God Forbid

Those of you who have gotten to know me through cyberspace (and in person) have learned how much I love the study of words and language. If you will become a diligent student of scripture, you will begin to see patterns develop and certain styles of dialogue. Paul would often use the "diatribe" as a means of communication. Sometimes he would employ humor-even sarcasm to get a point across. Today, we're going to look at the use of one of his common phrases in the Authorized King James Version...."God Forbid." Some other translations would render the phrase something like this: "Certainly Not/ Not at all" (NIV), or "May it never be" (NASB). The basic underlying theme is that Paul asks a rhetorical question to his readers and the obvious answer should be "heavens no" (that's from the PHV- pastor Henry version...sorry for the injection of humor into this bible study but I couldn't resist). Ok- now that the preliminaries are out of the way, let's dig in to the goldmine of scripture, starting in the Magna Carta of Christian doctrine-the book of Romans:

Romans 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 3:4 God forbid : yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Many are tempted to look at Israel's unbelief as a sign that the plans of God can somehow be thwarted. He led them by the hand out of Egypt and brought them through the wilderness into the promised land. Despite God's faithfulness, they (as a nation) continually stayed in a cycle of rebellion, idolatry, defeat, backsliding, and returning to Him, only to start the cycle all over again. However, the sovereignty of God is in no way dimished because of the unfaithfulness of human beings. God's plans will go forward and He will use whomever He wills to accomplish those purposes.(even a Pharaoh)

Romans 3:5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) 3:6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

Some people still want to think that it's unfair for a place like hell to exist. They reason that our unrighteous deeds further enhance God's righteousness. Apparently some had even got to the place where they said "let us do evil that good may result" (Romans 3:8). Even Pontius Pilate was forced to say "I find no fault" in Him (Luke 23:14). Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid : yea, we establish the law.

I think that many Christians (and unbelievers alike) are unsure about what role the law plays. While it is true that no one is saved by keeping the law-the scriptures do teach that the law is good if a man use it "lawfully"- as a schoolmaster to bring one to faith in Christ. Without the law, we would have no knowledge of what is or isn't sinful. Christ did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17).

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 6:2 God forbid . How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Because Paul affirms that we are saved apart from works of the law and that no man can be justified by law, this then begs the question of sinning boldly. Without the law (some ask) are we now to cast off all restraint? He answers emphatically "God forbid!" (perish the thought). The Christian not only dies to the law but he dies to sin at his conversion. To continue in sin as if grace were a license is a tremendous perversion of God's grace. Paul's letter to Titus tell us that the grace of God teaches us to live soberly, righteously, and godly even in this present world. (Titus 2:11-12)

Romans 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

This rhetorical question sounds similar to the one in verse one, but it's a little different. Here Paul shows them the enslaving nature of sin. Christ taught that no man can serve two masters. Therefore if we are yielding our bodies to sinful desires of the flesh then sin (and satan) becomes our master. I hate to beat a dead horse but notice Paul's use of the word "obedience" in the above verse. He is careful to preach and teach that even though a man is not justified by works of the law- he still has a responsibility to obey God and the imperatives of the New Testamant.

Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Next Paul answers the charge that somehow he has denigrated the law in showing it's weakness to restrain sin. This would have been particularly offensive to the religious Jew who held the law in high esteem. Paul was in no way calling the law itself sinful- in fact he states that by the law comes the knowledge of sin. The law serves a very important function to show the exceeding sinfulness of man's condition (and thus his need for a Redeemer!).

Romans 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

Again Paul defends the law (not in terms of it's salvific ability) as being holy, just, and good. He told Timothy that "the law is good if a man use it lawfully" (I Tim 1:8). The law of God came handwritten from a Holy God. It distinguished the children of Israel as a peculiar treasure in the earth from all other peoples and gave them the wonderful distinction of posessing the very oracles of God.

Romans 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid

In Romans chapters nine through eleven, we have a powerful discourse on past, present, and future Israel. Paul shows (by inspiration of the Holy Spirit) the sovereignty of God in choosing Israel as a means of dispensing grace throughout the whole earth. This particular verse has been one of tremendous debate throughout the church age. I'm not going to try and resolve it here but I want to make an important point based on the context. Any time we see a verse like this, there is a temptation to say "but God that's not fair." Paul emphatically tells us that the potter can do with the clay as He chooses and that we have grounds to accuse Him of unfairness. God in His perfect understanding has sent His Son to die for our sins. How can we ever find fault with a God like that! (I purposely didn't end that sentence with a question mark)

Romans 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

The church at this time is becoming increasingly more Gentile in nature and Christianity was no longer just a Jewish group. Paul describes in this chapter that national Israel was currently "broken off" from the covenant because of unbelief. Faith in Jesus Christ is the basis by which the Gentiles could now be saved. There is no room for boasting here on our part. Paul himself is an example of the Jewish remnant who believes in God. Even to this present day there are Messianic Jews who realize that Yeshua (Jesus) is the one and only Messiah-Praise God!

Romans 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

Paul further echoes the theme that in the not-too-distant future- the focus will shift from the Gentiles to the Jews. Once the "fullness of the Gentiles" has been received into the Kingdom of God, then Israel will be grafted in again. For this reason we are not to have a haughty attitude towards those who don't currently believe- but thank God that we have been given an opportunity to repent and believe the gospel!

I Corinthians 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

This seems like an extreme example, but Paul is showing an important truth. The believer is in a union with Jesus Christ. The scriptures use the analogy of us being betrothed or espoused to Jesus Christ as His future bride. The body of the Christian is the temple of the Holy Ghost. To then take this "temple" and use it for unholy purposes is unthinkable. I heard a statement one time that has stuck with me and it goes something like this: "Dear Christian, take heed what you see, what you hear, what you speak, and where you go, for you take Christ with you."

Galatians 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

As Paul often did, he had to answer the charges of "the circumcision" (Judaizers). While they sought to have Christians undergo circumcision as a means of salvation, Paul sharply rebuked them and held to salvation by grace through faith. Unfortunately the efforts of the Judaizers even caused Peter and Barnabas to waffle a bit (Galatians 2:11-13) in their treatment of the Gentile Christians. As we noted earlier in Romans, sometimes people misunderstand the message of grace and think that it becomes a license to sin. Paul affirms here that Christ is not the minister of sin- although the law cannot save anyone, neither does the Christian have the freedom to indulge the sinful nature. He goes on in chapter 5 of Galatians to say that those who do indulge the sinful nature (i.e. "the flesh) will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

Here again Paul shows that he has a high and lofty view of the law as the words of God. Unfortunately the law did not have the ability to empower one for holy living, only to bring the knowledge of sin and the need for a Savior.

Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Finally, in Paul's benediction to the Galatian believers, he affirms that there are no other grounds for boasting other than the shed blood of Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross. He futhermore goes on to say that he is "crucified" unto the world. I would to God that we could all make such a statement. That we are no longer friends with the world and enemies of God but "dead men" (like Paul) who have been "crucified with Christ"...nevertheless we live, not us, but Christ living in us.

God bless you as you prayerfully study His Word!

Truth Ablaze-the online ministry of Liberty Worship Center
Wingate, NC