Faith and Works

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I have been looking forward to getting back into Genesis. I enjoy expositional preaching and exegetical study. I knew when I planned to jump back in that we would start with Genesis 17 and the sign of the covenant: circumcision. So you can imagine my angst as I thought about how that might go.

I was looking forward to the study. I’m incredibly grateful for the tools God has put in my lap to help me and the friends around me I can go to for theological advice. And I think that what came off was very good. It was practical, And it was convicting.

The idea that circumcision is about a wholehearted devotion to the Lord struck a chord with me this week. I’ve been thinking a lot about areas that may not be entirely given to Christ. This sermon gave more conviction and clarity to those things. I’m grateful that the Lord knows where we need to be in the Bible for my soul and our church’s soul. Exegetical preaching is the best way for a church to learn God’s word.

Signs of the Covenant

I briefly mentioned Sunday how Jesus transformed circumcision and fulfilled the greater circumcision, one of the heart. What I didn’t have much time to deal with is that baptism is the New Testament sign of the covenant of grace that is sealed in Jesus‘s blood.

When you read Acts 15, it’s evident that this question had arisen in the New Testament church. Gentiles, uncircumcised people, we’re coming to faith in Jesus. And the Jewish apostles wanted to know if they should have these people circumcised. Acts 15 reveals very clearly that it was no longer necessary. I can only imagine the relief of the Gentile men when that was announced to their churches😉…

Now, what this shows us is that circumcision is a distinctly Jewish thing. And maybe something that we do in our culture for hygiene, but God does not require it. However, baptism and the Lord’s Supper have replaced circumcision as the sign or sign of the covenant of grace in Jesus. As I mentioned Sunday, the circumcision of the heart is about our union with Christ and his death and resurrection. That’s baptism. And the Lord’s Supper table reminds us of the blood that sealed our covenant and the future promise of our king.

The Irony of Names

We looked at Abraham and Sarah’s name changes on Sunday. But they aren’t the only names in these chapters. Isaac’s name means ‘he who laughs.’ This is in response to Abraham’s (17:17) and Sarah’s (18:12) laughter after God told them they would have a son. Can’t you imagine they were reminded of the impossible becoming possible every time they called Isaac’s name?

Romans 4:2-3 and James 2:21-23

“For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’” Romans 4:2-3

“Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.” James 2:21-23

Ok, how do we reconcile this? Was it faith, or was it work? Yes. But we have to be careful. James 2 was despised by the great reformer Martin Luther until he understood that James was discussing the outworking of faith. Works alone do not save us or make us right with God. Faith alone in Christ alone does that. However, that faith will produce works in us.

There are several ways to describe this, and I used a Costco analogy on Sunday that seemed to send 2/3 of our church to Costco:). But here’s another one: Several years ago, Disney released a movie called “Now you see him, Now you don’t” about a college student who discovers how to be invisible. In that movie, when the man becomes invisible, he reveals himself by wearing a coat and a top hat. Faith is invisible to our neighbors. Our good work is like putting on a coat and top hat. Luther later came to believe that this is what James 2 was about. He said, “God doesn’t need your good works. But your neighbor does.” That’s how we can see Romans 4 and James 2 working together. Romans 4 is the declaration of faith. James 2 is the demonstration of faith.

Takeaways

Some things that we can take away from Genesis 17 are apparent.

First, God’s people should be sexually pure. We live in a day and age when “shacking up together,” “one night stands, “and living together has become the norm. Those are not things in which the people of God are to involve themselves. The sign of circumcision was about sexual purity.

Second, God’s people were to rely on God, not on their ingenuity. The story of Sarai and her introduction of Hagar to Abram tells how humans get impatient with God and try to accomplish things in our own power. Abraham and Sarah‘s conception of Isaac is God’s way to bring about the promised son. And circumcision reminded them that God’s way is the only way. I wonder how often we trust our ingenuity, self-will, and power or influence rather than the power of God.

Finally, that last point is all about the grace of God and the power of God to save us. Circumcision was a sign that God alone saved his people. Not human intervention, not our wealth, and not by our power. Zechariah 4:6 says: “Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit says the Lord.”

Our Posture

I’ve been asking the Lord to help me in my prayer life. Like you, I’d like to be more consistent in my prayer life. One of the things the Lord has been dealing with me in the last few weeks has been my posture in prayer, both of my heart and my body. As I get older, it’s much more challenging to get on my knees, and so I have decided throughout the years not to. However, I recently told the Lord that I wanted to humble myself more before him, and I began practicing getting on my knees and bowing before my Father. I found increased joy, wisdom in prayer, and a greater attitude of submission.

Now, I realize that body position and posture don’t seem to matter at times, but I wonder if we’ve swung the pendulum too far. In many places in the Bible, men of God fell on their faces before their God. I want to be numbered among those.

Maybe if you’re struggling with your prayer life a little bit, it’s time to posture yourself in a submitted way before your God physically. And see if your God doesn’t uniquely meet you.

Looking Ahead

This Sunday, we will continue our Genesis study of chapter 18. We will begin to discuss how some things are impossible to man but are possible to God.

From the Cheap Seats

It felt like a rude introduction to the Huskies to the Big Ten. Michigan’s defense was excellent.
“Nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills.”
The Eagles were 10-1 after 11 games. They closed out the season 1-5. One of my favorite sports talk shows does a spying on Philly segment after every Eagles loss. It sounds like the entire city of Philadelphia needs therapy.
I don’t know if the Cowboys will win another game. I hope they do. But I’ve been impressed with back-to-back 12-win seasons. There’s been no other coach in the Cowboys’ history to do that. Not even Tom Landry.

To watch or listen to the sermon described in this post, please click here.