In this passage the purpose - the aim - the goal - is to show that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is the key.
It is fairly narrow in that scope because that very issue was constantly being pressed by what were called “the Judaizing teachers”. They followed everywhere the disciples went to evangelize, trying to convince the converted that they must be circumcised as well, in order to be one of God’s own. This passage is aimed squarely between their eyes.
But to us today, unless we are Jews believing in circumcision in order to please God, it isn’t squarely between our eyes. The temptation is to broaden its scope as if it were saying something beyond what it says.
Circumcision was NEVER the key to becoming one of God’s own. Yet here are these Judaizing teachers running around with the gall to demand that Christians of Greek (read Gentile) decent also be circumcised. And that Jews who became Christians continue to practice circumcision in their families IN ORDER TO BE SAVED.
If Abraham had not obeyed God, his faith would have been dead. (per James). If so, he would have refused to follow God’s directives and continued in his idol worship in his native land, and would have never been justified.
Even the demons believe in God and his power, because they KNOW and FEAR Him. Satan is a fallen angel who rebelled against God in Heaven. These can never be justified because they are the disobeyers-in-chief and entice others to disobey.
**If Abraham had not obeyed God, his faith would have been dead. (per James). If so, he would have refused to follow God’s directives and continued in his idol worship in his native land, and would have never been justified.**
Exactly. Abraham, and all the others mentioned in Hebrews 11 had DIRECTIONS from God. Had they not obeyed the call, they would not have had faith, only disobedience. But you are dealing with tradition/doctrine that is centuries old. It’s a false teaching which would make you still able to produce a crop after the fowls have plucked the seed from the wayside. It’s ‘believing in Jesus’, but rejecting his words (not all, but some very important ones).
First of all, the method these teachers use by preaching grace from the epistles is out of context. All of the epistles were written to already established churches. Most of them mention in the greeting: ‘to the saints at..’, or ‘...called to be saints’; clarifying who the letter is intended for. They are written to people that have already been born again. The unsaved are certainly welcome to read the epistles, but need to read them in that context; understanding that those letters really apply to them after they experienced the rebirth.
Faith in Jesus Christ is more than that he lived, died, and resurrected; it’s believing his words that lead to everlasting life.....ALL of them.
There can be arguments about dispensations, but whatever God’s commands at that time were, they were to be obeyed.
Jesus commanded the leper he had just healed to go and show himself to the priest and offer the gifts that Moses commanded as a testamony of his cleasing.
Jesus said:
“..Except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”. John 3:5
He commanded his disciples to baptise for the remission of sins, for after his commands recorded in Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:16, and Luke 24:47, his appointed messengers began preaching repentance, baptism in the name of Jesus for the REMISSION of sins, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38).
Those scriptures are held in varying degrees of unimportance, even completely disregarded by some saying to be christians, yet claiming to be faithful to the Lord.
If I call out to a stranger, offering him a job with the one condition: that he get a drug test that I pay for (born again the SCRIPTURAL way), and he shows up without the drug test, is he officially my employee, or does he just think he is? It’s not unlike entering in through an unapproved entrance instead of the employee entrance. Does it sound somewhat familiar? Some will say ‘Lord, Lord’, and the Lord will say “.. I never knew you”.
This faith in Jesus Christ isn’t some sloppy feel good way, it’s done according to his word.