Lets keep the Good News Good News - part 1

Hey Friends, in May this year I was sent an article that had to do with the finished work of Jesus on the cross. But far from being the Good News that many have grown accustomed to the article, in my opinion,  leans towards an "unfinished work" and has proven to be a source of great confusion to many who are just beginning to see the hugeness of the Love of God a bit more clearly.
The point of this "lets keep the Good New Good News" series is to look at the views and scriptures used in argument against a "finished work" in the hope of clearing the cloud of confusion towards what - I believe - God is revealing across the planet in these days.


Argument against "all of mankind"  being included in Christ at the Cross:
"Salvation for mankind was provided for at the cross, but mankind was not literally or universally included in Christ at the cross and resurrection. That only comes through unification by spiritual baptism into Christ through personal faith in Christ. Once you come into Christ then you are included in him and benefit from what he did. 
It all has to do with "are you in Christ?" If you are not in Christ then you receive none of the benefits of Christ."


The writers view is that one's personal faith in Christ is the means unto unification via "spiritual baptism" into Christ. Outside of ones personal faith there is no inclusion in Him and there is no benefit from what He did.  






First text used:
Gal 3:26-27 "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (NIV)



This is very important to understand so let me start off by saying that many people think that our salvation depends on our own faith in Jesus, how firmly we believe in him; but what Paul actually says is that salvation is accomplished through the faithfulness of Jesus (as show by his willingness to die on the cross): 

• "our faith in Jesus" - an inaccurate translation of Gal 2:16, 20; 3:22; and Rom 3:22, 26; all of which use the genitive case (indicating possession; meaning "of") in the Greek text, not the preposition "in"
• "the faith of Jesus" - the trust that Jesus himself had in God, believing that his death on the cross would be vindicated by the resurrection.
• our faith in Jesus is supposed to be just like the faith/trust of Jesus in his Father, in the particular circumstances of our own lives.
• the foundation of our salvation is the faith of Jesus (the cross!); our faith in Jesus is a consequence or response to Jesus' action. 

So, the writer has used Galatians 3:26-27 (NIV) to prove that one needs  personal faith in Christ as the means to be baptised  into Christ.
The thing is, if we take a closer look at the context here in Galatians we will see that Paul is not talking at all about their personal faith in God, but rather, he is talking about the Faith OF Jesus Himself that was the means for them to be Baptised* into Himself. (* I will discuss the historic background context of the meaning of Baptizo at a later stage).

Lets back up a few verses. 
Paul writes in Chapter 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 
again in verse 20-21:  I have been crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. 


A few things here: The NIV incorrectly translates all these phrases  as "faith IN" God ,which gives its readers a completely different direction all together which Paul did not intend for His readers. 
In fact, Paul Clearly says in vs  21 that if we would assume this righteouesness /justification to come from any other source other than Christ's Faith (Like perhaps finding its source in our own Faith), then we would be Frustrating/nullifying/rejecting/making void/turning our back on, Gods grace and denying the value of Jesus' death.


Moving on:
Paul continues in the same theme  calling the Galatians Foolish (idiots!) having been tricked into believing a different "gospel" that depended on their own effort to accomplish and not Christ's from beginning to end. He says that he had clearly portrayed the Faithfulness of Jesus in that He was publicly crucified and raised again because of our Justification. He even quotes Hab 2:4  (3:11) which says: "but the just shall live by his faith."
Again in VS22 He says "But the Scripture locked up all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to the ones believing. 
again: Here NIV has "Faith IN Christ". Paul continues:
23"Before this faith came ( What faith? - The Faith of Jesus), we Jews were perpetual prisoners under the Law, living under restraints and limitations in preparation for the faith which was soon to be revealed.(The context demands that this can only be talking about Christ's Faith) 

24 So that the Law has acted the part of a tutor-slave to lead us to Christ, in order that through faith we may be declared to be free from guilt. 

25 But now that this faith has come ( What faith? - The Faith of Jesus), we are no longer under a tutor-slave.

26 for you are all sons of God through the faith in Christ Jesus, (Is the Origin of this faith that makes us sons of God in us or is it in Jesus Christ? - It's in Jesus Christ)

27 for all of you who have been baptized* into Christ, have clothed yourselves with Christ. 

*I will discuss Baptism in the next part of this "Lets keep the Good News Good News" series.
But for now, if you are seeing this for the first time, I urge you to go and do a quick study on the words and verses I have mentioned here and see for yourself what terrible  jobs some translations do on some verses. 

I hope most of all that you see with clarity the beautiful Gospel Jesus Christ. He is the author and finisher of our Faith, He is the beginning and the end. Our part to play is as Paul puts it: "I am a dependant passive instrument"

Lets not frustrate His grace by falling into a "do it yourself" version of Christianity that deems Christ's death mere vanity.

He loves you deeply

much love

Andrew