Language and perspective have influenced the discussion of Christianity from the very beginning. One who was a slave (or saw their life before Christ as imprisonment) to sin will embrace the doctrines that use language that speaks of freedom, while holding their traditions close (I am free to choose the traditions). On the other hand, someone that indulged in what the world calls freedom by indulging in sinful acts may look to doctrines that are more restrictive and teach ridged enforcement of law, while desiring to protect their freedom (I am free to choose freedom from law). The truth is that Jesus the Christ came to do both. Jesus came to free us from the bindings of sin in our life and to teach us the truth about the lie that sin equals freedom. Freewill is the ability to choose, but our choice and our attitude determines our freedom.

The fact is that living a life of fleshly indulgence leads one to sin with disregard for the penalty for our actions; leading to a false idea of freedom. One who sees themselves as a slave to sin is someone taking an honest look at their situation. In the scripture we see that the difference is the law. Those that used the law as a mirror see themselves as a slave to sin (as with Israel). Those that lived without the law see themselves are free to sin (not seeing it as sin). The law was the threshold that defined the language and perspective. Paul sought to bring both together by grace; “Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all” (Romans 4:16). Israel was of Abraham by law and the Gentiles were of Abraham by faith.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2). By faith the Jew and the Gentile have peace, because those of Abraham by law are under the grace extended to Abraham because of his faith. Abraham first believed and acted out of faith on his belief receiving grace, and his seed by law (born of blood) also has access to grace by faith. So there is no difference in grace between the Gentile and the Israelite. Being Abraham’s by faith, the Gentile also has inheritance with those of Abraham by law to the seed that is Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Through Jesus God gives grace to both those who inherit by law or by faith, seeing by faith Abraham had an inheritance to pass to those of law and of faith.

It sounds like a lot of double talk, but it is really of one mind. That mind being set on access to grace by faith. We cannot continue to see Israel (or Jew) as one thing and Gentile (other nations) as something else in the kingdom of God. Abraham obeyed the voice of God by faith and the seed of the Savior of all mankind passed through him and his offspring. Grace was extended to Israel because of faith. The act that came out of Abraham’s faith was obedience to the voice of God. Israel went into captivity because they did not listen to the voice of God; they denied the faith that gave them access to grace and the acts that came out of Israel was disobedience to the voice of God. They acted out of their perspective and attitude that being by law of Abraham was enough. That same perspective and attitude caused those that were of Abraham by law to kill the prophets and the Son of God.

The Gentiles have been grafted into the olive tree; the root of the tree is not Judaism, but the worship of Yahweh by faith. The strength of the tree is access to grace by faith and not access to faith by law, seeing that both Gentile and Jew have access to grace by the same faith – one inherited by law and the other by faith. The faith is that God can raise us the son of Abraham, and in Jesus the Christ that faith was rewarded and grace extended; thus access to faith by grace came to both those by law and those by faith, seeing there is no difference.

© 2008, Tim D. Coulter Sr.