Chapter 6: Can I come unto God?
Moses became righteous by believing God
God can talk only to those who are like Him, righteous. For only a righteous man has ears to listen to him. This is why in the Old Testament God had to provide a manifestation to talk to those who are not righteous. That is God “walked” in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve sinned, they gave up their ability to talk and know Him directly. How did they lose their righteousness? In Romans, Paul points out that Moses became righteous by believing God, not by the law, since the law didn’t exist. How did Moses know God to even believe him? This is why Moses needed the burning bush on his first encounter.
Because of Man’s weakness, this is why a tabernacle was created. This is why Jesus had to come. If man, after his fall from grace in the Garden could be righteous by his own hands, we would have never needed a man, who was without sin, to be the perfect sacrifice of God for man.
Romans 4
1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2. For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7. Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. 9. Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10. How was it then reckoned? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. […] 15. Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 16. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Verse 3 tells us that Abraham believed God, and God counted that to his righteousness. His labor wasn’t towards his righteousness, but towards his debt called sin. So God had decry Abraham’s righteous. He couldn’t do it himself.
Verse 7 claims the Blessed are those who iniquities (sin) are not held against them. 8, blessed are those who God won’t count their sin. Even in 10, circumcision isn’t needed for righteousness, is was believe God. Summarizing this, no flesh can provide righteousness. It is from believing God.
So we can jump to 15 where the law was to set the line, but not to righteousness, but to try to protect the faith of the promise of God. There was only one man who could fulfill the law perfectly, the rest of us would fail.
Romans 5
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Since we are not justified by the law, we don’t need the law for our righteousness, but we have peace with God. Peace in this form is in opposition to war. Meaning we are no longer his enemy.
Romans 6
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Here you go, Free from God = Free from eternal life. Free from Sin = bound to God + Eternal life. In this book I won’t be breaking down that term servant, because it isn’t slave, it is one who joyously serves. You can expect that to be broken down in other publications.
Finally:
Romans 8
- There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Did you see that? Verse 2. There are two laws. The Mosaic Law, and the grace law.
Let’s go one step further: For if thou shalt confess with thine mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with thine heart thou believes unto righteousness, and with thine mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10: 9 – 10 Done deal. The work is done, the salvation is done, your flesh cannot make you righteous, all there is, is to believe. ##Now I am righteous, what’s next?
Romans 15:
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. 15 But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. 18 For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, 19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; 21 but as it is written,
“THEY WHO HAD NO NEWS OF HIM SHALL SEE, AND THEY WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND.”
Actually, I generally tell people to read Romans 3 times in a row. The first time you are going to have lots of questions. The second time you are going to understand the core patterns, the third time it should start to come together. The thing to remember the most, Chapters, Chapter and Section titles, Verses, and punctuation is a modern construct. So if you remember that, then you can see some of the mistakes of translation start to dissolve.