"Now, however, the righteousness of God apart from the law is manifested, witnessed by the law and the prophets. Moreover, the righteousness of God through faith of Jesus Christ toward all believing, no indeed there is no distinction..."1
This word for manifested is phaneróō, "I make clear, visible, or manifest" (from phṓs, "light") – properly, illumine, make manifest (visible); (figuratively) make plain, in open view; to become apparent ("graspable"). What is being manifested? but the righteousness of God by faith. There was a righteousness by the law, it was for those under the law, but now there is no distinction, no one will be justified by works of the law, but by faith made righteous before God.
Jesus came in the fullness of God, of Grace and Truth, He was the Word that created all things in the beginning and he was the Light of the World, in the beginning there was Light. We can say the new covenant was the original covenant as the mystery of the gospel was hidden in God in the beginning, it was preached to Abraham, and Moses wrote of it. Christ came as Light to the world, to illuminate the message of the new covenant. Paul writes it is a Dispensation of Grace. A dispensation is a release from an old vow, with new requirements. We see this dispensation, a releasing from the righteousness through the law to the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
"however if you a Jew bear the name and rest upon the Law..."4
The Law was given to the Jew, who rested upon the law. This word for rest upon is from aná, "up, completing a process," which intensifies paúō, "pause" – properly, to give (experience) rest after the needed task is completed. So we see it speaks of the concept of entering into the rest of God. Some of the Israelites failed to enter his rest because of disobedience. Entering the rest was conditional and rested "upon the Law," thus the righteousness of God was through obedience to the Law. Those of the circumcision of the flesh, or those of the Law profited by adherence to the law.5 There was the curse of the law, being that if you broke one part you broke it all.
"moreover, we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the Law, that every speech enclosed and accountable all might be the ordered system to God. Therefore by works of the law will not any flesh be justified before him, indeed, through the law is knowledge of sin."6
The Law was an ordered system, as Paul writes it was a schoolmaster until Christ came, the law kept them under a tutor until the appointed time. The law is knowledge of sin, or it exposed sin, but it speaks to those under the Law. Now, if we read just this verse we could believe there was never a righteousness under the law, but we see the next verse "however, now the righteousness of God apart from the law is manifested..." which implies there was righteousness by the law. The righteousness came in "doing" the law, "it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous."7 The righteousness by the law, was from Moses to Christ, "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."8
"in the forbearance of God, as a sign the righteousness of him in the present time, for he exists just and justifies one through faith, Jesus.9
This word for forbearance means "bear up" which Paul writes is an element of love, it bears all things, it believes all things... Such is love and faith, God chose us and believes in us. Justification is simply being made righteous, "approved by God," In fact, justify and righteous have the same root word, dikaios, properly, "right," especially a judicial verdict which declares someone approved. This acceptance is shown through a new birth, a sealing of the Spirit as a guarantee of inheritance of the promise, and as Paul writes we receive a Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father!
"... how much more will those the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness receiving in life will reign by the one Jesus Christ."10
Christ was a "sin offering," the blood of Christ is a sign of his righteousness, Paul writes, that we receive through faith in Jesus.11 We are made righteous before God by the blood of the Lamb of God, not our own works. Paul writes the new covenant is sealed by his blood, the will, the covenant taking effect by his death. This was how God would "bear up," or show his great love toward us that He would give us his son. So we see Grace, truly it is the goodness of God that justifies us, it is a gift of righteousness, by the blood of Christ. We receive such an abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness by faith in Christ.12
"rarely though for a righteous man will one die, though on behalf of the good man perhaps one might dare to die, moreover God proves his love to us, that while we were still being sinners Christ for us died."13
We were enemies of God, the mind as Paul writes is at enmity, hostile toward God, thus we are enemies opposing Him. As with any enemy vengeance or wrath is poured out against enemies, or at least this was true in the old testament. Though we were still enemies God proves his love for us. "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. but I tell you, love your enemies..."14 Further proof of the dispensation of grace, and releasing from the requirements of the law but not the righteousness of God. One can commit adultery in his heart.15 one can commit murder in his heart.16 "Whoever loves God must love his brother as well."17
"... justifying the one through Faith, Jesus. Where then is the boasting? has it been excluded. through what law? that of works? no but through a law of faith."18
This is the law of faith, "justified by faith, a man apart from the works of the law."19 As the principle of sowing says, the good soil are those who hear and understand. As Jesus said, one must labor into food that doesn't perish, it is not laboring for earthly food thus the laboring is eating spiritual food or coming to understanding of the Word, which became flesh. As Paul writes believing occurs in the heart, then it comes out of the mouth in confession, this is understanding. It is important as Jesus said not all who say Lord, Lord, will enter heaven. These will have confessed him Lord but never knew him, this believing is in the heart and this knowing is experiential knowledge that comes with hearing and understanding.
"Now, we are released from the law having died to that which bound us in order we serve in the newness of spirit and not in the oldness of letter."20
The law bound the Jew until Christ, through faith he is released from the law to serve in the newness of Spirit. The two have become one with no distinction, this grafting in of the Gentile into this branch of the Messianic Jew, the Church which was founded on the Jewish apostles and prophets. God chose through the Church to manifest or illuminate his wisdom, to make known the mystery of the gospel through the Church. Christ sits as head of the Church, the sword of God is of word and spirit, a two-edged sword. True worshiping is a ministry of Spirit and Truth. not just of Spirit and not just of Truth. Jesus is the Word, the Truth, and He is the Lamb of God, his blood makes Righteousness by Faith possible.
"present yourselves to God as of the dead, living, and the members of you instruments of righteousness to God."21
Notice the statement, "present yourselves to God as of the dead, living," it is as Paul writes later, "present the bodies of you a living sacrifice, holy to God, acceptable, which is your reasonable service." This word for present parístēmi from pará, "from close-beside" and hístēmi, "to stand." So how can I present my body a living sacrifice? as of the dead, living. We begin understanding of this living sacrifice through baptism, the teaching that as Paul writes is foundational, the power is in the understanding of the teaching and its application, "indeed if united with him we have become in the likeness of the death of him, also of the resurrection we will be."22
"having been justified by faith... through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand..."23
Finally brethren stand... we must learn to stand beside Christ, having dominion, before we can put on the armor of God. As Paul writes we can approach God through justification by faith in Christ and we stand before God in grace, "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace..."24 We find his grace is sufficient, that in our weakness His power in our inner being is being perfected, "Indeed, sin you will not have dominion over indeed, not under the law but under grace."25 Justified by faith, standing in grace, Righteous Before God.
Chain Breaker
This word for manifested is phaneróō, "I make clear, visible, or manifest" (from phṓs, "light") – properly, illumine, make manifest (visible); (figuratively) make plain, in open view; to become apparent ("graspable"). What is being manifested? but the righteousness of God by faith. There was a righteousness by the law, it was for those under the law, but now there is no distinction, no one will be justified by works of the law, but by faith made righteous before God.
Jesus came in the fullness of God, of Grace and Truth, He was the Word that created all things in the beginning and he was the Light of the World, in the beginning there was Light. We can say the new covenant was the original covenant as the mystery of the gospel was hidden in God in the beginning, it was preached to Abraham, and Moses wrote of it. Christ came as Light to the world, to illuminate the message of the new covenant. Paul writes it is a Dispensation of Grace. A dispensation is a release from an old vow, with new requirements. We see this dispensation, a releasing from the righteousness through the law to the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
"however if you a Jew bear the name and rest upon the Law..."4
The Law was given to the Jew, who rested upon the law. This word for rest upon is from aná, "up, completing a process," which intensifies paúō, "pause" – properly, to give (experience) rest after the needed task is completed. So we see it speaks of the concept of entering into the rest of God. Some of the Israelites failed to enter his rest because of disobedience. Entering the rest was conditional and rested "upon the Law," thus the righteousness of God was through obedience to the Law. Those of the circumcision of the flesh, or those of the Law profited by adherence to the law.5 There was the curse of the law, being that if you broke one part you broke it all.
"moreover, we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the Law, that every speech enclosed and accountable all might be the ordered system to God. Therefore by works of the law will not any flesh be justified before him, indeed, through the law is knowledge of sin."6
The Law was an ordered system, as Paul writes it was a schoolmaster until Christ came, the law kept them under a tutor until the appointed time. The law is knowledge of sin, or it exposed sin, but it speaks to those under the Law. Now, if we read just this verse we could believe there was never a righteousness under the law, but we see the next verse "however, now the righteousness of God apart from the law is manifested..." which implies there was righteousness by the law. The righteousness came in "doing" the law, "it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous."7 The righteousness by the law, was from Moses to Christ, "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."8
"in the forbearance of God, as a sign the righteousness of him in the present time, for he exists just and justifies one through faith, Jesus.9
This word for forbearance means "bear up" which Paul writes is an element of love, it bears all things, it believes all things... Such is love and faith, God chose us and believes in us. Justification is simply being made righteous, "approved by God," In fact, justify and righteous have the same root word, dikaios, properly, "right," especially a judicial verdict which declares someone approved. This acceptance is shown through a new birth, a sealing of the Spirit as a guarantee of inheritance of the promise, and as Paul writes we receive a Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father!
"... how much more will those the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness receiving in life will reign by the one Jesus Christ."10
Christ was a "sin offering," the blood of Christ is a sign of his righteousness, Paul writes, that we receive through faith in Jesus.11 We are made righteous before God by the blood of the Lamb of God, not our own works. Paul writes the new covenant is sealed by his blood, the will, the covenant taking effect by his death. This was how God would "bear up," or show his great love toward us that He would give us his son. So we see Grace, truly it is the goodness of God that justifies us, it is a gift of righteousness, by the blood of Christ. We receive such an abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness by faith in Christ.12
"rarely though for a righteous man will one die, though on behalf of the good man perhaps one might dare to die, moreover God proves his love to us, that while we were still being sinners Christ for us died."13
We were enemies of God, the mind as Paul writes is at enmity, hostile toward God, thus we are enemies opposing Him. As with any enemy vengeance or wrath is poured out against enemies, or at least this was true in the old testament. Though we were still enemies God proves his love for us. "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. but I tell you, love your enemies..."14 Further proof of the dispensation of grace, and releasing from the requirements of the law but not the righteousness of God. One can commit adultery in his heart.15 one can commit murder in his heart.16 "Whoever loves God must love his brother as well."17
"... justifying the one through Faith, Jesus. Where then is the boasting? has it been excluded. through what law? that of works? no but through a law of faith."18
This is the law of faith, "justified by faith, a man apart from the works of the law."19 As the principle of sowing says, the good soil are those who hear and understand. As Jesus said, one must labor into food that doesn't perish, it is not laboring for earthly food thus the laboring is eating spiritual food or coming to understanding of the Word, which became flesh. As Paul writes believing occurs in the heart, then it comes out of the mouth in confession, this is understanding. It is important as Jesus said not all who say Lord, Lord, will enter heaven. These will have confessed him Lord but never knew him, this believing is in the heart and this knowing is experiential knowledge that comes with hearing and understanding.
"Now, we are released from the law having died to that which bound us in order we serve in the newness of spirit and not in the oldness of letter."20
The law bound the Jew until Christ, through faith he is released from the law to serve in the newness of Spirit. The two have become one with no distinction, this grafting in of the Gentile into this branch of the Messianic Jew, the Church which was founded on the Jewish apostles and prophets. God chose through the Church to manifest or illuminate his wisdom, to make known the mystery of the gospel through the Church. Christ sits as head of the Church, the sword of God is of word and spirit, a two-edged sword. True worshiping is a ministry of Spirit and Truth. not just of Spirit and not just of Truth. Jesus is the Word, the Truth, and He is the Lamb of God, his blood makes Righteousness by Faith possible.
"present yourselves to God as of the dead, living, and the members of you instruments of righteousness to God."21
Notice the statement, "present yourselves to God as of the dead, living," it is as Paul writes later, "present the bodies of you a living sacrifice, holy to God, acceptable, which is your reasonable service." This word for present parístēmi from pará, "from close-beside" and hístēmi, "to stand." So how can I present my body a living sacrifice? as of the dead, living. We begin understanding of this living sacrifice through baptism, the teaching that as Paul writes is foundational, the power is in the understanding of the teaching and its application, "indeed if united with him we have become in the likeness of the death of him, also of the resurrection we will be."22
"having been justified by faith... through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand..."23
Finally brethren stand... we must learn to stand beside Christ, having dominion, before we can put on the armor of God. As Paul writes we can approach God through justification by faith in Christ and we stand before God in grace, "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace..."24 We find his grace is sufficient, that in our weakness His power in our inner being is being perfected, "Indeed, sin you will not have dominion over indeed, not under the law but under grace."25 Justified by faith, standing in grace, Righteous Before God.
Chain Breaker