The Paradigm & The Transition

Podcast Title: The Paradigm & The Transition Hosts: Alex (Host/Guide) and Jordan (Theological Analyst)

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Alex: Welcome back! Today we have a massive deep dive. We are tackling two distinct but deeply connected topics. First, we’re going to look at the "Legal Courtroom" of Romans 3 and 4 to understand how a person is made right with God.

Jordan: Right. We’re looking at the "Abrahamic Paradigm."

Alex: Exactly. But then, we have to solve a mystery. If salvation is just by faith, why is the book of Acts so confusing about baptism? Why does the order of things keep changing?

Jordan: That’s where we get into the "Transitional Nature of Apostolic History." We’re going to see how the Bible moves from a Jewish Kingdom program to the Gentile Body of Christ.

Alex: Let’s start with the foundation. Romans 3 and 4. We call this a "Forensic Framework." Jordan, what is the problem Paul is trying to solve here?

Jordan: The problem is universal guilt. Romans 1 through 3 indicts everyone. The Gentiles are idolaters, and the Jews are hypocrites. The standard is divine perfection. Paul reaches a crisis point: How can a just God justify bad people without compromising His own justice?

Alex: And the answer isn't moral improvement, is it?

Jordan: No. It’s Dikaiosynē theou—the righteousness of God. It’s forensic. That means it’s a legal declaration, not an infusion of virtue. God isn't looking at you and saying, "You’re acting better, so I accept you." He is changing your legal status from "Guilty" to "Righteous." And here is the shocker: He does this for the "ungodly."

Alex: Let’s look at the text. Romans 4:5 says:

Jordan: That word "counted"—or in Greek, logizomai—is the engine of this whole doctrine. It appears repeatedly in Romans 4. It’s an accounting term from the marketplace. It means to calculate, to reckon, or to credit to an account.

Alex: So, it’s a bookkeeping transaction.

Jordan: Exactly. Paul contrasts two types of people. The worker and the believer. If you work, your pay is a debt owed to you. But if you don’t work, but believe, righteousness is "credited" to you as a gift. This is the doctrine of Imputation. God credits Christ’s righteousness to our account. This opposes the idea of "Infusion," where God puts righteousness into you to make you better so you can earn salvation.

Alex: And this brings us to the "Double Imputation." Paul brings in King David to back up Abraham.

Jordan: Right. Abraham shows us righteousness added. David shows us sin subtracted. Listen to Romans 4:6–8, quoting Psalm 32:

Alex: That’s the "Non-Imputation of Sin."

Jordan: Yes. David doesn't say, "Blessed is the man who never sinned." He says, "Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count sin." The record exists, but God covers it. This "blessedness" isn't just for the Jews; it’s for anyone who accesses this grace.

Alex: Now, this leads to the biggest argument regarding works: The Chronology of Abraham. This is the "smoking gun."

Jordan: It really is. Paul asks a simple timeline question. When was Abraham declared righteous? Was it before or after he was circumcised?

Alex: Let’s look at Romans 4:9-10:

Jordan: The history is indisputable. Genesis 15:6—he believes and is justified. Genesis 17—he is circumcised. That’s a gap of at least 13 or 14 years. Abraham was justified while he was physically a Gentile. Therefore, the ritual (circumcision) cannot be the cause of the salvation.

Alex: This brings up the definition of "Works." Some scholars argue that "works of the law" only refers to Jewish boundary markers like Sabbath or food laws—nationalism, basically.

Jordan: But the Traditional and Reformed view argues it has to be broader. Because Abraham lived before the Mosaic Law, the "works" he might have boasted in weren't Torah observance. They were general moral efforts. Paul excludes all human striving. Abraham is the father of us all—Gentile and Jew—because he sets the pattern: Faith first.

Alex: So if circumcision didn't save him, what was it for? Let's analyze Romans 4:11 deeply.

Jordan: The Greek here is fascinating. It uses a "genitive of apposition." It means "the sign which is circumcision." It’s a sphragis—a seal. A seal validates a document; it doesn't write it. A notary stamp proves the deed is valid; it doesn't create the deed. Circumcision was the "manifestation of inward righteousness." The righteousness was already there "in the uncircumcision."

Alex: Okay, so that is the "Abrahamic Paradigm." Salvation has always been by faith. It’s a "Mystery" that was hidden in the Old Testament types but is now revealed in Christ.

Jordan: Correct. The "Mystery"—or mysterion—is that Gentiles are fellow heirs without becoming Jews. The Old Testament saints were saved by looking forward to the promise (credit); we look back at the fulfillment (payment). It’s retroactive atonement. Romans 3:25 says God set forth Christ:

Alex: Now, Jordan, we have to pivot. If this "Faith Alone" paradigm is the eternal standard, why does the Book of Acts look so different? Why is everyone rushing to get baptized in water to receive the Spirit?

Jordan: This is where we switch to our second big topic: "The Transitional Nature of Apostolic History." The idea is that Acts is a historical narrative, not a static rulebook. It documents a shift from a Jewish Kingdom program to the Gentile Body of Christ program.

Alex: Let’s talk about the Jewish context.

Jordan: Right. In the early chapters of Acts, the church is entirely Jewish. For a Jew, washing—the Mikvah—was essential for ritual purity and temple entry. It was "unheard of" to be a believer and not be baptized.

Alex: So when Peter stands up at Pentecost, he isn't preaching a modern Baptist sermon.

Jordan: No. Look at Acts 2:38:

Alex: The order there is strict: Repent + Water -> Spirit.

Jordan: Exactly. This is the Kingdom program. Washing is a condition. But watch what happens as the book progresses. The order starts to break down.

Alex: In Acts 8, with the Samaritans, they believe and are baptized, but they don't get the Spirit until the Apostles lay hands on them.

Jordan: Right, a delay to establish authority. But the massive turning point is Acts 10, with Cornelius the Gentile.

Alex: Peter is preaching, and before he even finishes...

Jordan: The Spirit falls. Before the water. Look at Acts 10:47:

Jordan: The order reversed! Now it is Belief -> Spirit -> Water. This is the "Gentile Pentecost." God is showing that for the Body of Christ, the Spirit is given by faith alone. Water is just a testimony—a sign—like circumcision was for Abraham.

Alex: But this caused a lot of fights, didn't it? Scholars call this "The Gentile Strife."

Jordan: Huge fights. The Jewish believers wanted to put the "Yoke" of the Law and rituals on the Gentiles. This culminated in the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. And notably, the final decree in Acts 15 tells Gentiles to avoid idols and blood, but is completely silent on a command to be baptized.

Alex: And this leads us to Paul. The scripture claims Paul had a distinct revelation.

Jordan: Yes. In Galatians 1:11-12, Paul is very specific:

Jordan: Paul went to Arabia. He didn't get his theology from Peter’s "Acts 2" sermon. He got the "Gospel of the Uncircumcision" directly from Jesus. This is why he can make a statement that sounds absolutely crazy if you stick to Acts 2.

Alex: You mean 1 Corinthians 1:17?

Jordan: If water baptism was the mechanism for the remission of sins for the Gentiles, Paul is saying, "Christ sent me not to save people." That’s impossible. Paul is separating the Ritual (Baptism) from the Gospel. He emphasizes Spirit baptism.

Alex: Ephesians 4:5 says:

Jordan: Since we know Spirit baptism is required to be in the Body (1 Cor 12:13), that must be the "One Baptism" that matters for the Church age. The water is a shadow; the Spirit is the substance.

Alex: So, bringing these two perspectives together, we have a perfect case study that proves both the "Faith Alone" paradigm of Romans 4 and the "No Ritual" reality of Paul’s gospel. The Thief on the Cross.

Jordan: The ultimate wedge issue. The Thief had no water, no communion, no good works, no church membership. He was a criminal dying under the penalty of the law.

Alex: But he had faith. Luke 23:42-43:

Jordan: He is the "Gentile Abraham." Justified while ungodly. Justified without the sign. He proves that while the administration of God’s plan changes—from the Kingdom offer to the Body of Christ—the mechanism of salvation has always been grace through faith.

Alex: So to wrap up: The confusion in Acts is because it’s a transition period. The early Jewish church held onto the "Sign" (Water/Circumcision) tightly. But Paul, through the revelation of the Mystery, stripped it back to the "Seal" (The Spirit).

Jordan: Exactly. We are saved like Abraham was—by believing the promise. And we are sealed like Cornelius was—by the Holy Spirit, not by the water.

Alex: Thanks for listening to this deep dive into Romans and Acts!

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