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I ask this question in this forum as I am seeking the truth.

a. I have always been taught that faith in Jesus and his sacrifice saves me from sin.
b. I listen to a lot of Rabbi's and learnt that Sin-offering is only for Unintentional sins also no one can die for another person's sins

The Christian faith is tied to faith in Jesus and lay the foundation with the statement that Abraham was blessed because of his Faith and not the circumcision / Law.

My view is Obeying the Law is what brings us close to G-d so he can bless us as he did to Abraham.

Paul makes this assertion about faith.

  • In Romans 4:3 Paul says “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”.
  • Later in Romand 4:10 he establishes that since the faith came before circumcision, the circumcision was a sign/seal and faith was key.
  • In Romans 4:14 Paul says that if following the law could achieve this promise then faith is worthless.
  • Lastly in Romans 4:16 Paul says because Abraham was promised to be the father of many nations, we as gentiles inherit the same promise by the faith that Abraham had.

Question: Is Paul saying that Abraham saw the promised fulfilled by faith alone or by having faith and obeying the law?

Genesis 18:18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”

Genesis 22:18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

Genesis 26:4 I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions.”

James 2:20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

  • All above verses clearly show that faith alone does not work but you need to obey G-d
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  • I am seeking help to confirm my understanding that faith in G-d must happen in conjunction with obeying G-d's laws. If you went me to reword the question I will do it.
    – Yeddu
    Commented May 16, 2021 at 7:38
  • This is a misconception that a large number of Christian denominations get very wrong. Everyone is saved by faith (Abraham included). In order to prove that, ask yourself the question "what is faith?" From a Biblical perspective, Adam and Eve, who were cut off from God after they sinned, needed faith to believe that one day the "seed of the women would crush the serpents head" and return them to paradise as before. The need to sacrifice lambs was done away with at the cross. Sacrificing lambs was symbolic of the future sacrifice Jesus would make by dying on the cross, this is the main differen
    – Adam
    Commented May 16, 2021 at 8:14
  • @Adam, My question is more about is the law needed along with faith. The verses I called out from Genesis say that the promise of G-d which Abraham had faith in was based on keeping the law. Is my understanding wrong? Please guide with some verses if possible.
    – Yeddu
    Commented May 16, 2021 at 8:19
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    Righteousness in the bible is often related to the Mosaic law. In Abrahams time there was now law yet as Moses came later. But Abraham had direct communication with G-d at several instances. The standards for Abraham, are therefore different as for people after Mozes, and for those after Jesus. There was a recent question related to faith and works on hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/60169/…
    – Hjan
    Commented May 16, 2021 at 9:07
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    James 1:5 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it, not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
    – Yeddu
    Commented May 16, 2021 at 10:57

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It's easy for a person to say that they have faith. It's another to prove it. Abraham had faith, and he proved it through his obedience.

As you may be familiar, there are two kinds of faith:

  1. Dead Faith.
  2. Perfect Faith.

Dead faith is defined as faith without works.

James 2:17 & 14
17Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
14What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
(Holy Bible: New King James Version. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982.)

James tells us that such faith cannot save a person. Hence, what a person requires for salvation is true faith or perfect faith.

Perfect faith is defined as faith coupled with works.

James 2:22
22Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
(Holy Bible: New King James Version. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982.)

In such a way, we can determine if a person has faith by their works. Faith and works are both needed. One who believes also works.

However, with the changing of the priest comes the changing of the law.

Luke 16:16
16"The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.
(Holy Bible: New King James Version. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982.)
Heb. 7:12
12For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.
(Holy Bible: New King James Version. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982.)

In the Christian Era, those who believe are no longer justified by the Law of Moses.

Acts 13:39
39and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
(Holy Bible: New King James Version. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982.)
Rom. 3:28
28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
(Holy Bible: New King James Version. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982.)

What is observed by those who believe is now the Law of Christ.

John 8:31
31Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
(Holy Bible: New King James Version. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982.)
Gal. 6:2
2Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
(Holy Bible: New King James Version. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982.)

This is now the work that must be coupled with faith.

This is the viewpoint of the Church of Christ.

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    +1 And the same faith of Abraham, which he demonstrated in offering Isaac and which the Jews demonstrated through the Mosaic Law, we now demonstrate by obeying the Lord Jesus.
    – Mike Borden
    Commented May 16, 2021 at 13:25

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