great culpability for what he allowed to take place on that occasion.

Psalm 106

An unnamed psalmist provides a brief recounting of the Golden Calf incident (Ps. 106:19-23). He emphasizes that the people exchanged “their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass” (Ps. 106:20) and forgot God their Savior who did such great wonders for them in Egypt and in the land of Ham and by the Red Sea (Ps. 106:21-22).

This recounting explains how the Israelites robbed God of His glory when they made and worshiped the Golden Calf. They were spared from total destruction only because Moses, God’s chosen one, interposed himself between them and God (Ps. 106:23).

Acts 7

In his marvelous defense before the high priest and those who were accosting him (Acts 7:1-60), Stephen related at some length the life and ministry of Moses (Acts 7:20-41). He included a brief recounting of the Golden Calf incident (Acts 7:39-41).

He specified that the people were disobedient to Moses, repudiated him, and “in their hearts turned back again into Egypt” (Acts 7:39) when they told Aaron to make for them gods to go before them at that time (Acts 7:40). None of the previous accounts specifies this information about what the state of their hearts was when this incident took place.

Stephen then added more information that is also not provided in any of the preceding accounts—in their idolatrous worship, the people “rejoiced in the works of their own hands” (Acts 7:41). This revelation illumines the Mosaic statements about their playing (Exod. 32:6) and their singing and dancing (Exod. 32:18-19) by showing the idolatrous character of these activities.

Furthermore, Stephen’s ending his testimony about Moses with information about the Golden Calf incident highlights the importance of that event in the Mosaic part of the selective history of Israel that he testified to at this time.

Conclusion

Based on our study of these four passages about the Golden Calf incident, we learn the following truths

1. Scripture provides 57 verses about this incident in these four passages (Ex. 32:1-35; Deut. 9:8-21; Ps. 106:19-23; Acts 7:39-41). The large number of verses about the incident and the multiple reports about it show its importance in Scripture.

2. Stephen’s climaxing his testimony about Moses’ life and ministry to Israel with material about the Golden Calf incident highlights its importance.

3. By comparing all the passages together, we learn more about the horrific nature of what took place on this occasion. In spite of visible testimony to the presence of God with them, the people returned in their hearts back to Egypt and engaged in idolatrous worship that featured wicked public lewdness. Doing so, they not only robbed God of His glory, but also brought themselves into shame with their enemies.

In future articles, we will see that the importance of this incident is even far greater than what we have seen so far.

 

See the rest of the articles in this series under point 11 here

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

In Exposition, Music
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“The Just Shall Live by Faith: A Faith that Works” — Lesson V (6/30/13); Part I

July 1, 2013

Learning How People Are and Are Not Saved from the Cornelius Accounts

Through a careful study of Acts 10:1-11:18 and 15:1-33, we learn three major truths about how people are and are not saved.

I. Cornelius was not saved by works.

  1. By being a powerful, wealthy, and  “successful” man in the world (Cornelius was a centurion) – Acts 10:1
  2. By being a devoted, godly man – Acts 10:2
  3. By fearing God – Acts 10:2
  4. By being a good family man who directed his whole household to fear God – Acts 10:2
  5. By giving alms to the Jewish people – Acts 10:2
  6. By praying to God always – Acts 10:2
  7. By having an authentic supernatural experience with a true angel of God – Acts 10:3-5
  8. By being a just man who met his obligations to others – Acts 10:22
  9. By being a model citizen who had a good reputation with his entire nation – Acts 10:22
  10. By having a personal meeting with the top Christ-chosen leader of the apostolic company and doing homage to him – Acts 10:25
  11. By making a long pilgrimage to a holy site – Cornelius did not go anywhere; Peter came to him and preached the gospel to him, and he was saved by believing the message.
  12. By having some prior knowledge about Jesus – Acts 10:37-38
  13. By being baptized – he was saved before he was baptized – Acts 10:44-48
  14. By being circumcised – Acts 15:1, 5
  15. By keeping the Law of Moses – Acts 15:5

II. Cornelius was saved through genuine repentance and faith.

  1. By receiving the word of God – Acts 11:1
  2. By hearing the word of the gospel and believing – Acts 15:7
  3. By God’s baptizing him with the Holy Spirit – Acts 11:16
  4. By God’s granting him repentance – Acts 11:18
  5. By God’s purifying his heart by faith – Acts 15:9
  6. Through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ – Acts 15:11
  7. By God’s visiting him to take him out of the Gentiles to be one of the people for His name – Acts 15:14
  8. By turning to God – Acts 15:19
  9. By receiving the Holy Spirit as a gift from God – Acts 10:45; 11:17; 15:8
  10. By being saved the way the Prophets had spoken about – Acts 15:15-18
  11. By God’s rebuilding the Davidic tabernacle that had fallen – Acts 15:16

III. Cornelius was saved by a repentance and faith that produces works.

  1. Even before he was saved, Cornelius had genuine faith in God that was producing works
    –Based on what he already knew prior to the angel’s appearing to him, he feared God and did what was right (Acts 10:35). By faith, he thus believed that there was a God and diligently sought him (cf. Heb. 11:6).
    –By faith, he believed the angel’s message to him and sent men to summon Peter (Acts 10:7-8).
    –By faith, he gathered his family and close friends to hear Peter’s message (Acts 10:24).
    –By faith, he believed that they were all gathered before God to hear all that God had commanded Peter to say to him (Acts 10:33).
  2. He was saved by genuine repentance and faith that produced the obedience of faith when he heard the gospel message that climactically informed him that everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43; 11:18; 15:7).
  3. He was saved by genuine repentance and faith that produced obedience to the command that he was given to be baptized soon after he was saved (Acts 10:48).

See the other lessons in this Sunday school series here.

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

In Evangelism, Interpretation, Ministry, Sunday School, Theology
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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.

In Evangelism, Gospel, Interpretation, Preaching
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Is This One Key Reason That Many Christians and Churches Today Are Weak?

June 24, 2013

Acts 15 and 20 record two instances of ministry in the early churches that many Christians and churches today think would not be proper for believers in most cases. In many churches, such ministry would be strongly unwelcome, and many people would not tolerate it if their pastors or other ministers would choose to minister to them in this way.

A close look at these accounts, however, suggests that such ministry would be highly profitable for all believers in every church. The following treatment of these passages examines whether the lack of such ministry is one key reason that many Christians and churches today are weak.

Acts 15

Following the Jerusalem Council, the church at Jerusalem sent Judas and Silas along with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch (Acts 15:22). They sent with these men a letter that related the Council’s determinations (Acts 15:23-29).

Arriving in Antioch, these men gathered with the congregation there and brought joy to them through the encouragement that the letter provided (Acts 15:30-31). Because Judas and Silas were also prophets, they further ministered to the brethren (Acts 15:32).

Luke specifies that these two men “exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them” (Acts 15:32). Through proclaiming a lengthy message to the congregation, these ministers encouraged and strengthened them.

In many churches today, however, long messages are not welcome. Some church leaders even assert that if you cannot say what you have to say in a fairly short amount of time (for example, some say messages should be about 30 minutes long), you are not properly ministering the Word to people.

The example of Judas and Silas in Acts 15 refutes such viewpoints and supports holding that believers today need lengthy messages to encourage and strengthen them. An account of Paul’s ministry in Acts 20 confirms this assessment about what we need as believers today.

Acts 20

In Troas, Paul and eight other men who had accompanied him (Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Timothy, Tychichus, Trophimus, and Luke; Acts 20:4 cf. “we” in Acts 20:6) met with other believers on the first day of the week to observe the Lord’s Supper (“break bread”; Acts 20:7a). Paul began preaching to them, with the intent that he would leave the next day (Acts 20:7b).

Paul prolonged his message until midnight (Acts 20:7c). Undoubtedly, Paul, therefore, preached to them for at least more than an hour and probably for much longer than that.

A young man named Eutychus fell asleep during Paul’s lengthy message and fell out the window from the third floor (Acts 20:8-9). Although the believers thought that he had died (Acts 20:9), Paul “fell on him, and embracing him” assured them that he was still living (Acts 20:10; cf. 20:12).

Amazingly, Paul then returned back upstairs to observe the Lord’s Supper with the brethren (Acts 20:11a) and then continued to minister to them “for a long while, even till break of day” (Acts 20:11b) and then departed (Acts 20:11c).

In most churches today, if a preacher were to preach for an hour before observing the Lord’s Supper with the congregation, many people in the churches would complain about the length of the message and many likely over time would stop coming to those churches. Paul, however, did not just preach for more than an hour before observing the Lord’s Supper with them—he continued to preach to them for quite some time after eating the Lord’s Supper with them!

What’s more, the near tragic fall of a young man in the congregation who fell asleep because of the length of Paul’s initial message did not deter Paul from further ministering to the believers after the young man had fallen. In most churches today, the occurrence of something even remotely similar to what happened with Eutychus would be prime evidence that many believers would use to argue strongly that the preacher should not preach so long that young people in the church fall asleep because of the length of the message.

Christians Today Need Lengthy Messages to Encourage and Strengthen Them

The scriptural record in Acts 15 and 20 of preaching ministry in the early church shows that the apostolic company believed that Christians back then needed lengthy messages to encourage and strengthen them. Similar indications of an apostolic viewpoint that people need lengthy ministry include the following:

(1) “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation” [Acts 2:40], which shows that Peter continued preaching for a long time after preaching the message that we have recorded in Acts 2:14-39.

(2) “And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words” [Heb. 13:22], which reveals that the writer of Hebrews considered the entire book of more than 300 verses to be a brief message! What, then, must he have thought would comprise a lengthy message?

Based on this biblical data and the widespread consensus that the Church has great needs among its people today, I believe that a key reason that many Christians and churches are weak today is because they are unwilling to endure lengthy preaching of the Word. Let us allow these passages from Scripture to renew our minds so that we will eagerly embrace lengthy ministry of the Word to us from God’s appointed ministers whenever He directs them to minister in such a way to us!

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

In Exhortation, Exposition, Preaching
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