Introduction
Ask any believer who has traveled some distance along today’s congested highway of life, “How many times does justification take place in one’s lifetime?” and the likely response will be, “Once!” The reason for this predictable unanimity among believers is the pervasive, powerful, and persuasive teachings emanating from the hallowed halls of reformed academia.
However, the biblical testimony does not justify those teachings.
The following essay will provide a biblical definition of justification and prove from the scriptural record that justification can and does occur more than once in a believer’s lifetime. Also, some implications will be drawn from these analyses that could have significant impact on those walking God’s path of life.
Definition of Justification
The noun, justification, is related to the verb, to justify. What does this verb mean? Simply stated, the verb to justify means, “to prove to be right.” In and of itself, the answer is correct. But pose this question to any husband, “Who determines what is right?” Often the answer comes back—with tongue in cheek, “My wife, of course!” While the answer may contain a certain level of accuracy, it is based on marital experience and the pursuit of marital harmony rather than scripture.
To gain some biblical insight into the definition of the verb, we will consult a parable Jesus taught, featuring a Pharisee and a tax-gatherer, late in His earthly ministry as Luke recorded it in his gospel.[i]
The Pharisee and tax-gatherer were religious men—both were in the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem. Each man presented his case to God. As evidence of his righteousness, the Pharisee presented God—the Judge—his own righteous behavior as compared with others. Note: in God’s court, righteousness means behavior meeting God’s standard (for Jews, the Law), not one’s own standard or the standard of others (for gentiles, any religious code or ethic).
The tax-gatherer, on the other hand, confessed he was the sinner and threw himself on the mercy of the Judge.
By vocation, the tax-gatherer was a thief. Tax-gatherers were Jews who, by contract with the government of occupation, extracted tax money from fellow Israelites on behalf of Rome. The tax-gatherer took for himself the difference between what he collected and what was owed Rome. The difference rightfully belonged to the taxpayer. Hence, the tax-gatherer was robbing Jewish taxpayers.
Jesus’ evaluation of the two court cases was that the tax-gatherer was justified; the Pharisee was not.
Recall, Jesus was the Prophet promised Israel by God.[ii] God put in Jesus’ mouth whatever Jesus said because Jesus never spoke on His own initiative.[iii] So Jesus’ judgment—from God—was in favor of the tax-gatherer because the tax-gatherer, pleading his case aloud, had rightly acknowledged before the Judge that he was bereft, by his own nature, of the ability to accomplish any righteous behavior whatsoever meeting God’s standard. He had pleaded himself the sinner.
From the parable, what have we discovered about the verb to justify? To justify means to prove to be right, with God setting the standard of “right” as well as judging if one meets His standard.
Now, the noun justification means having been justified by God. The court experience of the tax-gatherer in Jesus’ parable can be described as his justification. The tax-gatherer presented his plea: mercy, because I am the sinner in Thy court. With downcast eyes and pounding of chest, the plea was directed to God. In turn, God judged by His standard that the tax-gatherer was proved right by his own admission and behavior. God’s verdict: the tax-gatherer was justified. The sinner received God’s mercy and the imprimatur of His righteousness—he went home justified. The entire process from beginning to end can correctly be termed, justification.
Justification Occurs Repeatedly in a Believer’s Life
The premiere example of repeated justification was Abraham. Abraham was justified seven times on six occasions as recorded by the writers of the scriptures. Before learning about Abraham, however, a brief digression is in order to explore the nature of a sinner.
Due to sin dwelling in all human bodies from conception, no one is capable of doing God-defined good deeds,[iv] except Jesus. Jesus taught that unless one’s righteousness (doing good deeds by one’s own standard of good) surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, one will not enter God’s kingdom.[v] How serious is this problem? Very serious—fatal, actually.
You see, scribes and Pharisees knew accurately God’s standard for righteousness better than almost everyone on the planet. Some of them dedicated their lives to scrupulously and consistently obeying God’s standard as revealed to Moses. For example, the former-Pharisee Paul even claimed, by his conscientious Law-keeping activities, that he was blameless as far as the Law was concerned.[vi]
However, Paul’s righteousness wouldn’t get him into God’s kingdom as Jesus had asserted. And the reason was that by attempting to obey the Law himself, Paul’s indwelling sin was actually activated and empowered by its deceptions to enslave its host, culminating in a pattern of acts of sin.[vii] God anticipated this Law-induced failure by including animal sacrifices (a covering for sins) in the Law.
To solve the human dilemma of law-induced, sin-deceived, sin-activated, and sin-controlled behavior judged woefully inadequate by His own standard, God deftly avoided the problem of law activating sin by decreeing that a human’s belief in a promise to that individual from God would be credited to that believer’s account, by God’s grace, as His righteousness.
Two important actions by God made this decree legitimate: one, God gave the sinner a new heart so that he became equipped to believe God.[viii] Two, God arranged for Jesus to take all a sinner’s sins upon Himself and physically die for all those sins so the believer’s account would be wiped clean of all his unrighteous deeds. Based on Jesus’ voluntary and sacrificial death for others, God could forgive all a sinner’s sins. Note: Christ’s death served retroactively for believing humans who had lived, sinned, and died physically before His death.[ix]
Under the foregoing conditions, anyone who believed a promise God made to that individual would have his faith credited to his account as God’s righteousness. Now let’s return to our study and review the biblical record of Abraham’s justifications.
The Biblical Record of Multi-justifications in Abraham’s Life
The first recorded instance that Abraham believed a promise of God was when God promised Abraham a land of his own outside his country of origin.[x] At the same time, God also promised He would make Abraham a great nation. Abraham was less than seventy-five years old when he believed God’s land and nation promises.[xi] Based on his belief, Abraham left his hometown[xii]—a recognizable manifestation of his faith.[xiii] Justification one.
The second time Abraham believed God was when God made a twofold promise to a childless Abraham: a son, and an inestimable number of descendants.[xiv] Moses noted that Abraham “believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness” (Gen. 15:6).[xv] Abraham was around eighty-five years old when he heard God’s twofold promise.[xvi] Justification two.
The third time, God promised Abraham that he would become a father of nations.[xvii] Abraham believed God’s promise, justified by his own circumcision at ninety-nine.[xviii] Justification three.
The fourth time Abraham believed a promise of God was when God promised a son, Isaac, to Abraham within the next twelve months, despite Sarah’s old age and barrenness.[xix] Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he believed God.[xx] Based on his belief, Abraham continued to have relations with his wife Sarah; Isaac was miraculously conceived and born. Justification four.
The fifth time Abraham believed God was in the dispute over who would be Abraham’s heir, Ishmael or Isaac. Abraham believed God’s promise that Isaac would be his heir.[xxi] Now Ishmael’s departure followed on the heels of Isaac’s weaning. Based on the weaning habits of the day,[xxii] Abraham may have been about one-hundred-three when he expelled Ishmael and Hagar from his household,[xxiii] thereby continuing a record of being justified by works.[xxiv] Justification five.
The sixth time Abraham believed God was when God tested Abraham’s faith by commanding him to sacrifice Isaac.[xxv] This was likely a test of faith in God’s earlier promises of having a son, multitudes of descendants, becoming a father of nations, and having Isaac as his heir. Abraham may have been about one-hundred-thirteen years old when God tested him.[xxvi] James, the Lord’s brother, concluded from the biblical record that this “work of faith” resulted in Abraham being justified by [a faith that] works.[xxvii] The writer of Hebrews corroborated James’ conclusion that Abraham acted by faith.[xxviii] Justification six.
God’s seventh biblically recorded promise to Abraham came at the conclusion of his successfully passing God’s sacrifice test, at perhaps one-hundred-thirteen.[xxix] God’s promise was that Abraham’s seed would be heir of the world.[xxx] Jesus’ incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension to God’s right hand, from whence He received all power and authority in heaven and on earth, verify that Abraham believed God’s promise.[xxxi] Justification seven.
To summarize: from the observations of six biblical writers, commemorating six distinct events,[xxxii] some separated from each other by years in Abraham’s life of faith, come the irrefutable conclusion that God credited His righteousness to Abraham at least seven times in his life based on Abraham’s belief in seven specific promises that God had made to him. Those six writers, under the inspiration of God’s Spirit, were Moses, Matthew, Luke, Paul, the writer of Hebrews, and James.
The Biblical Record of Multi-justifications in Paul’s Life
In Romans 5:1, Paul made it clear that he had been justified by faith, likely during his “Damascus” experience with the Lord and the Lord’s messenger, Ananias. God’s promise to Paul, which Paul believed, was that his sins had been forgiven through Jesus death.[xxxiii] This marked God’s first promise to Paul whose account was credited with His righteousness because Paul believed the promise.
The second promise God gave Paul was that he would be a chosen instrument—an apostle—to bear His name before gentiles, kings, and the sons of Israel.[xxxiv] The last half of the book of Acts is witness to Paul’s unwavering belief in this promise, amounting to another instance of justification.[xxxv]
Although not specifically reported in the scriptures, God gave Paul a third critically important promise—probably shortly after the second promise in Damascus. The third promise was that through Jesus, Paul could have freedom from slavery to indwelling sin.[xxxvi] The apostle’s succinct but comprehensive confession in his Galatians letter testifies to his belief in this promise from God,[xxxvii] marking yet another justification episode in his life.
The fourth promise God gave Paul was that he would have an immortal body free from indwelling sin.[xxxviii] Paul’s letters confirm he believed God’s promise of immortality.[xxxix] Undoubtedly the apostle’s faith was credited to him as God’s righteousness.
The fifth promise God gave Paul was that a believer might be a fellow heir with Christ—the First-born who would receive a double portion[xl]—if the believer suffers with Christ.[xli] This promise will become a reality based on God’s testing of the believer’s faith. For Paul, perhaps the testing of his faith in God’s third promise of freedom from sin’s enslavement came during his trials and tribulations throughout his ministry.[xlii] Paul’s testing experience, therefore, was somewhat analogous to God’s faith-completing test of Abraham’s faith in His promise to Abraham of a son from whom would come descendants as numerous as the stars in the heavens.
Conclusion
Despite what many Christians believe about justification, the Bible clearly shows that justification may occur on several occasions in the lifetime of a believer. The occurrence of multi-justifications has proved to be right in two believers’ experiences; thus, biblical justifications have been justified.
One’s justification is believing a promise that God has made, and having that faith credited by God to one’s account as His righteousness. Believing a promise of God results in observable action.
Two promises God has made to all believers are: forgiveness of one’s sins, and freedom from enslavement to indwelling sin. Ceasing all one’s self-efforts to attain heaven is observable behavior for one’s having faith in God’s promise of forgiveness, and results in Him crediting this faith permanently and irreversibly to the believer’s account as His righteousness. Rigorously dogging Paul’s footsteps—encapsulated in Gal. 2:20—will insure freedom from indwelling sin.
In addition, God promised a spiritual body free from the tyranny of indwelling sin, either through resurrection, or translation—meaning the gift of a new body without undergoing physical death. Faith in a promise of God not yet fulfilled can be reckoned to the believer’s account as His righteousness.
Finally, a believer is promised that he may share in the double-portion of Christ’s inheritance. Except for God’s forgiveness of sins through Christ’s death, there appear to be time lapses on some occasions between God’s promises and His fulfillment of those promises.
God will introduce the believer to trials and tribulations that test the believer’s faith, perhaps exclusively the faith in His promise of freedom from indwelling sin’s enslavement. If the believer steadfastly adheres to God’s promise of freedom during the testing of his faith, that faith will be credited to him as God’s righteousness. Thus, trials offer real opportunity for an additional instance of justification by faith in the life of a believer. This additional justification (completing, perchance, the believer’s faith) may lead to receiving the promise of sharing in part of Christ’s inheritance.
[i] Luke 18:9-14: “And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified (emphasis mine) rather than the other . . .” Note: all quotations and citations herein are from the New American Standard Bible (1955).
[ii] Deut. 18:18.
[iii] John 7:16; 14:10b, 24b.
[iv] Matt. 19:16 combined with Luke 18:19, each gospel recounting the issue of good from God’s perspective.
[v] Matt. 5:20.
[vi] Phil. 3:6.
[vii] Cf. 1 Cor. 15:56, for the relationship between indwelling sin and law, experienced personally by Paul according to his own testimony in Rom. 7:5 (before salvation) and Rom. 7:8-10 (after salvation). This problem with Law-activated sin is dramatically demonstrated at God’s first giving of the Law. The people’s twice-repeated self-confident response was, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do . . .” (Num. 19:8; 24:3). Sin dwelling in God’s people was activated by this proud sin-promoted declaration of pledged obedience to the Law. However, almost immediately upon receiving the Law, the sons of Israel shattered the second commandment (Exod. 20:3-5) by fashioning a golden calf to worship (Exod. 32:1-4).
[viii] Ezek. 36:26—a promise of God in a new covenant. Note: in Hebrews 8:6, Jesus is identified as the mediator of a better covenant (compared with God’s covenant mediated by Moses) which the letter’s author also described as an eternal covenant in 13:20. So certain aspects of the better covenant are timeless, like that of a new heart (Deut. 29:4 implies God gave Moses a new heart) and the ability to believe God’s promises (Deut. 30:11-14). These aspects benefited the Old Testament elect, but not the entire nation of Israel all at once as will occur when the events of Ezekiel 36:22-38 come to pass.
[ix] Rom. 3:25-26.
[x] Heb. 11:8-9. In James’ letter, he unambiguously coupled the people of faith listed in Hebrews 11 with justification by linking Rahab’s faith in Heb. 11:31 with her being justified by [a faith that] works in Jas. 2:25. Note: some of God’s promises were made to “Abram” before God changed his name to “Abraham” (in Gen. 17:5). For the most part, biblical history used the name “Abraham” for the patriarch; this study will observe that convention. Also, according to the writer of Hebrews (Heb. 11:13) the land and nation promises still await fulfillment (cf. Jer. 3:14-19; 33:1-26 and Ezek. 37:22, 24-28 for prophecies of fulfillment).
[xi] Gen. 12:4.
[xii] See Acts 7:2-4 for additional details of Abraham’s homeland departure.
[xiii] Dr. Haddon W. Robinson, once ranked among the ten best preachers in the country, used to say, “Man is saved by faith alone, but saving faith is never alone.” Saving faith is always accompanied by God’s works. James referred to this reality as “justified by [a faith that] works” (Jas. 2:21, 25). The apostle Paul referred to this same reality as the “obedience of faith” (Rom. 1:5; 16:26).
[xiv] Gen.15:4-5.
[xv] God may have led Moses to insert Gen. 15:6 into Abraham’s story as a preview because of what Abraham was about to do. Following the ill-advised advice of his wife Sarah, Abraham took matters into his own hands and had a son by Sarah’s Egyptian maid, Hagar. His action likely originated from confusion about just how his barren wife could conceive; Abraham’s initiative also preempted God’s work. However, Abraham’s belief in God’s promise was later confirmed by Isaac’s birth, as well as God’s test of Abraham’s faith by commanding the sacrifice of Isaac. So Moses was justified in inserting his justification comment into Abraham’s story well before Abraham’s “obedience of faith” was manifested.
[xvi] Remember, Abraham entered the land at about seventy-five years of age (Gen. 12:4). Ten years later at eighty-five, Sarah’s Egyptian maid, Hagar, was with child by Abraham (Gen. 16:3). So Abraham was about eighty-five when God made His twofold promise to Abraham immediately preceding Hagar’s conception.
[xvii] Gen. 17:5.
[xviii] Gen. 17:24.
[xix] Gen. 18:10-14. Cf. also Heb. 11:11-12. Referring to this general period in Abraham’s life, the apostle Paul, in Rom. 4:17-21, summarized Gen. 18:9-15, concluding himself that Abraham’s faith (in God’s promise of a son within a year) “. . . was also (emphasis mine) credited to him [Abraham] as [God’s] righteousness” (Rom. 4:22). Paul pointed out that Moses had inserted Gen. 15:6 for Jesus’ sake (likely for reassurance during Jesus’ testing from the horticulture at Gethsemane to the horror on Golgotha), and for believers of the apostle’s generation as well (Rom. 4:23-24).
The conjunction “also” in Rom. 4:22 is present in the following Greek texts: The Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text. Edited by Zane C. Hodges and Arthur L. Farstad, 2nd ed. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1985, p. 485; Novum Testamentum Graece. Edited by Barbara and Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini, and Bruce M. Metzger, 27th rev. ed. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1993, p. 416; and The Greek New Testament. Edited by Barbara Aland, Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini, and Bruce M. Metzger, 4th rev. ed. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, United Bible Societies, 2002, p. 530.
However, in some English translations, the conjunction “also” is omitted: the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB, 2003); the New International Version (NIV, 1978); and the New Revised Standard Bible (NRSB, 1977). Another translation, the New American Standard Bible (NASB, 1995) translates the conjunction as a coordinate conjunction, “also.” See Wallace, Daniel B. Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, p. 671.I.B.1. for a discussion of this use of the conjunction. Still another, the New English Translation (NET, 2001) translates the conjunction as emphatic, “indeed.” See Wallace, [op. cit.], p. 673.F.1. for the emphatic use of the conjunction. Also, see Dana, H. E. and Mantey, Julius R. A Manual of the Greek New Testament. Toronto: Ontario, Macmillan, 1955, § 221(3) for an excellent treatise on the emphatic use of the conjunction.
The issue of Paul’s meaning in verse 22 is further confused by the HCSB (via a footnote) and the NASB (via type font) indicating, erroneously, that the verse is a quote of Gen. 15:6. Finally, the New King James Bible (NKJB, 1979) changes the word order, making the conjunction continuative, “And therefore . . .” See Wallace, [op. cit.], p. 671.I.B.1. for the continuative use of the conjunction
To clarify this confusion among translators, it may be pointed out that earlier in chapter 4, verse 9 of his letter to Roman saints, Paul modified Gen. 15:6 from the phrase “Abraham believed God, . . .” to the single word, “Faith . . .” noting this modification by the introductory phrase, “For we (emphasis mine) say . . .” Paul’s paraphrase of Gen. 15:6 allowed him to divorce himself from slavishly quoting Moses’ words verbatim, thereby giving Paul the freedom to formulate his own general principle of faith being credited as God’s righteousness. Thus, as he continued his argument in verse 22, Paul himself, and quite apart from Moses’ words, drew his own conclusion that “it,” i.e., Abraham’s faith (mentioned editorially in the preceding verses 16-21), “was also credited to him . . .” as it had been credited previously by Moses in Gen. 15:6. Hence, Rom. 4:22 was not intended as a direct quote of Gen. 15:6; the conjunction “and” is correctly translated by the NASB as a coordinate conjunction combining two distinct but parallel events of God justifying Abraham (in Gen. 15:4-5, and in Gen. 18:10).
Shattuck accurately noted this use of the conjunction in Rom. 4:22: “‘Also’ is not found in the Genesis quote [Gen. 15:6]. In His providence the Holy Spirit, by inserting the word, “also,” made sure that this example of justification was clearly distinct (emphasis mine) from the Genesis 15 account” (Shattuck, Herb. The Just Man Shall Live by His Faith: Charting the Way Back to the Gospel, preliminary draft of an unedited manuscript, undated, p. 68).
[xx] Gen. 17:17.
[xxi] Gen. 21:12.
[xxii] For the probable age of Isaac at his weaning, see: Easton, Burton Scott. The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia. (ISBE) Edited by James Orr, Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, reprint, 1976, vol. 5, p. 3076.
[xxiii] For a record of this act of Abraham’s faith, see Gen. 21:14.
[xxiv] Biblical confirmation of this work of faith was highlighted by the writer to the Hebrews, Heb. 11:18.
[xxv] Gen. 22:9-10.
[xxvi] Based on Isaac’s carrying wood for the burnt offering and his perceptive inquiry into the absence of a sacrificial lamb, he may have been in his early teens, making his father about one-hundred-thirteen.
[xxvii] James wrote, “You see that faith (in God’s promise of myriads of descendants) was working with his [Abraham’s] works (of preparing to offer Isaac on the altar) and as a result of the works, faith was perfected (or completed, Jas. 2:22).” The example of Abraham’s faith that resulted in works justified James’ question, “Was not Abraham our father justified by [a faith that] works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?” (Jas. 2:21).
[xxviii] Heb. 11:17-19: the writer’s analysis and conclusion about resurrection were probably derived from the following logic. The two conflicting statements, “In Isaac your seed shall be called” (Gen. 21:12; Heb.11:18) and Abraham’s pre-sacrifice statement to his young men, “. . . we [Isaac and I] will worship and return to you” (Gen. 22:5) could plausibly be reconciled by Isaac’s resurrection after he died as the sacrifice. One way Isaac could return from being the sacrifice, and have descendants, is that God would raise him from the dead—which is what the writer to the Hebrews conjectured Abraham was considering (Heb. 11:19).
From Job’s comments in Job 14:13-14 and 19:26-27, the concept of resurrection was not foreign among believers in Job’s time. The patriarch Abraham may have been a contemporary of Job (Genung, John Franklin. ISBE. [op. cit.], vol. III, p. 1679). Thus, Abraham could have believed in resurrection.
However, as we know from the episode, God did not resurrect Isaac at that time, but rather provided a substitute sacrifice—a ram (Gen. 22:13-14). So Abraham was correct in telling his young men that he and his son would return, but by God’s sacrifice substitution of a ram and not by God’s resurrection. The writer of Hebrews had the correct theology but not the correct timing.
[xxix] Remember James’ conclusion recorded in Note 27 above was that, “. . . [Abraham’s] faith was perfected (or completed, Jas. 2:22). Biblical faith means belief in something God has promised, warned, or commanded. Faith may be enlarged or strengthened. Faith is strengthened by removing doubt from one’s mind. Faith is enlarged by added revelation from God.
The only way that Abraham’s faith could be completed would be if God enlarged the content of Abraham’s faith by giving him an additional promise to the original six—which He did (Gen. 22:17c-18). Abraham believed this new promise, as James concluded: “and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘and Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness . . .’” (Jas. 2:23).
[xxx] Gen. 22:17c-18. God’s additional promise was expressed as, “. . . your [Abraham’s] seed shall possess the gate of His enemies. And in your [Abraham’s] seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed . . .” The apostle Paul understood this promise to mean that Abraham’s seed was Christ, and that He would be heir of the world (cf. Rom. 4:13 and Gal. 3:16).
[xxxi] For Jesus’ birth as the seed of Abraham, see: Luke 3:23, 34. For His being heir with all power and authority, see: Dan. 7:13-14 and Matt. 28:18.
[xxxii] For clarity of understanding, the following list organizes and summarizes Abraham’s justification experiences under six categories: (1) the biblical event; (2) God’s promise(s) with its scriptural citation; (3) Abraham’s age at God’s promise(s); (4) the biblical citation recording Abraham’s belief of God’s promise(s); (5) Abraham’s justification; and (6) Abraham’s work(s) of faith.
· (1) Abraham’s first encounter with God in his hometown of Ur; (2) God’s promises of a land and becoming a nation, Gen. 12:1-2; (3) Abraham’s age of less than seventy-five years; (4) Abraham’s belief, Heb. 11:8; (5) justification one; and (6) Abraham’s departure from Ur.
· (1) Abraham’s confrontation with God over Eliezer; (2) God’s promises of an heir and many descendants, Gen. 15:4-5; (3) Abraham’s age of eighty-five; (4) Moses’ comment about Abraham’s believing, Gen. 15:6; (5) justification two; and (6) Abraham’s continued relations with Sarah and his later attempted sacrifice of Isaac.
· (1)Abraham’s circumcision; (2) God’s promise of Abraham becoming a father of nations, Gen. 17:5; (3) Abraham’s age of ninety-nine; (4) Abraham’s belief of God’s promise, Gen. 17:24; (5) justification three; and (5) Abraham’s own circumcision.
· (1) the Lord’s appearance; (2) God’s promises of an heir, Gen. 15:5; 17:5; 17:21 and 18:10; (3) Abraham’s age of ninety-nine, Gen. 17:17 and 17:24; (4) Abraham’s belief of the promises, Gen. 21:1-3 and Rom. 4:22; (5) justification four; and (6) continued relations with Sarah.
· (1) Ishmael and Hagar’s ordered departure from Abraham’s household; (2) God’s promise that Isaac would be Abraham’s heir; (3) Abraham’s approximate age of one-hundred-three; (4) biblical evidence of Abraham’s belief, Heb. 11:18; (5) justification five; and (6) Abraham’s actual dismissal of Hagar and Ishmael, Gen. 25:14.
· (1) God’s test of Abraham’s faith; (2) God’s previous promises of Isaac being Abraham’s heir, Gen. 22:9—as well as having a son and being a father of multitudes and nations, Gen. 15:4-5 and 17:5; (3) Abraham’ estimated age of about one-hundred-thirteen; (4) biblical evidence of Abraham’s faith by accepting God’s substitute for Isaac, Gen. 22:13; also cf. Gen. 15:6 and Heb. 11:18; (5) justification six; and (6) Abraham’s actual attempt at sacrifice, Gen. 22:9.
· (1) God’s substitute of a sacrifice for Isaac; (2) God’s additional promise that Abraham would have an heir who would inherit the world, Gen. 22:17c-18; (3) Abraham’s age, an estimated one-hundred-thirteen; (4) biblical evidence of Abraham’s faith was Jesus, John 8:56; (5) justification seven; and (6) Abraham’s work of faith, Jas. 2:22—confirmed by Jesus’ birth and genealogy in Luke 3:23, and God’s giving Jesus authority over the world, Matt. 28:18 (fulfilling the vision in Dan. 7:13-14).
[xxxiii] Cf. Acts 13:38 where Paul proclaimed that same promise of forgiveness to others at Pisidian Antioch.
[xxxiv] Luke records the promise in Acts 9:15. See Rom. 1:5 and Gal. 1:15 for further details about the promise.
[xxxv] Recall Notes 15 and 19 above of Moses and Paul’s Abrahamic analyses, respectively, illustrating both men determined independently two distinct occasions of Abraham’s justifications by faith from the biblical record. It stands to reason that a review of Paul’s life record as a believer from New Testament data would likewise yield sufficient evidence to pinpoint Paul’s justification experiences. Paul’s own testimony supports this reasoning (2 Tim. 4:7-8, 17a).
[xxxvi] Cf. Acts 13:39, wherein Paul proclaimed God’s justification for those who, by faith in Christ’s indwelling, will realize freedom from indwelling sin—something the Law of Moses could not accomplish. See Gal. 1:16 where God revealed Christ’s dwelling in Paul early on in the apostle’s walk. Also see Rom. 7:7-8:4, which may chronicle those early days leading up to being justified by faith in Christ’s indwelling.
Paul’s revelation in Gal. 2:17 that he was seeking to be justified in Christ (instead of keeping the Law for justification) at least seven years after he had been justified by believing God’s promise of forgiveness, is incontrovertible evidence of Paul being justified more than once (For Paul’s chronology, see Unger, Merrill F. Unger’s Bible Dictionary. Chicago: Moody Press, 1971, p. 832).
Finally, Paul’s prayer in Phil. 3:9 substantiates that the apostle was seeking justification through faith in God’s promise of freedom from slavery to indwelling sin by renouncing his own keeping the Law. Jesus’ life, manifested by the Spirit through Paul’s faith, fulfilled the Law in Paul (Rom. 8:4 and 2 Cor. 4:11).
[xxxvii] Gal. 2:20.
[xxxviii] 2 Cor. 5:4c-5: to paraphrase Paul, God prepared us (through the Spirit’s baptism into Christ) so that our mortality will be swallowed up by immortality.
[xxxix] 1 Cor. 15:42-49 and 2 Cor. 5:6-8.
[xl] Heb. 1:6 reveals Christ’s status as First-born. See Deut. 21:15-17 for a double portion of the father’s wealth bequeathed to the first-born.
[xli] Rom. 8:17. See Dillow, Joseph C. The Reign of the Servant Kings. Hayesville, NC: Schoettle, 1992, pp. 373-379 for a discussion on this conditional promise from God.
[xlii] For an example of Paul’s early testing, see Rom. 7:7-25. For Paul’s testimony of later testings, see 1 Cor. 15:31-32a.