Keith returns to his adventures in the history of the Christian church. Today we finish off chapter 5, and review the foundational importance of Paul’s writings. To recap the ground we’ve already covered, Keith reminds us of:
- the beginning of the movement
- Paul’s early background
- Paul’s conversion experience
- Paul’s early ministry
- his first missionary journey
- and where his story ended
today we focus not on his lifetime, but on the importance of what he wrote.
Paul’s letters were circulated and collected by churches he founded, and then likely spread to other churches in the region. His letters were held in the same high regard as the gospel writings. He may not have been a systematic theologian, as we know the term today, but his teaching style and doctrines were impactful.
His message always kept close to the gospel as it was revealed directly to him from his vision of Jesus on the Damascus Road. The gospel what’s foundational to all that Paul preached and taught. Christ lived on earth as God in the flesh. He died to save us from our sin. And he was resurrected so that those who believe would also be raised with him on the last day. Believer tar joined to Christ through the Holy Spirit.
Romans 6:8. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
Romans 6:11. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Paul’s message also included identification and Christ
He taught that individual believers are members of the church, and that we are unified as the body of Christ. We are made alive through the Holy Spirit, washed in the spirit, justified and sanctified to him. Life in the spirit means cultivating an ongoing spiritual and moral lifestyle. Above all, pursuing the spiritual gift of love.
The problem of salvation
What about the Jewish law? Are Gentiles required to conform to it? Is it required to receive God’s grace? As the main missionary to the Gentile people, Paul taught that salvation only comes through Jesus Christ. Both Jews and Gentiles can only come to salvation in the same way, through Christ alone. It is not through works that we do.
Galatians 2:16. nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
reconciling salvation with the law
Paul taught that from the beginning, God set out to provide reconciliation as a free gift for all.
Romans 6:23. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 11:32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.
Galatians 3:22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
Nothing but God’s grace in Christs works is what ultimately matters.
This does not mean that for Paul the Law is evil. As far as its teaching is concerned, the law is spiritual. Paul never suggests that the Law is wrong or inconsistent with God’s will. It does mean that the Law comes first. The law was our custodian or keeper or ( tutor), until Christ came. it’s God’s reaction to sin, and it reveals the reality and power of sin.
Galatians 3:19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.
Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.”
Romans 3:21. But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Galatians 2:21. “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”
and so, we discover Paul’s foundational truths. Just as Abraham was declared righteous due to his faith, it is our faith in the risen Jesus Christ that makes us righteous. His death was for our sins, and his resurrection is what justifies.
Romans 4:24-25.
24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
25 He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.Credit
Thanks to the recorded comments from J Vernon McGee. His ministry and daily bible study live on through Through the Bible Ministries (ttb.org)–>
When Scriptures in the show notes and episodes are quoted from the NASB. “Scripture is taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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!–Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.–>
A History of the Christian Church
Williston Walker
Richard A. Norris, David W. Lotz, Robert T. Handy
Copyright © 1918, 1959, 1970, 1985 Charles Scribner’s Sons; Copyright renewed 1946 Amelia Walker Gushing and Elizabeth Walker.
Today’s focus is on the first half of Chapter 5Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:55 — 51.2MB)
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