Title: Faith and Works/Romans 3:27-31
The question of faith and works is a misunderstanding and confusion among many believers today. Emphasizing only faith causes deeds to cry, and emphasizing works cries to faith. Therefore, there is a high view that it is necessary to mix faith and deeds appropriately so that neither side is burdened. On the other hand, toward the side who insists only on faith, they argue, 'Isn't it something people should do to believe?' There is no such thing as perfect 'by faith alone'. Believe it or not, there is an action that needs to be shown on the human side. These claims are also foolish ideas that arise from not understanding human beliefs. Because we do not understand 'what is faith?', we cannot completely cut off works while saying 'faith alone'. Because believing is considered human work. It is also true that it is difficult to say 'Faith alone' when it comes to works. Therefore, it is the reality of today's believers to stand haphazardly between faith and works.
The reason humans have not given up on doing is because they think that there are actions that are righteous and actions that are not. Because we believe that there are acts of righteousness, the thought of becoming a righteous believer by doing acts of righteousness does not stop us from giving up on our actions. I hope you understand that the meaning of the term 'a man who has not given up on his actions' here is not to criticize what he is doing, but to point out that his actions have meaning in their actions. In other words, just because you give up on doing something doesn't mean you have to forbid the behavior itself.
If I say this, some of you may object to me saying, 'What do you do for something that is not true of the pastor?' However, I would like to say that this is a reaction that comes from living with a lust for righteousness and living with unbelief to achieve righteousness on your own.
In the end, we were justified because of what Jesus Christ did for nothing. Whoever knew this would dare to boast of his righteousness? Do we brag about what we have done for righteousness? If you boast, you are only proud of what Christ has done. That is why 1 Corinthians 1:31 says, “As it is written, He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”
In verses 27 and 28 of today's text, we read, "Where then is there room to boast? There can be no other by what law, or by works, but by the law of faith. Therefore, we do not know that it is by works of the law that a person is justified, but by faith. I admit it," he says. One thing to note here is the word 'justified'. This verse is repeated countless times throughout the book of Romans. What you need to pay attention to is that people did not become righteous just because they believed in Jesus, but that they were considered righteous. Many people believe in Jesus as if they had righteousness. However, the Bible does not say that righteousness is given to us, but that faith in Jesus, who is the righteous, counts as righteousness. In other words, it means to be included in righteousness with the Lord in Christ the justified. However, people make the mistake of trying to act as a righteous person on their own, thinking, 'Because I am righteous, shouldn't I live a righteous life?'
But faith is not something we can possess. We are only living in the eye of faith in faith. This is what we call grace. For this reason, we have no choice but to throw away any regrets about our actions.
I'll say it again. I hope you get away from the foolishness of trying to confirm your faith through your works. How are you going to confirm the appearance of righteousness in the actions of humans who are not righteous? The thought that God has to do something from within, that God is pleased with, and that he has faith is nothing more than a lack of faith looking at the Lord and looking at himself.
Human actions killed Jesus. Still, they thought it was righteous. Even though they killed the Messiah, they thought they were not killing the Messiah. Because they had a completely different Messiah in their heads. In the end, people who look at other Jesus are putting forth their actions without even knowing that their actions are killing the real Jesus. This is because the very nature of man's love for his actions is pushing Jesus away and killing him. Of course, those who love their deeds also say they love Jesus. But he must know that the Jesus he loves is not the Jesus who acknowledges, praises, and rewards his deeds, but a different Jesus.
Jesus, who came as a sinner and died on the cross, never acknowledges human deeds. So, didn't the Pharisee who loved his deeds so much wanted to kill Jesus? So who are we? They are the ones who killed Jesus. Don't bet on 'I don't love my deeds'. Every human being is meant to love his actions. It is a human being to do what is considered righteous and to feel proud while thinking about it. That is why we killed Jesus. But Jesus came to us and was nailed to the place where we should be crucified. This is what you need to look to and rely on. To rely on the one I killed, this is truly a shame and a disgrace. But know that God is pleased with it.
When you come to Jesus with the thought, 'I didn't kill Jesus', you have no choice but to be proud. In such a person, faith becomes what I believe in. It's like believing in Jesus. However, those who come out knowing that 'I am the one who killed Jesus' have nothing to say in front of Jesus. But for me who killed Jesus, only the words to God, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34) only strikes the heart. We just thank and rejoice in what the Lord has done. Will such a believer stand up for his deeds before Jesus? It can't be.
However, some people who cannot give up on their actions take the word of verse 31 as a breakthrough. With these words, "Do we then make a void the law through faith? Rather, it establishes the law." With this saying, God does not abrogate the law, but establishes it, so humans are claiming to keep the law. . Of course, God did not abolish the law. Rather, it was firmly established. But that doesn't mean keeping the law.