ROMANS 4:9-12 WITHOUT ORDINANCES The truth is made plain, righteousness before God is without human works. They are completely set aside as the basis of being declared righteous. The truth is also that being justified is apart from divine ordinances. The Jews had the ordinance of circumcision that many of them blindly trusted in to make them acceptable before a Righteous God. Today many people trust in the ordinance of baptism to make themselves righteous before God. They say the baptism of infants at eight days (or whatever they decide) is the New Testament counterpart of the circumcision of Jewish boys in the Old Testament. Paul, by the Holy Spirit. carefully explains that being justified by God is by faith only, apart from keeping the law and apart from the ordinances that God gave. Those ordinances were to be an outward sign of an inward work. Neither baptism or the Lord's Supper have power to give us righteous standing before a holy God. Outward signs and seals demonstrate inward belief and trust. Our faith is in Christ and on His saving work for us, not on what we do.
The Gospel message does not tell people to clean up their lives, change their religion and after everything is in order in their lives, to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. God justifies the ungodly when he or she believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. Then as public evidence of what has happened, the believer is identified with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection by the ordinance of baptism by immersion as a true believer. Abraham believed God long before he was circumcised at 99 years of age. He believed God when he was in Ur of the Chaldees and turned to God from idols. He believed God when he obeyed the command to leave his country, relatives and his father's house. He believed God when he built an altar to worship the Lord in Canaan. He believed God when he separated from Lot. He believed God when he was victorious over the kings. He believed God when he learned through Melchizedek more about God as the "God most high, Possessor of heaven and earth," and rejected the offer of great riches from men. He believed God concerning the promise of seed that would bless the whole world and was because of that counted righteous. All of these acts of faith were before the sign of circumcision. These acts of trusting God to do the impossible was evidence of his faith in God doing what He said before it ever happened.
Abraham's faith was a living walk with God trusting Him to do what He said. His works proved the reality of his faith. Works are the results of true faith, not a condition of salvation. God declares a person righteous because the focus of our faith is the Lord Jesus Christ only and what He did to save us. God's great grace to us motivates us to "walk in light as He is in the light." That light of life is why the person who is declared by God to be righteous is so desirous to live the separated life of one who believes in Jesus.
Abraham's life of faith was his response to the love of God to him. He walked with God, learned more and more about God as he experienced God with him. He built altars to God and worshipped Him calling upon His name. Then the mark of separation set him apart from all others. To him, and to us, the blessing of righteousness before God comes without ordinances. "Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart." Heart-belief is the true circumcision. Righteousness is apart from ordinances, and righteousness is apart from the works of men.
That fine young man with his beautiful wife - Why are they going away? God had called them from idols to a new life - When he listened to what God had to say. So, his success isn't in living a life of ease - In the place he has always been. Now he is motivated his Lord to please - His life and walk are now with Him.
But he is leaving his home and his family - How can this change be right? God has given him a little sight of eternity - Now he walks by faith not by sight. It may be hard to rationalize - To the satisfaction of those who look on - Why we leave and forsake what so many prize When all the passing things of life are gone.
When separations come from our earthly ambition - Many will not understand. The whole principle of faith and of consecration - Means we must hold out an empty hand - And receive what God gives to those who walk by faith, Trusting God alone to meet our need. We have found that from His store of abundant grace - God maintains those who God's will do heed.
There is much about God we can learn, but only When as people of faith we listen to Him. He is perfect in righteousness and call us to be holy Not giving in to the temptation to sin. The riches of earth are for such a short time - And then they are gone forever. In a life of faith, we live in another clime - Where God gives honor to each endeavor.
Ordinances of which men partake, decisions they choose Are to be done under the guidance of God. To go our own way and do it - we lose What God has promised in His Word. Righteousness with Him is not a small thing. It begins when in faith we prove, God will be glorified in the spiritual fruit we bring - In the life of faith, we have nothing to lose.
"Father God, for the blessing of being declared righteous by Thee; for being justified freely by Thy grace apart from works and ordinances; for being allowed to walk in the freedom of forgiveness and acceptance; for being privileged to be identified with Christ in baptism and the privilege of being a partaker of the Lord's Supper - I give Thee thanks and praise in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."