The Gospels provide us with four independent accounts of the life and times of our Lord Jesus Christ. The book of Acts describes the birth of the church and the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem and Judea to Rome. The New Testament Epistles are letters written to various churches, usually intended to address and correct specific problems. The Book of Romans is unique in that it is a systematic summation of the doctrine of salvation, as seen throughout the Bible, and as proclaimed in its fullness in the New Testament.
The epistle begins with man’s sin (chapters 1-3a), for which provision is made by the atoning work of Jesus Christ on man’s behalf, as received by faith alone (chapters 3b-5), resulting in a forsaking of sin and the pursuit of righteousness as one walks in the power of the Holy Spirit (chapters 6-8). All of Old Testament history is summed up, beginning with Adam (chapter 5), continuing through the history of Israel, currently resulting in the salvation of the Gentiles, and ultimately consummating in the restoration and salvation of the Jews (chapters 9-11). The unfolding of God’s salvation in human history is a manifestation of God’s infinite wisdom (11:33-36). The doctrine of salvation is to be lived out by the saints, as described in chapters 12-16. In this one book, Paul “puts it all together” so that we see the salvation of God from an eternal perspective.
There are no truths more important than those set down in this great Epistle to the Romans. Here is a study which should not only enhance your understanding of the gospel, but should stimulate your worship as well. The material in these sermons is available without charge for your personal study and to assist you in living, teaching and preaching God’s Word.
Years ago a friend of mine was preaching through the Book of Romans. He had reached the middle of the book, Romans 6-8, on the Sunday when a visitor attended the service. As the service came to a close, a woman sitting nearby turned to the young man and engaged him in conversation. After learning a little about him, the woman asked, “How long have you been a Christian?” The young man thought for a moment, looked down at his watch and said, “About ten minutes.” The Book of Romans was, for this man, a life-changing study.
The study of the Book of Romans has often proven to be a life-changing exercise. Throughout the history of the church, lives have been radically transformed through the impact of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Augustine, in 386, was sitting in the garden of a friend, weeping, as he considered making a radical change in his life. The words of a young neighborhood child singing a tune reached his ears, words which invited him to “Take up and read.” He took up the scroll nearby, a scroll which contained these words from Paul’s Roman epistle: “Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof” (Romans 13:13b-14).
Augustine later wrote about his response to these words from the pen of the apostle Paul: “No further would I read, nor had I any need; instantly, at the end of this sentence, a clear light flooded my heart and all the darkness of doubt vanished away (Confessions, viii. 29).1 The impact which Romans would have on Augustine, and the impact which Augustine would have on the world, can still be seen.
Many years later, in November of 1515, Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk who was a professor at the University of Wittenberg, began to expound the Book of Romans to his students. The more he studied the Epistle, the more he recognized that the Pauline doctrine of justification by faith was central and crucial to the argument of the Epistle. But he found himself struggling to understand it. He describes his struggle with this Epistle and his dramatic conversion when the message came clear to his mind, heart, and soul:
I greatly longed to understand Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, and nothing stood in the way but that one expression, ‘the righteousness of God,’ because I took it to mean that righteousness whereby God is righteous and deals righteously in punishing the unrighteous … Night and day I pondered until … I grasped the truth that the righteousness of God is that righteousness whereby, through grace and sheer mercy, he justifies us by faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning, and whereas before ‘the righteousness of God’ had filled me with hate, now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul became to me a gateway to heaven.2
Over two-hundred years later, John Wesley was transformed by this same Epistle. As he wrote in his journal, he:
… went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to the Romans … About a quarter before nine while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for my salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken my sins away, even mine; and saved me from the law of sin and death.3
Again, in the early twentieth century, Karl Barth, pastor of Safenwil in Canton Aargau, Switzerland, published an exposition of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Once again, Paul’s words had a powerful impact upon Barth, and his exposition, we are told, fell “like a bombshell on the theologian’s playground.”4
While not all have experienced the dramatic changes which the Book of Romans has produced in the lives of some, biblical scholars are virtually unanimous on the towering significance and contribution of this Epistle:
Luther, in his preface to the Roman letter, wrote:
‘This Epistle is the chief book of the New Testament, the purest gospel. It deserves not only to be known word for word by every Christian, but to be the subject of his meditation day by day, the daily bread of his soul … The more time one spends in it, the more precious it becomes and the better it appears.’ He spoke of it as ‘a light and way into the whole Scriptures, …’ Calvin said of it ‘when any one understands this Epistle, he has a passage opened to him to the understanding of the whole Scriptures.’ Coleridge pronounced Romans ‘the most profound work ever written!’ Meyer considered it ‘the greatest and richest of all the apostolic works.’ Godet referred to it as ‘the cathedral of the Christian faith.’ … Gordon H. Clark recently wrote of Romans that it is ‘the most profound of all the epistles, and perhaps the most important book in the Bible …’ Hamilton, in his recent commentary on Romans, calls it ‘the greatest book in the Bible.’5
Just what is it about this book of the Bible which makes it stand out and have such impact? At the conclusion of this lesson, I would like to suggest several possibilities, some or all of which may provide the answer to this question. Our answers must come from the text of Romans itself, and thus we shall press on to our study with great anticipation.
The purpose of this first lesson will be to get a “lay of the land,” to survey the territory of this text as a whole in order to obtain some sense of its nature, its argument, and its areas of emphasis. We will begin by attempting to learn as much as we can about the church in Rome and to determine Paul’s relationship to these saints. We will then briefly trace the argument of the book through the entire book. On the basis of this study, we shall seek to discern and identify at the conclusion of this lesson what makes Romans unique, that which sets it apart from the other 65 books of the Bible which has enabled Romans to dramatically impact so many lives down through the ages.
After our survey in this lesson of the Book of Romans as a whole, we will look at Romans section by section. We will seek to identify the major sections of this Epistle and to study each of these, devoting one lesson to each major section. Finally, we will undertake a chapter by chapter, verse by verse study of the book.
As we begin this study of Romans, I would challenge you to do three things. First, pray that God would use this book in your life, in a powerful way, as He has done in the lives of countless others before you. Expect God to speak to you, and pray that He will. Second, set some specific goals for your own study. Determine when and how you will study Romans during the week. Establish a goal for how many times you will read the book clear through, and when during the week you will commit yourself to this reading. Also, purchase those study helps which will assist you in your study. Third, follow through with your study of the Book of Romans. Let these lessons be the starting point and the stimulus for an intensive study of your own. I am convinced that those whose lives were transformed were those who worked hard at studying Romans. Do not expect God to transform your life apart from your own diligent search of these Scriptures. May these words of wisdom be your motto as you begin your study:
My son, if you will receive my sayings, And treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the Lord, And discover the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:1-5).
We are told that Jews and Jewish proselytes from Rome were present at Pentecost (Acts 2:10), but no one actually knows when the church of Rome was founded or by whom. It would seem clear that the Holy Spirit did not want us to focus on men as the founders of this church. It is a great encouragement to me that this church may have been founded by the testimony of ordinary Christians, rather than celebrities like Paul. Such was the case with the church at Antioch (Acts 11:19-21) and probably with a number of other churches as well.
We do know that at the time of Paul’s writing, there was a church in Rome made up of both Jews and Gentiles. It was a church that seems to have been spiritually prospering. Paul commended this church for its reputation:
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world (Romans 1:8).
From secular history, we know that in Rome the Jews were not well thought of nor kindly treated at various times. Claudius, for example, expelled the Jews from Rome (Acts 18:2) which was not the only time this happened.6 It would be only a few years after this Epistle to the Romans was written that Rome would be destroyed by fire and that Christians would serve as scapegoats for this atrocity. Soon would come the day when Christians would be fed to the lions at Rome. This may have set the scene for the martyrdom of both Peter and Paul, as well as many others.
Paul had wanted to visit Rome and the saints there, but up to this point in time he had not been able to do so:
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. And I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented thus far) in order that I might obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. Thus, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome (Romans 1:8-15, emphasis mine).
For this reason I have often been hindered from coming to you; but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you whenever I go to Spain—for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while—but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. Therefore, when I have finished this, and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain. And I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ (Romans 15:22-29, emphasis mine).
Paul had nothing to do with the founding of the church in Rome nor had he yet been to Rome at the time of the writing of his Epistle to the Romans. He had heard reports about the faith of the Romans (1:8). He had made the Roman church a matter of persistent prayer. He looked forward to the day when he could visit the church in Rome to minister to these saints, as well as to be encouraged by their faith. His Epistle to the Romans was apparently written because of his delay in reaching Rome and perhaps in preparation for his coming. It is most interesting that one of Paul’s longest and most fully developed books was written to those whom he did not know personally.
If Paul had not been to Rome and did not personally know many of the Roman saints, he did have a fair knowledge of this church. In Acts 18 Paul’s path crossed that of Priscilla and Aquila who had just come to Corinth from Rome:
After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them (Acts 18:1-2).
Paul must have gained a great deal of information from Aquila and Priscilla about the church in Rome. Paul’s concern for the saints at Rome would likely have grown because of his contact with this couple. If those named in Romans 16:3-16 are all saints living in Rome, Paul knew a great deal about the individual saints in Rome. Paul’s desire to visit these Roman saints continued to grow. When he was at Ephesus, he expressed his intention of going through Macedonia and Achaia to Jerusalem and from there to Rome (Acts 19:21).
Paul eventually reached Rome but not in the way he might have expected. He arrived as the “guest” of the Roman government, as a prisoner who was appealing his case to Caesar as a Roman citizen. Upon his arrival, he was warmly greeted by the brethren and encouraged, as he had hoped:
… and thus we came to Rome. And the brethren, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the Market of Appius and Three Inns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage (Acts 28:14b-15; compare Romans 1:11-12).
Paul’s first visit to Rome lasted, it seems, for two full years (Acts 28:30). While Paul was not free to travel about Rome, he was free to have visitors at his rented quarters, and so he was able to minister to all who came to him (28:30).
The time and place of the writing of Romans is a matter which is generally agreed upon and which has a fair degree of certainty. Paul’s comments in Romans 1:8-15 and 15:22-29, when compared to the events of Acts 18:1-2 and 20:3, 6, 18, definitely point to a time late in 57 or early 58 A.D. The place of writing seems quite clearly to be Corinth.
How Paul’s Epistle to the Romans must have warmed the hearts of these saints and paved the way for his reception when he reached Rome. Paul’s epistle had a lasting effect on the Roman church and on saints beyond Rome. Not only this epistle but also others were circulated among the saints:
The copy which was taken to Rome was certainly treasured in the church of that city, and survived the persecution of AD 64. About AD 96 Clement, ‘foreign secretary’ of the Roman church, shows himself well acquainted with the Epistle to the Romans; he echoes its language time and again in the letter which he sent in that year on behalf of the Roman church to the church in Corinth. The way in which he echoes its language suggests that he knew it by heart; it could well be that the Epistle was read regularly at meetings of the Roman church from the time of its reception onwards … From the beginning of the second century Paul’s letters circulated as a collection—the corpus Paulinum—and not singly.7
The predominant theme of the Book of Romans is the righteousness of God. We will survey the subject of God’s righteousness by tracking this theme through the Epistle. Since later study will consider the text on a verse-by-verse basis, we will pass by all but the main thrust of each section. We will also briefly deal with the introduction (1:1-14) and the conclusion (16:1-27) of the Epistle.
While the first 15 verses of chapter 1 have much to say about Paul’s relationship to the saints in Rome, they have even more to say about his relationship to the gospel. Paul was saved and set apart for the gospel (1:1). In particular, he was given the privilege and responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. Among the Gentiles reached by the gospel, the saints of Rome are included. The gospel transformed their lives in a way that resulted in the report of their faith in distant places (1:8). Their common faith in the gospel, in fact, is the bond which unites Paul and the saints in Rome. For this reason he had long wished to visit them but had been prevented from going to them. He still looks forward to the time when he will see them face to face, there to proclaim the gospel and to fellowship with these saints.
Romans 1:16-17 introduces the theme of the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God is directly linked with the gospel. If the gospel was Paul’s calling, the joyful experience of his readers, it was also the revelation of God’s righteousness. In these two introductory verses, Paul asserts his confidence in the gospel and gives us two reasons for his boldness in proclaiming it. First, the gospel is the “power of God for the salvation” of both Jews and Gentiles. Second, the gospel reveals the righteousness of God. The rest of the Epistle, as I understand it, is Paul’s explanation of this fundamental truth: THE GOSPEL REVEALS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.
We shall now set out to see how Paul develops this fundamental truth.
In the following verses, I believe Paul is laying out the gospel in a very orderly, sequential way. In essence, Paul is setting before us a theology of the gospel in a way that demonstrates the righteousness of God. He begins with man’s sin, moves to God’s solution, and then expands the gospel to its logical and necessary goal—sanctification: the living out of God’s righteousness through the lives of those who believe in the gospel.
Paul’s purpose in this section is not only to demonstrate man’s sin, and thus his need for a righteousness that is of God, but to show us that man’s sin actually demonstrates God’s righteousness. This is precisely what Paul concludes in chapter 3:
But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? … (Romans 3:5a).
Paul’s point is made with two major thrusts. The first is given in 1:18-32; the second follows the first in 2:1-8. The first thrust seems to be directed toward those who might be considered the “heathen,” the pagans. A self-righteous Jew would certainly think of the sinners described in chapter 1 as Gentiles. We might call the first category of sinners “self-indulgent sinners.” The second group of sinners I would call “self-righteous sinners.”
The “self-indulgent sinners” of chapter 1 are those on and through whom the wrath of God is presently being revealed (1:18). The wrath or judgment which they are said to be experiencing is the result of their being “given over” (1:24, 26, 28) by God. These sinners have rejected the natural revelation of God, that which can be known about God through His creation. The result of this rejection of the revelation of God through nature is being turned over to that which is unnatural.
The “self-righteous sinners” of chapter 2 are those whose judgment is viewed as future (2:5). The sinners of chapter 1 seem to have lives of chaos and disorder as the present consequence of their sin. The sinners of chapter 2 seem to be living quite well. They are not aware of their sinfulness. They actually feel righteous. They misinterpret God’s present kindness, thinking it is their reward for righteous living. They do not understand that it is the result of God’s long-suffering. He is delaying judgment to give opportunity for repentance (2:5). The “self-righteous sinner” occupies himself with judging others (2:1). He certainly believes in sin, but not in his own.
God’s righteousness, Paul contends, is demonstrated by His judgment of sinners, sinners of either kind—the self-indulgent or the self-righteous. God’s righteousness is seen not only in the fact that He judges sinners, but also in that He judges them impartially. This principle of impartiality is put forward in 2:9-11 and is played out in the remainder of this section.
The righteousness of God requires His wrath to be expressed toward unrighteousness. This Paul has maintained. But now he sets out to show how God’s wrath is expressed impartially, toward all sinners, both Jew and Gentile. The Jews prided themselves in their privileged position and in their possession of the Law, but they failed to practice it. In the remaining verses of chapter 2, Paul shows that possession of the Law (symbolized by circumcision) was of no value unless the Law was also practiced. In fact, there is even greater condemnation for those who have the greater revelation of the Law and yet fail to meet its demands. The hypocrisy of claiming to uphold the Law, while actually rejecting it, is exposed and condemned. The Jew, therefore, cannot attain righteousness by means of law-keeping. He, like the pagans he condemns, is only revealed to be a sinner by the Law. The outward symbol of circumcision was of no value to the Jew apart from possessing a true righteousness, a righteousness which law-keeping could not achieve.
If God’s righteousness is seen by the fact that God condemns man’s unrighteousness, Paul also teaches that God’s righteousness is revealed by the way that He judges unrighteousness. God condemns sinners without partiality. He has no “favorites” whose sin He overlooks, nor are there those whom He dislikes whose condemnation is contrived. He judges men impartially and righteously in that He judges men on the basis of the revelation given to them. Thus, Jews are judged by the Law they possess, while others are judged only on the basis of natural revelation (chapter 1).
Paul has rejected the basis on which the Jew found himself superior to the Gentile. Neither the Gentile, without the Law, nor the Jew, with the Law, could achieve his own righteousness. The truth of God revealed in nature and the truth of God revealed in the Law both served to demonstrate God’s righteousness and man’s unrighteousness. Paul’s teaching to this point raises three questions which he asks and answers before coming to the conclusion of his first major point.
The first question concerned the benefit of being a Jew. If the possession of the Law did not make the Jew better than anyone else, “then what advantage has the Jew?” (Romans 3:1). Paul’s answer was that while being a Jew did not make one pious (righteous), it did give one the great privilege of being entrusted with God’s Word.
The second question follows the first. Does man’s unbelief, man’s unfaithfulness to God, reflect on God’s faithfulness to man? If the revelation of God in nature and in the Law has not made any man righteous, but has only proven man to be unrighteous, what does this say about God? Has God failed? Not at all! Man’s failure has demonstrated the righteousness of God. Furthermore, as the next section will demonstrate, man’s failure has not frustrated God’s purposes but has fulfilled them, paving the way for God to demonstrate His righteousness by providing a righteousness the Law could never produce.
Finally, does the unrighteousness of man suggest unrighteousness on God’s part? Can God be righteous when He has created men who are sinners, and when He has provided a revelation which only seems to produce unrighteousness rather than righteousness? Has God’s purpose of revealing His own righteousness by demonstrating man’s unrighteousness backfired, so that God is made to look evil? Such a question hardly deserves an answer, and so Paul merely states that the condemnation of such people is just (3:8).
Having spoken to these three concerns, Paul now draws the first section of his argument in Romans to a close. In Romans 3:9 he concludes that Jews are no better than Gentiles and that both are unrighteous, guilty before God. He then, in verses 10-18, draws together a series of quotations from the Old Testament which describe man’s fallen, sinful condition, a condition which is universal and which is true of Jew and Gentile alike.
The point of this section is now summarized in 3:19-20. The Law was given to those under the Law, not to make them superior to those who did not have the Law, nor to make them righteous, but to demonstrate their unrighteousness. The Law reveals man’s need of righteousness; it does not provide men with righteousness. The Law is not the solution, the cure. The Law is to salvation what an x-ray is to a cure. The Law and the x-ray both reveal the problem and the need for a cure, but they do not produce the cure in and of themselves. The Law reveals man’s problem: He is unrighteous, under the wrath of a righteous God. Man’s unrighteousness demonstrates God’s righteousness. How, then, is man ever to obtain righteousness? In the next section, Paul shows how the gospel not only reveals man’s unrighteousness, but it reveals God’s righteousness in Jesus Christ.
If God was shown by Paul to be righteous by His response to the unrighteousness (sin) of men in judgment (1:18–3:20), He is now shown to be righteous by His response to man’s sin in providing salvation (3:21–5:21). Just as God is just in judging men impartially, He is also just in saving men impartially. In this section, God’s righteousness is revealed by the gospel, since the gospel is the good news of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ, apart from man’s works, and in spite of man’s unrighteousness.
Because the Law could not produce righteousness, but could only expose man’s unrighteousness, God provided a righteousness for men that is not dependent upon man, but has been accomplished in Jesus Christ. This righteousness is described initially in Romans 3:21-31. The righteousness God has provided is that which Jesus Christ accomplished, a righteousness based upon His person and His work. If God is to save men in a way that demonstrates His righteousness, He must first deal justly with man’s unrighteousness. He cannot bestow righteousness upon unrighteous men without first removing their unrighteousness. This He accomplished by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. He bore the wrath of God which God’s righteousness required. And then, having satisfied God’s righteous wrath (a process known as propitiation, see 3:25), He bestows His righteousness on those who believe in Jesus Christ by faith. This righteousness is that which men receive as a free gift, as a gift of grace, and not as the result of human effort or Law-keeping. Since this righteousness is independent of man’s works, and since it is offered to both Jews and Gentiles alike, men have nothing to boast about when they are declared righteous. In saving men in this way, the righteousness of God is revealed, just as in His condemnation of men.
The Law should not be seen as something worthless, as something which only condemns men, and thus to be rejected and despised. In chapter 4 Paul seeks to show how in the Old Testament, as in the New, righteousness came through faith and not through Law-keeping. Paul chose Abraham as an example of Old Testament “justification by faith.” Abraham was a man who lived and who was declared righteous before the Law was even given to men. He could not be saved by Law-keeping, because the Law had not yet been given. He was saved by faith, faith in the promise of God. His faith, not his works, was reckoned to him as righteousness. Abraham was not the exception to salvation by faith, but an example of Old Testament salvation by faith. David also is pointed out as one who believed that his righteousness was in spite of his sin, and due to God’s forgiveness by grace through faith (Romans 4:6-8).
Circumcision was, with the coming of the Law, to become a necessary part of the Mosaic Covenant. The self-righteous Jew, who thought his righteousness was the result of Law-keeping, saw circumcision as a meritorious act. The rite of circumcision was a testimony to one’s submission to the Law and an evidence of one’s commitment to keep the Law. If righteousness were the result of works in the Old Testament, then surely Abraham’s salvation would be linked to his circumcision. But since his righteousness (like that of every other Old Testament saint) was obtained through faith, the conversion of Abraham is declared as having taken place a number of years before he was circumcised and apart from any works. Abraham was reckoned to be righteous because he believed in the promise of God, the promise of a son, through whom the awaited Messiah would come. Abraham was saved by faith, just like a New Testament saint. The only difference is that Abraham believed in God’s promise that Messiah would come, while New Testament saints believe that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, has come.
Abraham is shown to be the “father of faith,” not just for the Jews, but for all who believe God’s promise and provision of salvation. Circumcision for Abraham was the fruit of his faith, not the root of it. Righteousness, living according to the standards of God’s righteousness, as revealed in the Law, is the result of faith and not the result of works. Works are the result of righteousness, not the cause.
Furthermore, Abraham’s faith, like ours today, was a “resurrection faith” (3:19-25). Abraham knew that although God promised him and Sarah a son, this was physically impossible at their age in life. They were too old to bear a son. Abraham realized that when it came to child-bearing he and Sarah were “as good as dead.” God would have to virtually “raise the dead” to provide them with the son He promised. And so He did. Thus, Abraham’s faith was in the promise of a God who was able to “raise the dead”; it was a resurrection faith. Abraham’s “resurrection faith” will face its ultimate test on Mount Moriah, when God tests him by instructing him to sacrifice his son, Isaac (Genesis 22; see also Hebrews 11:17-19).
And so Paul has shown us that the gospel has not really changed from the Old Testament to the New. This is why both Jews and Gentiles are saved in the same way, by the same gospel. This is why both Jews and Gentiles are saved by faith, apart from Law-keeping. The Law only condemns; it only shows how far short of God’s righteousness men fall. But faith rests in the person and in the promises of God. Faith believes God and receives the forgiveness of sins and the gift of righteousness through Jesus Christ. The gospel which Paul preached, and which the Roman saints had received, offered the same righteousness (the righteousness of Christ) through the same means (faith), apart from works.
Saving faith and its resulting righteousness is not a “fair weather faith.” The salvation which God provides is permanent, lasting. It proves even more certain in the trials and adversities of life (5:2-5). The more we see God’s grace preserving us through trials, the more confident we become of the certainty of our ultimate victory. But more than this, we are assured of the permanence of our salvation because of the way God provided our righteousness. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, to make us righteous, while we were still sinners. If God did this for us while we were still His enemies (the greater work), then surely He will now keep us and preserve us from His wrath now that we are forgiven and are His children (5:8-10). If we are saved by sharing in the death of Christ, think of what will result from our sharing in His life!
Paul concludes this section with a second “greater than” argument. The work of Jesus Christ is “greater than” the work of Adam. Adam’s sin had great and terrible repercussions. Adam’s sin made all men sinners, and resulted in man’s separation from God. Man’s universal unrighteousness was described in chapters 1 and 2 as the result of man’s rejection of the truth. Now, in the final verses of chapter 5, man’s unrighteousness is taken back to its original source—the sin of Adam.
Who is the greater of the two, Adam or Christ? Christ is the greater of the two, far greater. If this is so, then we can be assured that the results of Christ’s righteousness overcome and overshadow the results of Adam’s unrighteousness. If Adam’s act resulted in sin and death for all his descendants, for the human race, then Christ’s work results in life and peace for all those who are in Him, all who are, by faith, His children. If tragedy was the result of Adam’s act, triumph is surely to be the result of Christ’s work. Thus, the salvation which God has provided for men is not only good; it is permanent, lasting, and sure.
If Adam’s sin was multiplied, as it were, through the human race, so righteousness was multiplied even more, through Jesus Christ. Paul derives from this a universal principle of God’s economy: The grace of God always exceeds man’s sin. There are some serious potential abuses of this truth, however, and Paul will take this up in the next section.
In his Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul very clearly indicates not only what we have been saved from (Ephesians 2:1-3), but also what we have been saved for (Ephesians 2:10). While our efforts to produce good works can never save us, when God provided salvation, He provided us with a salvation that results in good works. In Romans 6-8 Paul takes up his argument at the point of salvation, showing that salvation requires righteousness, which is beyond our own capabilities, but that God has given us provision for righteous living.
In the briefest of terms, Romans 6 instructs us that righteousness is a requirement for the Christian. Romans chapter 7 teaches us that while righteousness is required, it is nevertheless humanly impossible, due to the weakness of our flesh and the power of sin. In Romans 8, Paul explores the divine provision for righteousness—the Holy Spirit, by whose power Christians can fulfill the righteousness which the Law commanded and which God still requires. Let us now survey these three chapters with a bit more detail.
Paul ended chapter 5 with an important principle: WHERE SIN ABOUNDS, GRACE ABOUNDS ALL THE MORE (Romans 5:20).
In the context, this principle applies particularly to the sin of Adam and to the grace of God in Christ. But it is also a universal truth. God’s grace is greater than all our sin. We even have a hymn with words to this effect: “Grace that is greater than all my sin …”
Chapter 6 begins with the question, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” If grace outruns sin, then why not continue in sin so that grace can increase in greater measure? Once we have been saved, our sins forgiven, and heaven has become a certain hope, why not continue to live as we once did? Paul has a very definite answer to this question.
Salvation occurs when men are identified with the person and work of Jesus Christ. This is accomplished by Spirit baptism and then is symbolized by water baptism. Paul shows that continuing in sin is living in a way utterly inconsistent with Christ’s work, a work in which we have become participants. If Christ died to sin and we died in Him, how can we now go on living in sin? If Christ was raised from the dead, to live a new and glorified life, and we were joined to Him, how can we avoid the conclusion that our lives too must be transformed?
Our union with Jesus Christ at the time of our conversion requires that sin be rejected and renounced and that righteousness be served. Our lives should reflect a “deadness to sin” and an “aliveness to righteousness.” A decision is called for by Paul, a decision to cease presenting our bodies as instruments for accomplishing sin and to present our bodies to God as instruments of righteousness. We are the slaves of that to which we give ourselves. We will either become slaves of righteousness or slaves of sin. Paul urges us to become slaves of righteousness.
There is a problem, however, which Paul describes in chapter 7. Positionally speaking, our death to sin in Christ freed us from the bondage of the Law, so that we may serve God by the prompting of the Spirit, rather than by the demands of the Law. But our positional change leads to some very practical problems. Now, in Christ, we have the desire to do what is right but no power to accomplish it. Sin still gets the best of us. We do what we hate (sin), and we cannot do what we love (righteousness). The Law is not the problem, for we agree with what the Law requires and forbids. The problem is with our flesh, which cannot overcome the greater power of sin. The righteousness for which we were saved, and which we are obligated to perform, we are unable to achieve.
Man’s inability has a divine solution, expounded by Paul in chapter 8. God has provided His children, those whom He has saved, with the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who walk in the Spirit are able to overcome the power of sin and to practice that righteousness which God requires through the Law (see Romans 8:4). This same Spirit, who now indwells and empowers every Christian, is the Spirit who raised the dead body of Jesus Christ to life. He can and will raise our “dead” bodies to life as well, not only in the physical sense, but in giving us the ability to live righteously. Just as Abraham and Sarah were “dead” so far as producing a child, but were “made alive” to do so (Romans 4:19), so we who are “dead” with respect to living righteously are “made alive” to do so by His Spirit.
The provision of the Holy Spirit should not be understood in such a way as to suppose that perfect righteousness will be experienced in this present, evil world. Our righteousness will not be complete until we are in heaven. We will continue to fail and to fall short of all that God requires. The shed blood of Christ provides for our forgiveness in such cases. But the world in which we live is imperfect as well. It too awaits the day of its complete restoration and perfection, a day which is referred to here as “the revealing of the sons of God” (8:19). Until that day, there will be suffering and groaning, in the saints as well as in the creation. The Holy Spirit is God’s provision for our present inadequacies, helping us in our time of weakness, interceding for us with God, even when we are not able to express our groanings with words.
All along in Romans Paul has been dealing with both Jews and Gentiles. God shows no partiality toward the Jews, whether this has to do with His condemnation of sin or with His provision of salvation. Impartiality does not mean that one deals with everyone alike in every respect, however. For example, we may be impartial or just in dealing with our children, but we need not treat every child in exactly the same way. Each child should be dealt with as an individual. God is impartial in condemning sin, but He deals differently with those He condemns. Those who have not received the revelation of God’s righteousness in the Law are judged apart from the Law and only in accordance with what has been revealed to them. Those who have received the Law are judged by its standards (Romans 1 and 2). Throughout history God has always dealt impartially with men, but He has also distinguished between the Jews and the Gentiles. This matter of God’s dealings with the Jews and the Gentiles is now taken up, to show that in distinguishing between Jews and Gentiles, God has been impartial; thus the righteousness of God is revealed by His dealings with men in history. These dealings of God with men in history are summed up in chapters 9-11.
There is a very evident problem. God had made certain promises of salvation to the Jews in the Old Testament. The nation Israel had rejected Jesus as their Messiah, and now the gospel was being proclaimed to the Gentiles as well. The churches, such as the church in Rome, had some Jewish Christians and (usually) many more Gentile saints. While God deals impartially with Jews and Gentiles, and He both condemns and saves them justly, are there not some unfulfilled promises to Israel which should be fulfilled? And why is it that God started His program of salvation and blessing through the nation Israel only to set them aside? This seems to be the problem which Paul is addressing in Romans 9-11.
In verses 1-5 of chapter 9 Paul begins by revealing his own heart with respect to the Jews. What he is about to say, he will say as a Jew. He is not anti-Semitic, and he loves His people so much that he wishes he could suffer God’s condemnation in their place. He desperately yearns for their salvation. These are a privileged people, but the restoration of Israel and the fulfillment of God’s promises to this nation will not be fulfilled until later in history, as Paul is about to demonstrate.
In chapter 9 Paul defends the righteousness of God by expounding the doctrine of election. In proportion to the Jewish population, only a few Jewish saints could be found. This seemed to puzzle the Jews, because they thought that the promised blessings of God would be poured out on all the descendants of Israel (Jacob). In fact, they seemed to think that being the physical seed of Abraham assured them of these blessings (see Matthew 3:9; Romans 4:10-17).
What Paul sets out to show us is that God’s blessings were never promised to the Jews, based solely upon their physical descent from Abraham, or from Jacob (Israel). Thus, he sets out the principle in verse 6, “They are not all Israel who are descended from Israel.” Through the principle and process of election, God continued to restrict His blessings to some of the descendants of Israel, but not to all. In verses 7-13 Paul gave the specific example of God’s sovereign choice of Jacob and His rejection of Esau, both sons of Isaac. God set Jacob over Esau, in spite of the fact that Esau was born first. God’s choice was not based upon the works of either child; it was a sovereign choice.
Does God’s election disturb some? Are we troubled that at God’s sovereign discretion some are chosen to be the objects of His favor while others are the objects of His wrath? Does divine election seem unfair, unjust, unrighteous? It is exactly the opposite. Election is precisely that means of God’s blessing some which demonstrates His righteousness.
Think back with me for a moment to recall the principle Paul has already laid down, the principle of rewards, which is the basis for divine condemnation:
There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no impartiality with God (Romans 2:9-11).
God’s standard of justice is that all who do good will receive glory and honor and peace, while all who do evil receive tribulation and distress.
By verse 20 of chapter 3 Paul has concluded that there is none who does good, and that all men (Jew and Greek alike) do that which is evil. This means that the justice of God requires that all men be punished, and that none deserve God’s blessings of glory, honor, and peace.
At this point in Romans we see that God’s mercy joins forces with His justice, so that salvation is provided, in a way that satisfies both God’s mercy and His righteousness. Jesus Christ, God’s beloved Son, died for sinners, bearing the Father’s wrath toward sinners. God has therefore maintained His righteousness by following through with the wrath that sin requires. He has also provided His blessings through a righteousness which He provides, in Jesus Christ. God is therefore righteous both in the saving of some and in the condemning of others.
But on what basis is the decision made? How is it determined who will receive God’s blessings and who will receive His wrath? There are two answers to this question, provided in Romans 9 and 10. In Romans 9 Paul tells us that God chooses those whom He will bless, and those who will continue on the path to their own judgment. The basis of this choice is crucial, for the righteousness of God is at issue.
God cannot choose to bless men on the basis of their “goodness” or on the basis of the good works that they will do, for we have already seen that all mankind is sinful, unrighteous, and falls under divine condemnation. Men will be blessed on the basis of the righteousness of Christ, not on the basis of their own works. For God’s blessings to be bestowed righteously, the objects of His blessings must not, in some way, be shown favoritism. Thus it is that God’s blessings have always been bestowed on some, on the basis of God’s sovereign, unconditioned choice, by His sovereign election.
God did not choose to bless every descendant of Israel because this would be favoritism toward the Israelites. It would be unfair. God has chosen to allow some to suffer the consequences of their unrighteousness—to become “vessels of His wrath.” He has chosen others to be the objects of His blessings—to become “vessels of His mercy.” All men could have been righteously condemned, because all sinned. No one should have been blessed, for none merited God’s blessings. But God chose to pluck some from the wrath and destruction their sins required and to bestow His blessings upon them, based upon the death of Jesus for their sins, and His righteousness. To have the choice rest only with God is the only basis on which God’s blessings and cursings could be righteously imparted.
Thus, from eternity past it was not God’s purpose to save every physical descendant of Abraham, or Isaac, or Israel. It was His intention to save some. It was also His intention to save some of the Gentiles as well. This was foretold by the prophet Hosea (Romans 9:25-26). Not all Israel was to be saved, nor needed to be, but only a remnant, through which the promises of God could be preserved and fulfilled. Isaiah spoke of this remnant (Romans 9:27-29). Thus, from the beginning God planned to save some Jews and some Gentiles, based upon His sovereign choice. God is just in judging some sinners, and He is both merciful and just in saving and blessing other sinners. And God is just in saving and rejecting both Jews and Gentiles so that He shows no partiality.
On what basis are some saved and others condemned? The first answer, of Romans 9, is that the basis is the sovereign choice of God—divine election. The second answer, found in chapter 10, is human responsibility: men are condemned because they reject God’s revelation and His provision and choose to persist in striving on their own. Why are some men blessed? Because God chose them for blessing. Why are some men blessed? Because God’s offer of blessing was offered them, and they accepted it, by faith. Why are some men condemned to eternal suffering? Because God chose to allow them to suffer the consequences of their own choices and not to override their condemnation with salvation and blessing.
Thus, while Romans 9 emphasizes the sovereignty of God, Romans 10 emphasizes the responsibility of men. Men are not responsible to seek out God’s righteousness, for it has been prophesied in the Old Testament and has been revealed to them in the person of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:6-8). Men do not need to seek for the righteousness of God, but only to accept it, by faith (Romans 10:9-10). And men are also under obligation to proclaim this offer of righteousness to others, so that they can hear the gospel and choose to accept or reject it (Romans 10:13-15).
The Jews, like the Gentiles, did not all accept this salvation. And this rejection of the Jews should not have come as a surprise, for their rejection was prophesied in the Old Testament, along with the salvation of a number of the Gentiles. What the Roman Christians saw happening around them was exactly what God had said would happen (Romans 10:18-21).
God’s promises to Israel in the Old Testament are still valid and will eventually be fulfilled, because His election and calling are irreversible (Romans 11:29). God has not utterly forsaken His people. What He has done is to devise a plan whereby both Jews and Gentiles would be offered the blessings of God, and some would enter into them. God always preserved a remnant of His people Israel, through whom His promises could be fulfilled. There was always a remnant of the righteous, even when it seemed otherwise (Romans 11:2-6). Just as He saved some for blessing, He hardened others for condemnation. This hardening of Jewish hearts was also foretold (Romans 11:8-10). This hardening has opened the door for Gentile evangelism. After God has saved those He has chosen from among the Gentiles, He will turn back to His people to bless them.
The method God is using is incredible. God purposed to use the unbelief of Israel to accomplish His plan. This led to the crucifixion of Jesus and His atoning work on Calvary. It opened the door for the gospel to be proclaimed to the Gentiles. The Gentiles, however, should not become arrogant about the blessings God has showered upon them, for they are unmerited blessings. At this present time, God is using the proclamation of the gospel to the Gentiles, and the pouring out of His blessings on those Gentiles who are saved, to provoke the Jews to jealousy. Eventually, God will cause the hearts of His people to turn back to Him, so that the Jews will experience the blessings He has promised.
Paul cannot move on until he has, as it were, fallen before God in worship, adoration, and praise, for the wisdom of His all-encompassing plan. Who would have ever thought of this plan? Who would have believed it, unless we were told? Truly God is not only righteous, loving, and merciful; He is also infinitely wise!
We will very briefly survey this last section of Paul’s argument here, for we will consider it in detail later in our series. The righteousness which men lacked in chapters 1-3a, which God imputed to believers in chapters 3b-5, and which He has required and empowered in chapters 6-8, is now described in more practical terms. The righteousness of God is to be reflected (partially and imperfectly) in His children. The broad forms this righteousness should take are outlined by Paul in chapters 12-15.
Paul begins by taking up the sacrificial imagery and terminology of the Old Testament. The Christian’s righteousness should not be viewed as a reluctant compliance with what God has demanded, but as a grateful response to all that God has bestowed upon us in His mercy. Gratitude is the basis of the service of which Paul speaks here.
Rather than presenting animals and other items as a sacrifice, we are to present ourselves (much like Paul called us to do in Romans 6). We are to serve God by setting aside those attitudes and practices of the world in which we live, and to be renewed in our minds with the knowledge of that which is the will of God, which is both good and pleasing to Him (Romans 12:1-2).
The first area of sacrificial service is in using the spiritual gifts and enablements which God has given us for service. Every gift is to be employed in a way that will serve God and benefit others. The pitfalls of exercising our gifts are also suggested (12:3-8). Chapter 12 ends with more general principles which are to guide us in our conduct and in our relationships with others (12:9-21).
In chapter 13 Paul turns to the Christian’s practical righteousness in relationship to the government which God has placed in authority over him (13:1-7). The Christian is to regard the authority of government as having come from God, and thus one should obey government as unto the Lord unless there are very exceptional circumstances. In verses 8-10 conduct is described in terms of fulfilling one of the two major commands of the Old Testament—to love your neighbor as yourself. The final verses (11-14) speak of the Christian’s conduct in the light of the Lord’s return.
In Romans 14:1–15:3 Paul lays down principles for relating to one another as Christians when we see things differently, based upon our maturity or upon different convictions. We are to live in accordance with our own convictions and not impose these on others. We are not to exercise our rights in ways that would cause another to stumble. We are to strive to strengthen others, not to hinder them. We are to use our strength to serve the weak rather than to benefit ourselves.
Chapter 15 closes in much the same way Paul began this Epistle. Whatever Paul had to say to us individually about the “strong” and the “weak” must have had a more collective element as well. He moves therefore into a discussion about the relationship between the Jews and the Gentiles. Christians are to accept one another and not fall into disunity and divisiveness. If God shows no partiality, then we too must avoid racial prejudice and tensions.
As Paul began by speaking of his ministry as an apostle, and of his calling to proclaim Christ among the Gentiles, so he ends by telling of the ministry God has given him in preaching the gospel to Gentiles (15:15-21). His final words speak, once again, of his desire to come to visit them, and then to press on to other places which have not yet heard the good news.
In many ways Paul has concluded his argument in chapter 15. Chapter 16 is primarily Paul’s closing of this letter with personal words of greeting and with final words of exhortation. While Paul may not yet have reached Rome, he knew of many of the saints there by name. His concern for the saints in this city was far from minimal.
As we conclude this survey of the Book of Romans, I want to return to a question which we raised at the beginning: What is it about the Book of Romans which helps us understand its great impact on the lives of men and women throughout the past two thousand years? Let me suggest several factors for your consideration.
Jesus cautioned the Pharisees about “straining gnats and swallowing camels.” How often we find ourselves preoccupied with the minutia of life, and even of Scriptures, rather than with the most important matters. Romans is a book that deals with the major themes and doctrines of the Word of God and which does not focus on others. Perhaps no other book of the Bible is so all-encompassing in its outlook and approach:
James I. Packer of England states:
there is one book in the New Testament which links up with almost everything that the Bible contains: that is the Epistle to the Romans, … In Romans, Paul brings together and sets out in systematic relation all the great themes of the Bible—sin, law, judgment, faith, works, grace, justification, sanctification, election, the plan of salvation, the work of Christ, the work of the Spirit, the Christian hope, the nature and life of the Church, the place of Jew and Gentile in the purpose of God, the philosophy of the Church and of world history, the meaning and message of the Old Testament, the duties of Christian citizenship, the principles of personal piety and ethics. From the vantage-point given by Romans, the whole landscape of the Bible is open to view, and the broad relation of the parts to the whole becomes plain. The study of Romans is the fittest starting-point for biblical interpretation and theology.’8
In other epistles, the message is often more problem-centered. The author will address his readers in the light of current events. This is both necessary and important. But when we study the texts which take this approach, we may have to go through several steps to uncover the basic underlying principle. Only then can we begin to make application to ourselves. In Romans, Paul deals with the principles, and he does not begin with the particulars.
This may take you by surprise, but there is a sense in which the most “practical” texts of Scripture may be those which seem less practical and less edifying than those more “applicationally oriented.” In the light of Romans and Paul’s teaching on the Law, let us beware of wanting some kind of “rule book” approach to the Christian walk. Too often we want God’s Word (or preachers) to tell us precisely what to do and how to do it. Romans is not that kind of book, and it is because of this, in part, that it has had such an impact on men and women down through the ages.
Under the Law, men were told what to do, and then were encouraged to meditate on the Law to discern the underlying principles. In the New Testament, we are given the principles as guidelines, and then called upon to meditate upon them in order to determine what it is we are to do. This means, for one thing, that while all Christians should avoid immorality, some Christians might conclude that they should conduct themselves differently than others. This is especially applicable in the areas of spiritual gifts (for example, Paul and Barnabas, Acts 15:36-41) and of personal convictions (see Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8-10).
Christians can become so entangled in the particulars of Christianity that they lose sight of the great principles. So it was, for example, just before the Reformation. When the principles of “sola scriptura” (the Scriptures alone are our source of authority) and “justification by faith” were once again discovered in the Book of Romans, men’s lives and Christianity as a whole were radically impacted.
Not only do we find in Romans the exposition of the great doctrines of the faith, but we find the eternal purposes of God. We tend to become locked in on our own times, our own problems, our own sense of needs, and we lose sight of the big picture. It is the “big picture” which Romans constantly expounds and explains. Thus, in Romans we are told of God’s eternal purposes (Romans 9-11), of Adam’s fall (Romans 5), and of the restoration of the earth (Romans 8). It is not our task and calling to seek to persuade God to adjust His program and purposes to suit our needs, but our calling is to conform our attitudes and actions to His revealed will (see Romans 12:1-2ff.).
Thus, Romans is a “great” book, because it deals with “great” matters. Two of these “great matters” will follow.
One of the “great themes” which the Book of Romans expounds and emphasizes is that of the gospel. Paul’s introduction and conclusion are dominated by the theme of the gospel. Everything in between them is an exposition of the gospel. There is no other book of the Bible which so fully expounds the gospel as Romans. If you would understand the gospel, go to Romans.
Have you believed this gospel? Do you recognize that you are among the “all” who are judged to be sinners, and who are destined for God’s wrath? Do you know that Jesus Christ died so that your punishment would be His, and so that His righteousness could be yours? Have you ceased trying to earn your own righteousness and received His righteousness by faith? That is the offer of the gospel, but it is an offer that you must receive.
Surely the gospel is the most vitally important message a non-Christian can ever hear. But why (in Romans 1:15) does Paul say he desires to preach the gospel to his audience in Rome, when they are already believers? I think there are a number of reasons.
(1) The gospel is never understood as fully by the Christian as it could and should be. We can never hear the gospel too often. We can never understand it too well.
(2) The gospel is constantly being distorted. In our own sin, we are inclined to distort it, both in its application to ourselves, and in our representation of it to others. The gospel as defined in Romans is a standard, against which we must constantly measure our own concept of the gospel. Romans is the perfect standard; ours is the imperfect.
(3) The gospel is not only that truth by which we are saved and that truth by which others are saved as we bear witness, it is also that truth which is the standard for our daily lives. Paul said to the Colossians, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” (Colossians 2:6).
Why is the gospel so important? Paul has already told us, at the beginning of his epistle. The gospel is “the power of God unto salvation,” and it “reveals the righteousness of God” (Romans 1:16-17). No wonder the gospel is so prominent in the Book of Romans.
How often we make man the center of our “universe,” wanting to put God into orbit around us, waiting for Him to meet our needs and to make us happy and comfortable. It is God who is to be central and preeminent, not men. It is we who are to orient our lives to Him. When you read through the Book of Romans, you will be constantly reminded that it is God who is most prominently displayed here.
The character of God, in many of its facets, is displayed in Romans, such that Paul will pause to praise and adore Him for who He is (see Romans 8:31-39 and especially 11:33-36). There are many of the attributes of God described in this great Epistle, but none greater or more prominent than that of God’s righteousness. I would like to suggest that the righteousness of God is that attribute of God’s character which makes His other attributes all the more glorious. Think of a God who is all-powerful, but who is not righteous and just. It is a horrifying thought. Power without righteousness is terrifying. Think of a God who is “loving” but who is not also righteous. This would be mere sentimentalism, something like the favoritism of Jacob toward Rachel and her two sons. A love rooted in justice is a marvelous thing. Think too of a merciful God, who was not also righteous …
The righteousness of God. What a marvelous truth. What comfort! What discomfort! May we see more and more of God’s righteousness in Romans, in the church, and in our own lives, to the praise of the glory of His grace.
1 F. F. Bruce, The Epistle of Paul to the Romans (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, [photolithoprinted] 1969), p. 58.
2 Cited from Luther’s Works, Weimar edition, Vol. 54, pp. 179ff., by Bruce, p. 59.
3 Cited from Works, Vol. I, p. 103, by Bruce, p. 59.
4 The words of Roman Catholic theologian Dr. Karl Adam, as cited by Bruce, p. 60.
5 Cited by David N. Steele and Curtis C. Thomas, Romans: An Interpretive Outline (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company), p. 1.
6 “… four Jews of Rome, led by one who professed to teach the Jewish faith to interested Gentiles, persuaded a noble Roman lady, a convert to Judaism, to make a munificent contribution to the temple at Jerusalem, but appropriated it for their own uses. When the matter came to light, the Emperor Tiberius expelled all resident Jews from Rome.” Bruce, p. 93.
“In AD 57, the year in which Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans, Pomponia Graecina, the wife of Aulus Plautius (who added the province of Britain to the Roman Empire in AD 43), was tried and acquitted by a domestic court on a charge of embracing a ‘foreign superstition’, which could have been Christianity. But in the eyes of the majority of Romans who knew anything about it, Christianity was simply another disgusting Oriental superstition, the sort of thing that the satirist Juvenal had in mind sixty years later when he complained of the way in which the sewage of the Orontes was discharging itself into the Tiber.” Bruce, p. 16.
8 James I. Packer, Fundamentalism and the Word of God, p. 106f., as cited by David N. Steele and Curtis C. Thomas, Romans: An Interpretive Outline (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company), p. 1.
When I think of shame, I think of a 1973 Pontiac. It was one of the ugliest cars I have ever seen, but it was a means of transportation for a friend. The car ran even worse than it looked; some would have said it should have been in “intensive care” while others would have thought its proper place was the morgue. It would barely run, and when it did, it backfired often sounding a little like the car in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” only this engine sounded more like: “Put put put, bang!” I drove the car to my house to have the use of my tools, pacing myself carefully to avoid stopping at traffic lights.
In the process of taking the car to my house, I needed to pick up two of my daughters at their school. My friend drove my car, just behind my two daughters and I in the Pontiac. As we drove past the school, where a number of the girls’ friends were still outside, the car faltered, then sputtered, and suddenly backfired. Instantly, without a word spoken, both girls ducked down, laying on the seat, hoping upon hope no one had even so much as seen them riding in that car. It was a horrible embarrassment to them. They were ashamed.
All of us have had a time in our lives when we were deeply ashamed, and we may or may not have had the luxury of being able to hide. There are a number of Christians who are ashamed of the gospel. It is not a new problem nor is it a rare one. Paul found it necessary to write Timothy twice, and it is very evident that this young man struggled with being ashamed of the gospel (see 2 Timothy 1:8, 12, 16). Even though he traveled with Paul, he still was tempted to “keep a low profile” as a Christian.
While it is not stated in our text, it is very likely that some of the Roman Christians were ashamed of the gospel. Christianity was becoming less and less popular in Rome. It would not be long before Rome would burn to the ground, and the Christians would be blamed for it. Soon, the Christians would be fed to the lions before cheering crowds in the coliseums of Rome. And because of its association with Judaism, the church was probably already under suspicion. How easy it would have been for the Roman Christians to become less vocal and less visible about their faith in Jesus Christ.
But it was not so with Paul. We see Paul’s first major argument in Romans introduced with these words:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16).
What was it that caused Paul to be so bold about his faith? What was the difference between Paul, who was not ashamed of the gospel, and others, even Timothy, who struggled with shame and timidity? Paul tells us in this section: the gospel itself is the key to Paul’s boldness. The gospel was not only Paul’s message, it was his motivation. As Paul expounds it in Romans 1-3, let us take a closer look at the gospel, which not only results in the salvation of sinners, but in the boldness of those who believe, both in their lives and from their lips.
Romans is not as easy to divide neatly into sections as one might think. Often, a verse or verses may serve as the conclusion to a preceding section while also introducing the next section. We see an example of this in Romans 1:15. Typically, Romans 1:1-15 is set apart as the first section of the epistle, with 1:16-17 then understood as the “theme of Romans.” Romans 1:18–3:20 would then be the first major argument of the book, describing the sinful condition of all mankind, which demonstrates the need for a salvation independent of man’s merits. Usually, chapter 1 is seen as Paul’s demonstration of the “sins of the Gentiles,” while in chapter 2 he turns to the “sins of the Jews.” There are reasons for viewing these verses this way, but there are also some problems and limitations in doing so.
Allow me to begin with a slightly different outline, one that does not even follow exactly the structure I suggested in our first lesson. Note the overlap of verse 15 in this outline:
(1) Paul’s relationship to the Romans (1:1-15)
(2) An explanation for Paul’s eagerness to evangelize at Rome (1:15–3:26)9
In our first lesson, we sought to gain an overview of the entire Book of Romans with the purpose of determining Paul’s main emphasis and the way in which this is communicated and developed. We also attempted to identify some of the features and emphases of Romans which have had a dynamic impact on men and women throughout the ages of the history of the church. As we first looked at Romans as a whole, in the next several lessons we will devote ourselves to getting a feel for each of the major segments of the Book of Romans and attempt to identify the major thrust or point of each section, along with the way in which Paul develops his point. At the end of our introductory study of these sections, we will turn back to the beginning of Romans and begin a more detailed, verse-by-verse study.
Paul’s greeting, recorded in verses 1-7, beginning with, “Paul, a bond servant of Christ Jesus, …” and ending with, “Grace to you and peace from God, …” is the longest of all his greetings in any of his epistles. In this greeting can be found clues to that which Paul will emphasize in the body of the epistle.10 Important here, I believe, is the fact that Paul explains the bond which he has with these Roman saints, even though he has not yet visited Rome. It is the reason for his eagerness to visit them and the reason for his writing this epistle. Paul was called to be an apostle (1:1). He was set apart for the gospel and for its proclamation among the Gentiles (1:5). The gospel is not unexpected nor distinct from God’s dealings with Israel (1:2-3), although it was fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ (1:3-4). It was a gospel which was to result not only in a profession of faith, but in the practice of faith, in the “obedience of faith” (1:5). The Roman saints were, by and large, Gentiles, and thus they fell within Paul’s calling. He was called to bring Gentiles to faith, and these Gentiles had come to faith. Here was a common bond between them.
Paul wanted to visit these saints and to have fellowship with them. He looked forward to the encouragement they would give him, and he was also eager to minister to them. While Paul had not been the instrument through whom these saints had come to faith, he still felt an obligation to them. Since preaching the gospel was to result in far more than a profession of faith, Paul was eager to visit the church in Rome and to proclaim the gospel to them (1:8-15). He had attempted to visit them before but was prevented until now. He was planning to visit them in the future, and his letter was a kind of introduction to the ministry among them which he hoped to have.
Verse 15 begins with the word, “thus,” informing us that it is a conclusion, a summation of what has gone before. Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles, and many of the Roman saints were Gentiles. Paul was writing these saints, just as he hoped soon to visit them and minister to them in person. To sum it all up, Paul was “eager to preach the gospel” to the church in Rome.
Verses 16, 17, and 18 each begin with the word, “for,” which informs us that we are about to hear an explanation of Paul’s statement in verse 15. In verses 16 and following Paul intends to explain to his readers just why he is eager to preach the gospel in Rome. In verse 16 Paul tells us he is not ashamed of the gospel—indeed he is eager to proclaim it—because the power of God works in and through the gospel in such a way as to save men. (This salvation is for Jews and Gentiles, and it is a salvation which is obtained by faith.) The gospel is not a cause of shame, but the cause of confidence, for it is mighty to save because God’s power is at work in it.
Verse 17 provides us with yet another reason for Paul’s eagerness to preach the gospel: the gospel is not only that through which God works so as to save men; the gospel is that through which God’s righteousness is revealed to men. The gospel reveals not only God’s power to save, but His righteousness in saving men. As Romans 1:18–3:20 will show, God is shown to be righteous in His condemnation of all men as sinners. As Romans 3:21-26 indicates, God is likewise shown to be righteous in the way He has provided a righteousness for men, a righteousness that is obtained not by works but by faith.
As Paul starts to systematically expound the gospel, he begins by demonstrating the universal sinfulness of all mankind, Jews and Gentile alike, without exception, and without distinction. It is man’s unrighteousness which requires God’s righteous judgment. It is man’s lack of righteousness which necessitates the provision of righteousness apart from human merit or works.
Four things become apparent when we begin to study the sinful condition of man as described in Romans 1:18-31.
First, there is a panorama of sin described. There are various types of sin described, showing the infinite variety and variation in man’s sinfulness. Not all sin takes the same forms nor manifests the same symptoms. Sin is much like cancer; it is deadly, and it can infect any part of the body and in a variety of forms. Three categories of sin seem to be described by Paul in Romans 1:18-31. The first category manifests itself in idolatry (1:18-23). The second category manifests itself in unnatural immorality, in perversion (1:24-27). The third category manifests itself in self-righteousness, in pride, and in an infinite array of evil deeds (1:28-31).
Second, there is a pattern evident in sin. While sin manifests itself differently in men, the way sin grows reveals a common pattern, a common pathology. In each of the three examples which Paul gives of the sinfulness of man, the sin is described as beginning with the rejection of some revelation concerning God. In the first category, God’s nature is revealed to all mankind by creation. God’s “eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen” (1:20). In the last case, God’s righteousness is revealed by the Law of God, even more clearly than that revealed by creation (1:32; 2:1-29). The revelation which God has given to men is rejected by men in every case. What has been revealed to men about God is rejected by men. That revelation is replaced or exchanged (1:23, 25, 26) for that which is untrue, that which is false. Man’s rejection of the truth is due to sin (see 1:18), and it also results in even greater sin. When men reject the revelation and exchange the truth for a lie, God “gives them over”11 to their sin, which results in even greater evil-doing.12
Third, there is some kind of progression evident in Paul’s description of man’s downward plunge in sin. Things seem, in some ways, to go from bad to worse. For example, Paul seems to move from the present consequences of sin (“the wrath of God is being revealed,” 1:18, NIV) to the future, eternal judgment of God on sin (“you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,” 2:5). Paul seems to show a progression from those who are unrighteous to those who are self-righteous (in human terms). Those first described reject God’s revelation; those last mentioned actually affirm and profess to accept God’s revelation in the Law. The first group sets their worship of God aside, so to speak, choosing to worship created things in His place. The last group actually takes God’s place themselves. While God is described by Paul as the Judge of the earth, Paul indicts those in chapter 2 for setting themselves up as judges.
It is necessary to point out who is at the “bottom of the barrel,” those who are the most guilty of those mentioned. It is not the heathen who have only the natural revelation of the creation. It is not those who are guilty of perversion, as serious as this sin is. The most guilty are those who know more about God than the others, but who do not obey, worship, nor serve Him, in spite of all that they know about Him.
I have heard it taught that the expression “God gave them over” means, “God gave them up.” Usually, the group of those who are “given up” are the homosexuals. Some would have us think that these folks are beyond help, beyond salvation. Paul does not teach this nor does the Scripture suggest this anywhere. Indeed, Paul speaks of those who have been saved from such sin (see 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). The expression “God gave them over” does not mean that God has given up on saving such sinners. The point of this section is not to show that some men are “unsaveably” lost, but that all men are universally lost. But the grace of God and the work of Christ is greater than all our sins. Thus, while men are given over to sin, they may also be delivered from their sin.
I believe that being “given over” to sin may actually be an evidence of the grace of God, as well as an evidence of His wrath. Being “given over” to one’s sin may be a part of the process by which God saves men from their sins. The prodigal son, for example, was “given over” to his sin, so that in the pig pen he would “come to himself” and return to his father for forgiveness. Those who seem to be in the greatest peril are those who are sinners but who are not “given over” to the grossest manifestations of sin. Thus, in 2:1-5, Paul addresses those who think they are better than others, who think of others as sinners and of themselves as righteous. The great danger for those whose lives are relatively successful and trouble-free is that they believe this is an evidence of their righteousness and of God’s resulting favor. Paul warns such people that the “riches of His kindness” are really His “forbearance and patience,” which should “lead them to repentance” (2:4).
As I read through the pages of the gospels, I see that the sinners, those who have been “given over” to their sins, are those who come to Jesus for help, for healing, and for forgiveness. It is the righteous who shun Jesus and who stay away. They believe they do not need mercy nor grace, because they believe they are worthy objects of divine favor. How wrong they are!
Fourth, there is the appearance of two categories of sinners: the Jews and the Gentiles. Actually, there is only one category for sinners, and all of mankind falls into this category, whether Jew or Gentile. So too there will only be one category of the righteous into which men will enter through faith in Jesus Christ, whether Jew or Gentile.
I have often heard it said (or have read) that Romans 1 demonstrates the sinfulness of the Gentiles, and that Romans 2 demonstrates the sinfulness of the Jews. There is an element of truth here, but there is also a great deal of inaccuracy to such a statement. Notice that Paul does not find the Gentiles guilty of one kind of sin and the Jews guilty of another. Paul indicts the self-righteous Jew for doing the very same things he himself condemns, of not doing the very things he teaches others to do. In his concluding summary of Romans 3:10-18, where Paul gathers together a collection of Old Testament texts (mainly from the Psalms) to show the sinfulness of man, Paul makes no distinction between those who are Jewish sinners and those who are Gentile sinners. Indeed, Paul makes a point of saying that there is “no difference” (Romans 3:9).
Somewhere in the course of this study a very important fact came to mind, one which has never been so clear to me before. THE MAJORITY OF THE JEWS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT DID NOT BELIEVE THEIR WORKS WOULD MAKE THEM RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD. MOST OF THE JEWS WERE NOT REALLY LEGALISTS, IN REALITY. It was only a small group of Jews who were legalists, who thought that by their good works they could obtain righteousness. This small group of legalists was the Pharisee party. THE MAJORITY OF THE JEWS THOUGHT THEY WERE WORTHY OF GOD’S BLESSINGS BECAUSE OF WHO THEY WERE, NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY DID. The Jews basked in the glory of their calling. They thought God chose them for blessing and that all others (the Gentiles) would get His eternal wrath. Paul exposes this mentality in his rebuke of Peter: “We are Jews by nature, and not sinners from among the Gentiles” (Galatians 2:15).
The Jews thought of sinners in terms of nationality, in terms of race, not in terms of conduct. The label “sinner” was synonymous with the term “Gentile.” Gentiles were “sinners”; the Jews were “righteous.” The Gentiles deserved God’s wrath and did not deserve God’s grace (see the Book of Jonah for a dramatic example of this mindset—Jonah being typical of the mindset of the Jews). The Jews, however, deserved God’s favor and did not need to worry about His eternal wrath, which was for sinners.
The fact was that the Jews believed God dealt with them on an entirely different basis than He did the Gentiles. God, they believed, had chosen the Jews as the objects of His favor and the Gentiles as the objects of His wrath. Being a Jew was sufficient grounds for God’s blessings; being a Gentile was sufficient grounds for His wrath. If God were to bless any Gentiles, they had to become Jews, proselytes. That was the way most Jews seemed to view the matter of God’s blessings and God’s judgment.
The Jew did not wish to be judged according to his works, but only according to his parentage. “We are the children of Abraham” was their cry. Their possession of the Law was proof to the Jews of their favored status. The fact that the Gentiles did not possess the Law was evidence of their rejection. While the possession of the Law was vitally important to them, the practice of the Law was quite another matter. Therefore, there were few legalists among the Jews—those who believed that by keeping the Law, without failure, they could merit God’s blessings. There were many, however, who felt that being a descendant of Abraham was their ticket to heaven, all they needed for God’s blessings.
Let me attempt to illustrate how this mindset actually undermined obedience to the Law. The same kind of attitude and action is a constant temptation to those who are commissioned to enforce the law—to be policemen. Over a period of time, a police officer can become very rigid in the way he enforces the law. He may hold to the very “letter of the law” when it comes to the offenses of others. But he (or she) can easily become lax about his own obedience to the law. While in seminary, I had the opportunity to ride with a policeman. He was a very nice fellow and a conscientious officer. But I noticed he was not as careful to stay within the speed limit as I was, for example. Who would arrest him? One of his friends, his fellow-officers? Not likely. And so it is that those who view themselves as the possessors of the law, and its enforcers, can become lax as to their own obedience to it. So it was, I believe, with the Jews.
And this is precisely why Paul indicts those who felt they possessed the Law13 and who sought to hold others to it, yet without obeying it themselves (chapter 2). Beginning with the first words of chapter 2, Paul turns to the self-righteous Jews, stunning them with his indictments. He has paved the way for this, but they did not seem to see it coming.14 Now, Paul’s charges fall on his readers like a ton of bricks.
But why would Paul come on so strong against Jews if his readers are primarily Gentile? I believe this can be answered from the context of the entire New Testament. The Jews continually sought to “Judaise” the church. Many, if not most, of Paul’s warnings and corrections were those pertaining to Jewish errors and distortions of the truth. By speaking so strongly on this matter, Paul shows this mindset to be evil, and thus he sets about to correct it. The Judaisers must have lost a great deal of their influence with the arrival of this epistle. And when a Jew wrote it, it may have had an even greater impact.
In laying down his indictment, in condemning the Jews as well as the Gentiles, Paul found it necessary and proper to specify, in print, the basis for divine judgment:
But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God (Romans 2:5-11).
The basis on which all men are judged by God is their works. Those who practiced righteousness could expect God’s blessings. Those who did not practice His righteousness, but who practiced unrighteousness, could expect God’s judgment. On the basis of this standard, no one could be found righteous, and all mankind falls under the condemnation of a holy God. Judged according to their practice, all men fail to meet God’s standard of righteousness.
There is none righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10).
In judging men this way, the righteousness of God is seen in two ways. First, God is righteous in holding all men to His standard of righteousness and in condemning all who fail to meet the standard. Second, God is righteous in judging all men without partiality, without showing favoritism. If God condemned the Gentiles but blessed the Jews, He would be unjust, because neither the Jews nor the Gentiles are righteous and have earned His blessings. When God condemns Jews and Gentiles alike, both according to their works, He is seen to be a just Judge.
While God judges Jews and Gentiles by their deeds, He is also seen to be fair in dealing with men differently. There is a world of difference between judging men with partiality and judging men differently. Not all men have the same revelation of God, and thus it would not be fair to judge all by precisely the same standard. God judges all men on the same basis, and He also judges all men on a different (individual) standard. The standard is that knowledge which men possess which governs their practice. The Gentile, who does not have the Law, is not judged by the Law, but rather in accordance with the revelation he has received (see Romans 1:18-32). The Jew, who possesses the Law, is judged by what he has learned from the Law (Romans 2:12-24).
It is not the possession of the Law which makes one righteous, but the practice of the Law. The Law did not make any Jew righteous. Though they boasted in the Law, though they taught it to others, though they condemned others by it, no Jew ever fulfilled its requirements. Thus, the Jews, like the Gentiles, failed to attain righteousness by their works. A man’s works are always sufficient to condemn him, but they are never sufficient to make him righteous.
The Jews took great pride in circumcision. Circumcision was a sign to the Jews that they were under the Law, that they placed themselves under the Law of Moses. Paul closes out chapter 2 by showing that in the light of the Jew’s failure to fulfill the Law, circumcision was of no advantage to them. The right of circumcision was only of value if one could keep the law. But since no man could keep the Law, circumcision without obedience to the Law was worthless. As a token of faith, circumcision had great meaning. As a token of one’s efforts to please God by law-keeping, it was worthless. And since physical descent from Abraham was of no help in earning righteousness, circumcision was of no help in identifying one as a Jew, a son of Abraham, either (2:25-29).
These words came as a severe blow to the pride of the Jews. If being a Jew, being circumcised and possessing the Law, did not give the Jews an edge on the Gentiles, if it could not make them righteous, what good were these things? What was the advantage of being a Jew in the first place? This is the question which Paul raises first in chapter 3. Being a Jew is a great privilege, for God chose the Jews to be His instruments through whom His Word was revealed. They were privileged to be used of God, but they were not privileged to be dealt with on a different basis than the Gentiles. How blessed to be used by God. What a privilege!
“But,” Paul continues, “if the nation Israel was found to have many sinners in its ranks, what does this say about God and His faithfulness? Does the sin, the condemnation of Jews, not reflect badly on God?” Not at all, for this was all a part of the plan and purpose of God. It was not God’s intention to make a believer of every Jew. As Paul will later spell out, it was only His plan to preserve a small remnant, through which His plans, purposes and promises could be fulfilled (see Romans 9-11). God is faithful regardless of man’s infidelity. God’s character is not contingent upon man’s character. God is found to be righteous by His condemnation of sinners, just as much as He would be by His rewarding of the righteous (Romans 3:4).
Another objection is raised by Paul in verse 5 of chapter 3: “If man’s unrighteousness proves God to be righteous, then isn’t God benefiting at man’s expense? Can such wrath toward sinners be righteous on God’s part?” Paul makes it clear that such a profane question is only for the purpose of clarification. If God were unrighteous, as implied, He could never judge the world.
There remains one final objection spelled out in verses 7 and 8: “If God is shown to be righteous by His condemnation of me and my sin, why does He still judge me?” The thought seems to be this: God is gaining glory at my expense. If God comes out ahead in the deal, then why does He still intend to follow through with my judgment? In fact, why should I not be free to think that in such a case God’s lot would be even better if I actively pursued sin? The more I sin, the more righteous God appears. Therefore, I might as well multiply my sin. Such a response is so evil, even on its face, that Paul simply replies, “Their condemnation is just” (Romans 3:8).
Now it is time for Paul to sum it all up. When men are judged by what they do with what they know, all men fail to meet God’s standards of righteousness. All men, whether Jews or Gentiles, are found to be under the divine sentence of condemnation. And so, in summation, Paul cites a series of Old Testament quotations, all of which point to the universal sinfulness of men, Jew and Gentile.
as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,” “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”; “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”; “THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, AND THE PATH OF PEACE HAVE THEY NOT KNOWN.” “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES” (Romans 3:10-18).
Then, in his own words, Paul sums up the matter:
Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:19-20).
The Law, in which the Jew boasted and the possession of which the Jew took for righteousness, is not able to make any man righteous but only to show him unrighteous. The Law points out the need for righteousness, but it does not provide that righteousness. The Law spells out those works which a righteous man would do, but it did not enable sinful man to do them. The Law is a wonderful standard, but the Law can only show men need to be saved. The Law, like an x-ray machine, can point out the problem, but it cannot make men well.
After such depressing news, Paul now points to the good news of the gospel. What men could not do, and what the Law could not do for men, God did in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21-26). The wrath of God had to be satisfied. God could not simply overlook sin; it had to be judged. And so God provided men with salvation in such a way that He demonstrated His righteousness and satisfied His wrath, all at the same time.
Jesus Christ, God’s Son, came to the earth, adding humanity to His deity (Romans 1:3-4), so as to be qualified to die for the sins of men. Because He was perfect, without sin, His death was for no sin of His own. In punishing Jesus, God’s wrath toward the sinner was satisfied. All of the sins of those who believe in Jesus, those who lived before Him, and those who live after, are punished in Him. And the righteousness which He possesses is offered to those who will believe in Him, by faith. What man could never do by his own efforts, God has done in Christ. Everyone who believes is offered the gift of salvation in Jesus. And because this offer is to all men, Jews and Gentiles, there is no partiality in God’s blessing. He will save all who trust in Jesus. In this way, God has made salvation available to all men and demonstrated His righteousness at the same time. Truly the gospel does demonstrate the righteousness of God!
Paul was joyful at the salvation of the saints in Rome. Bringing Gentiles to faith was his calling in life, as an apostle. Their salvation therefore was good news for Paul. He desired to visit them, to share the fellowship of a common faith and mutual ministry. He desired to come to them to proclaim the gospel. He was eager to do so, because the gospel is God’s mighty means of saving men. The gospel is also the revelation of God’s righteousness. His righteousness is seen in His wrath toward sin. God judges all mankind sinful, Jew and Gentile. His basis for condemning men is their practice of what has been revealed to them. The greater the revelation, the greater the guilt and condemnation.
The Jews were glad to pronounce all Gentiles sinners. They thought themselves to be God’s favorites, God’s “pets.” They possessed the Law of Moses, and they were proud of it. They taught the Law to others, and they condemned men by its holy standards. But they did not feel obliged to meet its standards themselves. They did not believe that God would judge them by their practice of the Law. They expected to be blessed because of their possession of the Law. They took pride and found their confidence in possessing the Law and in their circumcision, which was a token to them of their favored status. Paul, in showing God’s judgment to be impartial, and to be based upon what men did with what they knew, took all of this away. In doing this, every Jew, along with every Gentile, was shown to be a sinner, failing God’s standards, and deserving His condemnation.
Because all mankind is found to be unrighteous, under a divine sentence of death, God Himself accomplished salvation for men. He satisfied His holy wrath by punishing His Son, in the place of the sinner. In Jesus Christ, God offers men the righteousness which He requires and which men can never attain through their own works. All who believe in Jesus Christ are saved. In all of this, the righteousness of God is demonstrated.
There are several vitally important principles taught in our text which have great relevance to our own lives. Let me conclude by pointing out some of these principles and suggesting some areas of application.
Principle Number One: God does not judge us on the basis of who we are, or on the basis of how much we know about Him, but rather on the basis of what we do with what we know.
The Jews knew more about God than the Gentiles, but that did not mean they were righteous. In the final analysis, the Jews had the greater guilt because they had the greater knowledge, but they did not live in accordance with God’s revelation.
So far as divine judgment is concerned, God judges men on the basis of their response to His revelation, not just their receiving it. Men do not have to hear the gospel in order to be condemned. They have sufficient knowledge about God from the creation (see Psalm 19). Revelation requires our response; it requires our obedience. That is why Paul did not say that he was called as an apostle to bring men to a profession of faith, but to the practice of their faith, to the “obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5).
And so I must ask you this question, my friend. If only from what you have read from this message, you know enough of the gospel to be saved. What have you done with what you have heard? It is not enough to know that you are a sinner, and that your deeds render you guilty of sin before a holy God. It is not enough to know and to believe that Christ died for your sins, bearing your punishment and offering you His righteousness. You must personally receive the gift of salvation by placing your trust in Jesus as God’s provision for the forgiveness of your sins and for the righteousness you need to enter into His kingdom. If you have never trusted in Jesus Christ for your salvation, I pray that you will act on this offer now, that you will receive God’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life.
And for those of us who are Christians, this principle has some very strong words of warning. Many “Bible believing Christians” think that righteousness is more a matter of what you know than of what you do. Many think that if they possess a great deal of knowledge they are righteous before God, even though they do not practice the truth. God is more interested in what we do with what we have learned than in mere learning alone. May we practice what our Lord Jesus, Paul, and the apostles preached.
Principle Number Two: The Gospel assumes that men are sinners, condemned by their works, and unable to save themselves.
The gospel is only for those who are hopelessly lost. There is no one too needy, too sinful for salvation. There are many who are too good for salvation, not because of any weakness in the gospel, but because those who are righteous do not need forgiveness or divine grace. Self-righteousness is the most dangerous form that sin can take, for it is the fatal disease which seems to need no cure. The gospel is no gospel at all if it does not have, as its starting point, man’s utterly hopeless condition in his own sins. Those who are lost can be saved, but those who are not desperately ill and dying think they need no cure. There are those who think that the gospel should make much of the love of God but that the wrath of God should be played down. This is not the same gospel which Paul proclaimed.
Principle Number Three: There is no status among sinners, just as there is no status among saints.
The principles underlying divine judgment and salvation remove all possibility for any sense of pride or superiority. The Jews felt superior to the Gentiles, but such pride was foolish and ill-founded. The Jews, like the Gentiles, were sinners, condemned by their own sins. And just as there is no basis for pride among sinners, neither is there any basis for pride among saints. There is nothing which men can do which merits God’s favor or blessing. Salvation is made available to men on the basis of what Jesus Christ has done. We receive salvation by faith. And so the only basis for boasting is in Christ. He is exalted by saving men; men should be humbled by their sin and by their salvation. Status seeking is not only sinful, it is rooted in error and deception, not in the truth.
Principle Number Four: The Gospel is our motivation, as well as our message. The Gospel is not only the means of saving men, it is the means by which God makes his children bold to proclaim and to practice their faith.
Paul was saved by the gospel, as well as called to preach the gospel. He was eager to do this. If he could not reach the city of Rome personally, he would write these saints. He was not ashamed of the gospel, as some were, but was eager to evangelize. The key to his boldness was the gospel itself. The gospel is God’s means of manifesting His power, resulting in the salvation of men. The gospel is God’s means of revealing His righteousness to men. God’s righteousness is revealed in the condemnation of sinners and even in the pouring out of His wrath on His Son. His righteousness is revealed by the way in which He chose to judge men, as well as to justify them. God does not show partiality. He has no favorites. Only those who acknowledge their own sin and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ by faith are forgiven their sins and given His righteousness.
Paul was bold to proclaim Christ and eager to evangelize in Rome. The reason for Paul’s eagerness is to be found in the gospel itself and not just in Paul. The gospel is God’s powerful means of saving men. It is God’s means of manifesting His own righteousness to men. It is the only means whereby sinners can be forgiven and enter into God’s promised blessings.
No wonder Paul wanted to preach the gospel to the Romans. Our lack of boldness in proclaiming Jesus Christ to lost men is, in large measure, the result of our failure to understand the gospel, or to believe it. May God grant that our lives may be so dominated by the gospel, both in its message and in its motivation, that we become as eager to evangelize as Paul was.
Thus, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you … (Romans 1:15).
9 The fact of the matter is that the rest of the epistle explains Paul’s eagerness to evangelize (proclaim the gospel) at Rome. The gospel alone saves lost men, whose sins place them under divine sentence by the righteous God (Romans 1-5). The gospel alone requires and enables men to live righteously in a sinful world (Romans 6-8). The gospel alone explains God’s dealings in history with the nation Israel (Romans 9-11). And the gospel alone motivates men to serve and worship God (Romans 12-16).
10 We will look at this in much greater detail in our verse-by-verse exposition later on in our series.
11 For an interesting study of the use of this term “give over” elsewhere, see Romans 4:25; 6:17; 8:32; 1 Corinthians 5:5; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 4:19.
12 The results of being “given over” are often strikingly appropriate to the sins which caused them. For example, the sin of rejecting the revelation of God’s self-revelation seems to lead to practices which are unnatural, those which are perverted.
13 I was tempted to use the term “Jews” here, and well I could have. But Paul did not use the term. I think I know why he used the more generic term “man” (see 2:1, 3). Since God does not distinguish between Jews and Gentiles in the way He judges them, why should we make such distinctions? Paul begins his argument by making some distinctions, but only because this is the way his readers thought. When Paul concludes, he will speak of man’s universal condemnation in general terms, not racial terms. God is just because He does not distinguish between Jew and Gentile. The Jews were wrong because they thought that He did and thus they expected His favor, and they were lax about their obedience to His Law.
14 The Jews were just as guilty as the Gentiles of the sins condemned in chapter 1, which is precisely Paul’s point in chapter 2 (see 2:1-2). In Romans 1:32 Paul spoke of those who “know the ordinance of God” (1:32) but did not practice it, who even encouraged others to disobey as well.
I recently had the privilege of visiting an elderly man who was thought to be dying. When I arrived at the hospital, it was believed that he had only a couple of days to live. He was lying in his bed, almost asleep, when my wife and I entered his room. Unsure of how mentally alert and coherent he was or even if he would remember me, I introduced myself to him as though he would not know me. He was almost offended that I would think he had forgotten who I was. I was surprised when he said, “You remember that you have a job to do.” The “job” was his funeral. The last time I had visited him he requested that I perform his funeral service, and we had discussed his relationship with God and matters concerning his service. Most certainly he had not forgotten me, and he hoped that I had not forgotten him nor the job I had promised to do for him.
Knowing that he could be near death, and yet not knowing this for certain, I was reluctant to speak of his funeral as though it could be imminent. Choosing my words carefully so as to be honest and yet cautious, I responded, “Well, when the time comes, I’ll be glad to do it.” This delightful 95-year old man looked at me, not nearly as fuzzy in his thinking as I was in my speech, and replied, “Well, we don’t live forever, you know.”
What an encouragement the directness of this elderly man was to me as he faced his own death—and yet how unusual. I have seen many deny any thought or reference to death, even when death was imminent. I have watched a dying woman refuse to even talk with me about her death, blocking out her thoughts by reading movie magazines and talking of trivial matters as though she would live forever. Dealing honestly with our own death truly frees us, enabling us to go about our lives realistically and with hope, especially when we have come to faith in Jesus Christ, who is the Resurrection and the Life.
Our text in Romans deals with much more than death. The argument of the Book of Romans is not the development of one single idea; it is more like a musical composition, in that it is the development of a number of themes, all intertwined. A musical composition has a dominant musical theme, combined with other themes which accompany and complement the melody. Each of Paul’s sections seem to have a primary theme, which in that section becomes the melody line. The other themes are interwoven with the central melody, but in a subordinate role. In a musical composition, different melody lines emerge, and then subside, so that the final piece gives prominence to different themes at different times. So, too, in Romans. As the book unfolds, each of the book’s theme are strengthened and enhanced.
Some of the more prominent themes in Romans are: (1) the righteousness of God; (2) the sinfulness and condemnation of man; (3) the righteous shall live by faith; (4) the equality of Jews and Gentiles in Christ; (5) the distinct ways in which God has dealt with Jews and Gentiles in history; (6) the sovereignty of God; (7) the obedience of faith; (8) the role of the Old Testament Law, and (9) the relationship between faith and works. There are other themes as well.
In this particular section, the “melody line” is the theme of boasting. The prideful boasting of the Jews is rebuked in chapter 2 and shown to be without biblical basis in chapters 3 and 4. In chapter 5 Paul gives the Christian three legitimate avenues of boasting, all boasting in the Lord—in His faithfulness, in His love, and in the assurance of entering into the blessings of justification by faith which He has promised.
While chapters 4 and 5 dovetail to form one message, they each also have a unique emphasis, so that the two chapters can be seen in distinction to each other. Consider the following distinct points of emphasis:
|
Chapter 4 |
Chapter 5 |
|
Abraham and his children |
Adam, Jesus Christ, and their children |
|
Man’s required faith |
God’s faithfulness |
|
The basis of justification |
The benefits of justification |
|
Abraham’s resurrection faith |
Our resurrection faith |
|
Boasting denied |
Boasting defined |
Our approach to this study of the Book of Romans will cover the content of Romans 1-16 three times. In the first lesson, we looked at the Book of Romans as a whole. Now, in lessons 2-6, we are surveying Romans section by section:
|
Lesson 2 |
Romans 1:1–3:26 |
|
Lesson 3 |
Romans 3:27–5:21 |
|
Lesson 4 |
Romans 6:1–8:39 |
|
Lesson 5 |
Romans 9:1–11:36 |
|
Lesson 6 |
Romans 12:1–16:27 |
Finally, from lesson 7 on we will be studying Romans verse by verse, beginning with a study of Romans 1:1-17. My purpose in the present sectional overview (lessons 2-6) is to trace the flow of Paul’s argument through the entire Book of Romans, section by section.
As we survey Romans a section at a time, it is not possible to put the material together in a neat, sermon-like package. A sermon generally seeks to develop one theme. While this approach has its advantages, it simply will not do justice to Romans, and to the ongoing development of a number of important biblical themes. Thus, I find myself agonizing a great deal in my efforts to communicate my understanding of the argument of Romans. I have chosen to press on with our survey of the sections of Romans in this way: (1) To identify what the sections of Romans are; (2) to summarize the main thrust of each section; (3) to look at the section as a whole, noting the themes which Paul has woven together, and how they flow from the preceding section to that which follows; (4) to attempt to gain a sense of Paul’s emphasis; (5) to begin to explore the practical implications of Paul’s primary concepts.
Our purpose in this lesson will be to identify the major thought segments or paragraphs in this section of Romans (3:27–5:21). We will then summarize the main point which Paul is trying to communicate in each segment. Next, we will seek to trace the argument as Paul develops it. Finally, we will try to determine the main points of emphasis or principles conveyed by the passage as a whole, pointing out some suggested applications in the process.
In this we find ourselves in one of the richest portions of God’s Word, so let us proceed prayerfully, carefully, and in dependence upon God’s Spirit for illumination, understanding, and implementation (application).
The last verses of chapter 3 (27-31) serve as a transition, linking what Paul has just said in 1:1–3:26 to the following chapters. Three major questions are raised and only briefly answered. More complete answers follow in chapters 4 and following. Chapter 4 focuses our attention on Abraham, and specifically on his faith, a faith which is virtually identical with the faith of New Testament believers in Jesus Christ. Chapter 5 provides us with a fuller description of our justification, along with its present and future dimensions. In the last half of chapter 5, Paul draws our attention to two men: Adam and Jesus Christ, showing that the painful consequences of Adam’s sin have been overcome and even reversed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We can therefore outline our text in this way:
(1) Transition—No Basis for Boasting (3:27-31)
(2) Abraham—No Basis for Boasting (4:1-25)
(3) Boasting in the Lord (5:1-21)
This transitional paragraph follows up Paul’s teaching on man’s need for justification by faith. It proceeds to build on the doctrine of justification by faith in Jesus Christ to explore the nature of justification.
All mankind, due to their rejection of God’s revelation, have been given over to sinful practices, which are a manifestation of divine wrath. Jews and Gentiles alike fail to meet God’s standards, and thus are worthy of His wrath. When Jesus died at Calvary, He suffered the wrath of God, divine condemnation, which all mankind deserves. Every sinner, Old Testament or New, Jew or Gentile, is justified by faith in Jesus as their sin-bearer. In His death Jesus Christ satisfied God’s righteous anger (propitiation is the theological term for the satisfaction of God’s anger, see Romans 3:25), and He also offers justified sinners a righteousness which men could never merit or earn by their works.
Paul now raises three crucial questions in verses 27-31 to which he initially gives a very brief answer. In chapter 4, Paul will begin to answer these questions in much greater detail. The first question is found in verse 27, where the question of boasting is raised. Given the condemnation of all men, Jew and Gentile alike, and the fact that justification is based upon faith in Christ’s work and not our own works, how can any man find reason to boast on his own behalf? In chapter 4, Paul turns to Abraham, to show that even this saint of old was justified by faith and not by his own works. If Abraham could not boast, then how could any Jew boast because he was a descendant of Abraham?
The second question is found in verses 29: “Is justification by faith only for the Jews?” If so, then the Jews could boast in having something which Gentiles did not and could not possess. Paul’s answer is that salvation is offered to all men, whether Jew or Gentile, and that salvation is always based on faith. There is no distinction between Jew and Gentile in justification, just as there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile in condemnation.
In Romans 4:9-17, Paul uses Abraham to prove that even in Old Testament times, God did not save only the circumcised (only His “chosen people,” the Jews). Abraham lived before the Law had been given through Moses. He also was declared (reckoned) righteous on the basis of his faith and not as payment for his works. Furthermore, Abraham was not even circumcised at the time he was reckoned as righteous in the sight of God. We might say that he was saved as a Gentile. Can the uncircumcised be justified by faith, as well as the circumcised? Abraham was uncircumcised, and he was justified by faith. And so the answer to the question raised, and briefly answered by Paul in Romans 3:29-30, is given a more complete answer in chapter 4.
The third question, raised and answered in verse 31 is this: “If justification is by faith, apart from Law-keeping, then is the Law useless and worthless?” The answer is short and to the point: “Not at all! We affirm the worth and value of the Law.” The value of the Law of Moses will be spelled out in several different ways, beginning in Romans 4 where Paul tells us that apart from the Law, sin is not defined, and thus the men of those times were not charged with any specific sin. In order for sin to be dealt with and put away, it would first have to be defined. The Law performed this task well. This will be taken up in chapters 5-8.
Paul’s teaching from the life of Abraham in Romans 4 falls into three major sections:
(1) Abraham’s child: by faith, not works (4:1-8)
(2) Abraham’s “children”: by faith, not works (4:9-17)
(3) Abraham’s “children”: and resurrection faith (4:18-25)
In Romans 1, Paul virtually confessed to the Roman saints that the purpose of his letter was to “boast” about the gospel. He did not say this directly, but I believe this is what he implied. After all, to be ashamed is the opposite of boasting. If Paul was “not ashamed of the gospel” (1:16), then he was eager to boast of it. Elsewhere in this epistle (see 15:17), and in his other epistles (see 2 Corinthians 10:17; Galatians 6:14), Paul boasts only in the Lord and in that which He has accomplished. In Romans 2 Paul turned to those Jews who prided themselves because of what they viewed as their privileged position and chided them for boasting, first, in God, because they have the name “Jew” (2:17), and Second, in the Law (2:23). After showing all men to be sinners, under divine condemnation, judged or justified without partiality, Paul challenges man’s boasting by asking who could dare to boast (3:27). Men have nothing to boast in, at least before God.
Has Paul successfully demonstrated that men dare not boast in their own works, that all men are condemned by a righteous God? There may still be some who would attempt to boast in their ancestry. At least some Jews boasted in their physical descent from Abraham. In the Gospels we find them boasting in their identity as “the sons of Abraham” (Matthew 3:9; John 8:33, 39). And so, in chapter 4, Paul turns to Abraham. He begins by raising the question as to whether or not Abraham could boast in his works. If so, then justification by faith would be of no need or value. But if it can be proven that even Abraham could not boast in his righteousness, then none of his descendants could boast in Abraham either. If Abraham could not boast himself, how could any offspring of Abraham boast for being his offspring?
Abraham was not an exceptional case. Paul therefore also turned to Psalm 32, written by David, to show that David, like Abraham, understood that men were made righteous by God, through faith, and not by human effort or works. David’s psalm, based on his own experience, testified to his painful knowledge of man’s sinfulness. In spite of his great sin, however, David could rejoice as one of those whose “sins” and “lawless deeds” were forgiven. This was not by the doing of any good works or by law-keeping, but solely on the basis of God’s grace. Neither Abraham, nor King David, dared to boast about their standing before God as righteous men, for they had not earned it; they were reckoned righteous because of their faith.
Nevertheless, some Jews might still seek to squeeze a little pride out of their ancestry by convincing themselves that whatever the basis for Abraham’s righteousness, it was a righteousness available only to his physical descendants. Righteousness by faith, some Jews might argue, was available only to God’s chosen people, the “seed of Abraham.” Thus, in some collective way, the Jews had access to righteousness, while the Gentiles did not. Were this true, then the Jews would have some basis for boasting. Paul will make very short work of this kind of thinking.
Paul responds by calling attention to the setting and the circumstances of the occasion when Abraham’s faith was “reckoned as righteousness” by God (4:5). Abraham lived before the Law was given through Moses, so he could not be a Law-keeper. Furthermore, he was justified while he was uncircumcised. The promise of a son was first given to Abraham at the age of 75 (Genesis 12:4) and more specifically in a later appearance by God (Genesis 15:1-6). It was at this time that Abraham was said to have believed in God’s promise and that his faith was reckoned to him as righteousness. He would have had to have been no more than 86 years of age at this time (see Genesis 16:16). Abraham was not circumcised until after the birth of Ishmael, when he was then 99 years old and Ishmael was 13 (17:23-25). Nearly 15 years separated Abraham’s conversion from the time of his circumcision. And all of this time Abraham was a believer, justified by his faith. For Abraham, as for all believing Jews, circumcision was only an outward sign or symbol of the justification by faith he already possessed.
Abraham was promised that he would be a “father of many nations” (see 4:17). Paul here declares that he was not to be boasted in as a “father” in a mere physical sense; rather, he would become the “father” of anyone who, like him, exercised faith in God. Those who can legitimately claim Abraham as their father are those who have exercised the same faith. And so not all Jews are truly “Abraham’s children.”15 Likewise, those Gentiles who have trusted in Jesus Christ for justification are truly “Abraham’s sons.” As “Abraham’s seed,” these sons all look forward to the blessings which God promised to Abraham and to his “seed.” Truly he was the “father of many nations.”
Paul has shown Abraham to have been justified by faith and not works, and apart from the works of the Law or the ritual of circumcision. He has shown that those who are his physical descendants may not really be his children, while all those who have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are his children. Now Paul will conclude by showing just how close the relationship between Old Testament faith and New Testament faith really is. He will show that New Testament believers (Jew or Gentile) are not only linked to Abraham by faith, but that they are linked to Abraham by the same kind of faith—resurrection faith.
Abraham believed God’s promise concerning his “seed” and concerning God’s blessings through his “seed.” Initially, this meant Abraham must have a son. Abraham, by faith, believed he and Sarah would bear a son, even though they were too old to do so. On the basis of Abraham’s faith, he was reckoned to be righteous by God. But a number of years would pass before this promised son was born. Abraham and Sarah were up in years when the promise of a child was first given. They were “as good as dead” with regard to having children by the time Sarah actually conceived and gave birth to Isaac. For Abraham to believe that God would give him and Sarah a son was to believe in a God who could give life to the dead. This is resurrection faith, the same kind of faith which Christians must exercise today. As we see often in the Book of Acts (23:6-20), it was the resurrection which caused the Jewish unbelievers of Paul’s day such difficulty.
In Romans 4, Abraham has been used as an example of Old Testament faith in such a way as to show that the Jews cannot boast in their physical descent from this man. In order to be declared righteous by God, they must forsake any claim to Law-works or to a privileged status. They must, like Abraham, the uncircumcised saint, be justified by faith. They must recognize that both Jews and Gentiles can claim Abraham as their father if they have a resurrection faith, like Abraham’s. There are no grounds for boasting as a descendent of Abraham. The proper grounds for boasting will be laid down in chapter 5.
Another Melody Line
Before we consider the three categories of boasting Paul encourages, let us carefully note another development, another “melody line.” Until now, Paul has spoken mainly of our sin, of its resulting condemnation, and of the righteousness of God in condemning sin in men, and also in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, thus providing for man’s justification. Just exactly what justification involves has not yet been explained in detail. Paul will now begin to undertake that explanation, and he will continue to do so throughout the remainder of this epistle. By faith we have received justification, Paul has said. But so far, justification has been a kind of package, one which has not yet been opened. Now, in chapter 5, Paul begins to unwrap the package and to display the blessings and benefits of all that it contains.16 At the beginning of chapter 5, Paul describes the benefits of justification as “peace with God” (verse 1) and an “introduction by faith into the realm of grace” (verse 2), a realm in which we are firmly footed (“stand,” verse 2).
The theme of boasting is not immediately evident in Romans 5:1-21. This is because of the way in which the various translations of the Bible have veiled Paul’s references to “boasting” by their translations of verses 2, 3, and 11 of chapter 5. Below, you can see the different ways in which three of the major translations of the Bible have rendered the same term17 in the original text of Romans:
|
Reference |
King James |
NIV |
NASB |
|
2:17, 23 |
boast |
brag |
boast |
|
3:27 |
boast |
boasting |
boasting |
|
4:2 |
glory |
boast |
boast |
|
5:2 |
rejoice |
rejoice |
exult |
|
5:3 |
glory |
rejoice |
exult |
|
5:11 |
joy |
rejoice |
exult |
|
15:17 |
glory |
glory |
boasting |
In its various forms, the term “boast” is found 58 times in the New Testament. All but two of the verses in which the term is found are in the Pauline epistles (the other two are found in Hebrews and James). Of its 58 occurrences, the term is rendered “boast” (or “boasts,” “boasting,” etc.) 46 times. “Exult” is a rendering found only four times in the New Testament, three of which are found in Romans 5 (verses 2, 3, 11). Note from the chart above the ways in which the same term is rendered in three translations. In chapter 5, the NIV (“rejoice”) and the NASB (“exult”) at least translate the term in all three verses with the same English word; the KJV renders each of the three terms differently (“rejoice, glory, joy”).18
In his introduction, Paul has already expressed his desire to boast about God (by not being ashamed of the gospel, but rather wishing to proclaim it in Rome and around the world). He has also rebuked the Jews for boasting in their “Jewish distinctives” (the name “Jew” and the Law). Having shown that Abraham could not boast, because he was justified by faith, Paul has also prevented the Jews (who descended from Abraham and who boasted in him as their father) from boasting in being the “sons of Abraham.” Now, in chapter 5, Paul turns to those things in which a true “son of Abraham” can and must boast.
The three categories of boasting which Paul describes are introduced in verses 2, 3, and 11 by the term almost always rendered “boast” elsewhere, but here by the term “exult” (NASB; “rejoice,” NIV). We are to boast (1) in the “hope of the glory of God” (verse 2); (2) “in our tribulations” (verse 3); and (3) “in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 11). Viewed from the perspective of time,19 our boasting is future, present, and past. We can boast in the future, confident that we shall spend eternity enjoying the “glory of God.” We can boast in the present—even in tribulation—for it confirms our hope of the future and deepens our grasp of God’s love. And we can boast in the past, when Jesus Christ died and was raised again on our behalf, canceling out the effects of Adam’s sin and our identity in him. Let us now consider these three avenues of boasting.
Those who have been justified by faith may first of all boast in the glorious future which awaits them. This future is summed up in the expression, “the hope of the glory of God” (verse 2). In chapter 2, Paul spoke of the reward of the righteous as “glory,” “honor,” “immortality,” “and eternal life” (2:7) and “glory” and “honor” and “peace” (2:10). None of this was ever earned by man, for all mankind is justly declared to be unrighteous and thus unworthy of these blessings. Paul sums up what man has lost in chapter 3: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
That which all mankind has lost hope of gaining, due to sin, is summed up in the expression, “the glory of God.” And so now the benefits of justification are referred to as “the hope of the glory of God.” What men could never hope for because of sin, Christians may now boast in by being justified by faith in Jesus Christ.
Justification promises far more than “pie in the sky, bye and bye.” Justification results in a boasting in our present circumstances, even when they are grim and painful. Paul does not speak of “peace and prosperity” here, but of hope in the midst of adversity. Tribulation is not seen as the unusual experience of the few, but as the normal experience of the many. As he wrote elsewhere, “And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).
In Romans 5, Paul is speaking of far more than simply the adversity of rejection and persecution of fallen and unbelieving men to which he is referring in the passage above. He is speaking of the sufferings which are the result of living in a fallen world, as described in greater detail in Romans 8.
Affliction causes the roots of our faith to sink deep into the soil of God’s character and His promises. The trials of this life turn us toward God, and when we do turn to Him, we find Him faithful. The more we suffer, the more we must turn to Him in utter helplessness and dependence. The more He proves Himself faithful, the more confident we become of His faithfulness. And thus, the more sure our future hope becomes, because of His faithfulness in the hardest times of our lives (Romans 5:3-4).
For the Christian, adversities in life are the “test track” on which God’s work in us is shown to endure and on which He is shown trustworthy. Just as the automobile manufacturer puts their new products to the test, to show that they are roadworthy, so God puts His children to the test, to perfect our faith, and to prove His faithfulness. Present tribulation strengthens our faith and our hope of the “glory of God.”
Our hope is also strengthened in the present by a growing understanding and appreciation for the love of God (5:5-10). The Holy Spirit indwells the believer, and one of His tasks is His ministry of dispensing the love of God in our hearts. As we go about our daily lives, the Holy Spirit turns our attention to the love of God which has been poured out within our hearts. The basis of this love is the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf.20
God loved us “while we were yet sinners.” He did not wait until we were holy. (If He had, He would still be waiting). He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to the earth to identify with humanity by adding humanity to His deity. He died on the cross of Calvary, taking the place of the sinner, and bearing the penalty for sin, enduring God’s wrath. This is love of a much higher kind than men can comprehend. Few men would die for one who was righteous or for a good man, but no man would die for a reprobate. This Jesus did, as the expression of God’s love. And if God loved fallen men this much, how much greater His love will be toward His child! This reality is that which the Holy Spirit conveys internally to the child of God. The love of the Father is seen through the Son, on the cross of Calvary, and this love is conveyed by the Holy Spirit to the believer.
I have always been amused by the eagerness of the Jews of Jesus’ day to identify themselves with Abraham, to be viewed as his children. I have noted that none of these Jews ever wanted to be identified with Jacob (whom God named Israel, Genesis 35:10). Paul has shown in chapter 4 that any Jew or Gentile can be identified as a son of Abraham, but only by faith and not by works. Now, Paul turns to the matter of one’s identity and shows that it is a matter of one’s choice between two individuals, Adam or Jesus Christ, the “first Adam,” so to speak, or the “last” (see 1 Corinthians 15:45).
Did the Jews wish to boast in Abraham as their father, in such a way as to set themselves apart and above others? Let them go all the way back, to their first father, indeed, to the father of all men. Our righteousness cannot be derived from one of our forefathers, like Abraham, but sin is a different matter. The sinfulness of all mankind, Jew or Gentile, shows us that the problem of sin must be traced back to its roots. The roots of sin and death are to be found in our first father, Adam. It was his one sin which has resulted in the sinfulness of the race, and in death for all men. All men, by virtue of their birth, are the “children of Adam.” As such, they are under the bondage of sin and are subject to death.21
The gospel is good news because it offers men an exchange of identity. The federal government has a witness protection program. Those who enter into this program are offered a new identity, with their past wiped out. They can start life all over, regardless of what they were before. God has a far better offer: men may change their identity, from being a “son of Adam,” under sentence of death, to being a “son of God,” destined for eternal life. Men are what they are—sinners, subject to death—because of who they are, the sons of Adam. But no one needs to remain a son of Adam. By faith in Jesus Christ, any man, woman, or child can renounce their old identity in Adam, and become a son of God through Jesus Christ. This is the good news of the gospel.
Adam’s sin, and its consequences, were, in one sense, a type of what would happen in Christ, the “last Adam.” But on the other hand, his sin and its consequences were quite different in two ways. First, the work of Christ was much greater than that of Adam. Second, the work of Christ on man’s behalf was for man’s good, while Adam’s act was destructive. Adam committed one sin, and this brought sin and death on the whole race. Jesus bore all of man’s sins, and as a result He made salvation and life possible for all men, through faith in Him. Adam’s sin brought misery and death; Jesus’ sacrifice brought with it life and hope of the glory of God.
The Law had a role in all of this. The sins of men could only be “prosecuted,” as it were, if they were defined as sin. The Law was given to define sin, to cause it to be clearly seen, and thus even to increase. The increase was not to promote sin, but to deal it a death blow, through the work of Jesus Christ.
Let me conclude by pointing out some of the themes which I see Paul developing more fully in our text and then suggest some areas of application.
Beginning at Romans 1:18 and concluding in chapter 3 (verse 20), Paul has been showing man his need for a righteousness other than his own. The problem is man’s sin. Whatever revelation men have received from and about God, they reject, exchanging the truth for some other “truth” of their own making and more to their own liking. In Romans 5, Paul traces sin back to its roots, to Adam and his sin. In chapters 4 and 5, Paul also plays out the devastating consequences of Adam’s sin for all men—death.
Death will become a very prominent theme in the Book of Romans. Surprisingly, death is not nearly as prominent in the first three chapters as one might think. The theme of death22 is distributed in the following way, by a calculation of the number of verses in which the theme of death occurs.23
|
Death in Romans |
|
|
2 verses |
|
|
42 verses |
|
|
5 verses |
|
In chapters 4-8, the theme of death is a dominant one. This is because death is not only a problem for sinners, but for saints. The great tests of Abraham’s life were directly related to death. Abraham lied about the identity of his wife, Sarah, because he feared that men would kill him to marry her (Genesis 12:13; 20:1). The barrier to Abraham and Sarah having a child was the “deadness” of their old age (Romans 4:19-21). The ultimate test of Abraham’s faith was the command to sacrifice Isaac, his son—to put him to death, the one through whom all of God’s promises were to be fulfilled (see Genesis 22; Hebrews 11:17-19).
Death is a great problem for all men. The fear of death haunts all men (Hebrews 2:9-15, especially verse 15). Death is the last enemy which must be overcome before the kingdom of God is established (1 Corinthians 15:26). It is the “deadness” of our flesh which renders us unable to overcome sin (Romans 7:24; cf. 8:11). As the death and resurrection of our Lord are the basis for our justification, so we shall soon see that these are also the basis for our sanctification. It is for this reason than death is so prominent in chapters 4-8.
The need for justification by faith was a principle theme in Paul’s first section in Romans, the climax coming in Romans 3:21-26. Justification by faith eliminates all grounds for personal pride and boasting. Justification by faith has always been God’s way of making men righteous (chapter 4). In chapter 5, Paul begins to expand upon all that justification by faith provides. It not only provides men with the forgiveness of their sins, and with the righteousness of Christ, it gives them a certain hope of the “glory of God.” It also assures them of God’s blessings in the present, among which are a growing sense of God’s love, ministered to the saint by the Holy Spirit. After expanding upon the benefits of justification by faith in chapter 5, Paul will next move to some of the obligations of justification in chapter 6.
As his motto, Paul chose the words of the Old Testament prophet, Habakkuk, “the righteous man shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17; Habakkuk 2:4). Paul had also spoken of his mission to bring Gentiles to the “obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5). Faith is therefore one of the principle themes of the Book of Romans. Faith has been shown to be the only means of attaining righteousness, because by our works we only earn God’s condemnation (Romans 1-3a). Justification by faith is the way in which God can justly save lost sinners. Old Testament saints were justified (and lived) by faith, just as we are called to do. Both Abraham and David believed in justification by faith (Romans 4). Abraham’s faith, like ours, was such that it believed in God’s ability to do as He promised, even to the extent of bringing the dead to life. In Romans 6-8 we will see how directly applicable this is to our living by faith in the matter of our personal sanctification, for our bodies are dead so far as our ability to live righteously is concerned (Romans 7:24). We are as dead to living righteously as Abraham and Sarah’s were to bearing children.
Paul’s boldness and eagerness to preach the gospel are the result of his desire to boast in God and about Him. The Jews were entirely wrong to boast in themselves, in their identity as Jews and in their possession of the Law. Because all men are condemned by the Law of God, and because justification is by faith, and not works, there is no basis for boasting by men or in men. Our only ground for boasting is in the Lord. It is in our identification with Jesus Christ that we are justified. It is in our union with Him that we are released from our identification with Adam, with sin, and thus from our bondage to death.
Our boasting is related to the matter of our identity. It is not related in the way we would naturally think, however. The Jews saw Abraham as a celebrity, and thus they wanted to identify with him and to share in his glory. They wanted to boast in their privileged function as stewards of God’s revelation, the Law. They wanted, if possible, to glory in their own personal achievements. But in the final analysis, the identity of every man, woman, and child is tied to the first Adam or to the last Adam, Jesus Christ. Adam is our father. Because he sinned, we are stricken with this malady (by our own decision). Because he sinned, we find ourselves subject to death. Jesus Christ came to give us a new identity, by faith in Him. When we gain our new identity (from being “in Adam” to being “in Christ”), we discover that our boasting is now in God.
It does not matter what you think of yourself. The question is: “Are you in Adam (you got there by birth)? Or are you in Christ? Once you settle the issue of identity, you solve the problem of boasting. Men boast in their identity as unbelievers in terms of who they are or what they do. Those who have trusted in Christ boast in their identity in Jesus Christ, and they find no other grounds for boasting than Him—Christ and Christ crucified—because He is the One who has the glory. He is the One who is the glory, and He is the One in whom we boast and about whom we boast.
The glory which we seek, and for which we hope, is not our own glory, but the glory of God. God revealed His glory to mankind in and through His creation. We rejected His glory and exchanged it for those created things in which we wish to glory. We did not boast in God, but in the works of our own hands, and in our own wisdom. The gospel offers us a second chance, a last chance. By faith in Christ, the full and final revelation of God to men, we can be forgiven and justified. We can boast, but only in what God has done for us in Christ. We can boast in God’s promised future blessings, the hope of his glory. We can even boast in present adversity, for in our tribulations God’s love is manifested, and our hope is assured.
We find that it is not just the Jews who had an “identity problem,” which resulted in false boasting. Our own culture is bent upon establishing an “identity.” Self-image has become not only the explanation for what we are and what we do, but also the quest of men’s efforts, the focus of their attention. I must tell you, my friend, that the only identity that matters is your identity in Christ. No matter what you think of yourself, no matter who you think you are, you are a child of Adam, a sinner, condemned by God. The only identity in which you can boast is an identity in and with Jesus Christ. You can change your identity by simply trusting in the death of Jesus Christ on your behalf, and by accepting His righteousness in place of your unrighteousness. This is the good news of the gospel. And for this one act of faith, God promises not only justification, but peace with Him, a standing in His grace, the infusion of His love through the Holy Spirit, and the certain hope of His glory.
While sinful boasting is prohibited and foolish, godly boasting—that is, boasting in God—is most profitable, to us and to others. The more I ponder this thought, the more I see much of what Christians are commanded to do in terms of boasting. Paul’s preaching was really his boasting—in God. Evangelism, for all of us, is just that—boasting about God. Edification (the building up of fellow-believers) is boasting too. The only things which really build up the saints are those which focus men’s attention, devotion, and obedience toward God. Worship is yet another form of boasting, and corporate worship is Christians boasting about God together.
If our worship is not what it should be, if our proclamation of Jesus Christ as Savior (evangelism) is infrequent and timid, if our words and actions toward other believers are of little value, it may very well be because we are failing to boast in God. And our failure to boast about God may reflect a diminished appreciation of our justification and of the God who has accomplished it. If our heart toward God grows cold, our boasting will turn to shame.
I am beginning to see Paul’s teaching in Romans as being like a rock which is thrown into a pond. It enters in one place, then makes ever-widening ripples which eventually affects the entire pond. In biblical terms, I am reminded of these words of Paul found in his Ephesian Epistle:
For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, … that He would grant you, … that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19).
The gospel is so rich, so immense, simply because it is a reflection of God. Paul’s desire to “preach the gospel” is not simply a desire to repeat the same truths concerning salvation (as often seems to happen today), but a passionate desire to expose the Romans to the riches of the gospel, and thus to the glory of God, in all of its vast dimensions: its height and depth; its length and width. In the Book of Romans Paul takes those themes he has introduced at the beginning of his epistle, and returns to them, filling in more and more detail, and exposing the reader to the wealth which is in Christ. It is an inexhaustible wealth, and thus one into which Paul may probe more and more deeply. We are thus enriched by his labor.
I want to conclude by asking a few simple questions which are meant to encourage you to consider the application of these Scriptures to your own life:
(1) Where is your identity found?
(2) Upon what or whom is your self-concept based?
93) Where is your hope?
(4) In what, or in whom, do you boast?
(5) Are you a “son of Adam” or a “son of God”?
(6) Does adversity and tribulation deepen your love for and your trust in God?
(7) Are you finding the gospel of Jesus Christ and your riches in Him to be higher and deeper, wider and longer each day?
(8) May God use these inspired words of Romans 3:27–5:21 to enrich your life.
15 See Romans 9:6-9.
16 In chapters 6 and following, Paul will also point out some of the responsibilities which come with this “package” of justification. The sequence is significant, however, for Paul does not speak of the responsibilities of justification until after he has spoken of its rewards.
17 There are several different forms of this Greek root, which is typical. The same Greek root may be found in the form of a noun, a verb, a participle, an adjective, or an adverb. Thus, in order to do a thorough search of a term, one must search for the term in all of its forms. The root concept of boasting has three forms in the New Testament, and so my study includes all three forms.
18 It is understandable that translators would wish to translate the original term differently, since there is a great deal of difference between carnal “boasting” and “boasting in the Lord.” Nevertheless, if a different expression is used to translate the same original term, it would be very helpful to the Bible student to have an indication that the different renderings all are based upon the same original term. This would make tracking a certain theme (like boasting) less difficult.
19 One might also note in these three “boastings” that all three members of the Trinity are included.
20 The love of God the Father is manifested in the heart of the believer by the Holy Spirit, based upon the work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21 That we are subject to death because of Adam’s sin is seen by the fact that all men from Adam’s day to the time the Law was given through Moses died, and yet the Law was not in force and thus they could not be indicted for their sins. The only sin of which they could be guilty was to disobey the command given Adam, not to eat the forbidden fruit—and none of them sinned in this way. See Romans 4:15; 5:12-14.
22 This is only an approximation, based upon those verses in Romans in which the terms “death,” “die,” “died,” “dying,” and “dead” occur. There may well be other references to death also. My intention here is only to give a sense of proportion, to show where the theme of death is most prominent.
23 It should be pointed out that in any one verse, more than one term or reference to death may be found.
Some years ago I was asked by a couple to baptize their son. The young man had requested baptism, and his parents seemed eager for him to do so. As is our practice, the one who wishes to be baptized must first be interviewed. This is to make certain that the one seeking baptism understands the gospel and has come to a personal faith in Jesus Christ. It is also to make certain that this individual understands the meaning of baptism.
On this occasion, I did something I almost never do—I invited the young man’s father into my study to accompany his son as I talked with him. Usually I speak to children alone so that parents will not be tempted to prompt their child and so the child will not feel any pressure to please his parents. The mother waited for us in another room. I shall never forget that interview.
As usual, I first set out to put the boy at ease by asking him a few conversational questions, eventually coming to the critical issues. I said to him, “Suppose you were to die right now, and you found yourself at the gates of heaven. Suppose also that St. Peter happened to be the gate-keeper, and he asked you why he should let you into God’s heaven. What reason would you give Peter for letting you into heaven?”
The boy stumbled. He made a few feeble attempts to answer, but he really did not seem to have any grasp of what it meant to be saved. It was a very awkward situation. His father wanted to help his son out, and so I let him give his answer, which went something like this: “I would tell Peter that I hoped I had done enough good works and that these outnumbered my bad deeds, so that God would let me into heaven.”
At this point things became even more awkward, for I now realized that neither the boy nor his father truly understood the gospel. As simply and clearly as I could, I explained the gospel to them, much as Paul has explained it in Romans 1-3. By our works, we cannot earn God’s salvation or enter God’s heaven. Our works only condemn us; they can never save us. I told them that God has provided the way for us to get to heaven by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to the earth. Jesus died to take our punishment on Himself and to give us His righteousness. All we need to do is to admit that we are a sinner, deserving of God’s punishment, and to believe by faith that Jesus has been punished in our place and that His righteousness is now ours.
Even though they knew I could not baptize the boy at the next baptism, to my surprise and relief neither the boy nor his father seemed upset. Instead, they appeared to be almost excited. Wondering what I would say to the mother, we returned to where she was waiting. I was searching for the right words when the husband suddenly spoke up in a way I would never have expected.
“Wow,” he said to his wife, “did we ever flunk that test,” explaining to her that neither he nor their son had been able to correctly answer the question I had asked. And then he said to his wife, “Say, let me ask you the same question, dear. If you were to die right now and find yourself at the gates of heaven, and you were asked why God should let you in, what would you say?” Without a moment’s hesitation, she responded confidently: “Good works!” “Wrong,” the husband blurted out, “You flunked, too! You’re wrong just like we were!”
This father had come to understand that no one gets to heaven by good works. Unfortunately, his thinking reflects that of all too many people who suppose that heaven can be gained if our good works only outweigh or outnumber our sins. This is precisely the point Paul has made in the first three chapters of his Epistle to the Romans. On the basis of one’s works, no one can be pronounced righteous by God. Our works show all of us to be under divine condemnation and deserving the penalty of death. The righteousness which we cannot earn, we can receive by faith, because of what Jesus Christ has done in behalf of sinners.
For those who have been saved, who have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ, the subject of good works is still very important. If God does not save men on the basis of their works, does this mean that the deeds of the Christian do not matter? Can the Christian then live in any way he or she pleases, since we can never meet God’s standard of righteousness by our works?
The relationship between faith and works is an important one, and it is an issue which is presently causing Christians to disagree and debate among themselves. It is commonly known as the question of “lordship salvation.” The fundamental issue is the relationship between faith and good works. On the one side are those who wish to stress that justification is by faith alone, “apart from works,” just as Paul teaches (Romans 4:1-6). On the other side are those who insist that salvation is “unto good works,” just as Paul teaches (Ephesians 2:10). The fact is, both “sides” are correct, but each stresses one side of the issue more than the other.24
In Romans 6-8, Paul will turn our attention to the good works which should result from our justification. It is a very important matter we are about to consider. Let us listen well to Paul’s words on the relationship between faith and works.
We shall approach our text in the light of its context. Consider this suggested structure for the first eight chapters of Romans:
(1) Man’s sin and need for justification — Chapters 1-3a
(2) The nature of justification: its basis and its benefits — Chapters 3b-5
(3) Justification and the goal of righteousness — Chapters 6-8
God’s righteousness requires Him to condemn sinners and to reward the righteous. The problem with this is that all men are sinners, and that there is not even one who is righteous (3:10-20). In order to pour out His blessings on some and yet to remain true to His righteousness, God purposed and provided a salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. God’s righteous anger was poured out on Him, not for His sins, but for ours. God’s righteousness, in Christ, is offered to all men who will believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life.
Having shown man’s need for justification in chapters 1-3a, Paul moved on to the nature of justification in chapters 3b and 5. Justification is granted to men—reckoned to them—on the basis of faith, not works. Because of this, no man can boast in his standing before God as righteous. This “justification by faith” is the way in which God has always dealt with men. As examples, Paul spoke in chapter 4 of both Abraham and David who were justified by faith. Turning to the benefits of our justification in chapter 5, Paul gives the Christian three avenues of boasting: (1) our sure hope of “the glory of God”; (2) our hope in present tribulation; and, (3) our boasting in God through Jesus Christ.
The section we are studying in this lesson (Romans 6-8) contains three chapters. We can roughly summarize the section by chapters:
(1) The necessity of sanctification — Romans 6
(2) The impossibility of sanctification — Romans 7
(3) The certainty of sanctification — Romans 8
While this gives us a fair approximation of the flow of Paul’s argument, it is not as precise as it should be. Almost always, Paul provides us with clear structural clues to the way in which he has developed his argument. Such is the case here. The question, “What shall we say, then?” appears three times in chapters 6-8 (6:1; 7:7; 8:31). In the first two instances, his question is a misconception of Christian doctrine and practice, based upon an abuse of the truths he has just taught. In both cases, Paul’s response is a strong and immediate, “May it never be!” (6:2; 7:7). In the third instance, however, Paul himself speaks out in response to the truths he has just laid down, showing us the proper response to the provisions which God has made for our sanctification. The structure of our text can thus be summarized in this way:
(1) The necessity of personal righteousness — Romans 6:1–7:6
(2) The source of our problem and God’s solutions — Romans 7:7–8:30
(3) The appropriate response to these things — Romans 8:31-39
Identifying the message of this section, seeing how this fits into the argument of Romans thus far and how it prepares the way for what will follow will be our purpose in this lesson. We shall also try to determine exactly how Paul builds his case in chapters 6-8. We will seek to probe the application of the teaching of this section as we investigate the relationship between Paul’s teaching and our own lives.
I would hope that each of us, as we study this section, would move either from the casual view found in 6:1-2, or from the agony of chapter 7 (verses 7-24), to the confidence, joy and praise of 8:31-39. I believe this will happen as we turn our eyes from ourselves, others, and this fallen world (6:1–8:27) to God, His faithfulness, His love, His sovereignty, and His promises (8:31-39). May we find ourselves, at the end of this study, where Paul is found, exulting in God and caught up in His praises.
Paul’s emphasis in this section on the necessity of good works is not new nor did he intend it to come as a surprise. Paul has been laying a foundation for the doctrine of sanctification, beginning in chapter 1. In the introduction to this epistle, Paul told the Romans that his apostleship was not merely to evangelize sinners, but rather to bring about the “obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5).25 Having shown that justification is not the result of works, Paul will now set out to convincingly prove that justification was intended to result in good works.
At the conclusion of Paul’s discussion about Abraham’s faith, Paul spoke of Christ’s death as being related to man’s condemnation and His resurrection as being related to man’s justification (4:25). The final words of Paul in chapter 5 again point to that “newness of life,” which is to be the result of the work of Christ:
That, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 5:21).
Grace is seen to reign through righteousness, not through sin. Paul understood justification to result in righteousness, in good works, in the lives of those who have been justified by faith.
Paul has also prepared us for his teaching in chapters 6-8 by the questions he has previously raised. The matters which Paul now addresses have already been “put on the agenda” in the form of questions already raised. In chapter 3, Paul raised this question:
But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say), ‘Let us do evil that good may come’? (Romans 3:7-8a).
This question is now raised again (in only a slightly different form) by Paul at the beginning of chapter 6:
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? (Romans 6:1)
Does grace give the Christian license to live any way he or she pleases? Can the Christian keep living just as they once did as an unbeliever? The response, “May it never be!,” makes short work of such folly. But Paul will press on to thoroughly document why such thinking is inconsistent with the gospel.
There is yet another question, which Paul previously brought up, which is raised again in Romans 6-8:
Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law (Romans 3:31).
This is a very important question. And the answer to it is not well understood or even believed. Many Christians have concluded, because of the abuses of the Law of Moses, and because of some New Testament teachings concerning the Law (many of which are from Paul), that the Law is now utterly useless, and perhaps even evil. In Romans 6-8 Paul will show how the Law is set aside in one way, but he will also show the continuing beneficial role of the Law in several other ways. We dare not deny Paul’s teaching here, that the Law is established, not abolished, by the gospel. Just how that is true will be seen shortly.
Having established once for all that man’s works do not contribute to his “justification by faith,” Paul now sets out to show them to be a most necessary manifestation of justification. God does not justify men only to get them to heaven or to keep them from hell. God justifies us to make us righteous, not only in principle, but in practice. God hates sin, and in His holiness He must condemn sinners. When God provided for man’s salvation, He provided not only for his justification but for his sanctification as well. The necessity of sanctification is now taken up by Paul.
Chapter 6 begins with a question and a strong response:
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:1-2).
This question suggests several things which we must note if we are to understand Paul’s teaching here:
(1) Paul is not speaking in the realm of the theoretical, but he is bringing up a real problem. The danger Paul addresses here is a real danger.
(2) There are two major possibilities of error here, as I understand it. First, there may be those who would use God’s grace as an excuse for sin.26 We know this to be a real danger (1 Peter 2:16; cp. Jude 1:4). Second, Paul has already indicated that some enemies of the gospel (probably Jews) were accusing him and others of advocating living in sin, so that grace would abound (see Romans 3:7-8).
(3) Justification does not rid the Christian of sin altogether. Justification deals with the penalty of sin, but not its power. Paul’s words here certainly suggest that Christians still have a problem with sin. We will see from chapter 7 that sin still is a problem for the Christian. Justification is not the eradication of sin.
(4) Paul’s choice of terms27 indicates more than excusing a passive or occasional falling into sin, but an active pursuit of sin, over a period of time.
(5) There is the inference here that just as unbelieving men would distort the truth of God, exchanging it for a lie, so Christians will be tempted to interpret and apply the Scriptures in such a way as to excuse their sin. (Some of us are even so clever as to distort the Scriptures in such a way as to make our sin look like obedience to God’s commands.)28
I believe Paul raises the question about remaining in sin as strongly as he does for two reasons. First, it is because Paul and others were actually accused of teaching such practice (a legalist could understandably come to such a conclusion). Paul has already alluded to such charges in 3:7-8. Second, Paul knew that either this error was already held by some or that it would soon be. There actually was a danger that some Christians would adopt this position and practice. There surely would be false teachers who would advocate such heresy in the church (see Jude 1:4).
The structure of this subsection (6:1–7:6) is indicated in at least two ways. First, it is indicated by the subject matter. Each of the three paragraphs in this segment of Scripture have a distinct subject:
(1) Baptism — Romans 6:1-14
(2) Slavery — Romans 6:15-23
(3) Marriage — Romans 7:1-6
Furthermore, each of these subjects is introduced by the same question:29
(1) “Or do you not know?” — Romans 6:3
(2) “Do you not know?” — Romans 6:16
(3) “Or do you not know?” — Romans 7:1
In Romans 6:1-14, Paul’s first argument is that living in sin is entirely inconsistent with the gospel. Living in sin is the opposite of what justification is all about. Salvation is accomplished when the Holy Spirit baptizes a person into the person and work of Christ (see 6:3; 1 Corinthians 12:13). By this baptism we are joined with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Water baptism is but an “acting out” of that which has already occurred in our Spirit baptism. Paul now appeals to this baptism, what it achieved, and its implications.
Our union with Jesus Christ shows us that “continuing to live in sin” is outrageous, shocking, and detestable.30 If we, in Christ, died “to sin,” how is it that we could even entertain the thought of continuing to live “in sin”? Beyond this, in Christ, we were raised to new life. Jesus, by His resurrection, was transformed. He died once, but He now lives forever in righteousness. If we are in Christ, how can we persist in living as we once did as unbelievers? Our conduct as Christians should be consistent with what took place at our conversion.31 Continuing to live in sin is inconceivable, because it is inconsistent with all that took place when we were justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, Paul calls upon his readers to live in a way that is consistent with this reality, so that sin must no longer be allowed to reign over us. Instead we should present our bodies to God as instruments of righteousness.
The second argument which Paul gives for ceasing to live in sin is found in Romans 6:15-23.32 Those who would advocate “living in sin” would do so under the banner of “liberty.” Paul refutes this error by raising the banner of “slavery.” “Freedom,” Paul argues, is a misnomer. In reality, everyone is a slave and must choose one of two masters. Unsaved men are the slaves of sin. They have no choice, though they think of themselves as free (this is a part of Satan’s deception).
One’s choice to become a slave can be either conscious or unconscious. To continue to present oneself to sin is to remain a slave to sin. Very few people choose to become drug addicts. They begin by sampling drugs, by dabbling with them. They think they are in control, but soon the drug controls (enslaves) them, and they are no longer free. So it is with sin. To dabble with sin is to become enslaved to it. And to be enslaved by sin is to put oneself on the road to death. Paul points out the two options, slavery to sin and slavery to God, with their very different destinies: death and life. Put in this light, remaining in sin is remaining a slave to sin, and pursuing death.
Paul’s third argument against “living in sin” is found in the first 6 verses of chapter 7. It is really just an extension or illustration of his previous argument, based upon the relationship between marriage and the law. A woman who is married is not free to remarry, because the law forbids it. Only death frees the woman to remarry another man. If her husband dies, she is freed by his death.
We have died, in Christ, so that we now have the freedom to choose a new master. While sin once ruled over us, it need not do so any longer. We are freed from the dominion of sin by death.33 Now, we can be joined to another—Jesus Christ. While the fruit of one’s union with sin is death, the fruit of one’s union with Christ is righteousness, resulting in life.
There is something very interesting and important about what Paul has said in verses 1-6 of chapter 7. The Law played a part in our bondage. But it was not the Law which was “put to death,” so to speak, we were put to death. The inference is an important one, for it is not the Law which is the ultimate problem; it is us. It is the weakness of our own sinful flesh. This will be taken up in the next segment of our passage.
For now, we can see that justification was never intended to serve as a license to sin. Justification has, as its goal, righteousness, which leads to eternal life. To think that one who is justified can continue to live as he used to is outrageous, inconceivable, and disgusting. Let no one dare to think such thoughts.
While the legalist is wrong in thinking that the Law is a deterrent to sin, the libertine would love to conclude that the Law is, itself, the problem. The libertine hates rules, especially God’s rules (see 8:7), and therefore he is eager to name the Law as the source of man’s problems. “If we could but pronounce the Law “evil” and could thus abolish the Law and rid ourselves of it altogether,” the libertine reasons, “what a better place this world would be.”
“Not so!,” Paul will object in Romans 7. The problem is not with the Law; the problem is with us. Romans 7:7-24 takes up the matter of the Law and the role it plays in dealing with sin in the Christian’s life. The question which Paul raises concerns whether the Law is, itself, evil. If the Law is the culprit, then we would best be rid of it. The Law of God is not evil to Paul, but “holy and righteous and good” (see 7:12). The Law34 of God, Paul has already affirmed, is not nullified by the gospel but is rather to be established by it (3:31).
Paul first affirms the goodness of the Law by pointing out its valuable role in defining and exposing sin (7:7). An x-ray is not evil because it reveals the presence of a tumor; neither is the Law evil because it points out sin in our lives. The Law performs a valuable function in this regard. Sin takes advantage of the Law and uses its own evil purposes. Sin actually uses the Law to create an appetite for sin. Sin takes the command not to covet and uses it to produce coveting of all kinds within us (7:8).
In his inner man, Paul agrees with the requirements of the Law. As a Christian, he desires to obey the Law, and he sees its demands as “holy, righteous, and good” (7:12). He desperately desires to do all that the Law commands and to avoid that which it condemns. And so, as a Christian,35 Paul finds the Law to be a good thing. His problem is that while he wants to obey the Law and to meet its demands, he finds that he does not and he cannot live within the Law even though he has the desire to do so. The “spirit is willing,” so to speak, but “the flesh is weak.”
The problem which Paul (and every other Christian, as well) experienced is the problem of the weakness of the flesh. Sin is extremely powerful, and the flesh is incredibly weak. The desire to obey God’s Law can be present, while the ability to do so is not. This leads to great frustration. In contrast to the apathy of the one who would “continue in sin” (Romans 6) is the agony over sin which others experience, an agony Paul has summed up in this way:
Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? (Romans 6:24).
As Abraham and Sarah were “dead” with respect to having a child (Romans 4:19), so the Christian is “dead” with respect to obeying God’s Law.
This is the dilemma of the Christian. Here is the root problem, the explanation for sin in the life of the Christian. The problem is not in the Law of God, but in my own weakness, the weakness of the flesh. Sin has the power to use good things, like the Law, to overpower the flesh of the Christian and to produce sin.
The dilemma of the Christian, described by Paul in Romans 7, is not unlike the dilemma of the non-Christian in Romans 1:18–3:20. Just as the unbeliever cannot produce righteousness by his own works, neither can the Christian. The difference between the Christian and the unbeliever is that the Christian actually desires to please God, but is not able to do so, while the unbeliever could care less about obeying God (see 8:7-8).
The solution to the problem of the “deadness” of the Christian’s flesh is spelled out in Romans 8. What the Christian cannot do in his own strength, God does. The solution to Paul’s problem in Romans 7 is found once again, at the cross of Calvary, in the death of Jesus Christ on our behalf.
The first problem which Paul deals with is the problem of sin and of its guilt. Justification takes place when a lost sinner turns to God in faith, believing in the person and work of Jesus Christ. But what provision is there for the sins of the saint, the sins to which Paul has referred in chapter 7? Paul tells his readers the good news, that the shed blood of Jesus has paid the penalty for all the sins of the believer. There is therefore “now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Being “in Christ” means that we are obligated to live our lives differently (Romans 6:1–7:6). We will often fail to do so, and in our own strength we will always fail do so. But being “in Christ” means we have no condemnation. The Christian will still sin; he will now (for the first time) struggle with sin, but he will not be condemned.
It is indeed good news to know that when we fail, as we surely will, that our sins will be forgiven. It is great news to know as well that God has provided the power necessary for the Christian to obey Him and to produce good works. The power to do this is provided through the ministry of the Holy Spirit:
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you (Romans 8:11).
Often, sin in the life of the Christian causes doubts. “How can I be a child of God and do what I do?” Another ministry of the Holy Spirit is to bear witness to our union with Christ, to bear witness to the fact that we are a child of God:
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him (Romans 8:16-17).
The Holy Spirit is, among other things, a “Spirit of adoption” (8:15), who testifies to our sonship. Our “sonship” is two-fold. It is a present sonship, in that we become a child of God at the time of our conversion (8:14-17). But there is a future dimension to our “sonship,” which is spoken of as well:
For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God … For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it (Romans 8:19, 22-25).
The “revelation of the sons of God” refers to that time when the kingdom of God will be established on this earth, when the earth will be transformed, and when sin will be removed (see Hosea 1:10, in context). This day is still future. And so we are, in one sense, “sons of God” now, but we will someday experience the full “sonship” which is yet to come. To this “sonship” the Holy Spirit bears testimony, from deep within us.
Because of the present “imperfection,” both in ourselves and in this fallen creation, the Holy Spirit performs yet another ministry. We, like the creation, find ourselves groaning in our own imperfection, and groaning for that perfection which is to come (8:22-23). Often, our groanings are inexpressible. We cannot even put words to them. The Holy Spirit does. He conveys these groanings to the Son, who “searches our hearts” and who intercedes for us with the Father (8:27).
And so in our own imperfection (Romans 7), and in the imperfection of this fallen world, we have God’s provisions for living in obedience to His Law, and for living in hope and joy, confident of forgiveness, of sonship, and of the certainty of His kingdom which is yet to come.
We have another comfort as well—the comfort of the character of God Himself. This is the final (and in many ways the ultimate) comfort for the Christian. It is the comfort of knowing that while we are fallen (albeit forgiven) creatures, living in a fallen world, we have a sovereign God whose plans and purposes will all be fulfilled. These plans have been formed in eternity past (“whom He foreknew,” 8:29) and they extend to eternity future (“these He also glorified,” 8:30). And these plans move on, from one stage to the next, without a hitch or a failure, and without the loss of any who are a part of that plan. All whom He foreknew, He predestined, and all He predestined, He called, and all He called, He justified, and all He justified, He glorified.
Do we live in a world which groans? Do we find ourselves fallible? We have every reason for confidence, for we are “sons of God.” His plans are not dependent on our perfection, our complete obedience, our sinlessness, to be realized. His plans include “all things,” including our collapses, including Satanic and demonic opposition (8:38), including every obstacle (8:38-39). God as easily uses opposition and failure to accomplish His purposes as He does our obedience. How, then, could we doubt the certainty of our sonship, and of all that God has purposed to accomplish? We can fail, but His purposes cannot. And since His purpose includes our glorification, we know that we shall experience “sonship” to the full, in His kingdom.
Twice before in this section, Paul has asked the question, “What then shall we say?” He then went on to suggest wrong answers, which needed to be corrected. But now, when he asks the same question, Paul gives us a response which should serve as the pattern for our response to God, for God has not changed, nor will He change. All that Paul has said of God is just as true today as it was when Paul wrote then. Let us look at the last paragraph of chapter 8, not so much as a text to study, but as an expression of the worship which God deserves, and which we should delight in rendering to Him.
Paul now draws together all of God’s provisions, along with the attributes of His sovereign power and love.36 When seen together, these attributes of God result in an undefeatable combination. God’s character is here viewed from the perspective of the saint, whose obedience is imperfect, and who lives in a fallen, chaotic, groaning world. Nevertheless, the One in whom we trust is the One who has purposed not only our salvation, but our glorification, not only our present “sonship,” but our full and final “sonship.” It is therefore impossible that God’s purposes and promises should fail. It is impossible that we, as His children, should ultimately fail to gain that which God has promised and for which He has made every provision.
The conclusion is simple and obvious. If God is on our side, who could possibly assemble against Him, and us, so as to defeat us? If God has already given up His beloved Son to save us, what will He not do, if necessary, to keep us? He has already made the ultimate sacrifice. If God does not condemn us (because of His Son), who is there who could do so? Who can separate us from God and from His love? While life will have its sufferings, its hardships, its persecutions, and its troubles, none of these will come between us and our loving God. And we will not merely endure; we will triumph, in Him. We will “overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us” (8:37). Neither the forces of nature, nor the combined forces of heaven and hell, can separate us from the love of God. What love! What power! What confidence! What security! What grace!
There is no better place to end a study than here, on our knees, in the praise of the One who saved us, in whose love and power we endure and conquer. Let us conclude this study by taking note of some important truths.
First, let me suggest yet another summary of this text. We have already summarized the message of Romans 6-8, but allow me to suggest another summation for your consideration. It views these three chapters in terms of the impossible. In Romans 6-8, three things are impossible:
(1) It is impossible to be saved and to continue to live in sin, as we formerly did.
(2) It is impossible to be saved or to live righteously in our own strength.
(3) It is impossible for the Christian, who will sin, to be condemned, to be separated from the love of God, or to thwart the plans and purposes of God.
Second, note the expanded role which the gospel plays in Paul’s writings. Unfortunately, to many the “gospel” is the preaching of “hell-fire and damnation,” occasionally to sinners, but more often to a church full of saints (at least those who think they are saints), who hear the gospel and delight in thinking they have arrived—after all, they have accepted Jesus as their Savior. The gospel is more than a message which God uses to save lost men and women—though it is that (Romans 1:16). It is one means by which God’s righteousness is revealed to mankind and the angels (see Romans 1:17). The gospel is that standard by which Christians ought to live (Romans 6; Colossians 2:6; etc.). The gospel also is the means by which we can live as saints (Romans 8). And the gospel is our motivation for the way in which we live (Romans 1). No wonder Paul wanted to preach the gospel to the Romans, even though they were saved people. We can never understand the gospel in its fullness. Thus we find Paul continually expanding the gospel, higher and deeper, wider and longer.37 The gospel is an unfathomable wealth of truth. It is a well from which every saint may draw, from now to eternity, without ever exhausting it. Let us ever draw from it!
Third, consider the implications of our text for the doctrine and practice of the spiritual life of the believer. The spiritual life (sanctification—godly living) is not seen as the “higher path” of the few, the committed, the dedicated; it is that path which is expected of every believer. Sanctification is the expected outcome of justification. We dare not excuse ourselves from pursuing this path. If we do, we will be very much like those who say, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?”
The spiritual life is not only required by God, it is enabled by Him. God does not require of His children that which He does not enable them to do. The Christian life is impossible, in the power of the flesh, but it is possible in the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who seek to rationalize their sins with the excuse, “I’m only human,” fail to grasp or to apply Romans 8. God expects us to live supernaturally, not by our own efforts, but through His enablement. Why is it that we Christians can only think of human ways to go about the Christian life and ministry?
On the other hand, expecting God to accomplish the miraculous in and through us does not mean that we expect or demand that God do the spectacular for us or through us. Notice that while Paul speaks clearly of this power, he does not talk of “signs and wonders,” or “spectacular gifts or phenomenon,” of those manifestations of the Spirit over which Christians disagree. He speaks of the power of the Spirit manifested through those who “walk in the Spirit” (8:4). He speaks of the ministry of the Spirit in convincing us of our sonship (8:14-17), of His ministry in communicating our groanings to the Lord Jesus (8:26-27). I am not seeking to prove here that the spectacular manifestations of the Spirit cannot happen in this age, but only to show that these are not the means Paul is speaking of which enable the Christian’s walk.
We know that all who are the “sons of God” are led by His Spirit. I urge you to take note of the fact that in this chapter it is emphatically stated that this leading of the Spirit is not only into tribulation and suffering and groaning, but also through it. The presence of the Holy Spirit is not the promise of prosperity and ease, but the promise of comfort and joy in the midst of our trials.
The spiritual life is not stimulated by thoughts of insecurity (such as losing one’s salvation), but by the assurance of our security, not due to our own efforts but due to the sovereignty and love of God. It is God’s faithfulness, not our own, in which we have absolute confidence. And it is in this confidence that we can stand and serve, with absolute certainty that what He has purposed, He will complete.
Our text makes it crystal clear that while God has fully achieved our justification through Jesus Christ, and while He rightly expects and is producing our sanctification, we will not be perfect in this life, nor will the world be perfected until that future time when the kingdom of God is established on the earth. For the time being, God’s provisions enable us to live with faith, hope, and love in an imperfect world, as imperfect Christians. God’s power and character are not a promise of present prosperity nor of present perfection.
God’s provision for the spiritual life—for our sanctification—does not include a set of rules, or of formulas. While Romans 6-8 is perhaps the most thorough exposition in the New Testament on the doctrine and practice of the spiritual life, there are few “how to’s.” We are simply told that we are to “walk in the Spirit.” How this will work out in our experience is something each of us must learn as the Spirit leads and enable us.
While there will always be those legalists about, who insist that an emphasis on rules is a deterrent to sin, Paul teaches otherwise. The Law actually increased sin so that it could be defeated by Christ on the cross (5:20). While the Law does not and cannot solve the problem of sin, the Law has a valuable role to play in the life of the believer. The libertine would love to throw the Law out altogether, but this is equally wrong. The problem we have with the Law is in our own weakness. And that problem has a provision: the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus, those who are “in Christ” are, on the one hand, freed from the Law (7:1-6), and on the other, freed to be able to keep the Law (see 8:4).
Finally, I want you to notice the change in focus in these three chapters. The focus was initially on man. The focus was on the obligation of men to live differently than they did before they were justified. The focus was on the utter inability of man to keep God’s Law and to live a holy life, due to the strength of sin and the weakness of his flesh. There is little that can come from this focus except frustration and distress, which is exactly what we find in Romans 7. It is only when the focus shifts to God, to His love, to His sovereignty, to His faithfulness, that we move from agony to ecstasy.
Why is it that even Christians seek joy and peace and fulfillment from within themselves? Why is it that we keep looking inward and backward (to our past and to the injustices done to us), rather than God-ward, upward, forward, to that which will surely come to pass, based upon God’s character, God’s purposes, and God’s promises? It is in God that we find justification, sanctification, and sonship. It is in God that we find confidence and joy. It is in God that we rejoice. It is in God, and God alone.
May we not step away from this text without joining Paul, one more time, in worship and adoration. To God be the glory, great things He has done, great things He will do!
24 One of the interesting features of the Book of Romans is that when there are two sides to a coin, Paul stresses both sides, and usually in close proximity. Paul, for example, makes an emphatic point in Romans that by his own works, man cannot save himself, attain righteousness, nor enter into eternal life. On the other hand, Paul will make it very clear that those who are saved are saved “unto good works”. To Paul, it is inconceivable that one would be delivered from sin and death only to return to it, like a pig to the filth of his sty.
Yet another example, which we shall take up later in our study, is the way in which Paul handles the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man in relationship to man’s salvation. In Romans 9, Paul stresses the sovereignty of God in man’s salvation—specifically in relationship to the doctrine of election. Yet in Romans 10 Paul stresses human responsibility, in receiving the gospel by faith, and in proclaiming the gospel. When there are truths which must be held in tension, Paul makes this tension clear, yet without sacrificing either aspect of that truth. Our temptation, on the other hand, is to stress only one side of the issue and to oppose those who would stress the other side of that same issue. The “lordship salvation” controversy, in my opinion, is an example of this.
25 I take it that by this expression Paul is referring to one’s initial obedience to the gospel in saving faith and also to one’s subsequent lifestyle of obedience as well.
26 Indeed, the wording of the question would suggest something even worse. The question raised was not, “Can we continue in sin … ?”, but “Shall we continue in sin … ?” The first question implies the possibility; the second implies almost a necessity, as though one should do so.
27 Very similar expressions are found in Romans 11:22; Colossians 1:23, and 1 Timothy 4:16, all of which refer to an active, aggressive, and persistent continuance, with effort.
28 It is altogether possible to serve our own interests with poured-out devotion. It is possible to serve the flesh even while engaged in the most intense sort of religious activities. The very fact that our activities are religious will sometimes disguise the presence of the rankest kind of selfishness. Signposts, A Collection of Sayings from A. W. Tozer, Compiled by Harry Verploegh (Victor Books: Wheaton, IL), p. 12.
29 Technically, only 6:3 and 7:1 contain the identical question, “Or do you not know?” In 6:16 the expression is not identical in the original expression, but it is very similar. The sense is the same, and thus I see these three questions indicating the structure of Paul’s segment.
30 The expression, “May it never be!”, is used 15 times in the New Testament. Fourteen of these 15 occurrences are found in Paul’s writings. The other is found in Luke 20:16, where the people in the temple are shocked to hear Jesus teach that the “vineyard” (Israel) will be given over to others to keep (the Gentiles), because of the sins of Israel. In 13 out of 14 of Paul’s use of the expression, it is in response to a question which Paul has raised, which takes the truth of his teaching too far, and thus needs to be corrected. Of the 14 times Paul uses this expression, 10 are found in Romans (3:4, 6, 31; 6:2, 15; 7:7, 13; 9:14; 11:1, 11). In every instance, the expression conveys shock, horror, and dismay at what has been suggested.
31 It is interesting to note that in the New Testament Paul only seldom uses the terms employed for “repentance” (Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:9, 10; 12:21; 2 Timothy 2:25). Repentance is found only one time in Romans (2:4). Nevertheless, the concept of repentance is frequently found. It very much underlies what Paul is teaching here, in Romans 6. When we were saved, we repented; we not only admitted our sin, but we turned from it. Would we now turn back to sin? “May it never be!”
32 This second proposal, “Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?” (6:15), is only slightly different than the first, “Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?” (6:1). How often we attempt to justify our sin by rationalizing the reasons for doing so. We keep trying to rearrange our reasons until they are convincing enough to us or others, but in the final analysis we are simply justifying what we already have determined we want to do or will do. No wonder our excuses for sin are not very original.
33 Is it not interesting how God works? On the one hand, death is the curse, the consequence of sin. Yet, in the wisdom and mercy of God, death is also the cure. Dying is therefore both the consequence of sin and the cure for sin. The latter is Paul’s point in Romans 7:1-6.
34 Technically, the commandment is holy and righteous and good. There may well be a distinction between the commandment and the Law. If so, we will take this matter up later in our series. Nevertheless, Paul is defending the Law as good, not evil.
35 Some would argue that Paul is here speaking of the experience of an unbeliever. We will deal with this matter in more detail later in this series. But, on the face of it, I find two major objections to this view. First, it does not seem to fit into the context. Paul has already dealt with sin and justification earlier. He is now speaking about sanctification. Sanctification is an issue for Christians, not unbelievers. Second, I have yet to see a verse of Scripture which speaks of the unbeliever’s love of God’s Law or of an unbeliever’s agony over his inability to live up to the Law. This agony, in my estimation, is that which only a Christian knows. One of the best evidences of one’s salvation is one’s agony over sin.
36 In Romans (see chapters 5 and 8), the love of God is that which is offered as a comfort to the Christian and linked with God’s sovereignty. It is not, in Romans, used as a motivation, a “lure”, to draw the lost. When man’s sin is in view, God’s righteousness is the attribute which is central. The righteousness of God focuses the attention of the unbeliever on his own sin and on the judgment which that sin requires. This leads to a conviction of sin which drives the sinner to Christ for forgiveness (compare John 16:7-11).
37 In Romans 5, Paul pressed justification beyond its description in chapters 1-4. He took justification back to Adam, and its benefits all the way forward to the glory of God. In chapter 8, Paul goes even further. He presses justification back to the elective choice of God in eternity past, and the ultimate goal of our salvation to our glorification in eternity future.
Although it was over twenty years ago, I can still remember the first time I taught Romans 9-11. I believe it was the second sermon I had ever preached. There was a great response to that message. Never had so many requests come in for tapes on the Book of Romans—tapes, that is, by Dr. S. Lewis Johnson. Dr. Johnson, a great student of the Scriptures, had taught Romans a number of times. No wonder so many people ordered his tapes on Romans. If my sermon, years ago, prompted people to study Romans more carefully, it was worthwhile.
If this message results in your own study of Romans, it will be well worth the effort. Although messages (including this one), tapes, and printed materials may prove very helpful, nothing is more valuable than discovering for yourself the riches of the Book of Romans. I could eat a delicious steak and tell you of its delights, or I could send you personally to the restaurant to experience the meal for yourself. Eating a good meal yourself is far better than hearing someone tell about their own feast. As I share some of the great truths of Romans 9-11, I urge you to feast for yourself. If this study gets you into the Bible, it has accomplished its purpose. If it keeps you from your own study of the Book of Romans, it will have been a miserable failure.
Romans 9-11 is, by far, the most controversial section in the book. Christians differ over whether there is a future for Israel, which is distinct from that of the church. There are many who differ strongly over the teachings of Romans on divine sovereignty and human responsibility. The doctrine of election is taught here, and many find it perplexing and distressing. While this lesson will not end all of these debates, we shall attempt to clarify some of the issues and their implications.
There are some very emotional issues addressed in Romans 9-11, but they are also very important issues (is that not the reason we are so emotional about them?). Because of this emotional overlay, you may come to this text with your proverbial “guns” loaded and cocked, ready to find my teaching inconsistent with your own. It may be that my understanding is incorrect. It may also be that your understanding of this passage is wrong. We might even both be wrong! The real question is not, “What do I want it to say?” or even, “What do I think this passage says?” but, “What does it say?” The Spirit of God did not inspire this text to confuse us. The teaching of this passage is vital to the gospel and to our own spiritual walk.
I must emphasize that while we come to Romans 9-11 in search of Paul’s explanation of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility, this is not the primary issue Paul is addressing. The issue which Paul raises is this: Does Israel’s unbelief and present alienation from God mean that God’s Word has failed, and that God’s promises to Abraham and his children are now invalid?
The answer which Paul will give to this question is emphatic: While Israel has failed miserably, the Word of God is perfectly fulfilled in terms of Israel’s history and her present condition. And concerning all that God has promised Israel, which has not yet been fulfilled, we may be confident of its fulfillment, based upon the sovereignty of God and the faithfulness of His Word.
What Paul teaches here concerning divine sovereignty, election, grace, and human responsibility is clear and convincing. He himself will raise the very issues and objections which cause great concern. These he answers emphatically. But when all is said and done, Paul is found on his knees, praising God for who He is, based upon the doctrines he has just taught. Let this also be our goal. Let us not seek to gain ammunition with which to refute others, but to join Paul, on our knees, praising God. If we understand and accept the teachings of this section, this is what we must do.
What Paul will teach in Romans 9-11 is based upon that which he has already written in chapters 1-8. It will culminate in the exhortations of Paul in chapters 12-16. Let us briefly review how Paul has prepared us for what we are about to study in our text for this lesson.
Paul is a Jew, a converted Jew who dramatically came to faith by the grace of God. Paul was called as an apostle to the Gentiles, to bring them to the “obedience of faith.” Because of his faith in Christ, his love for the brethren, and his calling to minister to the Gentiles, Paul was eager to go to Rome and to preach the gospel there. Paul had been prevented from traveling to Rome, and thus he wrote this epistle, hoping that it would prepare the way for a visit in the near future. He was “not ashamed of the gospel” but was bold to proclaim it, because it is God’s powerful means of saving men, and because it is a revelation of God’s righteousness (Romans 1:1-17).
The gospel which Paul preached was God’s good news for sinners. The righteousness of God requires that He condemn sinners. In His righteousness, God judges all men on the basis of their deeds, in the light of the revelation they have received. Judged by this standard, all men fall far short of the righteousness God requires and come under His condemnation. All men fall short of righteousness, both Jews and Gentiles. The Jews bear an even greater responsibility because they have received the revelation of God’s righteousness in the Law, the Law which they affirm to be true, and by which they judge others. All mankind is thus under sentence of death, due to their sin.
In the Old Testament, God promised men salvation from sin and outpouring of His blessings, through a Messiah who was yet to come and to die for the sins of His people. This was provided in the person of Jesus Christ. The righteousness and salvation which God has provided is not by law-keeping and good works, but on the basis of simple faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He was innocent, and yet He died for sinners, taking their punishment and bearing God’s righteous wrath. God is therefore able to save sinners and yet still be true to His righteousness. All who trust in Him are justified by faith; they receive the forgiveness of their sins and the righteousness of God in Christ (Romans 3:21-26).
Justification by faith is not new. Abraham was not justified by his works, but by his faith. He believed in God’s promise of blessings through a child he and Sarah would bear, even though they were “as good as dead” in their old age (so far as child-bearing was concerned). Abraham’s faith, like ours, was a “resurrection faith.” The physical offspring of Abraham cannot boast in him, nor are all his descendants the “seed” of Abraham from God’s point of view. Those who are truly Abraham’s sons are those who are like him—those who believe in God’s promises, by faith. These “sons of Abraham” can therefore be either Jews or Gentiles (Romans 4).
Justification is by faith, based upon the person and work of Jesus Christ. Those who are justified have peace with God (He is not angry about their sin any more), and they can boast in God, in His character and in His deeds, past, present, and future. In Christ, we can boast in the “hope of glory,” in our present “tribulations,” and “in God.” In Christ, the devastating consequences of Adam’s sin have been overturned, and replaced by blessings which are far better (Romans 5).
While men cannot be saved by their own righteousness, God justifies men in order that righteousness will be the outworking of their daily lives. Those who have been justified have died in Jesus Christ to sin and to its consequences. Those who are “in Christ” have also been raised to newness of life in Him. Because of this, justification is designed by God to produce significant changes in the lifestyle of the Christian. We dare not entertain the thought of continuing to live in sin as we formerly did. Rather, we should present our bodies to God for righteousness. To fail to do so would be to persist in slavery to sin and to pursue a course leading to death. Our death “in Christ” has freed us from our bondage to sin through the Law (Romans 6:1–7:6).
It is not the Law which hinders the Christian from living righteously. It is the weakness of our own flesh. In our own natural strength, we are unable to resist sin or to live righteously. While we will agree with that which the Law forbids and commands, we find ourselves unable to live as we desire. Sin, due to its power and the weakness of our own flesh, uses the Law to tempt us to sin. We find ourselves trapped in a body that is “dead” with respect to living as God’s righteousness requires (Romans 7).
God has provided the solution. We are to live godly lives, not by our own striving (as seen in chapter 7), but by trusting in Him and in His provisions for our righteousness. The death of Christ has not only accomplished the forgiveness of our past sins, before salvation, but also our sins as Christians. “There is therefore now no condemnation” for saints, even when they sin. The power for living righteously, which we lack in our flesh, God provides, through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit who raised the dead body of Jesus from the grave is the One “who will also give life to your mortal bodies.” He also assures us of our sonship, in both its present and future dimensions. And when we groan in our own imperfection, and that of the world in which we live, the Holy Spirit communicates those groanings to the Lord Jesus, who intercedes for us with the Father. We also find comfort in knowing that while we live in an imperfect world, God is sovereign, working out His purposes through “all things,” which includes fallible saints and opposing sinners, even satanic and demonic opposition. Because of God’s sovereignty, we can rejoice, knowing that we will be triumphant, through Him (Romans 8).
Romans 9-11 provides us with an illustration of the sovereignty of God in the history of His people, Israel. God has a purpose and a destiny for Israel, one which was planned and purposed in eternity past and which was promised through His covenants (such as with Abraham) and His prophets. In the Old Testament, God promised to bless Israel, and through Israel, to bless all nations (see Genesis 12:1-3). Studying the history of Israel, one would wonder how these promises could be fulfilled, given the persistent rebellion and unbelief of Israel. Looking at the condition of the Jews in Paul’s day would give one cause for wondering if there was any future left for these people. Paul will show us how Israel’s condition is the fulfillment of His promises and purposes, and how God’s promises concerning Israel’s future blessings and hope are yet going to be fulfilled, not due to Israel’s faithfulness, but due to His faithfulness (Romans 9-11).
Based upon our salvation (justification), upon God’s requirement for righteous living, upon His provisions for it, and on His sovereignty, Paul will conclude by spelling out how righteousness is to be worked out in the daily walk of the believer (Romans 12-16).
Our text can be summarized by the following outline:
(1) Israel’s Condition and Paul’s Response — 9:1-5
(2) Israel’s Condition and the Sovereignty of God — 9:6-29
(3) Israel’s Condition and the Responsibility of Men — 9:30–10:21
(4) Israel’s Condition and the Certainty of Her Restoration — 11:1-32
(5) Paul’s Praise — 11:33-36
The first five verses of chapter 9 are vital to our understanding of this section. They draw our attention to the problem at hand—the fallen state of Israel in her unbelief and rejection of the gospel—and of Paul’s attitude toward this condition. The problem which Paul will raise in verse 6 is due to the condition of the nation Israel. Paul’s perspective on Israel’s condition, as revealed in these introductory verses, shows him to be well qualified for this task.
Israel’s condition was most distressing to Paul. After the fall of man in the garden of Eden, God promised a Savior, through Eve’s seed (Genesis 3:15). Later, God narrowed down the source of His blessings to the “seed” of Abraham, and the recipient of these blessings to be Abraham’s “seed” and to “all the families of the earth” (Genesis 12:1-3). As time went on, the lineage of the “seed” was even more specifically indicated (see Genesis 49:10; 2 Samuel 7:12-13; Isaiah 9:6-7). This “seed” was Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was rejected by His people, and ultimately He was crucified. After His resurrection, the nation as a whole still persisted in their unbelief, persecuting those who believed in Him and who proclaimed salvation through the Lord Jesus. In Paul’s day, the clock was winding down for Israel. The world was taking a dim view of the Jews. Rome was persecuting the Jews. Soon, the Romans would sack Jerusalem, and the Jews would be dispersed. Israel’s mere existence seemed doubtful, much less the fulfillment of God’s promised blessings.
This fallen condition of Israel is what Paul is referring to in Romans 9:1-5. He speaks most of the privileges which Israel has been granted, while he avoids a graphic description of her unbelief, sinful rebellion, and opposition to the gospel. He only indirectly refers to the condition of Israel as “accursed, separated from Christ” (9:3).38 We know that in Paul’s day Israel had rejected Jesus as their Messiah, and that the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews was imminent.
Paul’s attitude is that of a “true Jew.” He is a Jew who has experienced the promised blessings of salvation through the Messiah. He looks forward to the blessings which lie ahead for his people. But his heart is broken due to the unbelief of his fellow Jews. Paul writes with “tears in his eyes.” He does not delight in Israel’s chastening any more than God does. While the words which he writes are painful, they are true. He is an “apostle to the Gentiles,” but he is still a Jew. His heart goes out to his people, knowing that his own disobedience and opposition toward the gospel was the same as that of his fellow-Israelites. He had experienced God’s grace, and he desired this for them as well.
The problem underlying this entire section is rooted in Israel’s condition (9:1-5) and is raised by Paul in verse 6:
But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel (Romans 9:6).
In spite of all of God’s promises that He would bless Israel, and through them bless the world, Israel is in unbelief, separated from Christ, while the Gentiles are entering into her blessings. Is this a “failure” of God’s Word? Has God’s Word failed to accomplish what was promised? Paul does not even ask the question (and follow it with a “May it never be!”); he begins with the statement that Israel’s condition is not the result of a failure on the part of God’s Word.
The rest of chapter 9 and all of chapter 10 are devoted to explaining Israel’s present condition. Paul’s teaching will stress three things:
(1) God’s election of only some Israelites for blessing—the sovereignty of God.
(2) Israel’s rejection of God’s righteousness in Christ—human responsibility.
(3) The faithfulness and reliability of God’s Word, which foretold Israel’s disobedience and the salvation of the Gentiles.
In chapter 11 Paul will describe how, according to God’s Word, Israel’s future blessedness will be brought to pass in the sovereign will of God.
Romans 9:6-29 explains Israel’s condition as the result of divine election. God never promised to bless all of Abraham’s physical offspring; He promised to bless one of his descendants—Isaac. In the process, God set Ishmael aside, not blessing him or his seed in the same way. So also with Isaac’s two sons. God promised to bless Jacob, and He cursed (hated) Esau. God’s choice of one above another was not based upon the works of either son, nor according to normal custom or tradition (such as picking the oldest son for the position of privilege). Those who received God’s blessing were therefore a matter of divine choice and divine designation, and not based on human merit.
God should not be considered unjust for choosing to bless some and to punish others. Both those chosen for blessing and those rejected are under divine condemnation. The difference is that Christ suffered the wrath of God in the place of those who are blessed. Those rejected must simply bear the punishment which their sins require. Blessings are a matter of divine grace, and punishment is a matter of justice. Thus, one cannot accuse God of injustice for bestowing grace on some, when all (under justice) deserve to suffer for their sins. Justice and grace are two separate (but related) means of dealing with the sins of men. God can therefore deal with men either way He chooses and, in so doing, be both just and merciful. God can show mercy to whom He chooses, and He can harden whom He chooses (9:14-18).
Because God’s blessings are bestowed on the basis of grace, and not works, they cannot be earned. Since grace is granted to sinners, it matters not whether they are Jews or Gentiles, and thus God’s blessings by grace are available to both.39 The fact that many Israelites would not believe and that Gentiles would be blessed was clearly and repeatedly foretold in the Old Testament (9:24-29).
The first explanation for Israel’s condition is given by Paul in Romans 9:6-29—God has always bestowed His blessings selectively and sovereignly, by means of election and on the basis of grace. Some Jews were chosen for blessing, and many were not. Some Gentiles, too, have been chosen for blessing. The second reason for Israel’s condition is given by Paul in Romans 9:30–10:21—Israel’s condition was also the result of unbelief. If many Israelites were condemned because God had not chosen them (9:6-29), they were also condemned because they had not chosen Him (9:30–10:21).
The state of things is summarized by Paul in 9:30-33. The Gentiles, who were not actively seeking righteousness, nevertheless found it, by faith. The Jews, who were “working hard” at earning righteousness, failed to obtain it. This was because Israel would not accept righteousness “in Christ.” To receive righteousness “in Christ” meant that the Jews would have to admit their own sin and to accept God’s righteousness as a gift, as “charity.” This was too great a blow to the pride of a self-righteous Jew. The offense to Israel, of obtaining righteousness through Messiah, was predicted in the Old Testament when Isaiah spoke of the Messiah to come as a “stone of stumbling” (9:32-33; citing Isaiah 8:14; 28:16).
Those who sought to obtain a righteousness of works thought they could do so through keeping the Law of Moses. Moses did speak of “living” by keeping the Law (9:5; Leviticus 18:5; Nehemiah 9:29; Ezekiel 20:11, 13, 21), but not of being justified by such law-keeping. In his final words to Israel (and after Israel’s repeated rebellion against God and their disobedience of His Law), Moses spoke to them of a righteousness which would come from God, by grace, without works, and simply by faith. This was that salvation which God would provide through faith in Jesus Christ. This righteousness was available to any who would believe (10:6-13). In refusing to believe, the Israelites rejected the only righteousness which would assure them of God’s blessings.
The Israelites were not only called upon to believe in the Messiah, by faith, for righteousness, they were also called upon to proclaim this good news (the offer of righteousness by faith in Messiah) to the Gentiles (10:14-15). Not only did the nation reject the Messiah, and the righteousness He offered, but they refused to share the good news with the Gentiles.40
Once again Paul wants his reader to see that Israel’s behavior is a fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures. In Romans 10:16-21, Paul shows that the righteousness of God (in Messiah) would be rejected by His people, and that the Gentiles would receive this righteousness, provoking Israel to jealousy. God’s Word has not failed with respect to Israel; it has (once again) been fulfilled. Israel’s unbelief and resulting judgment did not take God by surprise. The fact that God warned Israel about this rebellion and judgment makes disobedient Jews all the more responsible. If God judges men on the basis of their response to His revelation (and He does), then Israel was indeed guilty, for their rebellion was revealed to them long before their sin was committed.
The Word of God had not failed, though Israel had. God did not choose them, and they refused His righteousness, in Christ, the “stone of stumbling.” All of this was foretold in Scripture. God’s Word is shown by Paul to be accurate and completely reliable. What, then, of all those promises which God made and which are not yet fulfilled? Paul’s answer, in Romans 11, is that they will certainly be fulfilled.
Israel’s future is certain and secure. This is not due to Israel’s faithfulness, for they have consistently been unfaithful and disobedient. It is because God chose them and committed Himself to bless them, and the world through them. The certainty of Israel’s future blessings is based upon God’s promises, God’s character, and His sovereignty. As Paul will say, “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (11:29). Israel’s future rests upon the faithfulness of God and is not prevented by the unfaithfulness of men.
Israel’s hope does not lie in the numbers of those in its ranks but in a faithful remnant. All that is necessary is a remnant of Israelites, through whom Israel’s hopes are preserved. Elijah mistakenly thought otherwise. He thought only he was left, a faithful Israelite. He was wrong. The remnant was much bigger. There were 7,000 faithful Israelites through whom God’s purposes and promises were assured. In Paul’s day, too, there was a remnant (of which Paul himself was a member), and so there was still hope for Israel (11:2b-6).
The blindness of Israel was, on the one hand, a willful ignorance on the part of the Jews (see chapter 10). It was also a judicial blindness, imposed on Israel for her persistent rebellion and unbelief. It was the same blindness of which the Old Testament writers spoke (11:8-9, citing Isaiah 29:10; Deuteronomy 29:4; Psalm 69:22-23).
Israel’s fall was neither complete (there was always a remnant) nor was it permanent (there is still hope). There will come a day when all of God’s promises will be fulfilled, in and through Israel, whether by means of her obedience, or her disobedience. Since Israel would not believe and receive God’s righteousness, and since they would not proclaim the good news to the Gentiles, God purposed to save the Gentiles through Israel’s sin and rebellion. When the Jews rejected the gospel, it was taken to the Gentiles. This was Paul’s consistent practice, as seen in the Book of Acts. He operated on the principle, “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). And so, because of Israel’s unbelief, the gospel was taken to the Gentiles.
God had ordained that the Gentiles would be blessed through Israel. Through Israel’s unbelief and rebellion, the Gentiles were blessed with salvation. Paul’s readers might well ponder what kind of blessings God would pour out on the world through the obedience of Israel, if the blessings were so great due to her unbelief (11:11-12).
There is need for a word of warning at this point, for the failure of the Jews also posed a danger for the Gentiles. The Jews took pride in their privileges. They forgot that God’s blessings were the result of God’s grace and not their own merit. Consequently, they began to take credit for what God had done, and to boast in themselves, rather than in God. It was for this reason that God gave them over to their blindness and rebellion. The same danger faced the Gentiles. Let the Gentiles not pride themselves for receiving the blessings of God. Blessings are the result of God’s grace, not man’s goodness. If God separated Israel from Him and His blessings for their false pride, He could surely do the same with the Gentiles (11:18-24).
I am not at all surprised to find Paul on his knees, so to speak, praising God at the conclusion of this section which stresses the fulfillment of God’s Word and the sovereignty of the God who spoke the Word. God can foretell future events with perfect accuracy because He is sovereign; He is in control. Sovereignty means that God never says, “Oops!” God never “goofs.” His purposes are never frustrated, and His plans never fail, because He is in complete control so that nothing can prevent Him from accomplishing what He sets out to do.
What does surprise me, however, is that for which Paul specifically praises God. In verses 33-36, Paul does not praise God for His great power but for His infinite wisdom. Why is the wisdom of God so vital to His sovereignty? The answers to these questions are important. Let us consider them, so that we might better appreciate Paul’s praise and its relationship to what he has said in chapters 9-11.
(1) Sovereignty is essential to the rule of a king. For a king to be able to rule over his people, he must be sovereign. He must have clear and unchallenged authority, and he must be in control. To the degree that a king lacks control, his rule will suffer. The “kingdom of God” is to be fulfilled in God’s future rule over the whole earth. If God is not sovereign, then the “kingdom of God” is mere wishful thinking. God must be in control of His creation, so that He can overthrow His enemies and establish His rule. God must also be in control to continue to rule over His kingdom. Sovereignty is, therefore, essential for a king to rule over his kingdom. Since God has promised that there will be a coming kingdom, He must be sovereign to establish and maintain it.
(2) The sovereign rule of a king is dependent upon the king’s wisdom. When Solomon was selected to be the king of Israel, God granted him a request. Solomon’s request, to his credit, was not for wealth or for power, but for wisdom. He asked for wisdom because he knew that wisdom, more than power or wealth, was the basis for a godly kingdom and the great need for a godly king. The Book of Proverbs is written to those who will reign (Solomon had much to do with its writing). There is little wonder that the main subject of the Book of Proverbs is that of wisdom.
(3) Wisdom enables a king to be in control (to be sovereign) without the constant use of force. The more wisdom is lacking, the more force is required. The more that wisdom guides and governs in a kingdom, the less force is required. The wisdom of God is the key to understanding how God can be in complete control (sovereign) over His creation, even though men fail or rebel against Him. Allow me to explain how I believe this works.41
In God’s infinite wisdom, He knows all that has happened, all that is presently happening, and all that will happen. He knows all things actual. But in God’s infinite wisdom, He also knows all things possible. That is, He knows exactly what would happen in any given set of circumstances. He knew, for example, that given the circumstances which Judas experienced, he would betray his Master. God knows exactly how much we can take and at what point we would collapse. While this enables Him to promise us that He will never give us more than we can handle as Christians (1 Corinthians 10:13), it also means that He knows with perfect accuracy the sins which men will commit under any circumstances.
In His wisdom, God knew that Israel would not obey Him, and that they would reject the Messiah, through whom righteousness was made available. In His wisdom, God determined a plan whereby Israel would fail, and the Gentiles would believe, through Israel’s disobedience, rather than through her obedience. This was His plan. This was what He foretold throughout the Old Testament. In chapters 9-10 Paul has shown how this plan was being fulfilled in his day.
God told Abraham that his descendants would spend 400 years as strangers in a distant but unnamed nation. He assured Abraham that they would come forth from that nation with much of its wealth (Genesis 15:13-16). This is exactly what happened years later. The way in which the nation Israel reached Egypt would never have been imagined. It was not through the obedience of Jacob and his sons, but through Jacob’s bad parenting, through the jealousy and strife of Joseph’s brothers, and even through Joseph’s less than perfect use of authority over his brothers. By means of these less than noble acts, God brought Jacob (Israel) and his sons to Egypt, just as He promised. That is sovereignty, and it is based upon God’s infinite knowledge and wisdom. He not only knew what any man would do under any given circumstances (knowledge), but in His wisdom he knew how to orchestrate all things to bring about the actions required to achieve His purposes.
It is God’s limitless wisdom, linked with His power, love, and grace, which assures us that what God promises, He will do, in spite of (and often by means of) man’s sin. God’s wisdom undergirds His sovereign control, and His sovereign control assures us that His promises will be fulfilled. And this is why Paul must fall to his knees in praise and wonder.
Summing up this section, we see that God’s Word has not failed because Israel has failed and is under divine judgment. Although Israel has failed, God’s purposes have been accomplished. God’s sovereign plan determined who would enjoy His blessings and who would not. In all that had happened, God’s Word was fulfilled to the letter. And in all that will yet happen, God’s purposes and promises will be entirely accomplished. Israel’s hope of her restoration and blessing is assured.
In conclusion let us draw our attention to several observations about what Paul has taught here, and then suggest some practical implications and applications of these truths.
(1) Paul’s main emphasis in this section is on the absolute reliability of God’s Word. God gave His word (Word) that He would bless Abraham’s “seed” and that through his “seed” He would bless all nations. If the blessing of Israel and the nations was one stream of Old Testament prophecy, so was the disobedience and judgment of Israel. If the salvation of Israel was promised, so was the salvation of the Gentiles. Israel’s rebellion and state of separation from God was but a testimony to the trustworthiness of God’s Word. When one views Israel’s condition from a biblical perspective, the faithfulness of God and His Word is awesome. This is Paul’s major emphasis in this section.
(2) Paul teaches clearly and emphatically that the sovereignty of God is the reason for the reliability of His Word. In our text, Paul’s words imply a direct link between the reliability of God’s Word and the sovereignty of God. God’s Word was perfectly fulfilled in the events which transpired in Israel’s history, including her unbelief, her rejection of Messiah, and her opposition to the gospel of God’s grace. God’s sovereignty is so great, so complete, that He can make very specific promises concerning future events and bring them to pass precisely as promised.
(3) Paul teaches the sovereignty of God in relationship to man’s responsibility, not in opposition to it. While men may seek to separate the doctrines of divine sovereignty and human responsibility, God joins them. We dare not seek to choose one of these truths and reject the other. God is sovereign, and yet men have choices to make for which they are responsible.
(4) Paul teaches that because God is sovereign, He can and does use sin (as well as man’s obedience) to achieve His purposes, yet without forcing men to sin or excusing their sin.
(5) Paul teaches that the sovereignty of God is closely related to the knowledge and wisdom of God.
(6) Paul’s response to the sovereignty of God is praise, not protest.
(7) Paul teaches the doctrine of election in a context of Christian faith and conduct, not in the context of evangelism. Paul’s order suggests that election is not a part of the gospel we need to proclaim to the lost, but a part of the gospel we need to proclaim to the saved.
Based upon Paul’s teaching in Romans 9-11, and the observations we have just considered, the following principles can be distilled from this text, principles which are verified in other biblical texts.
(1) Prophecy is an indication of sovereignty. Paul proves that the Word of God, far from failing, has been perfectly fulfilled by Israel’s unbelief and divine judgment. Paul directly links the reliability of the Word of God with God’s sovereignty. Stated in the form of a principle, we would say: Prophecy is only as good as the one who had promised it. God’s prophecies in the Bible are specific because He is sovereign, able to carry out His plans, purposes, and promises to the letter. The “prophecies” of false prophets will always be vague and filled with loop holes, because it is not God who is making the promise.
(2) God is sovereign in man’s salvation. Paul points to man’s salvation as being under God’s control, a manifestation of His sovereignty. If God is not sovereign in every area, He is not sovereign at all. As someone has said (in a somewhat different context), “If He is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all” (see John 6:44, 65; 8:47; 10:26-29; 15:16).
(3) God’s sovereignty in salvation is executed by means of divine election. In Romans 9:14-18, Paul links the sovereignty of God with divine selection (election).
Divine election is two-fold. First, God chooses those whose judgment He will allow to stand, those who will be “vessels of wrath.” God chooses to allow some, who are worthy of death, to suffer this penalty. Second, God chooses some, who are worthy of death, to become objects of His mercy, “vessels of mercy.” One should not try to “soften” the doctrine of divine election by saying that God chooses only those whom He will save. Paul stresses God’s sovereign choice of both those whom He will save and those on whom His wrath will fall. It was Isaac, not Ishmael; Jacob, not Esau; Moses and the Israelites, not Pharaoh and the Egyptians. If God is able to save all men and chooses only to save some, He has also chosen not to save. God’s election is two-fold, of those whom He will save, and of those whom He will punish.
The two-fold destiny of mankind, based upon the two-fold election of God, makes possible the manifold aspects of God’s character, including His mercy and His justice. The terms “demonstrate” and “make known” (9:17, 22, 23) inform us that God’s election is a manifestation of His character. If there were not “vessels of mercy” and “vessels of wrath,” God’s full character would not be displayed.
(4) Divine election does not keep any righteous soul from heaven. Election never keeps a good person out of heaven. Man’s rejection of God’s revelation and his sinful actions keep him from heaven. God elects some men to go to hell, because they deserve it, and because they have chosen it. God would only be unjust if He kept any deserving soul from heaven. This He does not do.
(5) Divine election is the only way any sinner will ever get to heaven. If God did not sovereignly bestow His grace in saving some, no soul would ever see heaven. If God “looked down the corridor of time” (as some would say) to look for all those who would choose Him, He would find not one soul. We are “dead in our trespasses and sin,” in bondage to sin and Satan (Ephesians 2:1-3). There is not one righteous soul, not one who does good, and not one who seeks God (Romans 3:9-18). If God did not elect some for salvation, none would be saved. Why is it that we get hung up on the fact that God condemns some sinners to hell, rather than to rejoice in the fact that His election makes it possible for some sinners to go to heaven? If it were not for divine election and divine grace, no one would be in heaven. Election is the means, the only means, by which anyone can ever enjoy the blessings of God. Election is independent of men, and of their actions, because it must be. If God dealt with men on the basis of their works, they would all be barred from heaven. Because grace is bestowed sovereignly, God is free to save.
(6) The election of some as “vessels of mercy,” who will experience God’s blessings, is a matter of grace, not of justice. Those who would protest that election is unfair are mistaken, because mercy is not a matter of justice but a matter of grace. Justice demands that sinners be punished. Grace provides for sinners to be forgiven and blessed, because Jesus has been punished. If we insisted on all men being treated with justice, all men would be immediately put to death. A man who is guilty of driving 100 miles-per-hour in a 20 mile-per-hour zone does not plead for justice, but for mercy, when he stands before the judge. Thank God we are “vessels of mercy,” and God does not deal with us only on the basis of justice, but also on the basis of grace.
(7) The justice of God is not contrary to His mercy, but foundational to it. In some ways, justice and mercy appear to be opposites, but we should not conclude that they are opposing truths. They are really complimentary. Mercy cannot function apart from justice. Twice in Romans 9-11 Paul makes this point. In chapter 9, Paul wrote that while God was willing to demonstrate His wrath, He delayed it, so that He might make known the riches of His grace (9:22-23). Also, in chapter 11, Paul taught that “God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all” (11:32). Mercy cannot be granted until justice has pronounced the sentence of condemnation. A man cannot be pardoned until he is first convicted and sentenced. Mercy cannot be granted until judgment is pronounced. Thus, justice and mercy are not enemies.
(8) That which God has “joined together” men dare not separate. This may seem like a strange statement to make, in the context of God’s sovereignty, but I believe it to be accurate. We have a strong tendency to try to “separate” that which God has joined together. We want to separate divine sovereignty from human responsibility, justice from mercy, grace from law, and faith from works. In each case, there are differences, but these differences do not force us to choose one and reject the other, or to emphasize the one but not the other. Faith comes apart from works, but it must result in works. Grace is distinct from Law, but Law shows men their need for grace, and that standard of righteousness which grace can produce. God is sovereign in salvation, but in His sovereignty God requires men to make a decision, and He holds men responsible for their decision. Let us not seek to separate that which God has joined together. These seemingly contradictory elements are really complimentary. There are not “incompatibilities” which call for a “divorce,” but “differences” which make for a good “marriage.”
To sinners who are self-righteous, grace is not only unacceptable, it is offensive. Self-righteous sinners want to earn their way to heaven. They want to work for their righteousness, so that they can boast in it. This was much of Israel’s problem, according to Paul in chapter 10. They were striving to attain their own righteousness, and thus they rejected God’s righteousness in Christ. The self-righteous despise grace, because it is an offense to them. They do not wish to admit they are sinners, and they do not want charity (grace) from God.
(9) The sovereignty of God is the reason He can use sin without causing it or excusing it. God’s sovereignty enables Him to use every kind of human attitude and action, because He is in complete control. The things which are taking place in His world are governed by His infinite knowledge and wisdom. His knowledge and wisdom enable Him to orchestrate the affairs of men so as to achieve His purposes, and yet without causing men to sin.
(10) The sovereignty of God is the basis for man’s freedom. Sovereignty is not opposed to freedom but is the basis for freedom. The greater the control (sovereignty), the greater the freedom that can be granted. God gives men certain freedoms and choices because He is sovereign. If His sovereignty were not complete, He could not do so. Human dictators dare not let their subjects have too much freedom, lest they lose control. God’s control is so great He can give men freedom. Whatever men might choose to do, God can use it to achieve His purposes. We do not diminish God’s sovereignty by acknowledging the freedom which He gives to men.
(11) The sovereignty of God requires faith to believe that God is in control. If God’s total control is evidenced, in part, by the freedom He grants men, then faith will be required to believe that God is in control. If God grants men freedom, they have the freedom to fail, to sin, or to rebel. Men are presently doing all of these. But as we look about us, seeing that failure, sin, and rebellion seem to be ruling the day, we might wonder if God is truly in control. We can look to the Bible and see how God has used sin and failure to achieve His purposes (such as the sins of Joseph’s brothers which took him to Egypt). We may be able to see how God has used past failures in our lives to achieve His purposes. But in the final analysis we must look to the Word of God, which tells us that He is in control (sovereign), and we must believe this by faith. In a world that appears chaotic and “out of control,” we must believe, by faith, that God is in control, because His Word says so, and all of history has borne testimony to this truth.
(12) The sovereignty of God is not an excuse for sin. God is in control, but He does not make men sin. Men sin because they choose to reject God’s revelation and to disobey God’s commands.
Based upon the observations we have made from Romans 9-11, and the principles we have derived from this text, let us now consider several areas of application.
(1) The sovereignty of God and the faithfulness of His Word should produce praise, not protest. I hope that you are saying to Paul, at this moment, “Move over, Paul. I want to praise God with you.” If you cannot praise God for His sovereignty, for the faithfulness of His Word, and for the certainty that all of His promises will be fulfilled, something is wrong. Something is wrong with my teaching, or with your understanding of God’s sovereignty, or with your response to it. May we praise God for His sovereignty.
(2) The sovereignty of God is the solution to worry, fear, and frustration. For Paul, the painful and unpleasant circumstances of his people, the Israelites, was distressing but not depressing. Paul showed that the condition of Israel perfectly fulfilled God’s prophecies concerning her condition. Paul showed also that in spite of these unpleasant realities, God’s purposes were being achieved and that all of His promises were in the process of being fulfilled.
Are there things in your life that are distressing, confusing, or perplexing? No doubt there are. There were these things in Paul’s life too (see 1 Corinthians 4:6-13; 2 Corinthians 4:7-12; 6:3-10). The difference is in your perspective, in how you view these things. If you view these as a defeat, as a failure of God’s Word and of His promises, then you are wrong. These are the outworking of God’s purposes and promises, in the best way possible. These have been planned, and purposed, and permitted in the knowledge and wisdom of God. When we worry, fuss, fret or blow up, we are simply revealing our unbelief that God is in control, or rebelling against His control. Worry is proof that we doubt the sovereignty of God. Peace is the evidence that we have faith in His sovereignty.
To some, the difficulties of this life are somehow outside of God’s loving care or control, something which must be endured. These difficulties are not seen in relationship to the blessings of God, but as opposed to them. The doctrine of God’s sovereignty informs us that the difficulties and trials of this life are God’s means for bringing about our blessing, now (Romans 5:1-11), and in the kingdom of God.
(3) The sovereignty of God should put aside all pride and boasting in our own efforts and works, and lead us to praise and adoration. We cannot take credit for what God is doing. The doctrine of the sovereignty of God requires us to give God credit for “working all things together for good” (Romans 8:28). If things go well, to God be the glory. If things do not go well, this will ultimately be for our good and for His glory too, so we need not agonize over past failures and sins. God can and does use all things to achieve His purposes.
(4) The faithfulness of God’s Word should motivate us to a much more serious and diligent study of His Word. His Word explains what God is presently doing in our world today. It reminds us of what He has done in the past. It assures us of what He is certain to do in the future. And it assures us of His character, so that we know that what He has promised, He will perform. Paul was a “man of the Book.” In Romans 9-11, Paul virtually oozes with the Old Testament Scriptures. This is what gave Paul insight into his own day and time. This is what made him bold. This is what drew him closer to God and enhanced his faith. Let us be, like Paul, men and women of the Word.
(5) The sovereignty of God should give us comfort concerning the lost, and especially our lost loved ones. The sovereignty of God in salvation means, among other things, that those whom God has purposed to save will be saved. All Israel will be saved because God purposed and promised it. It also means that there will be those who are not to be saved, but who will suffer God’s wrath. While this is not a comforting thought in and of itself, it should be comforting to know and to believe that the God who saved us consciously decided the fate of our lost loved one. In eternity we will fully be able to grasp that this was good.
(6) The sovereignty of God in salvation means that we need not make pests of ourselves, trying to force conversions that God has not purposed. It means that, after the gospel has been faithfully proclaimed, we can be silent, and that we can take up this matter with God in prayer, who determines the fate of all men.
For those of us who are Christian parents, the sovereignty of God in salvation means that we cannot take credit for the salvation of our children, nor can we ultimately bear the blame for their rejection of the gospel. We are not required to save anyone, but only to proclaim the gospel. We are not guilty for the eternal torment of those who reject the truth of the gospel (see Acts 20:25-27). We cannot produce “godly children”; we can only strive, by the grace of God, to be godly parents. How often we hold fast to the doctrine of election, only to set it aside in relation to our own home. God is sovereign in the salvation of our children, just as He is in the salvation of others.
(7) Finally, the sovereignty of God in salvation will be no excuse for your unbelief and rejection of the gospel when you stand before Him. Paul raises the question of man’s responsibility in the light of God’s sovereignty (9:19), and he answers it emphatically in the rest of this section. God does choose some and reject others, but He also gives us a choice. If it is true that we are not saved because He did not choose to save us, it is just as true that we will perish because we have refused His provision of righteousness in Jesus Christ. Have you trusted in Him? Have you been born again? The only way into God’s heaven is to be justified by faith in Jesus Christ—to trust in Jesus who was without sin, but who took the penalty for your sin upon Himself. You must renounce any righteousness on your own part and cling to that righteousness which He offers to you, by faith. Just as I am under obligation to proclaim the gospel, you are under obligation to respond. Will you receive God’s gift of salvation in Jesus Christ?
38 Paul does not actually say that Israel is “accursed, separated from Christ.” He says, rather, that he wishes he could be “accursed, separated from God”. In saying this, I think Paul is telling his reader that he wishes he could change places with unbelieving Israel, so that they could experience the salvation which he has obtained through faith, and so that he could take on their separation and curse, brought about by their rejection of God’s Word. The curse which Paul was willing to bear was the curse that unbelieving Israel deserved.
39 The text which Paul uses to prove that God’s grace was promised to Gentiles, as well as to Jews, is most interesting. In Romans 9:25-26, Paul cites texts from Hosea, chapters 1 and 2. His point is that God has promised to make those “not His people” “His people.” This can be applied to Gentile salvation, as Paul does here. But in context those referred to as “not God’s people” are the disobedient Jews, whom God would disown for a time. Those who were “not God’s people” and then later called “His people”, were, in the context, disobedient Jews. And so disobedient Jews become, for all intents and purposes, Gentiles. Both unbelieving Jews and unbelieving Gentiles must pass through the same door (of faith) to God’s blessings, as Gentiles. This is exactly Paul’s point in Galatians 2:11-21.
40 Note in the Book of Acts how unbelieving Jews not only rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ, but they resisted its proclamation to the Gentiles. Initially, even the church leaders in Jerusalem resisted the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles (see Acts 11:1-3).
41 I am deeply indebted to Dr. Charles Ryrie who first introduced me to this concept when I was one of his students in seminary.
“Aha,” someone is surely thinking, “we have finally come to the practical part of Romans.” We are a people who like to cut through the formalities and “get to the bottom line.” And so we read the last chapter of a mystery first, or we quickly glance down through a financial report to see the “bottom line.” This final section of Romans may be what we have been waiting for, because we think it is the practical part of
“Aha,” someone is surely thinking, “we have finally come to the practical part of Romans.” We are a people who like to cut through the formalities and “get to the bottom line.” And so we read the last chapter of a mystery first, or we quickly glance down through a financial report to see the “bottom line.” This final section of Romans may be what we have been waiting for, because we think it is the practical part of the book.
I can identify with Paul as he comes to his “application section.” If I had just taught what Paul has in Romans 1-11, I wonder what I would have written by way of application. For many Christians, the success of the sermon is judged by the relevance and practicality of the applications.
Some years ago, a friend who was a seminary student informed me that I had departed from the “approved system of preaching” which I had been taught. This approach calls for the preacher to study the biblical text, determine its interpretation, decide upon the applications of this truth, and then develop his message which drives homes these applications. In other words, the sermon is constructed on the applications the preacher has predetermined, rather than on the message the author has, by divine inspiration, written.
I have some difficulties with this method and so through my years of study, I have chosen to use a different approach. I study the passage, attempting to determine what the text is teaching. I then endeavor to determine how this text fits into the argument of the entire book and the theology of the entire Word of God. I strive to identify some of the principles which the passage teaches or illustrates. In my preaching, I attempt to take the audience through the same steps of observing, interpreting, and applying the passage which I have taken in my own study. It is my goal to teach not only the message of the text, as I understand it, but the method by which it was determined. The applications which I make are suggestive and illustrative. The process of studying the text and identifying the principles which it teaches are my primary thrust.
For some, if there are no immediate, practical applications in a sermon, it is judged a failure, and the message is thought irrelevant. I believe that Paul’s application section, here in Romans 12-16, can teach us a great deal. Not only will it provide practical applications, but it will give us insight into the kind of application Paul feels is important. It will also provide us with insight into how we should seek to apply the Word of God as students of the Scriptures.
Very honestly, I have struggled more over this final section of the Book of Romans than with any other section. I have had more difficulty arriving at the message of this section, and thus have had problems with its application. For me, this passage presents at least two tensions of the text.42
The first tension is this: Why does Paul not seem to be making a direct connection between the things he has taught in chapters 1-11 with the applications taught in chapters 12-16? Why am I having so much trouble finding a direct connection between the principles taught in the first eleven chapters and the applications found in the last five chapters? Why did Paul not apply the principles he taught at the time he was teaching them?43
The second tension for me is: Why, if the Book of Romans is an exposition on the gospel, does Paul not place any emphasis on personal evangelism in the application section? Would you not think that a man who set out to “preach the gospel” to the Romans (see 1:15-17) would want to urge these Roman Christians to share their faith? Why is there nothing said about the importance of soul-winning?
Let us keep these two tensions in mind as we study this concluding section of Romans. No doubt there are other questions which will come to your mind. Let us see not only what Paul says by way of applying his teaching in Romans, but how Paul approaches the matter of application. I believe we will find the meaning and the message of this section important for us to consider.
Paul’s teaching in chapters 12-16 is primarily the application of what he has just taught in chapters 1-11. It is therefore necessary to briefly review the first 11 chapters of Romans as a reminder of what has already gone before, and especially as the basis for Paul’s exhortation.
Paul was a converted Jew, called by God as an “apostle to the Gentiles,” not just to convert them but to bring them to the “obedience of faith” (1:5). Paul saw his calling as an obligation to all the Gentiles (1:5). Paul therefore sensed a responsibility toward the saints in Rome. In partial fulfillment of his obligation, he persisted in praying for them, but he also purposed to visit them. He had been prevented from visiting Rome, and so he was writing this epistle until God granted his desire to see them personally, to minister to them and to be encouraged by them (1:1-13).
Paul had a deep and intense desire to preach the gospel. His desire to visit Rome was prompted by this desire to preach the gospel to them. He felt a great boldness in preaching the gospel, for it was God’s means for bringing men and women to saving faith. The gospel was also a demonstration of the righteousness of God, a righteousness which is received by faith, and which grows to an even greater faith (1:14-17).
The righteousness of God is revealed by the gospel in more than one way. It is revealed first in God’s condemnation of all men. All men have received some revelation about God, a revelation which they have rejected. Because of man’s rejection of this revelation, God gives them over to corrupt thinking and practices which are themselves a form of judgment and which lead to even greater judgment. While some have received more revelation than others—especially the Jews—no one has lived in obedience to it. Thus, God’s righteousness requires the universal condemnation of all men (1:18-3:20).
But God’s righteousness is revealed in yet another way in the gospel. The righteousness of God is revealed in His provision for man’s salvation through Jesus Christ. The righteousness which all men lack, and the penalty which all men deserve, has been dealt with in a way that satisfies the requirements of God’s righteousness. When Jesus Christ died for sinners, the righteous anger of God was satisfied because He bore the penalty of God’s wrath for sinners. The righteousness which all men lack is reckoned to all who receive it through Christ. To receive the forgiveness of sins and the blessings of God, men must simply receive God’s provision for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, who achieved for us that which we could not accomplish by our own efforts (3:21-26).
Justification by faith eliminates all boasting by men, for no one earns it. It is not for Jews only, for they too have failed to earn it. It is available to any sinner who will receive it. And while it accomplishes what the Law could not, it does not make the Law useless and obsolete. It actually enables the Law to be of great benefit (3:27-31).
Justification by faith is nothing new. It is the way God has always justified men, qualifying them to be the recipients of His blessings. Abraham was justified by faith, a very similar kind of faith (a resurrection faith). Because of his faith, and apart from works, he was reckoned to be righteous by God. Abraham could not boast, for he was justified by faith; neither can his descendants boast. Abraham’s “seed” are not his physical offspring but those who, like Abraham, believe in God by faith.
Justification by faith does result in boasting, but of a very different kind. It is not a boasting in men, but of justified men boasting in God. We who have been justified by faith have peace with God, and boast in the hope of His glory. We boast in the certainty of those blessings which are yet future, in seeing the glory of God, revealed finally and fully in His kingdom. We boast also in our present tribulations. There will be present tribulations, but in these the faithfulness and love of God are demonstrated in such a way that we have an even greater assurance of His love and care. Finally, we boast in God Himself, through the person and work of Jesus Christ (5:1-11).
We boast in God because justification by faith results from the work of Jesus Christ, which releases us from our identification with Adam, his sin, and its consequences. Since we all (Jew and Gentile) are “sons of Adam,” we all share in his fall, and in the penalty of death. Jesus Christ is the “last Adam,” who has undone all that Adam did, who has not only fixed the ruin brought about by his sin, but who offers us blessings which far exceed the consequences of his sin. Those who, by faith, are in Christ, have a new identity, in Him, and not in Adam. What Adam did, Christ has undone. In place of death, Christ gives life. In place of sin, Christ brings righteousness. The grace which our Lord Jesus offers men far exceeds the sin and condemnation which Adam brought upon us (5:12-21).
If the “good works” of men cannot produce righteousness (and they cannot), the righteousness of God in Christ can and does produce good works in and through those who have believed in Him by faith. It is inconceivable to think that, having been justified by faith, the Christian would continue to live in sin. The one who has been joined with Christ by faith was joined with Him in His death to sin, as well as in His resurrection to newness of life. Salvation therefore necessitates sanctification. Justification is intended to produce good works. One who has been justified by faith must never again live in sin. To do so would be to return to one’s former slavery to sin, a bondage from which Christ’s death and resurrection has set us free (6:1-7:6).
The Law has served a very beneficial function for the Christian. It has defined sin and righteousness, and it has shown that we can never be righteous by our own works. It also provides the Christian with a standard of righteousness, by which he should live. But there is one thing the Law cannot do—the Law does not empower men to do what it requires. Thus, those things which the Law forbids, the Christian still finds himself doing. The things which the Law commands, the Christian fails to accomplish.
The Law is not evil due to this fact. The “Law is holy,” and the “commandment is holy and righteous and good” (7:12). The fact that the Christian agrees with the Law bears testimony to this. The Law is not the source of the problem. The real problem is the strength of sin and the weakness of our own flesh. Sin actually abuses the “Law” in such a way that it entices us to do what is evil. If sin is to be overcome and righteousness is to be practiced (as we know that it must), then there must be a provision of power greater than that which we find in ourselves (7:7-24).
There is! The work of our Lord Jesus Christ is not only the basis for our justification; it is the basis for our sanctification (growing in holiness) as well. The death of Christ cleanses us of all our sins, and therefore we are not under condemnation, even when we fail as Christians (7:25–8:1). What our flesh cannot do, God’s Spirit enables us to do. The Law, which we could not keep in our own strength, God’s Spirit enables us to obey (8:2-4). The “deadness” of our own flesh with respect to God’s righteousness is overcome by the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit (8:11). The Holy Spirit assures the Christian that he is a “son of God.” This sonship has both a present dimension, which is imperfect and partial, and a future dimension, which is full and complete (8:14-25). During the time of our present sonship, God’s Spirit will convey the groanings of our own spirit to the Lord Jesus, who is interceding for us with the Father (8:26-27).
As “sons of God,” we not only have a power that we never had before, we have a completely different perspective. We now realize that God is in complete control (He is sovereign), even when the world around us appears to be chaotic and confused. Because He is sovereign, God is able to orchestrate everything that happens, so that His purposes are achieved, and so that His promises are fulfilled. This means that even the present tribulations and difficulties of life are actually working together for our good. The God who chose us in eternity past, and who purposed our sanctification, will complete His good work, resulting at last in our glorification, and without losing any along the way (8:28-30). This is cause for the Christian’s confidence and security and rightly results in praise and adoration. When God has taken our side, no one will ever separate us from Him or keep us from experiencing His promises (8:31-39).
If God is sovereign and His purposes and promises are sure to be fulfilled, how can we explain Israel’s failure as a nation? There has been no failure with respect to God’s Word. To the contrary, God’s Word has been perfectly fulfilled with respect to Israel’s present unbelief and the salvation of the Gentiles. God’s promises have always been selectively bestowed. He has selected some of Abraham’s offspring, but not all, as Israel’s history shows. God chose Isaac, not Ishmael; Jacob, but not Esau. He chose to save Moses and the Israelite nation and to destroy Pharaoh and many Egyptians. The large scale unbelief of the Jews and the salvation of many Gentiles was in part God’s sovereign plan, which was foretold clearly in the Old Testament (9:1-29).
Israel’s state of unbelief and separation is also the result of her own unbelief and rejection of the gospel. Rather than accepting God’s righteousness, by faith, as many Gentiles were doing, self-righteous Jews were insisting on earning their own, and so they failed to obtain that righteousness which God offered in Christ, Israel’s prophesied “stumbling stone” (9:30-10:13). And just as men are responsible to respond to God’s offer of righteousness by faith, so God’s people are responsible to proclaim it (10:14-15). This Israel also refused to do. And so, due to Israel’s unbelief, about which they were warned, God chose to bring about His purposes and promises through Israel’s disobedience, rather than through her obedience (10:16-21).
In spite of all this, God has not given up on Israel, because His “gifts and calling are irrevocable” (11:1, 29). Those whom He has chosen in eternity past have a bright and glorious future. Israel’s unbelief was never complete, for there was always a remnant preserved through whom God’s promises could be fulfilled. And her unbelief will not be permanent. Through her unbelief, the gospel has gone out to the Gentiles. (One can hardly fathom what blessings the world will experience when Israel turns to God, by faith!) The arrogance of the Jews is a very real danger for the Gentiles. They too must be on guard against boasting in that which God has done, as though it was through their own deeds and goodness. Finally, when God has finished His saving work among the Gentiles, He will once again turn to Israel for her blessing. Then, all Israel will turn and be saved. What wisdom God has in bringing these things to pass, through Israel’s disobedience, rather than through her obedience! How marvelous are God’s ways! How far above and beyond our own wisdom or counsel (11:1-36).
Based upon God’s gracious dealings with men, which Paul will sum up in the expression, “the mercies of God,” Paul will turn to the application of the gospel in the lives of individual saints and in the life of the church (chapters 12-16).
I suggest three “grids” by which the structure of chapters 12-16 may be considered.
The first “grid” is found in Paul’s use of the expression, “I urge you.” This expression is used three times in the Epistle to the Romans. It first occurs in Romans 12:1, where Paul introduces the subject of the Roman’s responsibilities to others, both saints and sinners. The second occurrence is found in Romans 15:30, where Paul turns to the Roman’s responsibility to him, as an apostle and a preacher of the gospel. The final occurrence is in 16:17, where Paul speaks of the Roman’s responsibility to shun those who are trouble-makers.
The second “grid” is that of the Christian’s relationships and corresponding responsibilities. Romans 12:1-2 links our responsibilities to God and to the world in which we live. It relates our worship to our conduct and service. The rest of chapters 12-16 spell out what some of these relationships are. In Romans 12:3-16, Paul speaks of the Christian’s relationships with fellow-believers, in the church, the body of Christ. In Romans 12:17–13:14, Paul speaks of the Christian’s relationships with those who are unbelievers—with the world. This includes one’s enemies (12:17-21), government (13:1-7), one’s neighbors in general (13:8-10), and one’s relationship to worldly sins and fleshly indulgence (13:11-14).
In chapters 14 and 15, Paul turns back once again to the Christian’s relationship to fellow-believers, but now he will do so in the context of differences. Paul deals here with differences of convictions between the “strong” and the “weak” (14:1–15:4) and with differences between those who are Jews and those who are Gentiles in the faith (15:5-13).
In Romans 15:14-33 Paul deals with the Romans’ relationship with him, as an “apostle of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.” Their relationship with Paul should result in their participation with him in his ministry, even as he has endeavored to be involved with them. This involvement should include others, like Phoebe, whom Paul commends to them for hospitality and ministry (16:1-2).
Their relationships with one another should be enhanced (16:3-16). Paul knows many there in Rome quite well, especially for a man who has not yet visited Rome. The Romans should know one another even better than he. Is it possible that some of these groups shunned others? Paul’s instructions to greet these folks put them on the spot to repair any broken relationships.
Paul’s encouragement that Christians welcome one another has limits. Just as the saints need to accept one another, to welcome visitors, and to meet pressing needs, they must also avoid contact with those who reject the truth and who would mislead the church. Such “trouble-makers” Paul speaks of in 16:17-20, warning the saints to stay away from them.
The third “grid” which I propose for your consideration of these chapters is that of the Christian’s obligations, based upon God’s provisions, in the context of relationship. This grid is outlined on the following page.
Grid Three: The Christian’s obligations, based upon God’s provisions, in the context of relationships:
|
Text |
Basis |
Context |
Obligation |
|
12:1-2 |
Mercies of God |
The world |
The worship of service |
|
12:3-8 |
Spiritual gifts |
The body of Christ |
Exercise spiritual gift |
|
12:9-16 |
The love of God |
The body of Christ |
Live in truth and love |
|
12:17-21 |
The grace of God |
Our enemies: Not a grudge, but grace |
God will judge |
|
13:1-7 |
God ordains gov’t |
Citizenship in world |
Obey government as God’s rule |
|
13:8-10 |
The O.T. Law |
Our neighbors |
Love seeks no harm of neighbor |
|
13:11-14 |
Time is short, the kingdom is near |
Fleshly lusts |
Make no provision for flesh |
|
14:1–15:4 |
Jesus is Lord |
The church: Stop judging, stop using liberties which offend brother |
Edification of the weak and the strong |
|
15:5-13 |
God’s purposes for Jews & Gentiles |
The church |
Harmonious praise of Jews and Gentiles in one body |
|
15:14-33 |
Paul’s ministry |
World evangelism |
Participation in Paul’s ministry |
|
16:1-16 |
Unity in Christ |
The church |
Welcoming and greeting the saints |
|
16:17-20 |
Holding to truth |
Trouble-makers |
Identify them and turn from them |
We will not study these final chapters of Romans thoroughly until the next phase of our study of the Book of Romans. Here we will attempt to gain a sense of the “lay of the land,” to survey the areas of application to which Paul refers. Let us press on to survey these chapters by viewing Paul’s exhortations to the Romans as a description of the ideal church, the characteristics of the congregation which lives by the gospel.
A gospel church is one that is so indebted to the grace of God that it is characterized by worship. This worship is based upon a divine perspective of life and is expressed not only at Sunday worship, but in a life of service in practical Christian living according to the Word of God. It is a life which manifests the grace of God to the world, through the church.
A gospel church is one whose congregation is made up of saints who are individually enabled by God’s grace for special areas of service and ministry (spiritual gifts). These saints honestly appraise their gifts and employ them in service to one another. These gifts are exercised with the godly motivations and attitudes which befit and enhance them.
The gospel church is one that is not only empowered by God’s grace, but which manifests graciousness in all areas of its life and ministry. The guiding principle is that of love one for another. This love never compromises the truth, but adheres to it while shunning evil. It is active and aggressive in serving others,44 giving preference to others above mere self-interest.45 Brotherly love is sensitive to needs and eagerly meets them in a way that will edify and build up the faith of the other. It is humble and does not hesitate to associate with those who are “lowly.” Those who have been humbled by God’s grace manifest this grace in dealing with other “unworthy” people.
Here, Paul moves from one’s Christian brothers in 12:3-16 to one’s enemies in 12:17-21.46 The gospel church is to be characterized by grace, not grudges. Its members are obliged to forgive personal offenses and not to punish them. The Christian is a debtor, like Paul (see 1:14), but there is one debt he need not worry about paying back, and that is the debt of revenge. This is one debt which God Himself will pay. If God is the One who will judge the earth, then let us wait for Him. Let us leave judgment to Him. These are the days in which God’s grace and mercy are to be manifested through us. What better occasion than in relationship to one who has hurt us. If grace is greater than sin, then our graciousness should outrun the sins others have committed against us.
The gospel church is to be characterized by its obedience to civil government and by its submission to its authority as God-ordained. The Jews historically rebelled against foreign rule. Rome was beginning to lose its patience with the Jews. They had already been forced to leave Rome at least once (Acts 18:2). Rome would soon attack and destroy Jerusalem, and they would also soon be feeding Christians to the lions in their coliseums. If it were at one time to the advantage of the church to be associated with Judaism (see Acts 18:12-17), this day would soon be over. While Christians should never set themselves out to overthrow government, they should be especially diligent to show their submission to Rome. The church would face enough trouble without having some of its members acting as revolutionaries. Paul taught that government is God-ordained. Any government which exists is ordained of God. To resist any government is to resist God. Government is to be obeyed (unless it commands us to do that which God has clearly commanded otherwise), and the price of government—taxes—is to be paid.
In addition to being characterized by its “brotherly love” (12:9-16), the gospel church is to be known for its “neighborly love.” This neighborly love was commanded in the Old Testament as one of the fundamental duties of God’s people. It is the kind of love which does not seek or devise the harm of one’s neighbor.47 Neighborly love is the mark of the gospel church.
The gospel church is characterized by its eager expectation of the Lord’s return and its rejection of fleshly indulgence. The saints know that the Lord’s return is drawing ever near, and with this in mind they endeavor to deny fleshly lusts and to pursue godliness (see 2 Peter 3:11-12).
The gospel church is to be known by its unity in diversity. This unity is to be preserved by the recognition of differences and by a godly response to them. These are not differences in terms of crucial doctrines, but differences stemming from personal convictions or from differing racial or cultural origins. There are, in any church, those who are more acquainted with Christian liberties than others. Those who “can” think of themselves as the “strong” and are tempted to look down on those who think they “cannot,” seeing them as “weak.” Paul deals with these differences in the context of Christian unity and love. He instructs the strong to cease judging the weak and looking down on them. Since Jesus is Lord, He is the One who judges all. Therefore we ought not judge others, as to whether they are strong or weak. It is before Him that we all shall stand to give account, and praise (14:1-12).
We must be attentive and responsive to the convictions of others, not so that we can judge them and “tear them down,” but in order that we might build them up (edify them). If our conscience permits, we may exercise our freedom. If our conscience condemns, we dare not exercise this freedom. And if the exercise of our freedom weakens or offends the conscience of a brother, we dare not exercise our liberty. Our liberties ought to be readily and happily set aside, for our own good, or for the edification of another. The principle which should govern the exercise of liberties is that of edification. We ought to do only that which builds others up in their faith, and avoid that which causes stumbling. Since convictions are personal, we should not seek to convert others to our own point of view. The strong ought to serve the weak, not oppress them (14:13–15:4).
God has purposed to demonstrate a unity in the church that surpasses mere uniformity or conformity. It was for this reason that He long ago purposed and promised the conversion of Jews and Gentiles. His purpose was to bring these groups together in unity and harmony to praise Him. One cannot sing the praises of God when there is no harmony. Thus, Paul appeals to the saints at Rome to preserve their unity, to promote their harmony, so that as a result God may be praised (15:5-13).
A gospel church is characterized by its participation in the spread of the gospel. Paul’s calling as an apostle was a compelling force in his life. Because of the gospel, Paul wrote this epistle and would some day visit Rome. Paul believed that the cause of the gospel was also the basis for the involvement of the Romans in his ministry. After laying out his goals for his future ministry, Paul urged the Romans to involve themselves in his ministry by praying for him as he proclaimed the gospel. Those who have received the gospel are eager to share it with others and to support those whose lives are devoted to the proclamation of the gospel.
A gospel church is a hospitable church, overflowing with love and hospitality. I am not certain that the church in Rome was as harmonious and like-minded as it should have been. The differences and tensions between the various elements of the church may have caused some divisions (this was surely true at Corinth, from where Paul was writing to the Romans). Various house groups and individuals are named by Paul, and the saints at Rome are urged to greet all of them. This may appear to have been a very simple task, but if these groups were in any way at odds with each other, this would have been a difficult thing to do. Paul’s request may have required some factions to reconcile.
A gospel church is always on guard against false teaching and practice. While we are to be hospitable to the saints, and gracious to our enemies, we must also be on the alert for false teachers so that we can stand apart from them. Paul’s final words to this church are words of warning. Let those who would be loving and tolerant of differences in the areas of convictions and culture be very intolerant toward any compromise of the gospel and its outworkings.
As we conclude this lesson we will concentrate on the applications which Paul has made in these chapters as a whole. What can we learn from Paul about the practical application of the gospel, and more generally, the Word of God? What does Paul stress? What does he avoid? Let us conclude with the following observations and suggestions.
(1) Romans 12-16 follows Romans 1-11.48 This is a very elementary observation, is it not? And yet it is so simple we tend to pass it by unnoticed. Here, and elsewhere, Paul lays down teaching and doctrine first, as the foundation for the practical applications which will follow. The importance which Paul places on Bible doctrine can be seen by the fact that it is taught first, in the lengthier portion of his epistle.
The expression, “I urge you,” found three times in Romans (12:1; 15:30; 16:17), is found first in Romans 12. Paul does not exhort Christians concerning their conduct until after he has taught them the doctrines and principles which motivate, regulate, and empower their conduct. This is especially evident in Romans, Ephesians, and Colossians.49
Romans, like all of Paul’s writings, emphasizes the inter-relationship between biblical doctrine and daily living. It is wrong to view doctrine as boring and impractical, and Paul would never tolerate such thinking. Practice which is not based upon the doctrines of God’s Word is ill-founded and dangerous.
The vast majority of books on the shelves of Christian book stores start, so to speak, at Romans 12. They are quick to get into the “practical” applications, without first having laid a biblical foundation. It is for this reason that many of these “how to” books are faddish at best, and blatantly unbiblical at worst.50 Biblical doctrine is practical. It is also foundational.
How sad it is that most preaching and teaching today begins with man’s felt needs, rather than truth. We search for the truths which meet our needs, rather than to search the Scriptures to determine our needs.
(2) In Romans 12-16, like Romans 1-11, Paul’s teaching and exhortations are based upon the Old Testament Scriptures. Romans 12-16 contains the applications which Paul gives to his teaching, based on the Old Testament Scriptures. The only authority Paul finds necessary for his applications is the teaching of the Old Testament Scriptures. Notice the texts to which Paul refers, as indicated by the NASB:
|
Romans Text |
Old Testament Citation |
|
12:19-21 |
Prov. 20:22; 21:29; 25:21; Dt. 32:35; Ps. 94:1 |
|
13:9 |
Ex. 20:13f.; Dt. 5:17ff.; Lv. 19:18 |
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14:11 |
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15:3 |
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15:9-12 |
Ps. 18:49; 2 Sam. 22:50; Dt. 32:43; Ps. 117:1; Isa. 11:10 |
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15:21 |
Even when Paul refers to the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ, he does so by citing Psalm 69:9, as a prophecy which was fulfilled by Him. Paul was not one of those who walked with Jesus, as did the other apostles. But even when Paul referred to the earthly life of Jesus, he did not quote one of the apostles or eye-witnesses who observed Jesus. Instead, Paul quoted the Old Testament, which bore witness to Him in the form of prophecy.
Those who would view the Old Testament Scriptures as dispensationally irrelevant should take careful note of Paul’s use of the Old Testament. They should note that Paul uses the Old Testament for far more than finding prophecies which have been fulfilled, or which are still to be fulfilled. Paul also uses the Old Testament as the basis for Christian conduct, by appealing to the Law (13:9). If not the only basis for Paul’s desire to preach to those who had never heard the gospel, the Old Testament at least taught the principle (15:21). Paul’s exhortation to give up revenge and to forgive one’s enemies is based upon the teaching of Proverbs and other Old Testament texts (12:19-21).
When Paul wrote of the profitability of “all Scripture” in 2 Timothy 3:15-17, he was speaking primarily with reference to the Old Testament Scriptures. In our passage we find Paul saying something quite similar:
For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (Romans 15:4).
Let us therefore recognize that the Old Testament Scriptures are not only inspired, inerrant, and infallible, they are authoritative, profitable, and applicable. Most New Testament teaching is not “new,” but “review.”
(3) The applications of Romans 12-16 are all-encompassing. Paul does not restrict the implications and applications of the gospel to a small slice of life. He does not compartmentalize Christianity into categories such as “secular” and “spiritual,” “ministry” and “work.” Paul’s applications are broad in scope because the gospel was intended to impact and to transform every area of the believer’s life. While application is based upon the teachings of God’s Word, their implementation is as broad as the world in which the believer lives. Let me review a few of the areas which are covered in Paul’s application section.
(4) All of the applications of Paul are self-sacrificing, rather than self-indulging. Few of us eagerly seek those practical applications which require self-sacrifice and faith. We want “helpful hints,” inspired suggestions, which make our Christian walk easier, more successful and enjoyable. We want to find principles which work to make our lives happier and more fulfilled. Paul’s applications are not comfortable and not self-indulgent. They require love and self-denial (see 13:11-14).
(5) The application of Romans 12-16 grows out of Romans 1-11, but in a more general way than we might expect. A friend challenged me with an excellent question about Romans 12-16. He asked, “What direct links are there between the doctrines taught in chapters 1-11 and the applications found in chapters 12-16?” This question caught me unprepared. Not because I had not thought of the question, but because I still did not have an answer. I think I now have an answer, which I would share with you for your consideration.
In our “bottom line,” “get to the point” world, we want to quickly get to the application, and to see a direct and immediate connection with our lives. In preaching, there is a tendency (indeed, almost a necessity) to seek to find the meaning of a text, and then to drive home its application, its immediate and earth-shaking relevance to our lives. There are times, of course, when this can and should happen. But there are many other times when this is neither possible nor desirable.
We look for the practical applications of the Scriptures, indeed, we demand them, because we want to be shown that these truths are practical and relevant to us. But the relevance and applicability of God’s Word may not necessarily be that quick or that apparent. Paul’s teaching in Romans 1-11 is something like a stew. Paul has blended a number of biblical themes. He has added various doctrinal truths to his epistle like we add carrots and celery and potatoes to a stew. Paul does not attempt to apply just the carrots; he seeks to drive home the implications of the whole of his teaching, and not just a part of it.
The importance of this is especially evident when we recall that some of the truths which Paul taught seem to be contradictory. Paul taught the grace of God, but he would not nullify the Law. He taught the sovereignty of God, but he would also teach the responsibility of man. If we attempt to link a doctrine with an application, we may very well fall into the trap of emphasizing only one element of the truth, rather than the sum total of the truth. Thus, Paul’s applications are based upon the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man.
Perhaps Romans 12:1-2 most clearly illustrates what I am trying to say. The Scriptures are not given to us to throw out all rules (as the legalist would fear, and as some libertines would advocate). Neither were they given to us as a set of rules to rigidly follow (as the libertines would charge, and as some legalists would advocate). The Scriptures were given to us so that, through them, we might have our minds transformed (12:2). The Bible was not given to us merely to provide us with a list of practices we must perform, or sins we must shun. The Bible was given to us to provide us with more than a series of principles (as important as these are). The Bible was given to us to change our perspective, to transform our way of seeing things, so that we may see life from God’s point of view.
This new perspective, this new point of view, I believe to be the “renewed mind” of which Paul speaks. It is the basis for a transformed life. And so it is that there is not always a direct line between a particular teaching or doctrine and a certain application. Biblical truth is to not to be understood and applied in isolation, but in context—in the total context of God’s Word, and in the context of our own lives.
If you do not come away from this message with a concrete area of application—fine. That does not bother me. I would hope that our study of the entire Book of Romans would change your perspective significantly, and that this would overflow in a lifestyle that is radically different from that of the world, and from what you formerly practiced.
(6) The Book of Romans ends without a single exhortation to practice personal evangelism. Isn’t it interesting, as a friend pointed out to me, that this book, a book in which Paul expounds and applies the gospel, ends without urging people to evangelize? Please do not misunderstand me. I am simply making an observation. Paul seems more interested in urging Christians to live the gospel than to preach it. An evangelistic effort without a gospel lifestyle will produce little. A gospel lifestyle will inevitably lead to evangelistic opportunities. When unbelievers see the gospel in action, and see that the gospel works, then the gospel will be a welcome topic for conversation. Just as it is easier to profess to be a Christian than it is to practice Christianity (see the Book of James), it is easier to preach the gospel than to practice it. Let us take Paul’s words of exhortation to heart.
May God grant us renewed minds, which result in transformed lives, lives which worship Him through service that stems from gratitude.
42 I have used the expression, “tension of the text,” for several years now. By this expression, I refer to the questions which are raised in a biblical text. Sometimes these are only questions of my own, due to my lack of understanding or insight into the text. But many times these are tensions which are purposely built into the text by the Holy Spirit. These questions, or tensions, give the student of Scripture grounds for further study, for prayer, and for meditation.
At one time, I used to begin my study by making observations. I now begin my study of the passage by looking for the questions, the problems, the “tensions of the text.” When I arrive at a satisfactory answer to these questions, I often have found the key to understanding the text. I suggest that as you study your Bible, you look for the “tensions in the text” and then write them down. Keep praying, reading and meditating on these until the answer comes.
43 To some extent, I think Paul did suggest the application in general terms, but the fuller application is delayed until chapters 12-16.
44 Notice that love here in 12:9-16 is focused upon fellow-believers. It is brotherly love (12:10). The love described in 13:8-10 is “neighborly love,” focused upon the world at large. Paul’s exhortation concerning brotherly love deals with aggressive, positive expressions of love. Paul’s exhortation concerning “neighborly love” is negative, focusing upon that which a good neighbor would not do—namely, seek the harm of another.
45 One cannot help but see here a death blow to the false teaching and preoccupation with self-esteem and self-love. By its very nature, love is a preferential act. God loved Jacob and hated Esau (Romans 9:13). When a man loves his wife, he cherishes her above others. When a Christian loves others, he gives them preference over himself. If the very essence of love is showing preference, how is it that some can say that we must first love ourselves, so that we will be able to love others? We cannot love ourselves and at the same time love others, because we must give preference either to ourselves or others. Self-love gives preference to self. Loving others gives preference to others. We must either love others or love ourselves, but we cannot love others by loving ourselves. Self-love is nothing less than self-indulgence (see Romans 13:11-14), and those who teach it are “trouble-makers” from whom we should turn away (Romans 16:17-20).
46 Some do not seem to see the shift from brothers to enemies here, but this seems clear. In 12:9-16 Paul speaks of “the saints” (v. 13), of “one another” (vv. 10, 16), and of having “the same mind” (v. 16). This is surely speaking of fellow-believers. But in 12:17-21, the terms change dramatically to “anyone” and “all men” (v. 17), and “enemy” in verse 20. This indicates a change of context, from that of the church to that of the world at large.
47 It is possible that Paul is progressively dealing with the subject of dealing with one’s enemies. In 12:17-21, evil is countered by grace, so that good might overcome evil. In 13:1-7, government’s role is emphasized. If one is ill-treated by an individual, not only will God judge him in the future, but government may be expected to deal with him in the present. That is what government is ordained to do. The Christian should leave punishment to God and to government. Finally, the Christian will not seek the harm of his “neighbor,” even if that person has harmed him.
48 Said another way, five chapters which deal with application follow eleven chapters of preparation.
49 In 1 and 2 Corinthians, Paul does exhort sooner in his writings, but this is because Paul has already taught these believers, in person, or by his writings. Not only was Paul in Corinth, so that he had already taught them the doctrines on which his later exhortations were based, he also had written an earlier (lost) epistle to them (see 1 Corinthians 5:9).
50 For example, see my comments on “self-love” in footnote 45.
How many times have you heard a master of ceremonies say, “And now it is my pleasure to introduce to you a man who needs no introduction …”? Why are the longest introductions often for those who “need no introduction”? A good introduction will accomplish several important tasks. It will arouse the interest and attention of the audience. Also it can build a relationship between the speaker and his audience. This is especially important if the speaker is not well-known by his audience. The introduction can also acquaint us with the speaker’s message and his method so that we can follow him as he speaks.
In the days when I listened to sermons rather than preached them, I had a “five minute rule.” It was a simple rule applied to preachers during the first five minutes of their message: the speaker had five minutes to get from his introduction to the text in the Bible. If, in that five minutes, the speaker had not begun to expound the Scripture text, I knew he would never get there. And so I would mentally turn the speaker off and read from my Bible for the rest of the sermon.
As my five minutes are passing quickly, let us turn our attention to our text in Romans 1:1-17. This is Paul’s introduction to the entire Epistle to the Romans. While all of Paul’s epistles have introductions, this particular introduction is especially important. The church in Rome was not founded by Paul. The Roman saints had not been brought to faith through the preaching of Paul. He did not seem to be well-known in Rome.51 Paul had not yet been to Rome, and most of the saints there would not recognize him if they saw him.52
Our study of Paul’s introduction will concentrate on the reasons Paul gives for writing this epistle, which will also prove to be the reasons why the Romans should read and heed his words. Paul’s introduction will also help to explain why the Romans did receive Paul’s epistle, and why this epistle has continued to bless and to impact the lives of men and women down through the ages of church history.
Beyond this, I believe Paul’s introductory words provide us with a “mentality of ministry,” which is a bench mark for every believer. Paul’s words describe, as the title of this message indicates, “Paul’s Motivation for Ministry.” Before we hear so much as one word of preaching from Paul, he lays out for us his “perspective.” Paul will tell his readers how much he cares for them, how often he has tried to come to visit them, and how long and diligently he has prayed for them. Paul will tell all of his readers “where he is coming from” and “where he is going” in the rest of his epistle.
I believe that Paul’s perspective, as revealed in his introduction to Romans, is a model for every Christian. If our ministries were motivated by those things which inspired Paul in his ministry, our ministries would take a different form and would have a much greater impact on others. Were our ministries to be patterned after Paul’s ministry to the saints at Rome, we would not have to work so hard to get a hearing from those we are striving to reach with the gospel.
You and I should not need to be convinced that this epistle is worthy of our diligent study or that its message is desperately needed today. We will find, however, that we are drawn to Paul as a person as we read his words of introduction. Here is a man with a heart toward God, toward the saints, toward Israel, and toward the lost. Even though this man lived centuries ago, we shall find ourselves drawn to him as a person and his proclamation of the gospel. Let us listen well to these inspired and heart-warming words.
Our text is composed of three segments. The first segment (1:1-7) is Paul’s greeting which identifies both the writer and the recipients, and their relationship. The second segment (1:8-13) explores the relationship of Paul with the saints at Rome in greater depth, describing both his prayers and his plans concerning them. The final segment introduces the theme of this epistle, which is the key to Paul’s motivation and his ministry.
1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles, for His name’s sake, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Have you ever seen one of those long limousines, the “stretch” kind that looks like the car has been cut in two with a third section sandwiched in between? They are unusual, and they catch our attention. Paul’s greeting, in verses 1-7, is what I call a “stretch version” of his usual greeting. It is the longest greeting of any of his epistles. Here is a sampling of his more typical greetings:
Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace (1 Thessalonians 1:1).
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope; to Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord (1 Timothy 1:1-2).
Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:1-3).
Paul’s other greetings range from one to four verses, while his greetings in Romans take a whopping seven verses. Why such a long greeting here? Let me suggest an explanation.
When you compare the greeting in Romans to those in Paul’s other epistles, you will see that all of the greetings begin and end in a similar way. What is unique in this greeting in Romans 1:1-7 is Paul’s synopsis of the gospel in verses 2-4. Why would Paul give a synopsis of the gospel here, in the introduction?
The reason seems to be clear when you consider the uniqueness of this situation. Paul had never been in Rome. He had never previously taught these saints, as he had those in all the other churches to which he wrote epistles. And until now he had never written to them. In his other epistles, Paul was writing to those who knew him, those whom he had led to Christ and whom he had taught. Here, Paul was writing to those whom he had never met, who did not know him and did not know his doctrine. Because the purity of the gospel is vitally important, Paul immediately sought to demonstrate that his gospel was the same as that which the saints in Rome had believed, resulting in their salvation. In very few words, Paul highlights several of the fundamental elements of his gospel:
(1) Paul’s gospel was based upon the belief in a triune God. Paul was a trinitarian. In verses 2-4, Paul refers to all three members of the Godhead: the Father (verse 2), the Son, who was of David’s seed, and who is exalted in the heavens, ready to reign over God’s kingdom (verses 3-4), and the Holy Spirit (verse 4).
(2) Paul’s gospel was established by the resurrection of Christ from the dead (verse 4).
(3) Paul’s gospel was not “new,” but was the fulfillment of that which God had promised His people through the Old Testament prophets (verse 2).
(4) Paul’s gospel was God’s provision for the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles (verses 5-6).
(5) Paul’s gospel was a sovereign calling, a calling to salvation, a calling to service, and a calling to a Christian lifestyle, a lifestyle of obedience (verses 5-7).
Paul’s gospel was an orthodox gospel. It was the same gospel which the other apostles preached and which the Roman saints had believed. Since Paul professed and preached the same gospel, the Roman saints could welcome him as a fellow-believer, and they could welcome his ministry in person or by letter.
Christians today, I fear, are too quick to accept those whom they do not really know to be fellow-saints. Satan deceives the saints and corrupts the church by sending his “false apostles” as “angels of light” (2 Corinthians 11:12-15). Paul urged the saints to be on guard for such false apostles, and he gladly articulated the gospel which he preached. We should be as careful as Paul. We should know what gospel men preach, before we heed their teaching.
When we began to meet as a church, one of my fellow-elders and I met with a man who had just come to our city. He had the reputation of being a Christian and following Christian principles. Nevertheless, my fellow-elder asked this man to share his testimony with us. He was right to do so. We should be very careful to check out the doctrine of those who would have us welcome them as fellow-believers. The church would be spared much grief and error if it were more careful in this regard.
The first and most fundamental bond which Paul had with the Roman saints was the bond of a common faith. There was yet another link between Paul and the Roman saints which he wanted to set out at the beginning of his epistle. His ministry was the result of a divine call and of divine enablement. He was called and set apart as an apostle, to proclaim the gospel of God (verse 1). The specific focus of his apostleship was to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles, leading to their “obedience of faith.”53
Paul was divinely designated and set apart to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles. He was to bring about “the obedience of faith” among all the Gentiles (1:5), which included “Greeks and barbarians,” both the “wise and the foolish” (1:14). Many of the saints at Rome were Gentiles (1:6). Paul saw his specific calling and ministry as obligating him to minister to the church at Rome. His calling (as an apostle to the Gentiles) and their condition (as Gentiles) was a link Paul could not and would not overlook. He was obliged to minister to them in some way.
Before we move on to the next segment to see how Paul did minister to the saints at Rome, let me point out three observations from verses 1-7. Each of these three observations is inferred by our text, and each has to do with Paul’s perspective.
First, we find in these verses Paul’s strong sense of calling and his resulting authority, balanced with an equally strong sense of servanthood and humility. Paul manifests a boldness and authority which comes not from himself, but which is the result of his calling as an apostle.54 He begins this epistle by referring to his calling, and thus, indirectly, to his apostolic authority. And yet this authority does not “go to his head.” Paul is equally conscious that his calling is to the role of a “bondslave” to God and to a life of service to men. Paul is greatly humbled by his calling and authority. Paul’s words in Romans reflect both a boldness and a humility.
Second, we find in Paul’s words here a strong sense of unity and continuity. Paul ties together the gospel which he proclaims and the promises of God made through the Old Testament prophets. He joins together both the Jews and the Gentiles. Paul will not allow a misguided polarization (taking of sides) between the Jews and the Gentiles. He stresses that the gospel unites all believers. He emphasizes the continuity between the Old Testament and the New.
Finally, Paul emphasizes what he possesses in common with the saints at Rome, while at the same time recognizing his unique calling and ministry. Paul shares with the Roman saints a “like precious faith.” He shares in being divinely called of God unto salvation. But Paul also has a specific calling. He, unlike the Roman saints, has been “called as an apostle,” and “set apart for the gospel.”
The recognition of his unique calling and ministry as distinct from his common calling is vitally important. Paul will call upon all the saints to live up to their common calling. And he will (in Romans 12:3-8) call upon each saint to live up to their specific and unique calling. But Paul will not urge the saints at Rome to do all that he does as a part of his unique calling. Paul hopes to go by way of Rome to Spain, but he will not urge the Roman saints to accompany him, only to accommodate him while he is in Rome, and to pray for him as he takes the gospel to unreached places and peoples (see Romans 15:14-33). How often I hear saints urging other saints to imitate their ministry and calling. We dare not ignore our individual calling, nor dare we impose it on others who have their own gifts and calling from God (1 Corinthians 7:7).
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, 10 always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 And I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented thus far) in order that I might obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.
Verses 1-7 establish Paul’s authority as an apostle and declare the basis for Paul’s ministry to the saints at Rome. On this foundation of Paul’s creed and his calling, Paul will establish yet another basis for his ministry to the Roman saints. What Paul will say here, in verses 8-13, will warm the hearts of the Romans, so that they will be eager to hear what Paul has to say to them.
Paul had been a believer and an apostle for a number of years. It was approximately ten years earlier that Paul, and Barnabas, were “set apart”55 for “the work to which God had called them” (see Acts 13:2). He had never before visited or written the saints at Rome. Why should the Roman saints give him a hearing now? Granted, he was orthodox, and he had apostolic authority. But what did Paul know about them? And what evidence was there that he cared about them? Much indeed, as Paul is about to inform them.
Paul’s interest and involvement in the church at Rome can best be seen in his prayers for them. Paul’s prayers include praise and thanksgiving for this church in Rome. Paul knows a great deal about this body of believers, even though he has not yet been to Rome. Paul has kept track of this church, of its witness, and of its progress. He was thankful to God because their faith was being proclaimed throughout the whole world (verse 8). These saints not only had come to faith in Jesus Christ, their faith was being practiced and proclaimed. The gospel which had come to this church was now going forth from it.
This very positive statement from Paul must have been an encouragement to the Roman saints. It would have been an encouragement to hear that their faith was evident and was being shed abroad. It would also be an encouragement to hear from Paul that his letter (not to mention his appearance, in days to come) was not occasioned by problems in the church, but with a view to their progress. This letter to the Romans was not a “trouble shooter’s” attempt to fix a problem in the Roman church, but rather it was to encourage this church. When Paul was able to come to them, he expected also to be encouraged by their faith (1:12).
Paul’s ministry of prayer was much more extensive than his recent prayers of praise. He had, for some time,56 been eager to visit Rome and to spend some time with them. While he persisted in trying to get to Rome, he was consistently prevented from doing so (1:13). He looked forward to his visit as an occasion for mutual ministry, one to another.57 Paul did not have to be physically present to minister to those in Rome, however. For a long time Paul had been praying for this church. Included in his prayers was his petition to visit Rome. If Paul’s absence suggested to any that he did not care much about the saints at Rome, Paul’s petitions and his plans indicate otherwise. If he could have visited Rome before this, he would have.
In Paul’s absence, there were at least two ways which he found to minister to the saints at Rome. The first was to pray for these saints, as he prayed for all the churches (see, for example, Ephesians 1:15-19a; 3:14-19; Philippians 1:3-5; Colossians 1:9-12). The second was to write them an epistle, in which he would convey those truths which he wished to teach in person and which he had taught the churches where he had ministered in person. Paul’s letter was not an impersonal gesture, but the most personal ministry he could provide at the moment. It was the outgrowth of his love, interest, concern and prayers for these saints.
The saints in Rome could listen to Paul because he was an apostle, an apostle whose ministry was to all the Gentiles. But they would listen to Paul because he was a man who cared much for them, who had (unknown to them before now) invested heavily in their faith and ministry. They would hear Paul, and they would hear him gladly. He was a man with a heart for God and for God’s people. He was a man whose love and concern ran deep.
Three years before Paul arrived at Rome in person, he had taken up his pen to write those “beloved of God in Rome,” one of the most profound and powerful epistles ever written. And long before Paul took up the pen, he had been on his knees in prayer for them. One can hardly avoid concluding that the ideas which Paul put into words in this epistle were the product of his prayers and also the answer to them. How often we find that God uses us to have a part in the answer to our own prayers.
I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 Thus, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”
There was one consuming passion in Paul’s life—the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was by means of the gospel that Paul was saved. It was for the purpose of preaching the gospel that he was called and set apart. It was for the world-wide proclamation of the faith of the Romans that Paul gave thanks to God. It was to preach the gospel that he desired to go to Rome. For Paul, the gospel was everything; it was the all-consuming focus of his life and ministry.
The gospel is also the subject matter—the theme—of his epistle to the Romans. In verses 14-17 Paul speaks to the Romans about the gospel and its impact on his life and ministry. In so doing, Paul distills for us the central themes of his epistle and prepares us for what will follow in this epistle.
In verses 14 and 15 Paul explained his eagerness to reach Rome: The gospel made him a debtor, a debtor to the Gentiles through the grace of God. Works-righteousness always seeks to get ahead, to have a “positive balance” of righteousness on account with God. The righteousness of God, obtained by faith, places one in eternal debt. The righteousness which we receive by faith is that which we do not deserve. We are debtors to God for having received it. We are, and eternally will continue to be, debtors to God’s grace.
This debt of grace was no duty, thrust upon Paul; it was a debt of love. If we are indebted to love others (Romans 13:8), we are first indebted to love God. Paul looked upon himself as a debtor, a debtor to God, and a debtor to all men. Paul especially saw himself as a debtor to all the Gentiles, among whom were some of the saints at Rome. His eagerness to minister to the Romans was the result of God’s grace, an overflow of the grace which had saved him.
To Paul, the gospel was much more than a means to men’s salvation, though it was surely that (see 1:16). The gospel was the message which Paul was compelled to proclaim to those who were in Rome and who were saved. I am convinced that Paul is not saying that he wanted to reach Rome so that he could hold revivals in the church, or so that he could hold an evangelistic campaign (though he might have done so, if he could). I believe Paul wanted to proclaim the truths of the gospel to Christians, because this was profitable for them.
Why would this be so? Why do Christians need to hear the gospel, when they are already saved? I believe there are several reasons. First of all, we are inclined to forget. How often in the New Testament the writers will speak of the need for and the benefits of being reminded.58 God warned the Israelites that they would tend to forget God’s deliverance and, in the process, would forget that it was by His grace and not due to their own goodness or works that His blessings had been poured out upon them (see Deuteronomy 8:11-20). We tend to forget that God’s blessings come as a result of His grace, and thus we need to be reminded. This is why we, as a church, remember His death on a regular, weekly basis (see Acts 2:42, 46; 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34).
Second, the gospel is a truth which is so vast we will never grasp or fathom it, though we spend our whole lives studying it. The gospel to which Paul has referred in 1:2-4 is that which has its roots in the Old Testament, its fulfillment in Christ, and its ultimate consummation in eternity. The gospel is a simple message, which men must believe in order to be saved, but it is a vast sea of truth which men will forever seek to fathom (see Romans 11:33-36; Ephesians 3:14-19; Colossians 2:1-3). Those who love God and who rejoice in His gospel will never tire of exploring its riches.
Third, the application of the gospel involves far more than just repentance and faith, leading to salvation. The gospel, as Paul will show in Romans chapters 6-8, provides both the motivation and the means for our sanctification, as well as our salvation. The gospel is not only the message by which we enter into salvation; it is the motivation and the means by which our salvation is lived out. The gospel is a part of God’s eternal plan and purpose, which is still being worked out. And thus, as Paul will show in Romans 9-11, the salvation of the Gentiles is happening now, so that God can save and bless Israel.
Let me pause for a moment to share an insight which I think is valid and which may be profitable to you as well: Evangelists do far more than evangelize, or to teach others to do so; they focus attention on the gospel. I have always thought the role of the evangelist in the church to be two-fold. First, the evangelist evangelizes; that is, the evangelist preaches the gospel to those who are lost so that some are saved. Second, the evangelist promotes evangelism. Often (I speak out of my own experience), the evangelist tries to get other Christians to evangelize (usually in the ways he thinks we should). Some would-be evangelists browbeat the saints, motivating them by guilt, and teaching them the certain stereotyped methods whereby souls can be saved.
I believe that one of Paul’s spiritual gifts was probably that of evangelism. I doubt that many would argue this point. Yet in his epistles, Paul spent very little time urging the saints to evangelize. The final chapters of Romans do not, surprisingly enough, urge personal evangelism. Paul does not try to teach any methods of evangelism. And yet Paul was an evangelist! If Paul was an evangelist, why did he not do what we think an evangelist should do? Here is something to ponder.
I now see Paul as the model evangelist. Paul, the evangelist, sought to focus men’s attention on the gospel. He sought to turn the attention of lost men to the gospel, so that they could be saved. He sought to turn the attention of the saints back to the gospel, as the means, the motivation, and the goal for our lives. So it was for him. So he wishes it to be for us. Evangelists see the gospel as “home base,” so to speak, and they seek to continually “turn our hearts toward home.”
In verses 16 and 17, Paul explains his boldness in proclaiming the gospel. He was “not ashamed of the gospel,” negatively speaking. He boasted in the gospel, positively speaking (see Romans 15:7-19). One reason for Paul’s boldness was the power of the gospel message itself. The gospel is “the power of God unto salvation,” for both the Jew and the Greek (verse 16). Here is a truth which we profess, but which we fail to practice. The message of the gospel is the means by which God’s power is implemented so as to save men.
In our own time, it is often not our message itself which is primary, but our method. We have more faith in our marketing techniques than we do in a simple gospel message. As a result, we tend to water down and compromise the message, subordinating it to our “Madison Avenue” methods.
I watched an interesting television program this week. The program, “Nightline,” was addressing the image of the American automobile as inferior in quality to the Japanese automobiles, even though many of the Japanese cars are made in America, by American labor. It was an interesting discussion. No spokesman could be found to speak up for the American automobile manufacturers. It was generally agreed that the Japanese cars were, overall, better cars. The question was raised, “What is the difference? If many Japanese cars are made here, by American labor, how is it that they can be so much better than American cars, made by American labor?” My suggestion is that we have so much confidence in our methods of selling a product that we have slacked off in our efforts to design and build a good product. We believe that with just the right marketing technique, we can sell snowballs to Eskimos (or lemons to Americans).
I fear that this same “marketing mentality” has gained a strong foothold in the church of Jesus Christ. Most of the fund-raising programs employed by churches and Christian ministries are identical to those developed and used by those who sell soap, toothpaste, cat food and cars. Paul rejected the smooth and subtle tactics of the “merchandisers” of his day (see 2 Corinthians 2:17; 4:2). Paul’s desire was to be clear, simple, and bold (see 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Ephesians 6:18-20; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2). If the gospel is, itself, mighty to save, the power of God resulting in salvation, then we need but to proclaim it, in simplicity, in purity, and in dependence upon God, who will by His Word save men.
Finally, in verse 17, Paul explains his boldness to proclaim the gospel in terms of what it reveals about God. The gospel, Paul says, reveals “the righteousness of God.” The gospel displays God’s righteousness. It reveals God’s righteousness in His standards of holiness, as revealed by the Law. It reveals God’s righteousness by declaring God’s condemnation of sin. It reveals God’s righteousness by the way in which He saves men, by faith, and by pouring out His wrath on the Lord Jesus, so that sin’s penalty is paid.
The righteousness of God is revealed in other ways than by saving sinners. The righteousness of God, Paul says, is revealed “from faith to faith” (verse 17). The righteousness of God is revealed when men come to faith, but it is also revealed as men live by faith. The righteousness of God is revealed through men, as they live out the gospel. The expression “from faith to faith” is interesting and important. Faith has its origin, but it also has its outworkings. The Christian life begins with saving faith, and it initiates a life which is characterized by an ever-growing faith. Faith is the means by which men are saved, it is also the means by which saved men live, and it is the outworking of men’s faith.
Let me attempt to illustrate this with another concept—love. Love is the basis for marriage. Love leads to marriage. Marriage then becomes the context in which a man’s love for his wife (and her love for him) grows. Marriage begins with love and continues to grow and express itself in love. Married life is “from love to love,” just as the Christian life is “from faith to faith.”
This is the point of the passage Paul cites from Habakkuk 2:4: “But the righteous man shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17; Habakkuk 2:4). Habakkuk had protested to God that Judah was corrupt, that God’s Law was ignored, and that justice was swallowed up by violence and wickedness (Habakkuk 1:1-4). He asked God why He had not come to save His people (1:2).
God responded, in a way that Habakkuk never imagined (1:5-11). God was going to chasten His people with a strong and cruel people—the Chaldeans. They would sweep down on Judah and take these rebellious people into captivity. The cruelty and sin of the Chaldeans would not be excused or overlooked, however, for God would punish this people for their pride and arrogance (1:11).
Habakkuk was horrified. He could not understand how God could use wicked men to achieve His purposes. The Chaldeans, in his mind, were even more wicked than the people of Judah (1:12-17). He determined to “file a protest with God.” He knew he would be rebuked, but he planned to challenge God’s rebuke as well (2:1). In Habakkuk’s mind, God had a lot of explaining to do.
God’s answer was extensive. We shall only refer to a portion of His response. He assured Habakkuk that God’s plan was fixed, certain, and coming without delay (in spite of his protest—see 2:2-3). The proud soul, God said, is “not right” (2:4a). This might have included Habakkuk, as well as the Chaldeans. But the righteous man, God said, must live by his faith (2:4b).
As I understand these words, God was telling Habakkuk that he would have to live his life, day by day, by faith. He might not see the day of Israel’s restoration and blessing, but by faith he must believe God’s promises would be fulfilled. His days might be lived out beholding the victory of the Chaldeans and the defeat of his people, but this too must be handled by faith. He must, by faith, understand that Judah’s defeat by the Chaldeans was the chastening by God and was the outworking of God’s good plan and purposes for His people. Faith was, for Habakkuk, and for every other Old Testament believer, the rule of the day, the rule for life. So it is for the New Testament saint as well. All who are justified by faith must continue to live by faith.
In his words of introduction, Paul has explained why he is writing to the Roman saints. He is a man with a mission, an apostle with a commission to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, leading to the “obedience of faith.” He is also a man with a heart for the saints at Rome. He has rejoiced at the reports of their testimony, which has gone abroad throughout the world. He has prayed for them and has petitioned God to grant him to visit them, so that he might minister the gospel to them. This gospel is not only the theme of his epistle, it is Paul’s motivation, his message, and his calling. It is the shaping and driving force in his life.
There is no doubt that Paul is committed to the gospel. There is no doubt that Paul is also committed to his audience. He loves them, has invested in them over a period of years, and he intends to visit them as soon as possible. Paul’s love for the gospel is already becoming contagious. With an introduction like Paul’s, who would not be ready to “read on,” to learn more of the gospel and of the God who has purposed and provided it, and who is working it in accordance with His eternal plan?
Our text suggests a number of implications. As I conclude, let me summarize some of these for your consideration and further study.
(1) Paul sought to conform his life to his calling. As the basis for his ministry, the very first thing to which Paul referred to was his divine calling as an “apostle” and his being “set apart” for a ministry of the gospel to the Gentiles. Paul was absolutely convinced that he was called to the work which he was doing.
I do not see that same sense of “calling” today. The only “call” which I hear much about today is the mystical and curious “call to the full-time ministry” or a “call to the mission field.” These callings seem to be man-made categories, and I am suspicious of the way in which we use them. In the Scriptures, I see that the Christian has a common “calling,” along with all other saints, and a specific calling to a particular ministry for which God has gifted us, and to which the Lord has directed us (see 1 Corinthians 12).
Our common “calling” is, first of all, a call to faith in Jesus Christ, resulting in salvation (see Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 1:9). You may not yet have responded to this call. If not, you may “call upon the name of the Lord” and become one of the called (see Romans 10:9-13). All who have been called to faith are also called to holiness (1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 2 Timothy 1:9), to peace (1 Corinthians 7:15; Colossians 3:15), to freedom (Galatians 5:13), to hope (Ephesians 1:18; 4:4), and to eternal life (1 Timothy 6:12).
In addition to a common calling, which every Christian is to live up to, there is an individual calling as well. Each Christian has a specific calling, which may not necessarily be declared in the specific and unusual way that Paul’s calling was revealed to him (see Acts 9:15-16; 22:21; 26:14-20). Nevertheless, God reveals our calling by the spiritual gifts He has bestowed upon us and by His leading in terms of our ministry (see Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12, especially verses 4-6).
Paul referred to his calling as an “apostle to the Gentiles” as a gift of God’s grace (1:5, 11; see also 12:3). Our calling is also evidenced, I believe, through the gifts of grace which God has given us (see above). God always enables us to do that which He has called us to do. Thus, by considering our spiritual gifts, we have insight into our calling. If God gave us the gift of teaching, we can be certain He has called us to teach (see Romans 12:7). Christians also have a sense of their “calling” by virtue of their place and function in life at the time of their conversion (see 1 Corinthians 7:17-24). In spite of this, few Christians have a definite sense of God’s calling, and so their lives are lived aimlessly, without the purpose and direction which we see in Paul’s life and ministry.
Paul’s calling was to “the gospel.” I believe that Paul is teaching us that the gospel is our calling as well. Paul’s calling to the gospel was, more specifically, a calling to apostleship and to ministry to the Gentiles. Our calling, with respect to the gospel, may be teaching a Sunday school class or ministering in a retirement home. The specific task God has given us to do must be seen as a part of the general mission, the mission of practicing and proclaiming the gospel. The greater our sense of calling, the clearer our sense of direction and purpose.
Paul’s calling with respect to the gospel had both its visible, public manifestations (his preaching and teaching), and its private manifestations. Many years were spent by Paul praying for the church at Rome before he ever wrote or visited them. Paul’s public ministry was “the tip of an iceberg.” Whatever was seen was but a small part of what was unseen, but very much a part of the whole. And, in addition, Paul’s ministry was also underwritten by the prayers of other saints, on his behalf (Ephesians 6:18-20).
(2) Paul’s motivation and basis for ministry was not a “healthy self-image,” but the certainty that he was called to play a part in the divine plans and purposes of God. Everywhere we turn these days, a “good self-image” is said to be the basis for life. The sad thing is that Christians are buying this error as readily as unbelievers, and then preaching it as a kind of “gospel.”
Paul’s ministry was not founded on a healthy self-esteem, but on a healthy view of God and His purposes. Paul was not caught up by his own worth, but in his work. He was not thinking in terms of his status (bondslaves have no status), but in terms of his service to the Lord and to others. Paul did not think in terms of his credits, but in terms of his indebtedness. Paul’s life was not self-absorbed, but dominated by the gospel. Paul’s life was in Christ. The gospel is not an excuse to “find ourselves,” but to “lose ourselves” in the grateful “service of worship.”
(3) Paul’s words and actions, even his Epistle to the Romans, display the sovereign providence of God. Paul had a clear sense of the purposes of God but not of the details of God’s plan. Paul was convinced that God is sovereign, that He is in complete control, and that His purposes will be achieved. He knew God too well to think any man could anticipate how God would achieve His purposes. Paul believed that he would go to Rome, but he surely did not know how God would arrange for his transportation.
The Book of Romans is an illustration of the providence of God, using what seems to be a hindrance to the gospel to actually promote the gospel. Paul yearned to go to Rome. For years, he petitioned God to let him go (Romans 1:10; 15:22-23) but was prohibited. The result of this was the fullest exposition of the gospel in all the Word of God—the Epistle to the Romans. In Paul’s other epistles, he wrote to those whom he taught previously, thus his other epistles are based upon previously taught truth. Romans is not based on previous teaching, because Paul has neither written to nor taught these saints before. Because of this, Paul’s foundational teaching, not recorded elsewhere, is recorded for us in Romans. And all because Paul was prohibited from going to Rome personally. Paul’s prohibition (which must have caused him some agony) is the source of our prosperity—in the riches of the Book of Romans. Thank God, Paul could not make Rome until after writing this book for all of us to read. The depth of his teaching is preserved here for saints throughout the ages.
(4) The gospel is God’s provision for all of our needs. The gospel is far more than the message through which the power of God works to save men—though it surely (and thankfully) is this. The gospel is God’s provision for all our needs. The gospel is the means through which God overcomes and overturns all of the “fallout” from Adam’s sin (see Romans 5:12-21; 8:18-26). It is the Christian’s motivation and means for godly living (Romans 6-8). It is the key to understanding world history (Romans 9-11). If there is a “need” which the gospel does not meet or address, I doubt that it is a valid need at all. The gospel is God’s provision for sinful men who live in a fallen world. The gospel should be our motivation, our mindset, our message, and our means. As J. B. Phillips has suggested, “our God is too small.” As Paul indicated in Romans, our gospel is too small, too restricted, too seldom considered, taught, and practiced.
(5) Ministry is a long-term matter. As I read through Paul’s introduction, it becomes more and more evident that the writing of Romans and Paul’s involvement in ministry to the church was not a short-term commitment. Paul had kept up with this church, its witness, its growth, and its needs for many years. He desired to visit Rome for years. He prayed and he planned for a long time before he ever wrote, and then he was “delayed” three more years until he could visit.
As I look at this “long-term” dimension of Paul’s ministry, I am convicted by the “short-term” thinking of Christians (including myself) today. Perhaps we excuse this by our conviction that the time of the Lord’s return is near, but Paul believed this, too. Too much of what we do is last minute, poorly conceived, poorly planned, and shabbily executed. The Book of Romans may have been written in a relatively short period of time, but it was conceived over a period of years, I am convinced. Good meals take time to simmer. Good things take time to accomplish. God is not in a hurry, and He does not need last minute programs. Paul looked much farther ahead than we do, and I am convinced that he was right.
(6) Ministry requires preparation and introduction. Ministry takes time because it requires preparation and introduction. Paul’s prayers prepared him for the writing of this epistle. Much of our ministry plans and programs look for quick results. We have a kind of “fast foods” approach to ministry and to evangelism. Paul’s ministry through the pen was preceded by years of ministry through his prayers. His introduction to his epistle drew the attention of the Roman saints to his perseverance in prayer for them. Paul’s words to the Romans were preceded by his prayers to God on their behalf. There is too little preparation for our ministry, and our “messages” to others have little or no introduction by way of prayer or service. I am rebuked by the prayer life of Paul. Paul prayed long and hard before he preached the gospel. The effectiveness of his preaching was, to some extent, the result of his prayers.
(7) Those who are used of God to communicate His heart to men are men who have a heart for God. Paul’s exposition of Romans is not only his expounding on the gospel, but his expression of the heart of God. As I think through the books of the Bible, I find that those men who were chosen to explore the heart of God in depth were those men who had a heart for God. Those whose expression of God’s heart were the most thorough (as seen by the length of their book, or by the number of books they wrote) were those who themselves had a heart for God. This list of authors includes Moses (the Pentateuch—the first five books of the Old Testament, including Psalm 90), David (many of the Psalms), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Paul, John, and Peter.
It is not surprising to me that Jonah is a short book. Jonah, like Israel whom he represented, did not have a heart for God. In fact, Jonah found God’s heart irritating and disgusting. He protested against God’s mercy and compassion and resisted having a part of it (see Jonah 4:1-4, 9-11). Jonah could not reflect God’s heart, but he was more than able to reflect the hard heart and the stiff neck of His people.
I believe that God desires to manifest His heart to men and women today. He does so through the gospel. He does so through men and women who have not only been saved by the gospel, but who have been transformed by it, so that the gospel has become their mindset, their motivation, and their message. May God incline our hearts toward Him, through the gospel.
51 Notice, for example, the words of the Roman Jewish community in Acts 28:21-22, which imply that they knew little about Paul prior to his arrival in Rome.
52 In some ways, not knowing a great deal about Paul and his ministry may have been an advantage. Wherever Paul went there seemed to be trouble. In Philippi, Paul was thrown in prison because he was accused of advocating belief and behavior which was against the (Roman) law (Acts 16:19-21). In Ephesus, much of the city was in an uproar because of the presence and preaching of Paul. Paul could have appeared to be a troublemaker. Some churches might not have wanted him to visit because he might stir up trouble for them.
53 I understand the expression, “the obedience of faith” to be broad and all-encompassing. There is the initial “obedience of faith,” of repentance and calling on the name of the Lord for salvation. This initial conversion will lead to a life of obedience, stemming from faith.
54 We see this, for example, in Romans 15:15-16.
55 This is the same basic expression as we find in Romans 1:1.
56 From Romans 15:23, we learn that Paul had been eager to come to them “for many years.”
57 It is interesting that Paul did not seem to know which “gift” he would bestow on these saints (1:11), just as he did not know which “fruit” would result (1:13). Both of these matters would only be evident in time and in the sovereign outworkings of God’s plan. Paul did not presuppose what God would do, or should do, through his visit.
58 Consider, among others, these texts footnoted:
“But I have written very boldly to you on some points, so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God” (Romans 15:15).
“For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church” (1 Corinthians 4:17).
“Therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. And I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder” (2 Peter 1:12-13).
“This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder” (2 Peter 3:1).
A few years ago my wife and I were waiting at a stop light in our Pinto station wagon. We were waiting alongside a Corvette. He had eight cylinders; I had four. He had a high performance engine; I had a pathetically powerless engine. I knew full well that as soon as the light turned green, the driver of that Corvette was going to accelerate, pass me on the right, and then cut in front of me. It had happened too many times before with cars much less powerful than this one. I knew I did not stand a chance.
Nevertheless, when the light changed, I put my foot to the floor and gave that Pinto all it had. I shifted like Andy Granatelli. In spite of my best efforts, the Corvette eased by me effortlessly. My wife Jeannette knew exactly what was happening. Turning to me, she said, “You were trying to race him, weren’t you?” I could not deny it. I replied, “Yes, and the worst of it is, he didn’t even know it!”
God is doing a work today, and few even know He is doing it. He is presently revealing His wrath on “all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Romans 1:18). God is judging men for their sin today, and few even know it is happening. Unbelievers are unaware of God’s judgment, because they do not know God, nor are they alert to His presence and power in the world today. This is to be expected. But many Christians are equally ignorant of God’s present judgment of sin. They think of God’s judgment only in terms of the future. And they think of the sinner’s present self-indulgence in terms of pleasure, not punishment.
Recently the Mardi Gras was observed in New Orleans once again. On the evening news, a commentator’s brief description of this annual event summed up the spirit of our age. Quoting one young person in New Orleans for the celebration, the commentator reported: “It is sin and degradation, and we love it!”
Many Christians look upon the sinfulness of our culture in about the same way one of the psalmists of old looked upon his culture—with envy.59 Instead of grieving over the sins of others, as Lot did over the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah (see 2 Peter 2:7), we are tempted to envy sinners, as though they are privileged to enjoy pleasures we Christians are denied. And so, very much as Satan implied that God was withholding good from Adam and Eve (see Genesis 3), we are tempted to believe that God is withholding something good from us. We try to console ourselves with the thought that though we must suffer now, we do so in order to enjoy better pleasures in heaven.60
Paul’s words in Romans 1:18-32 may take many of us by surprise. We are not inclined to believe that God’s judgment has a present, as well as a future, manifestation. And even if we do believe in a present judgment, the form which this judgment takes, according to Paul, is not that which we would expect. Paul’s teaching in our text will force us to re-evaluate much of our thinking on the judgment of God.
In addition to teaching us a vitally important lesson on the judgment of God, our text provides insight into the nature of sin. While Paul is seeking to demonstrate in this section (Romans 1:18–3:20) that all men are sinners, under divine sentence of death, he is also providing us with a definition of what sin is. We will see in our text a most vital and often neglected dimension of sin which must be included in a biblical definition of sin.
This text is powerful and enlightening. We must have divine illumination to understand it, and we must have divine enablement to apply it. Let us petition God for the ministry of His Spirit, as we approach this most important passage.
To understand Romans 1:18-32, we must learn how it fits into the context into which it has been placed. We must see how it follows Paul’s teaching in Romans 1:1-17, and how it paves the way for 2:1-29. In particular, it is essential that we see the distinct message and emphasis of 1:18-32 in relationship to 2:1-29. That we shall endeavor to do as we consider the structure of this text.
There is a clear change evident in Paul’s teaching at Romans 2:1 and following, as compared with 1:18-32. First, there is the change from commending sin to condemning it. In Romans 1:32, Paul speaks of those who “give hearty approval” to those who practice sin. Now, in Romans 2:1, Paul describes those who condemn those who practice sin.
Second, there is the shift from a general indictment of sinners in Romans 1 to the specific indictment of individuals as sinners in chapter 2. In Romans 1:18-32, we find the more indirect pronouns such as “they,” “their,” and “them.” In Romans 2:1 and following, Paul becomes more specific, pointing his finger at “you.” The condemnation of all mankind in 1:18-32 seems to be of man collectively, while the condemnation of chapter 2 is much more individual, based upon the revelation each man has received. In chapter 1, Paul seems to be laying a foundation; in chapter 2, he zeroes in for the “kill.” One can almost see the heads of Paul’s readers nodding in agreement with Paul’s indictment of “them,” while their eyes begin to pop out in chapter 2 when Paul becomes personal and individual, turning to “you.”
The sin of all mankind is described in more general terms in chapter 1. Man’s sin is the rejection of that which God has revealed. In chapter 2, man’s sin is viewed in an individual context, in terms of what God has revealed to each person and in terms of what that person has done with what he knows.
Third, there is the shift from the present wrath of God in chapter 1 to the future wrath of God in chapter 2.61 Throughout 1:18-32, the wrath of God is described as being presently revealed.62 In chapter 2, Paul speaks of God’s wrath as that which is future:
But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Romans 2:5).
The wrath of God is thereby separated into two different categories: (a) that wrath which is presently being revealed against sinners, and (b) that coming wrath of God which is yet to be revealed against sinners. The differences between these two dimensions of divine wrath are explored later in this message.
These are the major contrasts I find between Romans 1 and 2. Let us pause to consider a distinction which some find between these two chapters, but which I do not accept. Some think Romans 1:18-32 is describing the condemnation of Gentiles, while in chapter 2 Paul focuses on the condemnation of the Jews as sinners. I disagree with this analysis of Romans 1 and 2. Instead, I find Paul indicting both Jews and Greeks in both Romans 1 and Romans 2. There are a number of reasons for my conclusion which are briefly summarized below for your consideration.
(1) Paul’s choice of words at the beginning of both major sections (the first section is Romans 1:18-32, and the second is Romans 2:1-29) are deliberately general and universal, so that both Jews and Gentiles are included:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18, emphasis mine).
Therefore, you are without excuse, every man of you who passes judgment, for in that you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things (Romans 2:1).
(2) In 1:18-32, neither Jews nor Gentiles are singled out by name; in 2:1-29, Paul refers to both Jews and Gentiles.
(3) The indictment of 1:19-20 would seem to apply most directly to the Gentile heathen, while that of 1:32 seems to be aimed more directly at the Jews. The minimal amount of revelation is that which can be seen from creation. This is referred to in 1:20. The greatest revelation of God’s character is that found in the Law, and this is referred to in 1:32. Thus, everyone from the bush man in some remote jungle to the unbelieving Jewish Rabbi is under divine sentence for rejecting the revelation which God has given him. Romans 1:18-32 therefore indicts both the Jews and the Gentiles—and not just the Gentiles.
(4) The Bible does not divide sin into “Gentile sins” and “Jewish sins.” If one reads the history of Israel and especially the indictments of the Old Testament prophets, it quickly becomes apparent that Israel’s great failure was in not being a “holy,” “peculiar” people. They were instead constantly imitating the sins of the Gentiles, including those which seemed most abominable to the Jews. Many of the sins of Romans 1:18-32 are those for which the Israelites were rebuked by the prophets and chastened by God.
The distinction between the Gentiles and the Jews is not the key to understanding the structure of chapters 1 and 2. Three repeated concepts provide us with the key to understanding the structure of Romans 1:18-32. The terms are not always identical, but the concepts are the same. These three concepts are:
Given this frame of reference, we can see the structure of Romans 1:18-32 unfolding:
15 Thus, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”
In verse 15, Paul expressed an eagerness to preach the gospel to those who lived in Rome. In verses 16 and following, he gives some of the reasons for his zeal. Verses 16 and 17 give the positive reasons for Paul’s boldness in proclaiming the gospel: men are saved, and God’s character is revealed. The gospel is “the power of God unto salvation” (verse 16), and it reveals the “righteousness of God” (verse 17). Beginning at verse 18, Paul gives yet another reason why he is so eager to proclaim the gospel: all mankind are sinners, condemned by a righteous and just God, and under the sentence of death. The gospel is the only hope for condemned sinners.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
This paragraph is a general statement, describing the present wrath of God as the necessary response of a righteous God to man’s sin. The principle is stated in verse 18: God’s wrath is presently being revealed against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. All mankind is guilty before God and deserving of His wrath, because men are suppressing God’s truth by means of their own sin.
Verses 19-23 document the statement of Paul in verse 18 with some necessary proofs and explanation. God has made known to men that which could not otherwise be known about Him. God is invisible, and His attributes or characteristics can only be seen indirectly. This is achieved through God’s creation, through His intervention in human history, and through His revealed Word. This revealed knowledge of God is evident and undeniable (verse 19). Some have more knowledge than others, but there is a minimum amount of knowledge evident to all, and this is the knowledge of God revealed through God’s creation. This knowledge has always been available to man, since his creation was the final act of God’s work at creation (see Genesis 1 and 2). David spoke of the revelation of God through creation:
The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their utterances to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course. Its rising is from one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the other end of them; And there is nothing hidden from its heat (Psalm 19:1-6).
God is invisible, and thus His attributes can only be seen through the revelation of His world, His work in the world, or His Word (Psalm 19). His world clearly reveals God’s “eternal power and divine nature” (Romans 1:20). Because these truths are self-evident, man is without excuse. Man’s response to these truths about God is also self-evident. God’s character, as revealed in His creation, prompts men to honor Him and to give thanks to Him (1:21). This, men did not, and will not, do. As a result of man’s sin, the truth of God is perverted, and exchanged for that which is more suited to man’s liking. Thinking themselves to be wise, men foolishly exchanged “the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures” (1:21, 22). Man was made in God’s image, to reflect His glory. Instead, man bows down to his own glory, and then to the creatures over whom he was commanded to rule. The order God established at creation has thereby been turned upside-down.
Sin has many faces, and thus God’s wrath takes various forms. In Romans 1:24-32, Paul describes three manifestations of God’s present wrath, which are the result of man’s sin. There are various ways to understand the three paragraphs which follow (verses 24-25; 26-27; 28-32). One way is to see them as sequential, as a kind of downward spiral.63 This does not seem to be Paul’s intent.
I am inclined to see three different “ fallen conditions” to which God has “given men over,” as a manifestation of His present wrath. These three states of condemnation are not necessarily all the forms which God’s judgment takes, but a sampling of them. All three judgments share three things in common. First, each group has received some revelation about God. Second, each group has rejected that revelation, exchanging it for some perversion of that revelation. Finally, each group is given over to some form of sin, which the sinner desires and deserves, as a manifestation of God’s wrath. We will briefly consider each of these three conditions as described by Paul in verses 24-32.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
The first manifestation of God’s present wrath is described in verses 24 and 25. Men have rejected the truth of God and exchanged it for a lie. They have chosen to worship the creature, rather than the Creator (verse 25). Because of their rejection of God’s revelation of Himself, God “gave them over” to their own natural, fleshly lusts. The result of this judgment is that men, by sinning in this way, dishonor their own bodies. Would men refuse to honor God? God gives men over to their own lusts so that they dishonor themselves. Would men honor themselves, by exchanging the glory of an “incorruptible God” for their own corruptible image and likeness (1:23)? God will give them over to sin, so that their image is dishonored. How men treat God, in God’s justice, becomes the standard for the way in which God allows men to treat themselves.
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
Man perverts the revelation of God in nature. Man’s worship of God is perverted to the worship of nature, rather than of the God who created all. Is it any wonder that God would choose to turn men over to sin in such a way as to let men act in an unnatural way? And so, while some men are given over to their natural desires (normal sexual appetites and unions with the opposite sex), others, described in verses 26 and 27, are given over to unnatural, perverted desires (appetites and sexual unions with the same sex).64 The resulting defilement is represented by Paul as a divine judgment: “receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error” (verse 27).
28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
Sin involves both a man’s morals and his mind. What a man thinks and how he lives are very much interrelated. Rejecting the truth about God (mental) led to moral depravity. Immoral conduct also affects the mind—man’s ability to think straight. And so the rejection of God’s revelation has led, Paul writes, to “futile speculations” and a heart that is “darkened” (verse 21). When men reach the point that they refuse “to acknowledge God any longer,” they are given over “to a depraved mind” (verse 28), leading to the practice of those things which are improper. If men will not act properly toward God, based upon His self-revelation, then God will give men over so that they fail to act properly toward one another. Men now, by their conduct, not only defile and dishonor themselves, they are a plague to society. The outcome is a long list of sinful attitudes, dispositions, and practices, all of which are destructive. The sins range from those which we do not take too seriously (gossip, for example—see verse 30), to those which we consider abominable (murder, for instance—see verse 29).
In this passage, Paul deals with some very weighty topics. As I conclude, let me turn your attention to several important subjects. I shall seek to show how Paul’s teaching in our text contributes to each of these subjects. I shall also seek to suggest some ways in which Paul’s teaching impacts our lives.
As I have studied Romans, and this text in particular, there has been a growing sense of Paul’s emphasis on the attributes of God. We see in our text a clear reference to God’s attributes, which brings the subject to mind:
Because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse (Romans 1:19-20, emphasis mine).
There is much more emphasis on God’s attributes in this text and in Romans than just a reference to them. The attributes of God are a dominant factor in Paul’s motivation, in his ministry, and in his message here. Let me begin by drawing your attention to some of the attributes65 of God to which Paul refers in Romans:
In Romans 1, the attributes of God play a significant role in God’s program, and in Paul’s life, ministry, and message. The gospel is not only the message by which men are saved, it is one means by which God’s character is displayed. Through the proclamation of the gospel “the righteousness of God is revealed” (1:17). Because of this, Paul is eager to preach the gospel and bold in his proclamation of it (1:15-17). The judgment of God not only stems from His righteousness, but is an expression of it (1:18ff.).
It is apparent, I believe, that God has purposed to reveal Himself to men. He has done this universally (to all men) through His creation of the world. Through His creation God has revealed some of His invisible attributes, made visible through the work of His hands. Among these attributes are His “eternal power and divine nature” (1:20). He has also revealed Himself through His Word. His Word includes the Law, given through Moses, the rest of the Old Testament Scriptures, the “Living Word,” the “Word made flesh”—Jesus Christ, and the New Testament Scriptures.
The revelation of God’s attributes to men has several purposes, as I understand Paul here, and as I look at the Scriptures as a whole. First, the revelation of God’s attributes enables men to know God. The invisible God is made known to men by the revelation of His attributes to men. Thus, Paul can say of those who are able to behold His creation that they “knew God” (1:21). He can further say that because they knew God, they are “without excuse” because His attributes were “clearly seen” (1:20).
Furthermore, the attributes of God instruct men as to how they should respond to God. God’s creation was not made with “messages” attached to the trees or strategically placed around the world like traffic signs and bulletin boards. Men do not walk in the woods and find a sign fixed to a tree, reading, “Worship God” or “Praise the Lord.” Why not? How does God expect men to worship, praise, and honor Him, if He has not specifically instructed them to do so? Because, I believe, the attributes of God make man’s proper response to God self-evident. If God is divine, and we are human, should we not honor and serve Him? If He is incorruptible and we are corruptible, should we not worship Him, rather than that which is corruptible? If God is eternal and all-powerful, should men not bow down to Him? The attributes of God show His perfection and our imperfection; His power and our weakness; His holiness and our sinfulness. The attributes of God inform us that He is the Lord, and that He alone should be worshipped and served.
God’s attributes, then, are the basis and the standard for our behavior:
But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY” (1 Peter 1:15-16, citing Leviticus 11:44, etc.).
Without ever being told, men understand that God’s character has very direct implications for their conduct. Time after time I have observed that men who have just been cursing and telling dirty stories suddenly change their behavior when I come on the scene, known to them as a preacher. Who told these men that God is holy and is displeased with ungodly behavior? Indeed, why do we refer to sin as ungodly? We know that God’s character brings with it certain obligations regarding our conduct.
This is why God gave the Israelites the Law. God gave Israel His Law, but not merely as a list of do’s and don’ts. God’s Law was a definition of God’s holiness and of the holiness which He required of His people, who were set apart to manifest His character to men. God revealed His attributes, His character, to Israel in His dealing with them and with the Egyptians when He brought them out of their bondage. He revealed who He was, and then He gave them the Law, so that they might know what holiness looked like, what form it would take in their daily lives. The Law was a definition, a description of the holiness which Israel must preserve and practice if they were to reflect the God who had made them His people. The character of God is the standard for the conduct of those who call upon His name, and who have been called to reflect His character in a fallen and sinful world.66 God’s commands were rooted in His character, just as our conduct must be. While His attributes do not reveal His standards in nearly as much detail, they do reveal God’s standards in general terms. And for rejecting and violating these standards, men are judged as sinners.
It is assumed here that acknowledging the existence of “God” brings with it the commitment to submit, to serve, and to worship Him. To do otherwise is a most serious offense. The attributes or character of “God” determine the nature of our worship and service. False “gods” or “idols” are “gods of our own making.” Rather than serving the God who fashioned us with His hands, we create a “god made by our hands.” The character of this “god” sets the standard for our conduct. For good or bad, we imitate the God whom we acknowledge and serve. It is little wonder that men wish to remake God, to reshape and redefine Him so as to diminish His holiness and thus to lower the standards for our own life. Heathen religion goes so far as to make its “gods” immoral, so that they can imitate this immorality. They can thereby carry out their sinful desires as though it were an act of worship. The heathen fertility gods gave the pagans good reason to want to “go to church.” Fallen men therefore want to redefine God, to reject His attributes and to exchange them for less noble ones. And in so doing, they bring upon themselves the wrath of God. How often the “God” who is preached by the liberal preachers of our day is a redefined “God,” a “God” of our liking, and not the God of the Bible. The ultimate step is to deny God altogether, and thus to throw off any standard for our conduct altogether.
In Romans, the attributes of God are referred to as the means of knowing God, as the motivation for our worship and service, and as the standard for our conduct. In Romans 1 Paul will use the attributes of God as the standard by which God judges men and by which sin is defined. To fail to live in accordance with God’s character (as defined by His attributes) is sin. This leads to our next subject.
The attributes of God are fundamental, because they set the standard by which sin can be defined. In Romans 2, Paul will define sin in more precise terms, as man’s disobedience to the commandments of God (at least so far as the Jews are concerned). But in Romans 1 sin is defined much more broadly: sin is practice which does not conform to the attributes of God. Sin is believing and behaving in contradiction to the character of God. Given this definition, we can understand how Paul can write, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
God is a God of glory. Men, to be like God, must conform to His glory. But we fall far short of His glory. And thus we are sinners. The Law reveals God’s character, as well as the character and conduct which men must have to manifest His attributes to men. When we fail to live up to all that God is, we sin.
Sin, according to Paul in Romans 1, is failing to live in a way that is consistent with the character of God. Though God is invisible, His attributes are visible and clearly seen. The attributes of God are revealed in nature and in His Word. We cannot claim ignorance of this knowledge, though we may reject or distort it. According to our text, sin is …
Man’s sin may wear a cloak of scholarship and wisdom, but it is really folly. Those who reject God’s revelation think themselves to be wise, but they are really fools. We should therefore look for sin in the academic and scholarly circles and not just in the slums and the gutters.
All sin is a perversion. Some may reject the knowledge of God altogether, but even these men, by their conduct, reveal their perversion. Unbelieving man’s belief and behavior is a perversion of all that God meant men to be and to do. While homosexuality is specifically mentioned in our text, it is but one of many forms of perversion. Many, who are not homosexuals, would like to think of this sinful behavior as the only form of perversion. Our text indicates that all sin is a perversion of that which God is, and of that which God created us to be.
Finally, I believe that Paul teaches here that sin is both a cause and an effect. Sin is both the cause of God’s wrath and a manifestation of His wrath. Simply put, sin brings God’s judgment, and sin is God’s judgment. We shall explore this further in our final subject.
The primary topic of our passage is the wrath of God, God’s righteous indignation occasioned by sin and expressed in divine judgment. God’s righteousness (one of His attributes) requires His judgment upon sin. God is holy, and in His holiness and justice, He must deal with sin accordingly. If I understand our text correctly, not only does God’s wrath respond to man’s sin, but it corresponds to his sin. There is a kind of poetic justice or irony to God’s judgment. When men pervert God’s revelation, God turns them over to various perversions. When men reject the revelation of God in nature, He turns them over to that which is not natural. When men do not honor God, He turns them over to sin which dishonors them.
God’s wrath, according to Paul’s teaching, is both present (1:18-32) and future (2:1ff.). In addition to the factor of God’s timing in judgment, there are several other clear distinctions between God’s present wrath and His coming wrath:
(1) While God’s present wrath is largely passive, His future wrath is active.
(2) God’s present wrath allows sin to increase; God’s future wrath will put an end to sin, causing it to cease.
(3) God’s present wrath is often not recognized as such, and Christians must believe it by faith; His future wrath cannot be missed.
(4) God’s present wrath is reversible; His future wrath is not.
Strange as it may seem, God’s present wrath punishes men by giving them what they want. God’s present wrath gives men more rope, so to speak, allowing them to plunge more deeply into sin.67 This may seem to be wrong, but a little thought will explain why God deals with sin this way. I am reminded of the parable of “the wheat and the tares” in Matthew 13. The evil one comes, sowing tares among the wheat which has already been sown. The workers notify their master, who tells them to let both grow up together, and when they have matured, both the wheat and the tares will be evident, so that the tares may be pulled up and burned.
So too with sin. God allows sin to increase, to the point where it becomes more visible. When sin is seen for what it is, men may, in the providence and grace of God, desire to be delivered from it. It is those who have drunk most deeply from the cup of sin who may be ready to give it up, who are sickened by it and who want to be forgiven and delivered. The prodigal son was allowed by his father to plunge deeply into sin, and it was in the pig pen that this son “came to himself,” repented, and returned to his father.
God’s present wrath is really a gracious gesture on God’s part. It is not permanent, and it is not irreversible. When God gives men over to sin, He is not giving up on men. Giving men over to sin is God’s way of encouraging men to forsake their sin and to be saved. While God’s future wrath, once in force, cannot be reversed or escaped, God’s present wrath can be reversed, and men can escape. The reason for this is that God has already poured out His “future wrath” on Jesus Christ. This is the good news of the gospel. God’s anger toward sin has been satisfied in Christ because His wrath was poured out on Him, at Calvary. Have you accepted God’s forgiveness in Christ? Those who have trusted in Christ have already been punished, in Him. No man needs to suffer God’s eternal wrath, for Christ has suffered it for us. But only those who trust in Him may share in God’s salvation through Him. God’s future wrath falls only on those who reject the suffering of Jesus Christ, bearing God’s wrath, in their place. How tragic!
Men have chosen to reject God, they refuse to acknowledge Him, and they desire to live their lives without Him. In the Great Tribulation, God will give men their desire in even greater measure (see 2 Thessalonians 2). The God who “holds all things together” (Colossians 1:17) will remove His hand, and all of the universe will become chaotic. Men will not know if the sun will rise or if the planets will collide (see Matthew 24:29). It will be a frightening day when God gives men what they want. But this time of tribulation will be God’s instrument of turning men and women to Himself in faith and in repentance.
Those who do not see sin as a judgment will have difficulty understanding how God can allow men to fall more deeply into sin. But sin is a judgment. Sin is not a reward, but a curse. And thus to allow men to drink more deeply from the cup of sin is a judgment.
Christians need to get their thinking straight here. Sin is not a blessing, but a curse. We dare not envy the sinner, as though they are enjoying that which is good. We dare not think of God as holding back something good from us by prohibiting sin. This is like Adam and Eve thinking that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was really “good,” when it was something to be avoided. Hell is that place where God will give men an eternity to wallow in the sins which they desired, as though they were a delight. Heaven is the place where saints will eternally practice that which is good and perfect and a delight to the righteous. In heaven we will be occupied with the eternal joy of worshipping and praising God and serving Him (just as men should be doing now, but which sinners refuse to do). We can experience some of heaven now by occupying ourselves with these very things, even as God’s Word challenges and instructs us (see Romans 1:21).
God not only reveals His wrath by giving the unbelieving men what they want; He sometimes chastens Christians by giving them what they want, out of their lusts and sinful desires. Paul does not tell us that God only reveals His wrath presently on the unbelieving, but rather that He is presently revealing His wrath toward “all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (1:18). I believe Paul includes the sins of all men, both saved and unsaved, in this statement. A God who is righteous takes all sin seriously, including the sins of His people:
They quickly forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel, But craved intensely in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert. So He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul (Psalm 106:13-15, following the marginal reading of the NASB at verse 15).
There are times when our desires are not godly desires, but simply fleshly lusts. We may deceive ourselves about these, thinking that they are from God. We may persist in praying that God give them to us. And He might just do just that. But it is sometimes the discipline of God and not a blessing. It may be that God is allowing us to have our fill of some desire, only to see how empty it really was. God may give us what we desire, in order to change our desires.
Finally, the wrath of God should be a motivating truth. It should be a fearful reality, a deterrent to sin. It should be, for the unsaved, a motivation to turn in faith to God for salvation. It should also be, for the Christian, a great source of encouragement and hope. We who pray for the coming of His kingdom, so that God’s will might be done on earth, as it is in heaven, should find comfort and joy in the wrath of God, which will not only punish sin, but which will remove sin, once and for all, from the earth. What a day that will be!
I believe that Paul’s teaching on the present wrath of God has several implications for parents. Letting men have their way is giving men over to their sin and is a divine judgment. Those who are given over to sin are those who know the truth, but reject it. I believe that there are times when the parents of older children must give them over to sin, much like the father of the prodigal son did (see Luke 15). I do not think that we should remove restraint from young children. How often I see parents letting their children have their way, deceiving themselves that this is an expression of love. We must, as parents, reflect the righteousness of God. We must hate sin and must punish the sinner. Letting our children have their own way is a clear disobedience to God’s Word.
There is another way in which this passage speaks to parents. It speaks, I believe, to those parents who have lost an infant through death.68 It speaks, as well perhaps, to those who grieve (rightly) over the murder of millions of unborn children, through abortion.
If I understand Romans 1-3 correctly, every person who falls under divine condemnation, who falls under the wrath of God, has received some specific, clear, undeniable revelation about God, which they have refused and rejected. I understand the Bible to imply that those (unborn, infants, mentally incapacitated) who have not received any revelation about God, and who have not therefore rejected Him, are not under the wrath of God. I believe, on the basis of statements like those of David in 2 Samuel 12:23, that we will see our infants in heaven. I believe, on the basis of Romans 5, that the death of Christ reverses the curse which Adam’s sin brought on mankind. And since no one will be condemned to hell because of Adam’s sin, infants will go to heaven because of Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection. Only those who have received clear revelation about God and who have rejected it will suffer the eternal wrath of God.
59 See Psalm 73:3, compare 37:1.
60 There is an element of truth in this. See, for example, Hebrews 11:24-26.
61 The contrast between God’s present wrath and His future wrath is even more striking than it first appears. From the standpoint of our experience, God’s “present wrath” takes place in the present time, and God’s “future wrath” is yet to come upon sinners. But in verses 18-32, Paul speaks of the “giving over” of men to sin as a past act, “God gave them over,” rather than as a present “giving over.” I am not entirely certain of all that Paul meant by this. It may be that he is speaking of this judgment from the standpoint of God’s eternal plan, in a way that might be similar to the purposes and plans of God for our salvation, described in Romans 8:28-30.
62 The most accurate rendering of Paul’s words in verse 18 is evident in the translation of the NASB, but is most emphatically rendered by the NIV: “the wrath of God is being revealed …”
63 If there is a downward progression evident in these verses, it is this: men move from a correct knowledge of God (1:19), which they distort and pervert, to a state of mind in which they do not even acknowledge God at all (1:28).
64 It is hard to overlook the fact that women are first mentioned as having departed from natural sexual desires and practices, and then men. Is Paul suggesting by this that God’s natural order of leadership is also overturned?
65 For further study of the attributes of God, I recommend: Arthur Pink, The Attributes of God (Baker Book House, 1975); J.I. Packer, Knowing God (Inter-Varsity Press, 1973); and Stephen Charnock, The Existence and Attributes of God (Sovereign Grace Publishers, 1971).
66 This truth has a great deal of bearing on the current “Lordship Salvation” debate. Lordship salvation (I do not care for this label) is not about man’s commitment, at the time of his salvation, nor about the faithfulness and obedience of the one who is calling upon God for salvation. Lordship salvation, in my opinion, should focus on the Lordship of the God on whom we call for salvation. We have focused on the wrong thing. Men should not focus on themselves, on the amount or the quality of their faith, or on the kind of life that they will lead as Christians (though these are matters to consider). The real issue should be this: What is the nature of the God on whom I am calling for salvation? How big is the God to whom I am looking for salvation? If He is not Lord, the sovereign God of the universe, then why do I think He can save me? And if He is all that His attributes declare Him to be, how could I possibly expect Him to save me, and to serve me, when He is the Lord whom I should serve? Let us focus more on the God who is Lord, than on the men who call upon Him. Who He is is what matters most.
67 See, for example, Genesis 15:16.
68 My wife and I speak from experience here, for we lost our first and only son to crib death at the age of three and one-half months.
When I was growing up our family had a dog, a collie we named Prince. Prince was not a mean dog, but he was very protective of the members of our family. On those rare occasions when Prince felt duty called on him to protect us, he did so in an unusual way. A Doberman pincsher or a German shepherd will likely attack by confronting the intruder face-to-face, snarling and growling with every bound. Being a collie, Prince did not attack from the front. His practice was to come up from behind, very quietly, without giving any notice. The first indication of his presence was the painful sensation of his teeth, sinking into your back side.
In the Book of Galatians, Paul’s approach in his defense of the gospel was that of a Doberman Pincsher. At the very outset of the book, he informed his readers that he was greatly upset and was on the attack. In the first two chapters of the Book of Romans, Paul’s approach is quite different—more like that of our collie. Here, Paul prepares to “attack,” but without letting his reader know what is coming. Suddenly, in the first verses of chapter 2, the “teeth” of Paul’s indictment sink into the reader, catching him completely unprepared.69
The sins of the Gentiles were obvious, even blatant. They openly practiced idolatry, immorality, sexual perversion, and other evils. Jewish sins were less obvious and more devious. Jewish sins were concealed by “fast talk” or “fine print.” They were often justified as acts of righteousness. This is plainly seen in the gospels where our Lord strongly rebuked the Jewish religious leaders for their hypocrisy.70 The self-righteousness of the Jews made it extremely difficult to convince them of their sinfulness, even though their sins were (in some cases) greater than those of the Gentiles. Because of their “blindness” and “hardness of heart,” Paul found it necessary to catch the Jews off guard by attacking them from behind.
Paul’s attack is skillfully executed in Romans 1 and 2. Beginning at Romans 1:18, Paul set out to show that all men are sinners, based upon their rejection of God’s revelation through His creation (1:18-23). All men can clearly see some of God’s invisible attributes through observing His creation. They can see His “eternal power” and His “divine nature” (1:20). Men should respond to this revelation of God’s nature by honoring Him as God and by giving Him thanks (1:21). Instead of worshipping God and serving Him, men rejected His revelation and became corrupt in their thinking and actions, worshipping the creature rather than the Creator (1:21-23). As a result, God gave them over to sin as a manifestation of His wrath.
God’s present wrath can be seen by the corrupt thinking and behavior to which men have been given over due to their rejection of His revelation (1:24-32). Men have been given over to immorality (1:24-25), to sexual perversion (1:26-27), to a depraved mind and to improper conduct (1:28-32). Those given over by God have become corrupt in both their minds and their morals. Such men not only persist in practicing their sins (knowing that such conduct is worthy of death), they even encourage others to do likewise (1:32).
The self-righteous Jew was so blind to his own sin that he failed to recognize that Paul’s indictment in Romans 1:18-32 was a universal indictment. The revelation of God’s nature through creation was given to the Gentiles and the Jews. The same sins for which Paul indicts the “heathen” are also committed by the Jews. As they read Paul’s words, their minds unconsciously replaced Paul’s general references (which would have included the Jews) with specific references (identifying only the Gentiles). They mistakenly assumed that Paul was in perfect agreement with them. After all, Paul was condemning the Gentiles as sinners, proving them to be worthy of divine wrath and retribution. And to this they could say a hearty, “Amen!” Let the Gentiles be condemned. They deserved it. Little did they expect Paul to turn to them next, indicting them for precisely the same sins. This he does in the second chapter of Romans.
The second chapter of Romans is vitally important. In this passage Paul must demonstrate the sinfulness of the Jews if he is to validate his conclusion in chapter 3 that “all” (both Jews and Gentiles) “have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (3:23). The condemnation of the Gentiles is demonstrated by their rejection of God’s self-revelation through His creation (1:18-32). The greater guilt and condemnation of the Jews is evident in their rejection of an even greater revelation of God, not only in nature, but through the Law, and the gospel (see 2:16, 17-20). Paul must show all mankind to be unrighteous and in need of God’s righteousness, in Christ. Proving the self-righteous Jew to be a sinner is Paul’s most challenging task.
Paul’s Jewish readers should be humbled by the words of the apostle, who was also a self-righteous Jew until his conversion (see Philippians 3). Paul’s Gentile readers will also be helped by this indictment of the self-righteous Jew. The “Judaisers” were constantly at work to impose their errors upon the churches (see, for example Acts 15; Galatians; Philippians 3:2ff.; Colossians 2:16ff.; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; Titus 1:10-16). Exposing the errors of Judaism would serve as a preventative, or at least a caution, to the Gentiles to avoid such teaching and practice.
Understanding Paul’s indictment of self-righteous Jews in our text can be a great help in understanding other Scriptures. Paul’s accusations in Romans 2 are but a summation of the indictments of the Old Testament prophets. The mindset of the self-righteous Jew, as described in our text, enables us to understand the constant tension which existed between the Jewish religious leaders and Jesus, prominent in all the Gospels. Jesus’ indictments of the self-righteous Jews, recorded in the Gospels, are more easily understood in the light of Paul’s words in our text.
A study of Romans 2 will also dissolve many of the alleged “tensions” between the theology of Paul and that of James. We hear sometimes that Paul emphasized faith while James emphasized works, and that each was stressing one dimension of the truth. When I compare Paul’s words in Romans 2 with those in James 1-3, I find hearty agreement. Paul’s teaching in Romans 2 will underscore and affirm the teaching of James and will stress the importance of good works. What we will find is that it was the self-righteous Jews (and not Paul) who failed to see the importance of good works. The reason for this failure is fascinating and instructive.
No one should take sin more seriously than the Christian. Paul’s indictment of mankind should ring true in our hearts and cause us to see sin in its more subtle forms. In particular, we should see that the sin of self-righteousness is not just a “Jewish sin.” There may be no greater need in the church of Jesus Christ today than that of a deep conviction of sin in our midst. When revival breaks out among God’s people, it usually begins with an eye-opening encounter with the depth of our own sin. Paul’s words here are for self-righteous sinners such as ourselves. As we study Paul’s teaching in Romans 2, our goal will be to identify the nature of the belief and behavior which Paul is condemning as sin. We will also seek to isolate the causes and the cure of the sin of self-righteousness. May God open our hearts to comprehend and to respond to His Word.
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do (Hebrews 4:12-13).
Romans 2 must be studied, interpreted, and applied as a whole. The unity of Paul’s argument in chapter 2 can be seen as Paul’s indictment comes full circle in the chapter. At the beginning of the chapter, he indicts the Jews for judging and condemning the Gentiles, while both practice the same sins (see 2:1-2). At the end of the chapter (2:27), Paul informs the Jews (who have been circumcised, but have not obeyed the Law) that they will be judged by the Gentiles (who have not been circumcised, but who have kept God’s Law).
Paul’s indictment of the self-righteous in chapter 2 is a “two punch” argument. In verses 1-16, Paul proves the Jews are guilty of sin, based on their own standard, as seen in their judging of others. In verses 17-29, Paul exposes the sin of the Jews, as seen in their teaching of others. Thus, by their judging and by their teaching, the Jews are shown to be guilty of sin.
1 Therefore you are without excuse,71 every man of you who passes judgment, for in that you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. 3 And do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment upon those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who WILL RENDER TO EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:72 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
11 For there is no partiality with God. 12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law; and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13 for not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
The arrangement of these verses above suggests my understanding of Paul’s argument in verses 1-16. Verses 1 and 2 contain the indictment: “You Jews are guilty of violating the same standard by which you have condemned the Gentiles.” Verses 3 and 4 are both questions. Paul suggests two issues which the Jews have neglected to think through carefully. Verses 5-10 establish the standard for man’s conduct by which God judges men, to reward the righteous or to condemn the sinner. Verses 11-16 focus on God’s impartiality, which is evident in His judgment of men. We might summarize Paul’s argument in verses 1-16 this way:
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Verses 1-2 |
Jewish judges—judged for hypocrisy |
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Verses 3-4 |
God, the Judge, and His coming judgment |
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Verses 5-10 |
Man’s deeds—the basis for divine judgment |
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Verses 11-16 |
Impartiality—the distinctive of divine judgment |
Paul’s indictment, in verses 1 and 2, is stated in general terms. It is an indictment which does not condemn men by “class” (Jew or Gentile) but rather by conduct. All who judge others guilty of sin, and who practice the same sins, are themselves guilty, based upon their own actions. It just so happens that many (if not most) of those thus judged are self-righteous Jews. As the chapter proceeds, Paul’s focus becomes more and more directed toward the Jews, who felt smugly superior to the Gentiles and who eagerly condemned them as sinners.
Those who enthusiastically condemned the Gentile “heathen” as sinners, on the basis of Paul’s argument in 1:18-32, were self-condemned. They practiced the very same things which they condemned in others (2:1, 2, 3). The words of our Lord certainly apply to Paul’s readers:
“Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:1-2).
Did the Jews really sin in the same way as the Gentiles? Were the Jews guilty of immorality, sexual impurity and perversion, idolatry, robbery, and even murder? The answer is a clear and undeniable, “Yes!” The historical accounts of Israel’s past actions prove Paul’s accusations to be true (see, for example, Exodus 32 and Numbers 25). The Old Testament prophets indicted the Jews of old for the same sins that Paul names in Romans 1. Consider these texts:
My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken. How long will you assail a man, That you may murder him, all of you, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence? They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position; They delight in falsehood; They bless with their mouth, But inwardly they curse. Selah.
My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Men of low degree are only vanity, and men of rank are a lie; In the balances they go up; They are together lighter than breath. Do not trust in oppression, And do not vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them. Once God has spoken; Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God; And lovingkindness is Thine, O Lord, For Thou dost recompense a man according to his work (Psalm 62:1-12, emphasis mine).73
How the faithful city has become a harlot, She who was full of justice! Righteousness once lodged in her, But now murderers. Your silver has become dross, Your drink diluted with water. Your rulers are rebels, And companions of thieves; Every one loves a bribe, And chases after rewards. They do not defend the orphan, Nor does the widow’s plea come before them” (Isaiah 1:21-23, emphasis mine).
Woe to those who enact evil statutes, And to those who constantly record unjust decisions, So as to deprive the needy of justice, And rob the poor of My people of their rights, In order that widows may be their spoil, And that they may plunder the orphans. Now what will you do in the day of punishment, And in the devastation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your wealth? (Isaiah 10:1-3, emphasis mine).
“Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and offer sacrifices to Baal, and walk after other gods that you have not known, then come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—that you may do all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” declares the LORD (Jeremiah 7:8-11, emphasis mine).
“You have despised My holy things and profaned My sabbaths. Slanderous men have been in you for the purpose of shedding blood, and in you they have eaten at the mountain shrines. In your midst they have committed acts of lewdness. In you they have uncovered their fathers’ nakedness; in you they have humbled her who was unclean in her menstrual impurity. And one has committed abomination with his neighbor’s wife, and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law. And another in you has humbled his sister, his father’s daughter. In you they have taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest and profits, and you have injured your neighbors for gain by oppression, and you have forgotten Me,” declares the Lord GOD. “Behold, then, I smite My hand at your dishonest gain which you have acquired and at the bloodshed which is among you.”
“Son of man, say to her, ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’ There is a conspiracy of her prophets in her midst, like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have devoured lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in the midst of her. Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Her princes within her are like wolves tearing the prey, by shedding blood and destroying lives in order to get dishonest gain. And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ when the LORD has not spoken. The people of the land have practiced oppression and committed robbery, and they have wronged the poor and needy and have oppressed the sojourner without justice” (Ezekiel 22:8-13, 24-29, emphasis mine).
Listen to the word of the LORD, O sons of Israel, For the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land. There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing, and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed. … Gilead is a city of wrongdoers, Tracked with bloody footprints. And as raiders wait for a man, So a band of priests murder on the way to Shechem; Surely they have committed crime. In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim’s harlotry is there, Israel has defiled itself. Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, When I restore the fortunes of My people (Hosea 4:1-2; 6:8-11 emphasis mine).
On the other hand I am filled with power—With the Spirit of the LORD—And with justice and courage To make known to Jacob his rebellious act, Even to Israel his sin. Now hear this, heads of the house of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel, Who abhor justice And twist everything that is straight, Who build Zion with bloodshed And Jerusalem with violent injustice. Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her priests instruct for a price, And her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the LORD saying, “Is not the LORD in our midst? Calamity will not come upon us.” Therefore, on account of you, Zion will be plowed as a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, And the mountain of the temple will become high places of a forest (Micah 3:8-12, emphasis mine).74
Not only do the Old Testament Scriptures prove that Paul’s accusations were accurate concerning the Jews of Old, the New Testament Scriptures indicate that the Jews of Jesus’ and Paul’s day were guilty of the same sins. In Matthew 23, our Lord charged the scribes and Pharisees with hypocrisy (23:13, 14, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29), stealing (23:14, 25), murder (23:31, 34, 37), self-indulgence (23:25) and lawlessness (23:28). Furthermore, Paul’s list of Old Testament indictments in Romans 3:10-18 is applied to the Jews of his day, to show that they were guilty of just such sins:
As it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE. THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING, THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS; WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS; THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, AND THE PATH OF PEACE HAVE THEY NOT KNOWN. THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES” (Romans 3:10-18).
The minds of the self-righteous Jews were as darkened by their sin and rejection of God’s revelation as were the minds of the Gentiles. In verses 3 and 4 Paul draws attention to two major problems in the thinking of the Jews. He challenges those who would listen to consider their folly. First, did they really think that God would judge Gentile sinners for their sins and not judge the Jews for the same sins (verse 3)? How does a righteous God condemn the unrighteousness of some, but not all men, if they both practice the same sins? Second, would they disdain and disregard God’s kindness, failing to see it as His grace, calling them to repentance (verse 4)? They erred in seeing God’s wrath as focused only on the “heathen” and in viewing God’s reprieve as a reward for their righteousness, rather than as the opportunity for their repentance.
In verses 5-10 Paul establishes the basis on which divine judgment is meted out by God. God judges men according to their works. Paul makes several important statements about men’s works, which are the basis for divine judgment:
(1) Man’s deeds are the result of what is in his heart (verse 5, see also verse 8).75
(2) God’s judgment will be according to man’s deeds (verse 6).
(3) God’s judgment of men, according to their deeds, includes both Jews and Gentiles (verse 9-10).
(4) God’s judgment of men, according to their deeds, is both for blessing and for punishment (verses 7-10).
The possibility of a man being declared righteous on the basis of his own works is mentioned here, but it is only hypothetical as Paul will demonstrate. There is no problem here with Paul speaking of men being rewarded with eternal life for their (own) righteousness, because no man will ever attain this high standard of conduct. No man’s good works are ever sufficient to save him, but every man’s sinful works are sufficient to condemn him.
Just as the self-righteous have judged the “heathen” to be sinners on the basis of their works, so God judges the “righteous” by their works, and they fail the test. The self-righteous fail to live up to the standard which they require of others. And thus, while these “judges” are right in concluding that those they judge are sinners, they are foolish not to see themselves as sinners as well. When the standard for judgment is a man’s works, every man fails to meet the standard.
The problem with the self-righteous is that they had a double standard. They did not use the same standard to judge their own conduct as they did to condemn others. The self-righteous were banking on God judging them with partiality, according to a different standard. Thus, after stressing the standard for God’s judgment in verses 5-10, Paul moves to the impartiality of divine judgment in verses 11-16. God not only judges men on the basis of their works (verses 5-10), He judges them impartially, on the basis of what they do with what they know (verses 11-16).
The Jews thought that their possession of the Law placed them in a separate category, one which was higher than that of the Gentiles. Paul sets out to prove that the mere possession of the Law is not what matters, but the practice of the Law. The Jews, by virtue of their possession of the Law, were not thereby deserving of God’s blessings. The Gentiles, by virtue of the fact that they did not possess the Law, were not thereby deserving of God’s wrath. Having the Law did not make one holy, any more than not having it made one a sinner.
God is impartial. He does not judge men on the basis of who they are (Jew or Gentile). He judges men on the basis of what they have done (deeds) with what they have been given (revelation). It is not the possession of God’s standards which makes men holy, but living in obedience to these standards. Conversely, men are condemned for rejecting the revelation of God which they have received.
Those who possess the Law—the Jews—are judged in terms of their obedience to the Law. The Gentiles, who did not receive the Law, are judged according to that which they know to be right and wrong. The Jews can thereby be judged by their obedience to the objective standard of the Law, while the Gentiles are judged by their obedience to the subjective standard. Only God knows the hearts of the Gentiles, and thus only He can judge them. This is an indictment against the Jews, who would judge the Gentiles by their Law (even though they had not received it), but would not judge themselves by it (even though they had received it).
17 But if you bear the name “Jew,” and rely upon the Law, and boast in God, 18 and know His will, and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind,76 a light to those who are in darkness, 20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, 21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? 24 For “THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,”77 just as it is written.
25 For indeed circumcision is of value, if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 If therefore the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 And will not he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.
Paul’s indictment now becomes pointed and specific. He is clearly referring to the Jews. Verses 17-20 describe the perspective of the self-righteous Jew, especially as it relates to their possession of the Law. Verses 21-24 contain Paul’s indictment: they fail to practice what they preach and teach. In verses 25-29 Paul clarifies the value and significance of circumcision, concluding by pointing out that “true circumcision” is not an external matter, but a matter of the heart. We can outline the argument of verses 17-29 this way.
(1) The Law and the Proud Jew (vv. 17-24)
(2) Circumcision and the “True Jew” (vv. 25-29)
In verses 17-20, Paul describes the self-righteous pride which the Jew found in his possession of the Law. The Law was one of the “badges” of piety which the Jew proudly wore. Possession of the Law led the Jew to conclude that he was superior to a Gentile. The description of verses 17-20 is not a picture of reality; it is a caricature of the puffed-up Jew and his distorted perception of his own superiority.
The self-righteous Jew thought of himself as one who relied upon the Law. As such, he boasted in God. Possession of the Law somehow gave the Jew a privileged relationship with God, with a resulting assurance of His protection and blessing (verse 18). Possessing God’s Law also gave the Jew an inside track on knowing the will of God. He knew the mind of God, His plans and purposes (the Gentiles, of course, did not). He had a grasp of what really mattered, guided as he was by the Law (verse 18). The Law gave the Jew the edge, superiority, and thus he was capable of leading the blind and of guiding those with less illumination—those who were still “in the dark” (verse 19). The Law gave the Jew the superior knowledge necessary for teaching the uninformed and the immature. The Law was, for the Jew, the embodiment of all knowledge and truth (verse 20). The possession of it put one above all others.
Paul was not impressed with what the Jew thought of himself. He did not deny that the Law was a great source of truth, wisdom, and guidance, for so it was (see Psalm 119, especially verses 97-100). The real issue was not the virtue of the Law and its precepts, as taught by the Jew, but the Law as practiced by the Jew. It was not the possession of the Law which made one righteous. It was not even the teaching of the Law which made one righteous. Righteousness (according to the standard set out in the Law itself and by Paul in verses 5-16) was the result of keeping the Law. It mattered not if one taught that it was wrong to steal, to commit adultery, or to worship idols. It mattered only that one obeyed the Law by refraining from these sins. If the Jew did not keep the Law, it would only condemn him.
It is implied by Paul’s questions that these “teachers of the Law” did not keep the Law themselves. The result was that rather than glorifying God and demonstrating His righteousness, these disobedient Jews dishonored God, blaspheming His name before the Gentiles. Did the Jews foolishly suppose that the Law made them better than the Gentiles? Their rejection of God’s Law made God look bad before the Gentiles.
Paul cites a passage from the Old Testament which expresses this reality and which also shows that Israel’s disregard for the Law is in keeping with the “stiff-necked nature” of this “stubborn and rebellious people” (see Romans 2:5): “For ‘THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,’ just as it is written” (Romans 2:24).
This quotation can be traced back to several Old Testament texts, including Isaiah 52:5 and Ezekiel 36:20-21. In both cases, God is mocked by the Gentiles on account of Israel’s disregard for and disobedience of the Law. They have been cast out of the land of Israel and have been sent into captivity. The Gentiles were chuckling to themselves because the Israelites’ God appears to be unable to give them the land He promised them. They do not know that God disciplines His people for their disobedience. God’s deliverance of His captive people would be for the sake of His name, not on account of the Jew’s piety or faithfulness (see Ezekiel 36:22-24).
The present condition of the Jews was also a reproach to the name of God. They professed to believe in God’s Law, and they were proud to “possess” it, but they did not practice it. Far worse, when they were confronted by the “Living Word,” the “incarnate Word,” Jesus Christ, they rejected God’s final revelation, putting Him to death (see John 1:1-18; Hebrews 1:1-3; 1 John 1:1-3). Paul’s reference to this quotation from the Old Testament may have been a veiled warning, for this disobedient people would once again be thrust out of the land, and God’s name would be, for a season, blasphemed among the Gentiles.
Circumcision was the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant (see Genesis 17:9-14; Exodus 4:24-26). After this, circumcision was mentioned only casually in the rest of the Pentateuch (Exodus 12:44, 48; Leviticus 12:3). But for the Jew, circumcision was a mark of distinction. It was that which distinguished the Jew from the heathen. Consequently, the Jews took great pride in circumcision. Because circumcision was linked with the self-righteousness of the Jews, Paul used this rite to clinch the point he was making—that the Law was not only to be possessed, professed, and proclaimed; it was to be practiced.
Circumcision identified a man as a Jew. It was, as it were, a physical profession that one was a Jew. This profession of circumcision had no value unless it was backed up by the practice of the professor. For one to demonstrate by his practice that he was indeed a Jew made his profession by circumcision a valid distinction. Otherwise, circumcision was of as little value as placing a Mercedes Benz hood ornament on a broken down Volkswagen.
Disobedience to the Law nullified any value which circumcision might have had.78 Obedience to the Law made circumcision of value. A circumcised Jew who did not keep the Law was no better than a Gentile. The converse was also true. If a Gentile were to live in accordance with the Law (even though he might not possess it or know its demands), his lack of circumcision was no detriment. Practice of the Law’s requirements was all that was needed, and such a Law-keeper was as good as circumcised.
Startling though they might be, Paul has strong words for the self-righteous Jew. Did they think their role in life was to look down upon the Gentiles and to use the Law to condemn them? While God would judge or justify Gentiles apart from the Law, an uncircumcised Gentile who kept the Law would judge the disobedient Jew (verse 27). The self-righteous Jew was to be judged by an uncircumcised Gentile, whom he condemned, but whom God would justify on the basis of his obedience to the Law.79
The only circumcision that counts is the inner “circumcision” of the heart. The “true Jew” is the one whose heart has been circumcised. This “surgery” is not that which is performed by man, but by the Holy Spirit. And the praise which results is not the praise of men, but of God. This is that circumcision spoken of by Moses and the prophets (see Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4; 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:24-27).
How could the Jews be so wrong? How could those who were given so many privileges and who were so often blessed by God stray so far from Him? How could those who were given the revelation of the Law, and now Paul’s gospel (see 2:16), become so completely off base in their thinking? The sin and resulting condemnation of the Jews as described here in Romans 2 is the result of several serious errors. As we conclude this lesson, I wish to focus on the major errors which I find evidenced and exposed in our text. Each of these errors has its own contemporary forms, and thus they plague us, as well as those to whom Paul was referring.
If there is one term which sums up the sin of the Jews, it is probably the term “hypocrisy.” The Jews were hypocritical in holding to a double standard. They held a very high standard for others (especially the Gentiles) by which they condemned them as sinners. But at the same time they held a much lower standard for themselves, which excused them from the same sins committed by the Gentiles. The Jews were also hypocritical in redefining their sins in such a way as to make them appear to be pious acts of religious devotion. I believe this was true of the way in which they went about “stealing widows’ houses” (Matthew 23:14) and in which they converted the temple precincts into a “den of thieves” (Matthew 21:12-13). They placed too much emphasis on external appearances and not enough on the heart.
There is a big difference between a “heathen” and a hypocrite. The heathen rejects high standards of conduct and lives (unhypocritically) as a pagan. The hypocrite holds to the high standard but does not live by it, and thus he has double standards and lives a double life. Hypocrisy is often an ailment of the religious.
God’s holiness was the basis for Israel’s holiness. God revealed Himself to Israel when He delivered them from Egyptian slavery. After He had led them through the Red Sea, God gave His people the Law. This Law was, first and foremost, a declaration of God’s character, of His attributes (a much fuller revelation of His attributes than His creation supplies—see Romans 1:18-23). Israel’s privilege, as God’s chosen people, was to demonstrate God’s character to others. Prominent among His attributes is God’s holiness. Israel’s responsibility, as God’s people, was to live their lives in accordance with God’s Law, so as to demonstrate His holiness to the world: “Be ye holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44, 1 Peter 1:15).
God’s holiness was to be evident in the lives of His people, not just by what they professed but by what they practiced. Israel was to be a “priestly nation” (Exodus 19:5-6), whose task was to point men to God. They were not to be a nation of judges, who condemned the sins of those about them. Any condemnation or judgment should be the result of their personal godliness. Holiness was not to be a matter of “lip-service” but of lifestyle.
For the Israelite of old, and for the Christian of today, obedience to God’s revealed standard of conduct is necessary for the demonstration of God’s holiness in the midst of a sinful, unholy world (see 1 Peter 1:15). In the Old Testament and the New, God has prohibited certain conduct, because it is sinful and unholy. He has likewise commanded us to practice godly conduct, because it is holy. Our good works will never be sufficient to make us righteous or to win God’s approval. Our failure to produce good works is, however, sufficient basis for condemnation. When we are justified by faith, we are saved “unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10), because God’s purpose in saving men (in part) is to manifest His righteousness to the world through His saints. Holy conduct is necessary for God’s people to manifest God’s holy character. Israel’s sins (and ours) blaspheme the character of God before men (see Romans 2:24).
A mere profession of faith is not enough. A genuine profession of faith should be accompanied by good works, not as the basis of our salvation but as a result of it. John the Baptist called upon the Jews to demonstrate the genuineness of their repentance and faith by producing “fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). James, in his epistle, demanded that a profession of faith must be accompanied by good works as the evidence of genuine faith (see James 2:14-26, etc.). Our Lord also required “fruit” as the result of true faith and as a manifestation of His presence and power:
“This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends, if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you. This I command you, that you love one another” (John 15:12-17, emphasis mine).
The apostle John, likewise, expected love to be evidenced not only by words, but by works:
Do not marvel brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s good, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth (1 John 3:13-18).
The self-righteous Jews were in error concerning divine judgment. They were wrong in failing to distinguish between God’s present wrath and His coming (future) wrath. One purpose of God’s present wrath is repentance, leading to salvation. The primary purpose of His future wrath is retribution. There is no turning back from this judgment. Future wrath spells the sinner’s doom; present wrath may produce the sinner’s repentance and salvation. Thus, to look upon those whom God has “given over to sin” as reprobates, who are eternally doomed, is just as incorrect as looking upon those who are presently experiencing God’s “kindness” as assured of eternal blessing. For now, both God’s kindness and His severity are directed toward man’s salvation, not his destruction.
The righteous yearn for righteousness to reign upon the earth and for sin to be removed from the world. The righteous desire to see justice prevail, which includes the punishment of the wicked. On the other hand, the righteous also recognize their own sin and realize that they are worthy of divine wrath. They know, as well, that God’s present judgment of sin is welcome, because it delivers the sinner from God’s final, future wrath. And thus the sinner prays for his sins to be exposed, condemned, and removed through God’s grace. For the Christian, divine wrath is welcomed, not just so that others will be punished, but so that we will be purified (see Psalm 19:7-14; 51; 119, etc.).
Failing to understand God’s present purposes (both with regard to the Gentiles and with regard to the Jews) led the self-righteous Jews to a wrong conception of their duty and obligation toward other sinners. They seemed to think their task in life was to condemn, to judge sinners as guilty, and to write them off for all eternity. Israel’s God-given task was to be a “light to the Gentiles” (Luke 2:32; Acts 13:47; 26:23). They were first to receive the good news of the gospel by faith, and then to bear the good news to the lost. But the self-righteous Jews, typified by the prophet Jonah, did not want to be a part of saving Gentile sinners.
Contrast the eagerness of the Jews to judge “sinners” with the teaching and practice of our Lord. He repeatedly stated that He did not come into the world (in His first coming) to judge men but to save them (see John 3:17; 8:15; 12:47-48). When Jesus was put on the spot to pronounce judgment and execute the sentence of death upon a woman caught in the act of adultery, He refused, not because she was innocent, but because He came to die for her sins—to save sinful men and women like her (see John 8:10-11). Condemnation and salvation are two opposite activities. We, like our Lord, are to presently occupy ourselves with the latter, and to leave the former to Him, in His good time.
Jesus took on the self-righteous “judges” of Israel, many of whom were the scribes and Pharisees, at the outset of His earthly ministry. Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount illustrates this clearly.80 Jesus began by emphasizing the “hidden world” of the spirit, in 5:3-9. In the remainder of Matthew 5, Jesus sought to show that sin is “more than skin deep.” Sin has its external manifestations, but it also has its internal roots. The internal, unseen sins of the heart are just as evil as the outward manifestations. Thus, murder is not only sin (the external act), but so is anger (the internal source of murder). Adultery (outward) is sin, but so is lust (internal).
In Matthew 6, Jesus went on to teach that righteousness is “more than skin deep.” External acts of “righteousness” may only be men-pleasing deeds, designed to obtain man’s praise (6:1). The giving of alms (6:2-4), praying (6:5-15), and fasting (6:16-18) can all be motivated by sinful desires, and not by the desire to please God. Righteousness, therefore, cannot be judged only on the basis of the outward act, but must also take into account the motivation of the heart.
No wonder Matthew 7 begins with our Lord’s warning about judging others. If men cannot know the hearts of other men (or their own hearts), how can they judge that which is righteous and that which is not? Judging others sets the standard for our own judgment, by God. The only way that men can see clearly is to be judged by God and to have their own sin exposed and remedied. This will not enable us to know the hearts and motives of men, and to make those judgments which only God can make, but it will help us see clearly enough to know those who are “dogs” and “swine” (7:6), so that we do not waste that which is holy on those who disdain it.
Being righteous, God must judge sin. Being righteous, God must judge sin righteously. Thus, He must judge sin impartially.81 There is no partiality with God, Paul teaches. The Jews simply did not believe it. They held to a double standard because they thought God judged men by a double standard. The Jews judged the Gentiles by a standard which they did not apply to themselves. This became the basis for Paul’s indictment in Romans 2:1-16. If God judges impartially, then God will judge us by the same standard which He uses to judge others. If God judges us by the standard we hold for others, we must meet that same standard.
The Jews did not want God to deal with them impartially. They wanted preferential treatment from Him. Impartiality would put the Jews on the same level as everyone else, and they wanted to be superior to the rest. I remember talking to a “lifer” in a maximum security prison who was not a Christian. I asked how he liked prison life after various prison reforms had been instituted. He replied that he liked the old way better. He could manipulate the old system so that he would be given preferential treatment; now he was treated like everyone else. Israel too wanted preferential treatment. God’s judgment is, however, impartial. His standards do not change.82
The Jews also misunderstood the grace of God. They did not see God’s present wrath as gracious, leading some to repentance. Neither did they recognize their present reprieve from punishment as a gift of God’s grace, leading them to repentance (see Romans 2:4). Perhaps the greatest error of the Jews was that they mistook the privileges of God as an evidence of His preference.
It is this confusion over privilege and preference which is the key to understanding the hypocrisy of the Jews. The Jews had a double standard for judging because they confused their privileged status with a preferential status. They believed God judged them differently than others. They thought that who they were was more important than what they did. Since they thought that merely being a Jew made them holy, there was no other standard of holiness which needed to be applied to them. The Gentiles, however, had to earn their holiness, by keeping the Law.
Let me seek to illustrate this. Have you ever worked, as I have, for a business where the owner’s son was a fellow-employee? All too often, the owner’s son regards himself as a special case. If the standard for performance is putting out 30 pieces of work an hour, he will hold you to it, but may not be concerned if he only puts out 15 pieces per hour. He may say to himself, “It doesn’t matter whether I work hard or not. I’m the boss’s son. Dad won’t fire me.” The “privilege” of being the owner’s son distorts this worker’s thinking and behavior, supposing that he can live by a different standard than the rest. That was Israel’s attitude. They were the chosen people of God. They had an “inside track” with God, and they also possessed the Law. This made them better than the Gentiles. While the Gentile must live within the Law, the Jew was above the Law.
Congress has provided us with additional illustrations of this evil. During the Reagan administration, Congress passed a massive tax reform bill. The purpose of this new law was to “close the loopholes” which were in the previous tax laws. Many of the loopholes were closed, but that very legislation contains, I am told, many exceptions and exemptions which are for the exclusive benefit of a very few people—all of whom are friends or supporters of one of the politicians who had a hand in writing the law. The same is true of the civil rights reforms which Congress has recently passed. Can anyone explain why Congress would forbid racial discrimination by all employers except themselves? Congress, I am told, has exempted itself from living under the law it passed. That is hypocrisy! That is a double standard. That is thinking of yourself as a special case. That is the abuse of one’s privileges.
When it came to their own standing before God, many of the Jewish religious leaders were not legalists but hypocrites. They believed God would deal with them according to a different standard because of who they were, and because they were better than the rest. That is not only hypocrisy; that is arrogance.
The gospel will simply not allow men to place themselves above other men. The gospel is the great equalizer of all men. The gospel finds all men equal in their lost condition, and the gospel makes all men equally righteous, in Christ. This is exactly what offends the status-seeker. To deny this fundamental equality among men is to deny the gospel.83
Such pride of the self-righteous Jews is also found among the Gentiles, even among those who have been saved by grace. And thus the warning of Paul in Romans 11:17-21. Whatever we are, whatever blessings from God we have received, whatever privileges have been granted to us, all are the gifts of God’s grace. They do not prove us to be better than other men. They do not place us in a special category which receives preferential treatment from God. If anything, privileges bring greater responsibility on our part. The privilege of possessing the Law did not make Israel less obliged to keep it; it gave them greater obligation to live by it. Of those to whom much is given, much is required (see Luke 12:48; James 3:1).
In the light of Paul’s words in Romans 2 we can say that the response of the Jews to the revelation they received was the same as the response of the Gentiles to the revelation which they had received. Whether through the creation or the Law, God’s revelation was a revelation of His character. It was intended to demonstrate His righteousness, His power, His eternal nature. The only legitimate response to such revelation is man’s humble response of giving Him thanks and praise, through our worship and service. This the Gentiles did not do, and thus they were brought under God’s condemnation. They perverted God’s revelation and began to worship in a way that was self-serving. As a result, God gave them over to sin, as a present manifestation of His judgment.
The Jews were guilty of the same sin, but in even greater measure. The Law revealed God’s character much more fully. It also spelled out the conduct and worship which God required of those who were chosen to serve and glorify Him. The Jews did not give thanks to Him nor did they glorify Him by keeping His commandments. They also perverted His revelation. Instead of seeing the Law as a standard for personal holiness, they used it only as a standard for judging others. And instead of seeking to serve and worship God, they turned Judaism into a self-serving religion. They become proud, not humble. They spurned His revelation, rather than to obey it.
How much more responsible are we who have the full revelation of God in the Holy Scriptures? We are indeed “without excuse” in that we cannot plead ignorance to His standards and His commands. And yet, we, like the Jews, are more inclined to use the Bible to prove how sinful others are than to see our own sin. Christian activism may be called for in this sinful age. But the principle way we are to condemn the sins of our society is not by pronouncing judgment upon it, like the Jews, but by living godly lives, as God called Israel to do. It is our personal holiness which must effectively display the righteousness of God and which reproves sinful men (see 1 Peter 2:11-12; 4:1-19).
I do not believe Christianity has ever been more self-seeking and self-serving than it is in our own day. We do not seem to respond to God’s revelation in the Scriptures with worship and adoration, but we look to the Scriptures to make us happy, prosperous, and fulfilled. We have lost sight of the primary goal of His revelation. Does our knowledge of His Word turn us toward God, in selfless praise, adoration, and service, or does it turn us inward, seeking our own selfish desires? How easy it is to see the sins of others and to fail to see our own.
Paul’s words in Romans 2 come to life as I read our Lord’s indictment of the Jewish religious leaders in Matthew 23. In the first verses of His indictment (23:1-4), Jesus accused the scribes and Pharisees of “seating themselves in the chair of Moses” (verse 2). That is, they assumed a position of authority, as teachers and judges. It was not what they taught which Jesus chose to differ with so strongly, but the hypocrisy with which they taught it. He urged the people to do what these leaders taught, but not to imitate their practice (verse 3). Their teaching laid heavy burdens on others, but they themselves did not live by their own teaching nor did they give any help to those so burdened (verse 4). They were hypocritical.
These leaders did not possess any authority on the basis of their own obedience to the Law (or their teaching of it), but on the basis of other factors such as external appearances. They were constantly “putting on a pious face” by their external garb, by their public appearances, and by taking places of prominence (verses 5-7). Jesus warned His followers of the danger of setting up leaders who held such authority. Establishing human leaders who live above the Law was dangerous and forbidden:
“But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:8-12).
The preoccupation of the scribes and Pharisees with their own authority was revealing and condemning. They aspired to positions of authority, so that they might rise above the Law and its requirements, and in so doing they were sinning. Such positions, Jesus taught, should not exist.84 Like their leaders, the self-righteous Jews began to think of themselves in this lofty, elevated way (see Romans 2:17-20). This is not the mind of Christ.
As I have considered the relationship between authority and the Word of God, I have come to recognize an important principle: Those who are preoccupied with having authority tend to place themselves above the authority of the Scriptures; those who see themselves as under the authority of God and His Word are those who exercise the greatest authority.
Many of David’s greatest deeds took place at those times when he was not conscious of having authority but was overcome by a sense of God’s authority. How many of David’s psalms, I wonder, were written as a young lad, a lowly shepherd boy? The defeat of Goliath was the result of David’s faith in God, even though he was no match for this giant. When David became the king of Israel and seemed to be impressed by his own authority, he got into the worst trouble of his life. He stayed at home (in bed), rather than going to battle with his army (2 Samuel 11:1-2). Was he now so powerful that he did not need to go to war? Had his authority become so great that he could defeat his enemies from his bed? Did he possess so much authority that the Word of God no longer applied to him, as it did to others? So it would seem.
Even the authority of our Lord was the result of His sense of being under God’s authority (see John 7:28; 8:42). In particular, I would like to suggest that His authority in teaching the Scriptures was based upon His sense of being under them, not above them. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, the people took note of the difference in Jesus’ teaching compared to that of the scribes:
The result was that when Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes (Matthew 7:28-29).
Matthew is not speaking of a kind of dogmatism here, for the scribes possessed plenty of that. I believe Jesus taught the Scriptures as the basis and source of one’s authority. Further, I believe He taught the Scriptures with the deep conviction that they not only had authority over His audience, but over Him.
The basis of our Lord’s authority, as referred to in Matthew 7, can be found in Matthew 4. In his efforts to tempt our Lord, Satan sought to persuade Jesus to act independently on His own authority, as the Son of God, rather than in submission to God’s authority. Satan used the Scriptures (by twisting them) to attempt to shore up his evil propositions, but our Lord saw through this. Each time Jesus was tempted, He responded with Scripture, and each time His response to Satan revealed His sense of the authority of the Scriptures.
To our Lord, obedience to the Scriptures was more important than bread, because the Scriptures are the source of true life (Matthew 4:3-4). To our Lord, the Scriptures were not given to men so they could put God to the test, but they were given by God to test them (4:5-7). To our Lord, His purpose in life must not be self-serving. The Word of God revealed to Him that one’s life is to be spent in worshipping and serving God (4:8-10). The authority our Lord evidenced in His teaching of the Word was the result of His own submission to the authority of the Word. God’s Word must, first of all, have authority over us. When we use the Word of God with authority, we use the Word of God as those under its authority. If this was true of our Lord Himself, how much more so should it be true of us?
When I look at the Psalms, I do not find the psalmists viewing God’s Law as the basis for judging others, but as the means by which God judges them. If they see in the Law the character of God, they see also their own sinfulness. But they see as well the grace of God and His provision of righteousness and forgiveness. To the psalmists, the Law not only revealed and condemned their sins, it held forth the means of their salvation.
Notice the response of David to the revelation of God through His creation and through His Word, as recorded in Psalm 19:
The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands, Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their utterance to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course. Its rising is from one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the other end of them; And there is nothing hidden from its heat. The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep back Thy servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19).
How different is David’s attitude and response to the Word of God. He does not use the Law of God to prove his own righteousness and to condemn sinners. Instead, he reads the Law to discover his own sinfulness and to find, as well, God’s gracious provision of salvation and forgiveness. And then, instead of condemning other sinners, he shares with them that grace which he has found in God’s Holy Word.
This same spirit toward God and His Word can be seen in the words of the unnamed psalmist who penned Psalm 119. Note the first few verses of this Psalm:
How blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the law of the LORD. How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart. They also do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways. Thou hast ordained Thy precepts, That we should keep them diligently. Oh that my ways may be established To keep Thy statutes! Then I shall not be ashamed When I look upon all Thy commandments. I shall give thanks to Thee with uprightness of heart When I learn Thy righteous judgments. I shall keep Thy statues; Do not forsake me utterly! How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word. With all my heart I have sought Thee; Do not let me wander from Thy commandments. Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee. Blessed are Thou, O LORD; Teach me Thy statutes. With my lips I have told of All the ordinances of Thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, As much as in all riches. I will meditate on Thy precepts, And regard Thy ways. I shall delight in Thy statutes; I shall not forget Thy word. Deal bountifully with Thy servant, That I may live and keep Thy word. Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Thy law. I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Thy commandments from me. My soul is crushed with longing After Thine ordinances at all times. Thou dost rebuke the arrogant, the cursed, Who wander from Thy commandments. Take away reproach and contempt from me, For I observe Thy testimonies. Even though princes sit and talk against me, Thy servant meditates on Thy statutes. Thy testimonies also are my delight; They are my counselors. My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Thy word. I have told of my ways, and Thou hast answered me; Teach me Thy statutes. Make me understand the way of Thy precepts, So I will meditate on Thy wonders. My soul weeps because of grief; Strengthen me according to Thy word. Remove the false way from me, And graciously grant me Thy law. I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Thine ordinances before me. I cleave to Thy testimonies; O LORD, do not put me to shame! I shall run the way of Thy commandments, For Thou wilt enlarge my heart (Psalm 119:1-32).
The psalmist holds to the standard of holiness which God’s Law requires (verses 1-4), and yet he learns from the Law his own sinfulness (verses 5-8). The Law is not used to prove the psalmist’s righteousness and to condemn others as sinners. The Law is seen by the psalmist as the revelation of God Himself and of every man’s sinfulness. The Law reveals not only man’s sin, but God’s grace. The Law is a treasure, a delight, which should be shared with other sinners.
To sum up this matter of one’s perspective toward the Scriptures, allow me to conclude by referring to the words of James, in the first chapter of his epistle:
This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does (James 1:19-25).
To use the analogy which James has suggested, the self-righteous Jews of Paul’s day (as well as the self-righteous “saints” of our own) should not think of the Word of God as a magnifying glass, but as a mirror. Those who would rather judge others take up God’s Word as a magnifying glass and go about in Sherlock Holmes fashion inspecting the lives of others, condemning them for the sins they find.
The Word of God was meant to be a mirror, to reveal our own sins, even more than it was meant to be a magnifying glass, to discern the sins of others.85 So it was to the psalmists of Old. So it is to the saints of every age. So it should and must be to us.
Establish my footsteps in Thy word, And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me. … I hope for Thy salvation, O LORD, And do Thy commandments. My soul keeps Thy testimonies, And I love them exceedingly (Psalm 119:133, 166, 167).
69 Paul’s indictment of the self-righteous in Romans 1 and 2 is similar to that of Nathan, the prophet, when he indicted David for adultery and murder. For the full account of David’s sin and the rebuke of Nathan, read 2 Samuel 11 and 12. The similarities in these two indictments are well worth pondering.
70 For example, see Matthew 5:20; 23:1-39.
71 The expressions “therefore” and “without excuse” (verse 1) are found here for the second time in Romans. “Therefore” points to a conclusion based upon what has previously been said. Romans 1:24 begins with this term, indicating that men are “given over” to sin by God because they have received revelation from and about Him, which they have rejected. The “therefore” in Romans 2:1 informs us that the indictment which Paul is making is based upon the sins previously mentioned in chapter 1. This is confirmed by Paul’s argument in 2:1-3.
72 Psalm 62:12; see Psalm 28:4; Job 34:11; Proverbs 24:12; Jeremiah 32:19; Ezekiel 33:20.
73 This psalm is especially important because Paul cites the final verse (verse 12) in Romans 2:6. It must have been very much in Paul’s mind as he wrote these words.
74 See also Isaiah 3:13-15; Ezekiel 22:1-14, 23-29; Micah 2:1-4; 3:1-12. Several things catch my eye as I read these prophetic indictments of Israel. The first is that the leaders of the nation are singled out as those who are especially culpable, for their own sins and for leading others after them. The second observation is the “institutional nature” of their sins. It is by means of “unjust decisions” (Isaiah 10:1) that the helpless are oppressed and robbed. It is the “house” of the Lord which has become a “den of robbers.” I take it that the sins of the leaders of Israel were often sanctified by legislation and institutionalism. They did not take a widow’s house away forcibly nor did they snatch purses. They passed laws which made it impossible for widows to keep their houses, and then probably bought them at a fraction of their value. They set up money-changing tables in the temple area, thereby ripping off pilgrims with unfair rates of exchange. It was all done on the “up and up,” but the result was robbery.
75 The reason why no emphasis is placed on man’s heart here is that men cannot know their own hearts or the hearts of others. The self-righteous, whom Paul condemns here, judge men on the basis of their deeds. Since men’s deeds are the fruit of what is in their hearts, this visible standard of conduct and of judgment is emphasized.
76 The Jewish religious leaders wanted to think of themselves as “guide[s] to the blind,” but Jesus called them “blind guides” (Matthew 23:16).
77 Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:20-21.
78 See Jeremiah 9:23-26.
79 In truth, no Gentile ever kept the Law, so as to be declared righteous, any more than the Jews. But the statement is true in principle at least, based upon the standard which Paul has put forth above (verses 5-16). In reality, it will be those Gentiles who have been justified by faith who will judge the unrighteous, self-righteous Jews, along with all other sinners (see 1 Corinthians 6:2).
80 I wish to point out that my summation of Matthew 5-7 is very sketchy, but I think the point I am seeking to make is a valid one.
81 An example of God’s impartiality can be found in His dealings with the people who lived in Canaan. God told Abram that He would expel the Amorites for their iniquity, when their sin became fully developed (Genesis 15:16). When God led His people into the land, to dispossess the Canaanites, He held the same standard of conduct for them, promising to expel them if they practiced the same sins. They did, and He did. God is impartial in His judgment of sin.
82 The requirements change, because God, in fairness, judges men on the basis of the revelation they have received. Men are therefore judged in accordance with what they have done with what they have received.
83 See Acts 15; Galatians 2; James 1.
84 This is a very significant reason why our church leadership is based on a plurality of elders and not on a singular authority. There is great danger in giving any one man too much authority. There is a great temptation to elevate him above the Word of God, when all men should equally fall under the authority of the Word.
85 To couch this thought in more biblical terms, we are to use the Word of God as a mirror, first, to deal with the beam in our own eye. Then, and only then, can we use the Word of God as a magnifying glass to discern sin elsewhere.
When I taught high school in a state prison, one of my colleagues related to me an incident of his teaching days in prison. There was a rule in the prison high school that no one could sleep in class. As he walked about the room one day, he discovered one of his students sleeping and gently nudged the young man to awaken him. The student continued to sleep. My colleague made a second pass and nudged the young man once again. Still the slumbering student did not awaken. On the third try, the teacher nudged him even more vigorously, and this time it worked! The young fellow jumped to his feet, exclaiming to the teacher, “If you ever do that again, you’re going to get it!”
Such discipline problems had a ready solution. His name was Mr. Look, a very husky, unthreatened guard, who stood outside in the hall. Mr. Look came into the class and escorted the student to the “hole” (solitary confinement, more delicately referred to today as “administrative segregation”). The student spent 30 days in the hole before being allowed to return to his classes. On the day of his return, he lingered after class to talk to my colleague. “I didn’t really mean to say, ‘You’re going to get it,’” he explained, “What I really meant to say was, ‘If you ever do that again, you might get it!’”
This was surely something less than an apology, and it certainly was not genuine repentance. The self-righteous Jews’ response to Paul’s indictment as recorded in Romans 1:18–2:29 was hardly repentance either. Indeed, it was a rebuttal which served as even further evidence of the willful rebellion of God’s people, the Jews. Instead of admitting their sin and repenting of it, they seem to admit their sin and to question God’s righteous judgment.
The Jews have already been condemned by Paul in chapters 1 and 2. Paul taught that all mankind is worthy of God’s righteous wrath, because all men have seen irrefutable evidence of God’s “eternal power and divine nature,” through His creation. This revelation they have rejected and perverted. As a result, God gave men over to various forms of sin (1:18-32). The Jews were even more guilty than the Gentiles, because they had been given the Law, the revelation of God’s character and of His standards for man’s conduct. They professed to adhere to this Law, teaching and judging others by it, but they did not practice it themselves (2:1-24). Paul taught that the Law does not profit the Jew if he does not practice it, and neither does God penalize the Gentile who lives by it (even though he does not possess it). Circumcision too is of no benefit to the Jew unless he keeps the Law, just as uncircumcision is no liability to the Law-abiding Gentile (1:25-29).
In Romans 3:1-8, Paul shows that instead of acknowledging their sin and repenting, the Jews acknowledged their sin but protested against God’s way of dealing with it. This section is a series of questions and answers, all of which arise out of Paul’s indictment in the previous verses. The questions are those which Paul articulates, but they are clearly the questions which his Jewish readers would have raised. No doubt these are questions which Paul heard many times as he taught in the synagogues of his day. But in this epistle, his readers cannot respond as they would if Paul were speaking to them in person. Consequently, Paul raises their questions for them. These “condemning questions” reveal the depth of the unbelief and rebellion of many of the Jews and serve as further evidence that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” including the Jews.
Paul’s purpose in writing these verses is to add a third “knockout punch” to his two previous indictments of the self-righteous Jews as sinners, along with the Gentiles. There is, however, a much broader application of these verses. Paul’s words in our text provide us with principles which are vital to our Christian walk, principles which should cause us to rejoice in God’s grace and in the certainty that He will accomplish what He has purposed and promised to do. The questions which Paul has raised here, and the attitudes which underlie them, expose some very dangerous and detrimental perspectives. False teachers seek to convince saints to hold and to practice these perverted perspectives. Some saints actually believe these perspectives to be both true and biblical. Thus, this text contains both encouragement and admonition.
We will begin our study by making overall observations about our text which lead to some conclusions concerning the structure of the passage. Next we will consider our text verse-by-verse and then the interpretation of the text in its context. Finally, we will seek to discern the application of this text to Paul’s original audience and to us as well.
(1) The context of our passage is God’s condemnation of all men as sinners. Paul has already demonstrated that mankind in general (1:18-32), and the Jews in particular (2:1-29), are sinners, guilty before God and deserving of His wrath. In the verses which follow our text (3:9-20), Paul will further document man’s universal fallenness and then sum up his indictment. In Paul’s own words, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Paul’s words in our text are not a digression; they are an intensification of his indictment of the self-righteous, especially of the Jews. The principle subject of Romans 3:1-8 is sin and divine condemnation.
(2) Paul uses questions as his primary tool for exposing the sin of the Jews in these verses. As I understand Paul’s words here, the questions86 he asks are more prominent than the answers he gives. It is the questions which reveal the rebellious and distorted thinking of Paul’s opponents. His answers are very brief and to the point. The questions Paul articulates in verses 1-8 are those which are raised in the minds of his Jewish readers by his teaching in chapters 1 and 2.
(3) There is a very distinct “flow” to the questions as Paul has arranged them. These are not randomly chosen questions. Paul has arranged them to “flow” so as to make a very strong point.
(4) The questions are also arranged in such a way as to indicate the structure of the passage. The text falls into two sections, verses 1-4 and verses 5-8. There are several indications of this arrangement in our text itself. In verses 1-4, the verbs tend to be in the past tense; in verses 5-8, they are predominantly in the present tense. In verses 1-4, Paul speaks of the Jews in the third person (“they,” “them”); in verses 5-8, Paul switches to the first person (“we,” “our”). In verses 1-4, Paul asks “acceptable” questions, and the outcome is the statement of biblical principles. In verses 5-8, Paul asks questions which are really inappropriate and which reveal the sin of those who ask them. Paul finds it necessary to qualify his question (“I am speaking in human terms,” verse 5). The outcome of verses 5-8 is the realization of how evil, in attitude and application, the Jews have become, as evidenced by the perversions of God’s truth in their thinking and practice.
1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4 May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, “THAT THOU MIGHTEST BE JUSTIFIED IN THY WORDS, AND MIGHTEST PREVAIL WHEN THOU ART JUDGED.”87
While there are technically two questions asked in verse 1, it is really the same question restated. Both questions arise from what Paul has just said in Romans 2:25-29. Circumcision is of value only to the Law-abiding Jew, and non-circumcision has no liabilities for the Law-abiding Gentile. “Jewishness” is, in the final analysis, not an external matter but a matter of the heart. Because of their conduct, the Jews were no better than the Gentiles. Indeed, their guilt seems greater, because the revelation which they received from God was much more complete—that which came through the Law.
It is not difficult to imagine the response of a Jew to Paul’s words in Romans 2. “What good does it do me to be a Jew?” “If circumcision is of no value and a Gentile can be looked upon by God as a ‘Jew in heart,’ why should a Jew feel blessed to be a Jew?” It is a legitimate question. It is surprising that a Jew would not already know the answer, but the question appears to be appropriate. Paul makes no apologies for asking it (as he does in verse 5). Paul’s first response, “Great in every respect” (verse 1), indicates that there are many benefits of being a Jew. Here he will indicate but one blessing.88 His words give the Jew pause for further thought and consideration. Let them think of some of the other privileges which are theirs as Jews.
Their being entrusted with the “oracles of God”89 was the privilege to which Paul wished to draw the Jews’ attention. The Old Testament Scriptures were given through the Jews and to them. These Scriptures were God’s very words. They reveal the perfections of God’s character. They reveal God’s unique relationship to the Jews. They contain God’s purposes and promises of His blessing for His people. They define sin and its consequences, as well as righteousness and its rewards.
The privilege of the Jews went much further than simply having this revelation from God. They did not just possess the Scriptures, they were entrusted with them. The truth of God was not given to the Jews to keep for themselves as though they exclusively possessed it. The truth was given to be used, to be shared. The Jews were privileged to be used of God so that His blessings might be poured out on all nations, not just upon Israel. Abraham was to be the source of blessing to all the nations (Genesis 12:1-3). What a privilege it was to share a part in God’s program! The Jews were granted the privilege of receiving God’s Word, of practicing it, and of proclaiming it to the nations.
Here is where the sin of the Jews begins to become evident. They did not see their stewardship of the Scriptures as a privilege but as a punishment. They did not want to share the blessings of God but wished to hoard them only for themselves. Like Jonah of old, they strenuously resisted God, trying to escape their duty as stewards of God’s revelation. If at all possible, they would keep the “unworthy” Gentiles from enjoying the benefits and blessings of the “deserving” Jews.
The Scriptures with which the Jews were entrusted contained God’s promises concerning the restoration and blessing of God’s people, the Jews (which Romans 9-11 will describe in much greater detail). But if Paul is right, and the Jews are “sinners” too, like the Gentiles, then will God’s purposes and promises be nullified by the sins of some? The “advantage” of the Jews (being entrusted with the oracles of God) which Paul has spelled out in verse 2 would be nullified if these blessings were dependent upon the faithfulness of the Jews. And so Paul asks, “If some did not believe, their unbelief90 will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?” (Romans 3:2).
Paul’s response provides us with one of the most encouraging truths in the Bible, which can be summarized as a principle: God’s promises are not dependent upon man’s faithfulness, but on His faithfulness, and thus God’s promises are not thwarted by our unfaithfulness.
The expression, “May it never be,”91 indicates Paul’s strong reaction to the possibility that God’s promises might be nullified by Israel’s unbelief and unfaithfulness. The error of this kind of thinking is several-fold. First, the question supposes that only some men are unfaithful, when, in reality, all men are unfaithful. The assumption on the part of the questioner was that “some” did not believe (or were unfaithful, verse 3). Paul’s assumption is that all men are unfaithful. “Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar” (verse 4).
Paul challenges his readers: “Do you think only some are sinners, that only some men fail? Think again.” He will not be content to show that only some men are sinners. His purpose is to demonstrate that “all” men, without exception, are sinners. Thus he will not allow this limited view of man’s sinfulness to stand.
Second, assurance of the fulfillment of God’s purposes and promises, revealed in His Word, is not dependent upon man’s faithfulness, but upon God’s. God’s faithfulness is independent of man’s unfaithfulness. God’s character is not diminished by man’s sin nor are His purposes set aside by man’s sin.
Third, God’s faithfulness is assured not only in terms of His blessings but also in terms of divine judgment. Paul has assured us that God’s faithfulness is independent of man’s unfaithfulness. He has stated that God is true, although every man is a liar. God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises includes not only His promised blessings but also His promised judgment. He demonstrates this from a most interesting text as he cites the words of David recorded in Psalm 51:4: “that thou mightest be justified in thy words, and mightest prevail when thou art judged.”
Paul has not left the subject of divine condemnation. Would the Jew wish to be assured that God’s promised blessings (as found in the “oracles of God”) are true? Let him also be assured that God’s promised judgment is certain. Man’s unfaithfulness will, without a doubt, bring divine judgment.
These words, written by David, are found in the psalm which records his confession and repentance. As the heading to the psalm indicates, the occasion was Nathan’s rebuke of David, due to his adultery with Bathsheba. When confronted by the prophet, David acknowledged his sin and repented. Psalm 51 is David’s poetic account of his repentance. In the midst of his repentance, David acknowledges not only his sin, but God’s righteousness in pronouncing judgment on his sins. David’s confession is a model of repentance, a standard by which true repentance can be measured. His confession is also a dramatic contrast to the rebellion of the self-righteous Jews whom Paul is indicting.
David does not seek to offer any excuses for his actions. He has no word of defense for his sin. His sin only served to highlight the righteousness of God. God was absolutely just and righteous in pronouncing sentence on David’s sin. When God pronounced judgment, His verdict would prevail. The faithfulness of God was David’s only hope. He did not speak of his good works nor did he promise future good works. The Law did not even make a provision for the forgiveness of the sin he had committed. He was worthy of death. But it was God’s faithfulness, combined with His mercy and compassion, which gave David cause for hope. He appealed to Him for forgiveness and restoration, not on the basis of the Law, but on the basis of God’s character.
Verses 1-4 provide the humble sinner with heart-warming truth. God’s Word is His gracious gift, a very great privilege, but a privilege which brings added responsibility. The promises of God’s Word are not dependent upon our perfect obedience but upon His faithfulness. God can be trusted to be true to His Word, even though every man is a liar. David’s repentance in Psalm 51:4 is both instructive and encouraging. David saw God’s judgment as just, and God as completely vindicated in His indictment through the prophet Nathan. But more than this, David saw God’s judgment as the occasion and opportunity for his repentance. In simple faith, and without dependence on any good works, David called upon His God to forgive him and to save him. This should be the response of every true Israelite. But sadly, this was not the case. The questions Paul raises in verses 5-8 reveal a rebellious response to Paul’s indictment of sin and his condemnation of the self-righteous. These verses demonstrate how just God’s condemnation on unbelieving and rebellious Jews is.
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) 6 May it never be! For otherwise how will God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”? Their condemnation is just.
In verse 5, Paul turns from the sublime to the ridiculous. He changes from the past tense to the present tense and from the impersonal (“they”) to the personal (“we,” “us”). He moves from those principles which are the ground for rejoicing to the perversions of God’s truth which demonstrate the justice of God’s judgment. He turns from those questions which are legitimate to those which he reluctantly asks for those who would question the character of God. He leaves behind the confession and repentance of David and moves on to the rebellious response of the self-righteous Jews to God’s judgment.
The evils of verses 5-8 are those advocated on the basis of the truths of verses 1-4. While the attitude of the objector in verses 5-8 is completely different from that of David (verse 4), the doctrinal or theological foundation of both is the same. If the “heathen” have rejected God’s truth and exchanged it for a lie, the “self-righteous” have received God’s truth and perverted its perspective and practice to the point where sin is advocated and God is indicted for wrong-doing. What an incredible thing to behold.
Paul’s words in verses 3 and 4 assure us that God’s purposes and promises will be fulfilled, because He is faithful even though men fail. God’s promises for Israel are thus assured, whether the Jews obey Him or not. David’s words seem to go even further. They suggest that when men sin (as David did) God’s words are justified, and His judgment prevails. God comes out the Victor. God gains when men obey, and God gains when men disbelieve and disobey. I believe this premise is true. Due to His sovereignty, God is just as able to profit from man’s obstinateness as He is to gain from his obedience. Satan’s opposition will, in the end, further God’s program. The same can be said of the actions of men. God can “use” the rebellion of a Jonah or the treachery of a Judas so that His purposes and promises are fulfilled. God has determined to use both “vessels of mercy” and “vessels of wrath” to His glory (see Romans 9:21-23).
What the self-righteous Jew in our text does with this premise is incredibly evil. Paul begins by stating the premise in the first person: “Our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God” (verse 5). He then asks a question, hardly daring to ask because of its irreverence and blasphemy. He clearly qualifies the question as one which he asks in behalf of others and not for himself. The question93 is this: “How can a righteous God punish men for their sin if He benefits from their unrighteousness?”
Paul begins his response with an indication of his own revulsion and dismay that such a question should ever be raised (“May it never be!,” verse 6). His rebuttal is simple and short. It plays out the logical implications of the heresy which has been suggested. If God could not righteously judge men for their sin because He benefited from it, then He could not judge anyone. He gains from the unbelief and disobedience of all men. No one has, or ever will, sin with the result that God has to “cut back” on His program or promises. No sin has ever diminished the character of God. From an eternal perspective, no sin ever tarnishes God’s reputation.94 Thus, if God only judged those whose sins did Him damage, He would judge no one.
This goes much further than the self-righteous Jew intended. These Jews delighted in judging and condemning the Gentiles as sinners. They would also delight in seeing God execute His divine wrath upon them.95 They wanted God to judge the (Gentile) world and to overlook their own sins. By pointing out that the premise of his questioners would eliminate all judgment, Paul took the wind out of their sails.
In verses 7 and 8, the same question is restated96 so that the goodness of God’s judgment is questioned and the practice of sin is promoted. The objector says, in effect, “Grant the fact that all men are liars, as Paul has suggested (verse 4). If my lie does demonstrate the truthfulness of God, then God has gained and (it would seem) my sin has been beneficial to Him.” This is nothing other than situational ethics. To the evil mind, the end justifies the means. The questioner seems to be saying, “Why does God (as you represent Him, Paul) have the nerve to judge me, after all the good I have done Him?” Imagine it, the sinner seems to be expecting a pat on the back and a word of thanks, rather than the death penalty!
We may observe such reasoning by this illustration. An employee is fired by the owner of the company for stealing some of its funds. In anger, the employee burns down the plant. He is arrested and about to stand trial for his crime. The employee then hears that the owner had insured his business for one million dollars more than it was worth. The employer gains from the employee’s crime. And so the employee contacts the employer, expecting all charges to be dropped, and asks for a share of the “profits”! So too the Jewish sinner thinks he has done God a favor and expects God to drop all charges against him. For God to do otherwise, he proposes, would be unjust.
But wait, there’s more. Once again, Paul takes their proposal to its illogical conclusion. It was effective because Paul took their position to a conclusion which they had already rejected, evident by their accusing him of this very teaching (see verse 8).97 The error of his Jewish opponents would lead them to ask this question, “If a little sin benefits God, why not benefit Him even more with an abundance of sin?” Why not make sin a lifestyle, and why not encourage others to join in? This was precisely where the thinking of Paul’s opponents led.
Paul has but one answer. It was an answer with which his opponent should agree: “The condemnation of those who would advocate this is just indeed.”
Without realizing it until now, Paul has brought his Jewish opponents full circle. The Jews were quick and eager to judge the Gentiles and to condemn them as sinners. In so doing, they condemned themselves, because they failed to live according to the standard by which they had judged and condemned others (2:1-29). When it became evident that they too were condemned as sinners, they (unlike David) refused to repent. Rather than seek to deny their sin, they chose to attempt to defend it. And rather than be judged by God, they set themselves out to put God on trial for judging them. Is it any wonder that “their condemnation is just”? Is there any doubt that the Jews, like the Gentiles, are sinners under divine condemnation?
This text does much more than vindicate Paul’s indictment of the Jews as sinners. While it does prove the Jews are sinners, it also lights the way to their salvation and restoration. And these truths, which point the way to the Jews, also point the way for those of us who are Gentiles. Let us consider some of the universal truths of this passage as we conclude.
(1) The Word of God is both a great privilege and a great responsibility. For the Jew who wanted to know what benefit there was to being a Jew, Paul would have him know that the benefits were many. But the one benefit which Paul chose to mention as the premier privilege was the gift of divine revelation. To the Jews and through the Jews, the “oracles of God” were given.
Our perception of the blessedness of this gift depends upon the value we place upon God’s Word, and ultimately upon our estimation of God Himself. What good is the revelation of a God whom we dislike, whom we have rejected? What good is the revelation of His character and of His standards for our conduct if we esteem God little, and we loathe godliness? God’s Word is a blessing to those who yearn to know more of God and who wish for His Word to search them and to reveal their sins. God’s Word is a privilege to those who would desire to know Him and to be like Him.
The Jews had the added privilege of stewardship. The Law was given to the Jews to reveal God to them, and as the means by which they might know and serve Him acceptably. But in addition to this privilege, they were given the Law, not only to possess and to practice, but to proclaim to the world. They were to be a “light to the Gentiles.” They were to use the truth, not to usurp it. The Jews chose to condemn the Gentiles but not to deliver them from judgment. Herein was one of their great failures.
If the Old Testament Scriptures were such a privilege and a responsibility for the Jews of that day, how much greater is our privilege and responsibility today? We have God’s full and final revelation (cf. Hebrews 1:1-3; 1 Peter 1:10-13; 2 Peter 1:16-21); they had only a partial and incomplete revelation. If we would know the measure of our own appreciation for the privilege of possessing the Scriptures, let us consider how well-worn the pages of our Bibles are. Do we look at the Bible only as a set of do’s and don’ts, or do we look at the Scriptures as the source and sustenance of our lives? Do we study them to know our God better so that we may serve Him more faithfully? I fear that for many of us, the Bible is viewed no differently than the Jews looked at the Scriptures in Paul’s day.
We too have been given the Scriptures as a stewardship. We are not only to possess and to practice His Word, but we are to proclaim it to those who are in bondage to sin. The paradox is this: the more we seek to hoard the Scriptures, and the blessings they offer, the more we forfeit them. The more we seek to share the grace of God with others, the more we experience it ourselves. It is not what we keep that matters so much as what we use and what we give away. The truth of God is a personal blessing, but it brings added responsibility, for “to whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48).
(2) The unfaithfulness of men will never frustrate the faithfulness of God. Though every man is a liar and will fail, God is true, and He will never fail. The certainty of all God’s promises rests on His character, not on our faithfulness. God’s plans and promises are certain, because of the One who promised. No one has put it better than this:
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).
If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13).
“I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5).
When the Israelites worshipped the golden calf and were unfaithful to God, Moses did not appeal to God on the basis of Israel’s faithfulness. He appealed to God on the basis of His promises and His character. God cannot deny Himself, and thus when His people fail Him, He will not—indeed, He cannot—fail to do as He has promised. The certainty of the promises of Scripture rests not on the faithfulness of His people, but on the faithfulness of God.
Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23).
Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right (1 Peter 4:19).
And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; in righteousness He judges and wages war (Revelation 19:11; see also 1:5; 3:14).
And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true” (Revelation 22:6a; cf. 21:5).
These promises and the certainty of their fulfillment are not an excuse for our failure or disobedience but a reason for our obedience. The God who promised to bless us is the same God who promised to chasten us for our sins.
The principle of the reliability and trustworthiness of God’s Word, based upon God’s faithfulness, applies to those who are unsaved. God’s Word promises His judgment upon those who reject His revelation. This is just as certain as His promise to bless those who believe and obey. How many times I have heard people seek to defend their rejection of the gospel by pointing to all the “hypocrites” in the church. Listen carefully, my unsaved friend. This text informs you that God is true though every man be a liar (or a hypocrite). If the steward who possesses the truth fails in his practice or in his proclamation of the truth, the Word of God is still true. We must receive or reject God’s Word, in spite of the failures of those who profess to believe it. The issue is not their unbelief or sin, but ours. If every television preacher were a hypocrite, the Bible would be no less true, you would be no less condemned, and your need for salvation through Jesus would be no less urgent. God is true, “though every man be a liar.”
This should also be an encouragement to those of us who wish to proclaim the gospel but who know that we are hypocrites (as we all are, to some degree). Who among us lives in perfect harmony with what we profess? Satan seeks to remind us of this (and others too), so that we will draw back from speaking to men and women about their need of salvation. Paul’s words are for us. The truth of God’s Word is not reduced by our unfaithfulness to His Word. God’s truth in the gospel is “the power of God for salvation,” whether that is proclaimed by an obedient saint (at the time), a prodigal prophet like Jonah, or a self-seeking preacher (see Philippians 1:15-18). If we wait to proclaim the gospel until we have perfectly obeyed it, we will wait for all eternity.
(3) The rejection of God’s revelation and the practice of sin darkens the mind so that man’s thinking is twisted, resulting in the perversion of the truth in practice. It is amazing to note that those who knew the most about God were those who seemed farthest from the truth. To them the righteousness of God had been revealed, and yet they questioned His righteousness when it came to His judgment of their sins. They did not deny their sins, but defended them, as though sinning was doing God a favor. They did not view God’s Word from His perspective, but from their own. While God acts on the basis of His righteousness (among other things), they viewed life from the perspective of self-interest. They felt that if they gained (by sin) and God gained at the same time, God should be content to let them live in sin, without judgment. Nothing could be further from the truth. When we reject God’s truth, God gives us over, not only to perverted practices but also to perverted thinking. Justifying your own sin and condemning God’s judgment is about as perverted as one can become. There is nothing more dangerous than the logic of the sinner. Sinners can turn the truth inside-out, so that it becomes a mandate for sin, rather than a deliverance from sin.
(4) God’s judgment is not only just, it is gracious, for all who will repent and find His forgiveness. The words of David, taken from his confession in Psalm 51, are music to the ears of God and to the sinner. David acknowledged his sin, as God exposed and condemned it through the Law and through Nathan, the prophet. David admitted that God was completely just and justified in condemning his sin and that he had no excuse. But David also knew that God is gracious and compassionate. David knew that God not only judges sin but that He forgives sin as well. Because of this, David cast himself upon God and upon His grace. In so doing, he found mercy and forgiveness. You can find that same forgiveness by confessing your sin, and by trusting Jesus Christ, who died for your sin. How wonderful the justice of God is to those who have been forgiven and to those who would be free from the burden of their sin. This is the forgiveness which many of the Jews of Paul’s day rejected and which all Israel will someday receive, when they first acknowledge their sin and that God’s judgment on them is just.
A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding than a hundred blows into a fool (Proverbs 17:10).
86 Paul uses questions a great deal in his writing. In the Book of Romans, I have counted 84 questions. The distribution of his questions by chapter is interesting. The highest incidence of questions (17) is found here in chapter 3. The second highest use is found in chapters 9 and 10, both of which contain 10 questions. There are two passages in Romans where Paul “clusters” his questions, and both are here in chapter 3 (3:1-8; 3:27-31). Elsewhere, Paul uses questions as transitions to his next point or to make a point of clarification. Here, Paul’s questions help to establish vitally important principles (3:1-4) and to expose some very wicked misapplications (3:5-8).
87 The editors of the NASB have chosen to render the citation from Psalm 5:4 in this way. This suggests that it is God who is being “judged.” In this case, God will be proven righteous when He is “judged” by men. There is another option the translator must consider which would render the citation as it is found in the Old Testament text. This would read, “And blameless when Thou dost judge.” In either case, it is God who will be proven right.
88 In Romans 9:4-5, Paul will cite other privileges granted to the Jews by God.
89 This expression is unusual, found only three times elsewhere in the New Testament (Acts 7:38; Hebrews 5:12; 1 Peter 4:11). It seems to contrast God’s direct, spoken revelation with the more indirect revelation of His creation referred to in Romans 1:20 (see also Psalm 19:1-6).
90 The term rendered “unbelief” here can, as the marginal note in the NASB indicates, also be translated “unfaithfulness.” The term conveys the idea of “unbelief” and/or that of “unfaithfulness.” I think both senses are intended here. The Jews did not believe God nor did they believe in Jesus, the Messiah. And neither were they faithful as stewards of His revelation.
91 The expression rendered, “God forbid,” in the King James Version occurs here for the first time in Romans. It is found ten times in Romans (3:4, 6, 31; 6:2, 15; 7:7, 13; 9:14; 11:1, 11). It is almost always an expression of horror, in response to an improper conclusion, based upon a valid biblical truth or principle. It is the illegitimate extension of a legitimate premise.
92 See the excellent chapter by this title in R. C. Sproul’s fine book, The Holiness of God.
93 Satan loves questions. It seems he would almost rather ask a blasphemous question than to make a blasphemous statement. Asking a question which raises doubt concerning one’s character is very effective. Satan first used this approach in the Garden of Eden, and it worked so well he has continued to employ it. It is much easier to ask hard questions than to answer them. Faith is not built upon questions, but doubt is.
94 It is true that Israel’s sins caused the name of God to be blasphemed among the heathen (see Romans 2:24). These blasphemies say much more about the heathen than they do about God. But when all of this is viewed from an eternal perspective, God will only gain. Even the mockery of men will, in time, turn out to His praise.
95 We see a clear illustration of this in Jonah’s actions when he prepared to watch the destruction of Nineveh (Jonah 4:5-11).
96 There is a change here which should be noted. Paul’s first question employed the plural, “our,” speaking of Israel’s sin in a collective way. Now, in verse 7 the focus is individual, singular (“my,” “I”). Verse 8 returns to the plural. The effort is to justify individual sin and then to promote sin among the rest. It is a virtual return to the very charge which Paul expressed in 1:32. They practice sin, knowing God’s ordinances, and knowing that the death penalty is required, and in addition they encourage others to join with them in sin.
97 As I see Paul’s argument, the Jews were willing to go so far as to expect God to overlook their sins, because they believed that God profited from them. They would never dare to say, “Let us do evil, that good may come.” In fact, they accused Paul of teaching this. But by their previous reaction to the charge that Paul did teach this, they had already shown they believed this application to be wicked. If they could not accept such teaching from Paul or others, how could they propose what they did which logically led to the same thing?
What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,” “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”; “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”; “THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, AND THE PATH OF PEACE HAVE THEY NOT KNOWN.” “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.” Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Paul declares in Romans 1:18-32 God’s condemnation of all mankind. This condemnation is based upon man’s rejection of God’s self-revelation through creation. Enthusiastically, the self-righteous Jews accept Paul’s words as an indictment of the Gentiles, failing to recognize they too are condemned. In chapter 2 Paul pointedly turns to the Jews, condemning them on the basis of their hypocrisy. They neither live in accordance with the standard by which they judge others guilty nor in accordance with what they teach. Paul presses on in chapter 3 to show the sinfulness of these self-righteous Jews as they justify their own sin, while questioning God’s justice for judging them. In this concluding section of Romans 3:9-20, Paul seeks to silence once and for all the self-righteous Jews. He does this by proving from the Old Testament Scriptures that Jews and Gentiles alike are under sin and worthy of divine judgment. Comparing themselves with others is certainly no basis for their own justification. He reminds the Jews of the function of the Law in their lives: the Law was not given to make them righteous; it was given to show them their unrighteousness.
Needlessly, a Colombian Boeing 707 crashed on Long Island, New York this year killing 73 of the 159 people on board. The tragedy occurred due to the absence of one critical word which might have easily prevented the crash. Adverse weather conditions had backed up air traffic, and the airliner had failed in its first attempt to land. With their fuel supply almost gone, the control tower needed only to hear the word, Emergency, and priority would have been granted to land ahead of other planes. Cockpit transcriptions of the conversation between the pilot and co-pilot revealed that more than once the pilot instructed the co-pilot to inform the tower of an emergency. Asked if air traffic controllers had been informed, the co-pilot assured the pilot they had. But the co-pilot had not used the English word for emergency, but a word which indicated a less serious problem. For the lack of one critical word, 73 people died.
Unintentionally, the co-pilot’s choice of words minimized the problem which caused air traffic controllers to place the plane’s landing on a lower priority. When fuel ran out, the plane went down. How sad! And yet the condition of mankind is even more critical than that of the Colombian airliner. Men are sinners, under God’s condemnation, heading for eternal destruction! Minimizing the problem is even more disastrous than the Colombian co-pilot’s tragic error.
“Emergency!” might well caption our text in Romans 3:9-20. Due to sin, all mankind is in a state of emergency. For men, time is running out. Life is fleeting and uncertain. The return of our Lord and the day of judgment draw near. Failing to see our critical condition has eternal consequences. Because of this, Paul sums up the condition of all mankind in the words of Old Testament Scripture, showing both Jews and Gentiles “under sin” (verse 9) and in desperate need of God’s salvation.
Our text is Paul’s punch line, and therefore it is especially important. It is the conclusion of all that Paul has been attempting to explain in Romans 1:18–3:20. On the basis of Paul’s assessment of man’s problem, the solution is offered in the next major section of Romans. While the condition of mankind is critical, there is hope for all who receive God’s provision of righteousness in Jesus Christ.
Once more, in verse 9, Paul raises the question of superiority for the sake of his audience. After a very brief answer (verse 9b), he turns to the Old Testament Scriptures as proof of his response (verses 10-18). After showing the universal sin and condemnation of all mankind, both Jew and Gentile, Paul concludes in verses 19-20 with a summary statement concerning the role of the Law in revealing man’s unrighteousness.
We may thus summarize the structure of our text:
(1) The question of superiority (verses 9-10a)
(2) The testimony of the Old Testament (verses 10b-18
(3) The condition of man in general (verse 10b)
(4) The sinful condition of man (verses 11-12)
(5) The sinful conduct of man (verses 13-17)
(6) The self-confidence of man (verse 18)
(7) The task of the Law (verses 19-20)
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin.
The self-righteous Jew simply wanted to be better than the Gentiles. Judging and teaching others the Law did not accomplish this goal. This only raised the standards so that the judges and teachers of the Law failed to live up to it themselves. The advantages of being a Jew did not help either. Added privileges brought with them added responsibilities. The questions Paul raises in chapter 3 continue to become more and more pointed. One might even call them crass. In verse 9, the question is plainly asked: “Are we better than they?” This they had hoped for, but Paul’s answer forbids any such thought.
“No way!” is the essence of Paul’s answer in verse 9. He has already charged both Jews and Greeks to be under sin. Why does one condemned sinner wish to compare himself with another in order to show himself better? Imagine three men on death row, all convicted murderers. The man in cell one was a drug dealer, who ordered the death of many of his rivals and whose drug dealing destroyed countless lives. The man in cell two killed five fellow-employees in a fit of anger. The third condemned criminal hired an assassin to murder his wife. The human tendency is for the man in cell two to compare himself with the man in cell one, judging himself the better man. The man in cell three compares himself to the other two and feels he is better than both. But on the day of execution, what difference does it make? They have all broken the law, and they are all sentenced to die.
The real issue is not the appraisal of men but the judgment of God. If a Jew is better than a Gentile, God must say so. He has not said so. In fact, God has continually condemned the Jews and the Gentiles for their sin. God has treated the Jews and the Gentiles impartially. God has condemned the Jews and the Gentiles equally. Paul turns to the Old Testament Scriptures to prove his point.
As it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; 11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; 12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” 13 “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,” “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”; 14 “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”; 15 “THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, 16 DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, 17 AND THE PATH OF PEACE HAVE THEY NOT KNOWN.” 18 “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES” (Romans 3:10-18).
Our study of verses 10-18 begins by making some observations concerning the segment as a whole.
(1) Verses 10b-18 are not actually Paul’s words; they are his citation of portions of the Old Testament.
(2) The Scriptures Paul quotes are almost all from the Book of Psalms, with one citation from Isaiah. Texts cited are:
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Verses 10-12 |
Psalm 14:1-3; 53:1-4 |
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Verse 13 |
Psalm 5:9; 140:3 |
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Verse 14 |
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Verse 15-17 |
Isaiah 59:7ff. |
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Verse 18 |
(3) The broad context into which these Old Testament quotations are cited is that of man’s sin and God’s righteous judgment. After Paul’s introduction in Romans 1:1-17, we come to the first major section of the book (1:18–3:20). This section establishes man’s need for a righteousness other than his own. Paul’s concluding words concerning man’s sin and condemnation are found in Romans 3:9-20. The dominant theme of our verses must therefore be man’s sin and God’s righteous wrath.
(4) These texts are cited by Paul to prove his statement that “both Jews and Greeks are all under sin” (verse 9). The condemnation of the Gentiles is a point readily acceptable to the Jews. Paul’s major effort has been to convince the Jews of their own sin and to show that they too are under sin. These passages from the Psalms and Isaiah prove that God’s condemnation of man’s sin, as stated in the Old Testament, is universal, including both Jews and Gentiles.
(5) These Scriptures are not randomly cited but are woven together to prove Paul’s point. They suggest the following structure:
(6) These citations begin and end with man’s disregard for God. In verse 11, we read “there is none who seeks for God.” In verse 18, we read, “there is no fear of God before their eyes.”
(7) Sin plagues the whole human race, without exception. The sinfulness of man is universal, including both Jews and Gentiles and excluding no one. All mankind is described as “under sin.” There are no exceptions.
(8) Sin plagues the whole man, without exception. Every man is affected by sin. Every man is affected by sin in every dimension of his life. Consider the various types of cancer. Some cancers are contained, so that cancer can be eradicated by surgical removal. Other cancers are systemic, wide-spread. Sin is systemic. There is not one area of our life free from the devastating effects of sin.
(9) The verses cited by Paul describing the sinful conduct of men focus on two parts of the anatomy: the mouth and the feet. From “head to foot,” man is a sinner. Men even succeed in putting their foot in their mouth. Paul’s selection of the mouth and the feet imply the totality of sin’s penetration and devastation.
(10) These texts describe man as purposefully and persistently practicing sin. Sin is not described as a condition which flares up from time to time but a condition which is continually active and evident. Man does not slip up; he is on a continually down-hill slide.
(11) There is not so much as a word concerning man’s goodness, or a hint of optimism concerning man’s hope of improvement or deliverance, due to his own efforts.
(12) In the context of these cited passages, there is a certainty concerning God’s judgment of sinners.
For Thou art not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with Thee. The boastful shall not stand before Thine eyes; Thou dost hate all who do iniquity. Thou dost destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit (Psalm 5:4-6). Do all the workers of wickedness not know, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call upon the Lord? There they are in great dread, For God is with the righteous generation (Psalm 14:4-5).
There the doers of iniquity have fallen; They have been thrust down and cannot rise (Psalm 36:12).
Therefore, justice is far from us, And righteousness does not overtake us; We hope for light, but behold, darkness; For brightness, but we walk in gloom. We grope along the wall like blind men, We grope like those who have no eyes; We stumble at midday as in the twilight, Among those who are vigorous we are like dead men. All of us growl like bears, And moan sadly like doves; We hope for justice, but there is none, For salvation, but it is far from us. For our transgressions are multiplied before Thee, And our sins testify against us; For our transgressions are with us, And we know our iniquities: Transgressing and denying the Lord, And turning away from our God, Speaking oppression and revolt, Conceiving in and uttering from the heart lying words. And justice is turned back, And righteousness stands far away; For truth has stumbled in the street, And uprightness cannot enter. Yes, truth is lacking; And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey. Now the Lord saw, And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice (Isaiah 59:9-15).
(13) There is, in the context of all the texts cited, a deep sense of confidence and hope, based upon the person and the provisions of God.
But let all who take refuge in Thee be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And mayest Thou shelter them, That those who love Thy name may exult in Thee. For it is Thou who dost bless the righteous man, O Lord, Thou dost surround him with favor as with a shield (Psalm 5:11-12).
The Lord is King forever and ever; Nations have perished from His land. O Lord, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble; Thou wilt strengthen their heart, Thou wilt incline Thine ear To vindicate the orphan and the oppressed, That man who is of the earth may cause terror no more (Psalm 10:16-18).
Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores His captive people, Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad (Psalm 14:7).
Thy lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Thy faithfulness reaches to the skies. Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God; Thy judgments are like a great deep. O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How precious is Thy lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Thy wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Thy house; And Thou dost give them to drink of the river of Thy delights. For with Thee is the fountain of life; In Thy light we see light. O continue Thy lovingkindness to those who know Thee, And Thy righteousness to the upright in heart (Psalm 36:5-10).
And He saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede; Then His own arm brought salvation to Him; And His righteousness upheld Him. And He put on righteousness like a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle. According to their deeds, so He will repay, Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; To the coastlands He will make recompense. So they will fear the name of the Lord from the west And His glory from the rising of the sun, For He will come like a rushing stream, Which the wind of the Lord drives. “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” declares the Lord. “And as for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from now and forever” (Isaiah 59:16-21).
(14) These passages which Paul cites are not unusual in the Psalms or the rest of the Old Testament. By citing these texts, Paul seeks to prove that which is clear, emphatic, and repeated in the Old Testament Scriptures. Paul did not need to grasp for a few straws or a few obscure texts. He simply cited some of many passages he might have used to make his point.
Having considered verses 10-18 as a whole, let us now look at these verses one by one. Verse 10 informs us that Paul is citing Old Testament Scripture to prove his point that both Jews and Greeks are under sin. The last half of verse 10 is the beginning of Paul’s citation from Psalm 14:1-3 and 53:1-4.98 The introductory statement, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE,” very nicely sums up the matter. It serves as a kind of title for the remainder of his quotations.
Verses 11 and 12 then proceed to describe the condition of fallen man. “THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,” we read in verse 11. Understands what? No one understands virtually anything. At best, man only sees things from his own limited perspective. He cannot fathom the wisdom and knowledge of God. He cannot fathom God’s ends or His means. He cannot fathom His mercy and compassion. And so man would never have predicted what God performs (see Romans 11:33-36). Man can only see from an earthly, human vantage point and from the perspective of time. God sees and knows all and views all things from the perspective of eternity. At best, we see “in a mirror dimly,” and we “know in part” (1 Corinthians 13:12).
In addition to man’s natural limitations, there is the hindrance of sin. Sin dims our eyes and dulls our mind so that our grasp of reality becomes greatly distorted. The unbeliever, in his or her sin, does not see well at all, and so their knowledge and understanding is defective. This is true of the Gentiles:
This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness (Ephesians 4:17-19).
And it is also true of the Jews:
But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; BUT WHENEVER A MAN TURNS TO THE LORD, THE VEIL IS TAKEN AWAY (2 Corinthians 3:14-16).
Satan blinds the eyes of sinners (2 Corinthians 4:4) so that their understanding is defective. No wonder there is none who understands.99
Fallen man does not see clearly—he does not understand. Neither does he seek correctly. Sin is evident in men because we do not seek God. Fallen men continually seek after the wrong things. From the beginning of time, man has looked upon God as One who withholds from him that which is good, rather than the One who is good and who is the source of all that is good. Man’s turning from God and his twisted understanding go hand in hand.100 It is a sad but certain fact that when men reject the knowledge of God which could save them, their minds are made dull, and their lives are given over to sin (see Romans 1:18-32; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).
Verse 11 speaks of man’s sin as expressed toward God; verse 12 speaks of man’s sin as expressed toward men. “ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE,” the psalmist states. Men do not just miss the truth, as though they failed to see it. Men turn aside from the truth. It is a conscious rejection of truth. And so Paul can say of those who thus turn, “they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).
Sinful men have turned from the truth to what is false and from serving God to serving themselves. Men have also changed themselves. They have changed from a creation of God, which He looked upon and called “good” (Genesis 1:31), to that which has become “useless” (Romans 3:12). This term describes food which turns bad and becomes corrupt. It is used of milk which turns sour. The usefulness of man has been turned to corruption by sin. And so Paul can say, in the words of the psalmist, “THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,101 THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE” (Romans 3:12).
Man’s condition determines and directs man’s conduct. Samplings of the conduct of sinful men are given in verses 13-16. Two parts of the anatomy are in view: man’s mouth and his feet, his words (verses 13-14) and his works (verses 15-17). Man’s mouth is selected because it is the most difficult member of the body to control (see James 3:1-12). While men struggle with sin in different areas of their lives, all struggle with sin in the matter of their speech. Sin is perhaps nowhere as evident and as commonplace as in man’s speech.
Man’s throat is like an “open grave.” Not merely foul and corrupt, it is actually defiling, as an open grave was to the Jew. The tongue is not used for conveying the truth as much as it is used to deceive, to give people the wrong idea. The mouth is not only defiling and deceiving, it is deadly. The lips are like those of the serpent. Underneath is a sack of poison, poison administered “by mouth.” Cursing and bitterness flow profusely from the mouth. Sin finds no more willing servant.
From the head to the foot, man is sinful. And so the psalmists speak of the feet of the sinner, symbolizing our lifestyle, our walk. Violence and hostility are found everywhere in fallen mankind. Men’s “FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD” (verse 15). This is part of the reason so much violence is found in the media. Media experts know men love violence, and so they give men what they want. Those of us who are not violent as criminals often wish violence upon the criminals. Man’s violence may be sanctified by such expressions as “self-defense,” “upholding the law,” “punishment” or “military action,” but it is very often simply our own violence and eagerness to shed blood. Everywhere man’s inhumanity to man is apparent. While the word is too commonly used today, abuse often describes man’s relationship with his fellow-man. The opposite is peace. The “PATH OF PEACE” is not known to sinful man (verse 17).
Verse 18 is the last Old Testament citation in our text, summing up the condition of mankind: “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.” This appears to be the flip side of the coin. In verse 11, Paul turns our attention to the psalmists’ statement, “THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD.” On man’s part, there is no positive attraction to God, and thus man does not seek God.
Now Paul refers to Psalm 36:1, in verse 18, informing us that sinful men is not afraid of God either. Men are not attracted to God so as to seek Him (verse 11) nor are they fearful of God’s holiness and judgment. Thus, men feel free to go about their sin with no sense that they will be judged for their sins. For the sinner, God is thought to be unworthy of man’s worship and devotion and unworthy of man’s fear and reverence. With these perceptions of God, man is free to go about furthering his own interests without regard for God or man. Truly, man is sinful and worthy of the wrath of God.
19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Our passage began with a question concerning the superiority of the Jews over the Gentiles. Paul brushes this question aside as he reminds his reader that condemned men should not trouble themselves with the futile activity of comparing themselves with other condemned men. All men, Jew and Gentile, are unrighteous. All men are under divine condemnation. Comparisons among condemned men are foolish and useless. The universal condition of condemnation has been demonstrated from the Old Testament.
The possession of the Law made the self-righteous Jew feel superior to the Gentile. Paul has just used the Law to show the Jews how far short of its standard of righteousness they fall. The Law was not given to the Jews to cause them to feel superior to the Gentiles or so they could earn righteousness by their good works. The Law was given to men to show them how far short of God’s righteousness they fall. The Law was given to men to show them their need for a righteousness which was not their own. The Law was given to men to show them their need for grace.
While the Law was given to the Jews to shut their mouths (verse 19), the Jews used the Law as an excuse to open their mouths. They opened their mouths in teaching the Law and in judging others by it. They opened their mouths, objecting to their equal treatment with other sinners. In these final verses of Paul’s argument (verses 10-18), it is the Law which is speaking. When the Law speaks as it has here, men’s mouths should be closed. Not one word should be spoken in objection. Not one word should be spoken in self-defense. The guilty sinner should listen to the sentence which God has pronounced in silence. Too much has already been said by the self-righteous. It is time to be quiet.
Had the Jews any respect for the Law at all, they would cease to speak words in their own defense or in judgment of others. They would be silent since the Law has spoken, condemning them of sin and showing how far short of God’s required righteousness they fall.
Man’s sin is a far more serious problem than any man can comprehend. Not only is all mankind stricken with sin, but there is no human cure for it. Perhaps worst of all, sin is self-concealing. Sin blinds the heart and mind of the sinner to where he is unwilling or unable to admit that it even exists. Sin is also something like the disease of leprosy, which affects the nerves of the body so that pain is no longer recognized. The leper can do great harm to himself, without knowing it until it is too late. Sin is like this. It dulls the senses and the mind so that the sinner fails to sense his own guilt before God. Sometimes the sinner even looks at God as the guilty one.
Like the crew of the Colombian airliner, the critically important matter is recognizing the seriousness of the dilemma and acting accordingly. Men must cease comparing themselves with others, and see themselves in comparison to God and to His Law. Men must cease to make excuses for themselves and raise questions concerning God’s righteousness and justice. We must admit that we are unrighteous in God’s sight, and that He is righteous in judging us. Men must cease striving to earn their own righteousness and receive the righteousness God has provided for us in the person of Jesus Christ.
Men are so fallen, so unrighteous, so sinful, that they do not even recognize their own condition nor grasp the good news of the Gospel. We are so desperately twisted in our thinking and in our values that we do not even recognize the truth, let alone respond to it. This is the bad news.
The good news is that God has pronounced judgment on man’s sins in order that some might be saved. God pronounced judgment on Jesus Christ, punishing Him in the sinner’s place so that a man’s sins can be forgiven, and he can be declared righteous on the basis of the righteousness of Jesus Christ! Christ Jesus came to accomplish this on the Father’s behalf. The gospel has been given and is being proclaimed to lost men so that they might hear the good news. The Holy Spirit has been sent, to “convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment” (John 16:8-11). God brings to life those who were “dead in their trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1-7). God gives the blind eyes to see, and the deaf ears to hear, so that they may understand and be saved.
Recognizing the severity of man’s sin problem is of vital importance. For then we see the immensity of the task of saving men from their sins, to which God committed Himself and which He fulfilled. It also informs us of the radical transformation which salvation brings in a person’s life. Salvation is much more than believing a few facts about God and man. It is much more than admitting our sin. It is more than simply asking God to help. It is the complete abandonment of all of our self-righteousness. It is knowing our own utter helplessness. It is recognizing the immensity of our sin and its offense toward God. It is trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s only provision, and as our only hope. It is the transformation from darkness to light, and from death to life. It is not a decision to be taken lightly, but a decision of the most serious consequence.
Becoming a Christian begins by placing our faith in Jesus Christ, but it is only the beginning of a lifetime of change, of growth, of transformation. Because of the depth of our sin, our thinking must be turned upside-down and inside-out. Our actions must be drastically transformed. Our motives must be exposed and exchanged for those consistent with the heart of God. Recognition of the severity of our sin is an indication of the radical change which trusting in Jesus Christ should produce. Easy believism minimizes the depth of man’s sin, of God’s love and grace, and of the change which God has purposed to produce in the life of the Christian.
It is not surprising that lost sinners do not and cannot understand all that Paul is saying in this text. What is disappointing is that all too many Christians do not really believe Paul’s words either. Do we really believe that “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE”? Do we believe that “THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS GOD”? Why then do Christians talk of children as though their hearts were predisposed to love and to seek God? Children are foolish and gullible. The Bible teaches this, especially Proverbs. Children do not seek God any more than adults do. Children are lost and must be convicted and converted, just like adults. Conversion is humanly impossible, but divinely provided, promised, sovereignly purposed and supernaturally accomplished.
God’s Word informs us that all sinners have turned from God and have become useless. Why is it Christians say of lost men and women, “If they were ever to become a Christian, they could do great things for God”? Apart from God’s provision, men cannot be saved. Apart from God’s provision, men are of no use to God. While we are responsible to believe and to obey, it is His work of salvation, and the glory is to be His as well.
It is not at all surprising to find lost sinners looking inward to find self-love and self-acceptance. But it is greatly puzzling to me how anyone who professes to have come to faith in Jesus Christ can deny the gospel by doing likewise. What is there about us that we should feel good about, if these words from the Psalms and Isaiah are true? What is there about ourselves that we should love? If God cannot accept us just as we are, why should we try to do so? If man’s condition required the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross as punishment, of what is there to boast? If God cannot accept us as we are, why are we trying to accept ourselves? It is God’s acceptance in Christ which we desperately need and in which we should boast. Let us cease looking inward for something about ourselves to love and about which to boast.
Let us even cease looking inward to scour our souls, to scrutinize the depth of our sin, and to rid ourselves of it. As I understand this text, and the Bible as a whole, such effort is folly. The psalmist looked to God. As he beheld God’s righteousness, his own sin became evident. And as his own sin loomed before him, the grace of God and His provision of salvation overwhelmed him. We do not need to focus in-ward; we need to focus God-ward. When we look to God we see Him as He is, we see ourselves as we are, and we see His grace and salvation as an ever increasing bounty of His blessings.
Let us not linger here, in the mire of our own sins or in those of our fellow-men. Let us press on to the glory and the grace of God as displayed in the gospel, in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ.
98 You will notice that these two psalms are very similar, but not identical.
99 Even the Christian’s understanding is imperfect and partial (see 1 Corinthians 13:12).
100 Paul has already pointed out the relationship between man’s turning from God and his darkened mind (see Romans 1:19-22, 28).
101 The term rendered “good” here is not the usual one. The idea here is a mixture of “right” or “righteousness,” “goodness,” “kindness,” and “generosity.” It is used both of God (see Romans 2:4; Titus 3:4) and of men (see 2 Corinthians 6:6; Galatians 5:22; Colossians 3:12). While men may do those things which appear to be good, the basic motivation for doing them is evil and self-seeking. Sinful men do not seek God’s interests nor those of their fellow-men, but only those things which further self-interest.
19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. 21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.102
The righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel (1:17). His righteousness is demonstrated in His judgment of sin (1:18–3:20). It is also demonstrated by His provision for man’s salvation—when the penalty for men’s sins was borne by our Lord Jesus Christ, who suffered God’s righteous wrath in man’s place (3:21-26). All men, both Jews and Gentiles, are unrighteous sinners, with no human hope of entering into God’s kingdom to delight in the glory of God for all eternity. The righteousness God requires for eternal life, which all men lack, God has provided in Jesus Christ. In His provision of righteousness and salvation for condemned sinners, God’s righteousness was publicly demonstrated.
As men, we see God’s provision of righteousness from a human point of view. As fallen men, we distort even what we see in God’s provision of His righteousness by looking at it merely from a human perspective. Romans 1:18–3:20 is thought of in terms of our need for righteousness, and Romans 3:21-26 is seen as God’s provision of righteousness to meet our need. Although true, this is not the primary emphasis of our text. Here Paul examines the doctrine of salvation from God’s point of view. Man’s salvation through God’s provision of righteousness becomes here a secondary theme. The primary theme is the demonstration of God’s righteousness, through His provision of righteousness for sinners. God is in the spotlight, not men.
One of my college professors served in the armed forces during World War II. While he and a handful of men were stationed on a remote Pacific island, they suddenly were surrounded by thousands of Japanese troops. There was no fight. The American troops only managed to sabotage some of their equipment before the Japanese troops overpowered them. Eventually my professor was taken to a remote location in Japan as a P.O.W. It was many months before the war’s end and his release. Determined to keep their minds active and alert, he and other P.O.W.’s organized classes and discussion groups. One class, taught by the captain of the Queen of England’s royal yacht, held many interesting stories of the royal family. Another class, American History, was taught by a British professor, from a British point of view.
Each of us views life from a certain perspective. That perspective is shaped in part by our experiences, our decisions, and our character. Certainly a British subject would view American history from a different perspective than an American. North Vietnamese and American historians would see the history of the Viet Nam war quite differently; yet a different perspective would be held by a Swiss historian as his country was not involved in the conflict. Our perspective has everything to do with the way we understand history.103
The death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary is the most important event in all of human history. The cross of Calvary is understood in many different ways, even by Christians. As men, all of us tend to view the work of Calvary differently than Paul presents it here in Romans 3:21-26. We think mainly of Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Godhead. Yet in our text, Paul speaks primarily of the first Person of the Godhead, God the Father. We think mainly of God’s provision of that righteousness which we lack and which we need for eternal life. Yet Paul speaks primarily in this passage of the righteousness of God which is demonstrated in the redemption of fallen sinners. While we see the cross from a human point of view, Paul’s words here enable us to view the cross from God’s point of view. The way we live as Christians is greatly influenced by this significant difference in perspective. A life-changing truth is taught in this marvelous text. Let us consider it carefully, and diligently seek to understand our salvation from God’s point of view.
19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Romans 3:21 begins a new section in the Book of Romans. Our study must start by reviewing what Paul has already taught which prepares us for his new line of thought. After his introduction in 1:1-17, Paul lays a foundation for his epistle by establishing man’s sinful condition, resulting in divine condemnation. Paul summarizes man’s condition in these words: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Man’s unrighteousness is evident in his rejection of the revelation of who God is, of what He is like, and of His standards for man’s conduct. God’s righteousness is evident in His response to man’s rejection of the truth and his rebellion against God; God’s righteousness is manifested in His wrath toward sin.
Because man rejects or distorts that which God reveals about Himself in creation, and chooses to worship something other than the Creator (1:18-32), all mankind stands guilty of sin. Paul is not willing to stop here; he is not content to speak only in general terms of man’s sin and condemnation. He is all too aware of the pride and self-righteousness of his Jewish brethren, according to the flesh. While more than willing to acknowledge and condemn the Gentile’s sins, many Jews were unwilling to admit their own sin. Some even boldly admitted their sin, while still expecting God’s blessings despite their condition and conduct. In chapter 2, Paul charges the Jews with hypocrisy, as they fail to live by the same standard they hold in their judgment and teaching of others. Paul deals in chapter 3 with some of their objections (3:1-18), turning to the Old Testament Scriptures to show that both Jews and Gentiles fall under divine condemnation as sinners (3:10-18).
Paul seeks to silence once and for all the self-righteous Jews. His words are intended to prevent them from offering any further objections or excuses for their sin. The two closing verses of his first major argument (verses 19 and 20) turn the Jews’ attention to the Old Testament Law, the Law in which they take great pride, believing it will make them righteous while it condemns the Gentiles as sinners.
If man’s rejection of the revelation of God in creation is sufficient to condemn the Gentiles, the Jews’ rejection of the Law brings even greater guilt and condemnation. The Jews used the Law as a standard for judging and condemning the Gentiles, failing to live by this standard themselves (see 2:1ff.). Paul now reminds the Jews that the Law “speaks to those under the Law,” so that every mouth may be shut and every man be shown to be a sinner (3:19). The Law speaks to the Jews and not to the Gentiles. The Law speaks to those under the Law and not to those without the Law. The Law condemns the Jews and renders them speechless and defenseless before a righteous God. To the Jew’s list of guilty sinners, which included all the Gentiles, Paul adds all the Jews, condemned by the very Law in which they take great pride. All the world now stands condemned before God.
Contrary to Jewish thinking, the Law did not provide them with a means of earning righteousness. Paul teaches that the Law served only to demonstrate man’s lack of righteousness and his need for a righteousness obtained apart from law-keeping. The Law was not meant to save but to condemn. Thus, salvation does not come through the Law but “apart” from it. Paul proves precisely this in Romans 3:21–5:21.
As we reach this new section in Romans 3:21, the righteousness of God now becomes evident in salvation. God saves men by judging their sin in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. God provides the righteousness of His Son, received by faith, so that men may be justified in His sight. The relationship of Paul’s argument in Romans 3:21–5:21 to what he has already taught in Romans may be summed up this way:
21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith104 in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
The key phrase of verse 21 is “apart from the law.” According to Paul’s words, the105 righteousness of God is “now” evident is some new and different way, “apart from the106 Law.” The “apartness” from the Law, Paul informs us, is not a total “apartness.” The righteousness of God “now” revealed is that to which the Law and the Prophets bear witness. There is then a clear relationship between the righteousness of God and the Law. Precisely what the relationship is between the righteousness of God now revealed and the Law must be carefully determined and defined. The following statements concerning the demonstration of the righteousness of God and the Law serve to define this relationship.
(1) The present demonstration of the righteousness of God is that to which the Law bears witness. Righteousness is defined by the Law. Because it defines righteousness and unrighteousness, the Law condemns all mankind, for no man will ever meet God’s standard of righteousness as laid down in the Law. Furthermore, while the Law informs men of their inability to attain righteousness by their own works, it promises a righteousness God Himself provides (see, for example, Deuteronomy 5:29; 9:4-6; 18:14-19; 29:4; 30:1-20). When the righteousness of God was revealed through the Person and work of Jesus Christ, the standard which the Law laid down was met. The Law continues to bear witness that Jesus is righteous, and that He is the Righteous One whom God promised would come to save His people from their sins. Jesus could rightly appeal to the Law as His witness, as proof of His identity as Messiah. The Law therefore defines true righteousness and declares that this righteousness would be manifested apart from the law-keeping of the Israelites, in God’s time.
(2) The demonstration of the righteousness of God is not accomplished by law-keeping. Keeping the Law cannot justify men or reveal the righteousness of God. While the Law defined righteousness and declared that it would come, the Law did not produce this righteousness. The Law’s function is something like the role of the Olympic judges. The judges recognize the best performance and announce the winner, but the winning performance is achieved apart from the judges. The judges cannot perform that which they praise; they can only identify that which is praiseworthy. The judges can take no credit for the excellence of the performer.
(3) The righteousness of God was manifested “apart from Law” and thus independently of Judaism. Judaism did not contribute to or produce the promised righteousness of God. The Jews boasted in their possession of the Law. They should not have done so. It made them neither more righteous nor better than the Gentiles. A standard far too high for any Jew to live up to, the Law condemned the Jews as sinners just like the Gentiles. Paul emphasizes this in verses 19 and 20. But here, Paul shows that the demonstration of the righteousness of God has come about independently of the Law, so far as its accomplishment is concerned.
God’s righteousness was not being revealed for the first time. His righteousness is evident in everything He does. God’s righteousness is evident in His giving men over to their sin, as a present manifestation of His wrath toward sin (see 1:18ff.). But now, with the earthly appearance of Jesus Christ, God’s righteousness is revealed in yet another way. It is revealed in Jesus Christ and in His work of redemption.
While this present manifestation of God’s righteousness in Christ is new in terms of time (“But now,” verse 21), it is not utterly new in kind. In the past, God’s righteousness was revealed by His wrath toward sin as it was poured out upon sinful men. The present manifestation of God’s righteousness is revealed by the outpouring of His wrath on His only Son, who bore the sins of the world.
Paul emphasizes not only that God has supplied the righteousness which all men lack, but he emphasizes the way in which God has supplied it. God’s righteousness has been provided in a way that is righteous. In Paul’s own words, “… that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26b). The words “just” and “justifier” are both renderings of the root term for righteous. And so we could render Paul’s words, “… that He might be righteous and the One who makes the one who has faith in Jesus righteous.”
The righteousness which God provides for sinners is not bestowed with partiality, as many Jews supposed. God’s righteousness is given to men as a gift, on the basis of faith, and not on the basis of works. It is offered to all men, because all are sinners, both Jews and Gentiles. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “All” men, without distinction, are condemned sinners, and consequently, they have no human hope of heaven (“the glory of God,” see Romans 5:2). Since no man can justly be declared righteous on the basis of his performance, righteousness is freely given, by grace, on the basis of the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ (3:24).
God has established and declared His standards for men. He has defined both the conduct which He declares to be righteousness and its rewards. He has also declared that conduct which is sin, the penalty for which is eternal judgment:
5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God (Romans 2:5-11).
All men fail to meet God’s standards for righteousness. All men deserve God’s wrath. For God to save men righteously, the penalty for their sins must be paid, and the righteousness they lack must be provided. This has been accomplished through the work of Jesus Christ. He was without sin, yet He bore the sins of men. He endured the righteous wrath of God on Calvary. He offers men His righteousness as a free gift, apart from human merit. His death redeems fallen men, because He paid the price; He suffered the penalty for man’s sin.
“Redemption” (verse 24) refers to the price that was paid and the debt that was canceled, due to our Lord’s sacrificial death on Calvary. “Propitiation” (verse 25) refers to the satisfaction of God’s righteous anger, so that He can now deal with men graciously and benevolently. The concepts of “redemption” and “propitiation” are used to demonstrate and draw our attention to the justice of God. God has set the sinner free through Christ, but He has not done so by setting aside the rules. He has set the sinner free in Christ by satisfying the demands of God’s justice in Christ. Due to sin, a penalty was to be meted out and a price was to be paid. Christ paid that price and suffered that penalty (“redemption”). God’s divine wrath had to be appeased, due to man’s sin; Christ has appeased that wrath (“propitiation”).
The penalty which our Lord endured on the sinner’s behalf was suffered publicly:
Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:24-26).
God had passed over many of the sins of men. He did not immediately execute the death sentence, though men deserved to die. Had he done so, all opportunity for guilty sinners to be saved would have been lost forever. Thus, God withheld His full and final punishment in order that some might be saved (see Romans 9:22-23). His passing over sin is seen in various times and places (see, for example, Genesis 15:12-16; 18:22-33;107 Acts 14:16; 17:30). The most dramatic illustration of this passing over of man’s sins is seen in the annual Day of Atonement (see Leviticus 16), when punishment for the sins of the nation Israel was delayed yet another year (see Hebrews 9:1–10:18).
God publicly demonstrated His righteousness in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, in the sinner’s place. In the Person of Christ, sin was publicly punished so that the righteousness of God might be demonstrated, for all to see. So too the final judgment of the world will be very public. Since the demonstration of God’s righteousness was God’s purpose, no private execution of our Lord was possible.
God provided men with a righteousness which would result in their salvation, and He did so in a way that demonstrated His righteousness. God spared nothing, not even the incomprehensible suffering of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, in providing a salvation for men. At Calvary, righteousness was much more than provided; it was demonstrated.
Here, I believe, is the heart of Paul’s message: the demonstration of God’s righteousness. Careful consideration of our text brings amazement at what is emphasized and what is not. Now that salvation is in view, one would expect that God the Son would be the most prominent Person of the Godhead. Such is not the case. God the Father is referred to in our text approximately twice as often as God the Son. Paul is emphasizing the demonstration of God’s righteousness, through the Father’s provision of His righteousness for men, in His Son. The cross of Calvary is indirectly alluded to in our text but never specifically mentioned. Neither is the resurrection of our Lord referred to in this passage.
Two prominent concepts are repeatedly mentioned and emphasized: (1) the righteousness of God; and, (2) the visible, public demonstration of this righteousness.108 Paul’s emphasis falls not so much on the righteousness which God has provided in Christ as the righteousness which God has demonstrated through Christ. This distinction may seem subtle, but it is one of great significance.
When we choose to look at salvation from a merely human perspective, we see salvation from the standpoint of what it does for us. God becomes the One who “meets our needs.” While God does meet our needs, the focus is all wrong. At its core, this focus is selfish and self-centered. God as the Giver should not be our focus, but God as the Gift. He is to be our great reward and not just our rewarder (Genesis 15:1, NASB, margin).
The Jews lost their perspective of that salvation which God was to provide and began to see it from their own point of view. Thinking salvation belonged only to them, they determined to keep it for themselves, not sharing it with others, with undeserving sinners. Like Jonah of old, they did not want to see the heathen blessed with God’s salvation. They wanted the wicked to perish. And in the process, they forgot that they too were sinners, just like the Gentiles. They forgot that they must receive God’s salvation just as the Gentiles, by faith, rather than by works. Mistakenly, they supposed that their possession of the Law was their assurance of possessing God’s salvation, a confirmed reservation for entrance into God’s kingdom. They, like Jonah, assumed God was obligated to bless them, even when they were disobedient. They saw salvation and God’s blessings as their right and not as His grace.
Israel was given the Law of God as a stewardship. They did not own it; it was given as a sacred trust. They were to use the revelation of God to them to demonstrate His righteousness. This they were to do by believing, and obeying, God’s revelation in the Law. They were also to proclaim the good news to the lost. How could the Jews become so twisted in their thinking? How could they view God’s salvation as something they alone possessed which they could withhold from Gentile sinners?
Paul’s words of warning for the Gentiles in Romans 11 strongly suggest that we today are in grave danger of repeating Israel’s error. We may begin to see God’s gracious provision of righteousness in such a way that we think more of our righteousness than of His. Christians too have been given God’s revelation. The revelation we have received is full and final. It is a stewardship with which we have been entrusted. We must first believe God’s Word and obey it, and then we must proclaim it to sinners.
As faithful stewards, we must view all of life through the eyes of our Master. We must understand God’s purposes and then act in the light of them. We must seek to fulfill God’s purposes in a way consistent not only with His causes but with His character. We must pursue God’s goals in ways consistent with God’s character. It is impossible to be a good steward unless we view our task through the eyes of our Master. Paul thus portrays God’s provision of righteousness from the divine point of view, fixing our attention on God’s purpose for saving men: the demonstration of His righteousness.
Christians say things which greatly disturb me, because they sound all too much like the thinking of the Jews. I hear Christians say, “If I were the only person on earth (to receive it), Christ would have died for me.” What Scripture teaches this? Why do we look at God’s salvation in such a self-centered way? Do we see God’s work of salvation as though it were only for us? Such thinking is alarmingly similar to that of the Jews in Paul’s day. It turns men from an awareness of God’s grace and from a response overflowing with humble gratitude. It inclines us to think of God as showing us some partiality. We delight in seeing and thinking of ourselves as special, rather than as sinners. God has not chosen us because we are special,109 but because we are lost. There is no basis for boasting in this.
“God loves me and saved me, just as I am,” some foolishly say. No, He does not! God condemns us, just as we are. God cannot be righteous and accept the unrighteous into His kingdom. God is righteous, because He condemns the unrighteous. God does not even accept us in spite of who we are. God accepts us because of who Christ is. If we are truly saved, we have been punished for our sins, in Christ. If we are saved, we have died, been buried, and raised from the dead, in Christ. We are what we are, in Christ. We are accepted by God, through Christ, and not because of anything we are or anything we have done in and of ourselves.
When we view salvation from a merely human perspective, we distort it and abuse it. We begin to look at salvation as though God accomplished it primarily for our benefit, rather than for His benefit. How then do we explain the fate of all those whom God did not purpose to save, those whom Paul refers to as “vessels of wrath” (see Romans 9:21-23)? Are we saved because we are better than they? Are they condemned because they are worse than we?
To illustrate, suppose I am a passenger on a ship bound for New York City. My ship explodes deep within its hull and sinks. I alone survive, floating helplessly in the ocean with only my life jacket to sustain my life. I know it will only be a few hours, and I will die. I can do nothing to save myself. I am doomed. A ship suddenly appears on the horizon. Somehow, someone on board that ship spots me, floating helplessly in the ocean. The ship turns from its course and stops to rescue me.
I should be grateful that I have been spared. No matter where the ship is bound, I should be overjoyed to be alive and to land there. But should I begin to believe that the ship’s main purpose and duty was saving me, then I will begin to think that the ship should sail in the opposite direction to take me to New York, even though it is bound for Europe. I may even have the gall to expect the captain of the ship to accommodate me. Because I am focusing on myself, I have lost sight of the purpose of that ship and of the small part I gratefully have in the ship’s purpose.
We fail to grasp the great purposes of God! We have reduced God to the status of being the servant of men, a God whose principle purpose is to make us happy, and not a God actively displaying His righteousness. We forget the purpose for which we have been saved.110 We have succeeded in looking at salvation as “our salvation” and as God’s primary task. It is not! It is but one part of His eternal plan and purpose to display His splendor, His glory, to all of creation, including the heavenly hosts.
In his Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul speaks to Christians of the salvation God has graciously bestowed upon them. But at the very outset of this epistle, Paul is emphatically clear that God’s primary purpose in history is the demonstration of His splendor and majesty, of His glory:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, 8 which He lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
I now understand Paul’s introductory words, contained in the first 15 verses of Romans, to be an illustration of the great truth he is teaching us here in Romans 3. Paul does not view his salvation as the incorporation of God into his life, but as God incorporating him into His eternal plan and purpose. Paul views his conversion as a dramatic turning point in his life. Until the time of his salvation, Paul was religious, but he sought to “use God,” while believing he was serving God. Now, after his salvation, Paul sees himself as being saved by God, to be used by God as God chooses. Paul’s life was turned inside-out and upside-down, so that he now sought as his compelling mission fulfilling God’s purposes in the world. He had not added God to his agenda; God had added him to His agenda, for which Paul would eternally praise Him. To the Christian, this fundamentally different mindset is the result of our perception of God’s salvation. The believer must see his salvation as the demonstration of God’s righteousness and himself as subservient to His plans and purposes. When we see our salvation as God’s meeting our needs, we see God as subservient to us. The distinction between these two perspectives is fundamental and crucial.
I wonder, were Christians to see salvation as Paul does, would there be a debate over the issue of “lordship salvation”? Were believers to understand that God’s purpose in the world is to demonstrate His righteousness, would we dare to think it does not matter to God whether or not we live righteously?
God condemns men to eternal damnation, to demonstrate His righteousness. Likewise, God saves men from damnation, to demonstrate His righteousness. The determining factor in God’s choices and actions is not man’s salvation, but the declaration of His righteousness. God’s righteousness is displayed in everything He does and in everything He does not do. When we make our salvation the focus, we take the focus from God and put ourselves in His place. We take the sun from the center of the solar system and make earth the point around which all of the solar system revolves.
Only when we see the demonstration of God’s righteousness as primary, and man’s salvation as secondary, can we see our salvation from God’s point of view. Let us earnestly seek by God’s grace and by His Word to change our own thinking and preferences to those which conform to God’s ways.
The wonder of it all: that God would choose to save any of us, for we are all deserving of His wrath. For those who are truly convicted of their sin and of their desperate need for righteousness, God’s provision of righteousness will be gratefully received, even though it is not flattering to us. We will gladly receive His grace, knowing that it suits and serves His purposes. Will you receive that righteousness which God has provided in Jesus Christ? If you do, your salvation will be a demonstration of His righteousness. If you do not, your condemnation will be a demonstration of His righteousness. God’s righteousness is not at stake. Your eternal destiny is. If you have already received that righteousness which God has provided in Jesus Christ, is the demonstration of God’s righteousness central in your life? It should be.
While the resurrection of our Lord is not mentioned in our text, it too is a demonstration of God’s righteousness.111 Consider these words, spoken by our Lord and recorded in the Gospel of John:
“And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged” (John 16:8-11).
We celebrate the resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday. The resurrection is not only a fact of history, it is a truth with profound significance. Among the implications and applications of our Lord’s resurrection is the demonstration of our Lord’s righteousness. The empty tomb of our Lord continues to testify to His righteousness. Our Lord’s resurrection, like the condemnation of some deserving sinners and the salvation of some undeserving sinners, is a demonstration of the righteousness of God. Is the demonstration of God’s righteousness central in your life? It should be.
102 I believe Paul’s areas of emphasis in this text are: 1) the public demonstration of 2) the righteousness of God. Verses 19 and 20 are included because they are a vitally important reminder of the context of Paul’s words here.
103 History, ironically, has everything to do with our perspective. Apart from a divine perspective, we would be hopelessly trapped by our own experience.
104 The original text literally reads, “through the faith of Jesus Christ.” This is the way in which the translators of the King James version understood and rendered it. Is the faith of Christ the emphasis here, or is it the faith of the believer? Paul’s precise wording would suggest the former, the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. It was Israel’s unfaithfulness which was the problem. It was Christ’s faithfulness which was the solution. In chapter 4 Paul will turn to the matter of men’s faith in Christ, but that does not seem to be the thrust of Paul’s words here.
105 The definite article is not present in the text. Thus, the text could be rendered, “a righteousness of God.” The sense of the statement does not change significantly, regardless of the translation. In the light of what Paul is about to say, however, it may be best to render the expression normally: “a righteousness of God.” From Paul’s teaching and perspective, the righteousness of God had been revealed before “now” in His condemnation of sin. His righteousness is “now” being revealed in a different way, through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross of Calvary.
106 Technically, the definite article rendered “the” is not present in the original text. Thus, it should perhaps be rendered, “… apart from law a righteousness of God has been manifested …”
107 Here, it is very clear that God would have delayed His judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah in order to save a handful of righteous men. The judgment of the wicked is delayed for the salvation of the righteous, just as Paul says in Romans 9:22-23.
108 Two emphatic themes are evident by the emphasized words and phrases in our text, as found at the beginning of this lesson.
109 A thoughtful reading of 1 Corinthians 1 and 2 is indeed humbling, because far from teaching us that God chose us due to something special in us, He chose us because of our particularly pitiable and weak condition, thus bringing praise and glory to Himself.
110 For additional study, see 2 Corinthians 5:14–6:10.
111 I heard another “Christian” song this week which was incredibly off course in its theology. It had to do with the resurrection of our Lord. It did not attribute our Lord’s resurrection to His holiness, or to His righteousness, but to God’s love for us. It went something like this: “If God did not love us so much, Christ would still be in the grave.” How self-centered. How sad. How unbiblical.
A scene in one of my favorite movies, Return to Snowy River, depicts Mr. Patton, a banker, talking with a British officer. Their discussion involves the ancestry of the movie’s Harrison family. According to Mr. Patton, the Harrison family certainly could not have come from such aristocratic stock as he; they were obviously inferior. After asking a few questions about his family line and listening politely, the officer silences the snobbish Mr.
A scene in one of my favorite movies, Return to Snowy River, depicts Mr. Patton, a banker, talking with a British officer. Their discussion involves the ancestry of the movie’s Harrison family. According to Mr. Patton, the Harrison family certainly could not have come from such aristocratic stock as he; they were obviously inferior. After asking a few questions about his family line and listening politely, the officer silences the snobbish Mr. Patton with one remark: “As I remember, Patton, my ancestors used to hunt down people from your family line and hang them as horse thieves!”
Is it not amazing how people remember only the noble side of their ancestry? If ever there were a people proud of their ancestry, it was the Jews. They took particular pride in being descendants of Abraham, believing that this physical descent made them better than others. They even believed their ancestry assured them of eternal life in the kingdom of God.
Many of the Jews even believed they possessed salvation solely on the basis of being Abraham’s descendant. Beyond this, they thought they determined who was eligible for salvation, because they owned it. Before the coming of Christ, they shared salvation only with those willing to become Jewish proselytes. When proselytes converted to Judaism, they must be circumcised and place themselves under the Law of Moses.
With the coming of Christ, Christianity was altogether rejected by many Jews. They did not believe Jesus was the Messiah, and they opposed the preaching of Jesus as the Messiah even to the Gentiles. Jews who converted to Christianity wanted to obtain ownership and control, just as they had done in Judaism. The Jews insisted that to be saved, Gentiles needed not only to believe in Jesus as the Messiah, but they must be circumcised and keep the Law.
In virtually all the churches he founded or to which he wrote, Paul found it necessary to refute and correct the errors of the Judaisers. This included the church at Rome. Throughout the Book of Romans, Paul deals with the misconceptions and heresies of Judaism. He has already shown that “all,” Jews as well as Gentiles, fall short of the glory of God. In order to be saved from their sin and condemnation, all are in need of a righteousness not their own.
Some of Judaism’s principle errors stem from a false sense of pride and security, due to their physical descent from Abraham. To the Jews, Abraham was their father. They took great pride in looking upon themselves as the sons of Abraham. Paul must correct some of their views concerning Abraham. The entire fourth chapter of Romans is therefore devoted to Abraham. Paul does far more than show the Jews to be mistaken concerning the righteousness of Abraham; Paul shows that Abraham was justified by faith, apart from works, and that he is the “father” of all who believe, Jew or Gentile. Abraham’s righteousness is precisely the same righteousness which God has made available to men today, and on the same basis.
Paul begins in chapter 4 to answer the three questions he has raised at the end of chapter 3. These questions begin to interpret and apply Paul’s teaching in the first three chapters of Romans and serve as an introduction to what follows. Those three questions are:
The entire fourth chapter of Romans surrounds Abraham, the Old Testament patriarch. Abraham’s faith in God’s promise of His blessings through Abraham’s seed is the central issue. This promised “seed” would come about through a son, whom he and Sarai would have. His belief in God’s promise of this son was reckoned to him as righteousness. Chapter 4 can be divided into three major segments:
In the Old and New Testament, Abraham113 is named in 230 verses. References to Abraham (or Abram) in Genesis 11–25:10 disclose biographical incidents in the life of Abraham. From this point on, the 135 remaining references to Abraham point back to these historical events. Paul’s argument in Romans 4 assumes some grasp of the events of Abraham’s life. As a background to our study, we must consider a brief overview of the major events in the life of Abraham, the father of our faith.
Originally Abram114 came from the land of Ur of the Chaldeans (Genesis 11:28). Terah, Abram’s father, took Abram and Lot as far as Haran where they settled. God instructed Abraham to leave Haran and go to the place He would show him. There, God promised to bless Abraham by making of him a great nation, and by blessing the entire world though his seed (Genesis 12:1-3). Abram obeyed, taking along Lot, his nephew. When a famine occurred in Canaan, Abram went to Egypt. Fearing he might be killed and his still beautiful wife might be taken in marriage, Abram passed off his wife Sarai as his sister. This put at risk the promised “seed,” which would come through Abram and Sarai. Pharaoh took Sarai into his harem, but God prevented a consummation of this “marriage.” Pharaoh learned Sarai was Abram’s wife and rebuked him, escorting him back to the land of Canaan (12:10-20).
After Abram and Lot were separated (Genesis 13), Lot was taken captive, and Abram went to his rescue. After Lot’s successful recovery, Abram met Melchizedek, a mysterious king to whom Abram offered a tithe (Genesis 14). Reiterating His covenant with Abram and promising him a son, Abraham believed God’s promise, and his faith was reckoned to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:1-6). God further told Abram of the 400 years his descendants would be mistreated in a foreign land, after which they would possess the land of Canaan (15:12-21).
As the years passed, Abram and Sarai became concerned, since no son had yet been given them by God. They decided that it was only necessary for Abram to father the child and that Hagar could serve as the mother of the child, in Sarai’s place. At age 86, through Hagar, Abram and Sarah had a son, Ishmael. This son was not the “son of promise,” but God would care for the land as He had said (16:1-16).
At age 99, 24 years after God first promised a “seed” for Abraham, God reaffirmed His covenant with Abram and Sarai. He changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah. The next year, God promised, they would have a son. God commanded Abraham to be circumcised and to circumcise all the males in his household. Circumcision was to be a sign of God’s (Abrahamic) covenant for all generations to come. Thus, years after he was declared to be righteous, on the basis of his faith (Genesis 17),115Abraham was circumcised.
God told Abraham, His friend, what He was about to do with the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18 and 19). Abraham pled with God to spare these cities, if but a handful of righteous were found. The cities were destroyed, with only Lot and his immediate family spared. Watching from afar, Abram’s spirit was very different from that of Jonah many years later (compare Genesis 19:27-29; Jonah 4:1-11). After repeating his sin of deception in Gerar before Abimelech (Genesis 20), Abraham and Sarah had Isaac (Genesis 21). Sacrificing this son of promise was the greatest test of Abraham’s life, but it revealed that Abraham had finally come to trust in God as the One able to give life to the dead. Abram no longer needed to lie or to be afraid (Genesis 22).
At the age of 127, Sarah died (Genesis 23). Abraham lived yet another 38 years, married again, and fathered more children (25:1-4). Sarah’s burial was a demonstration of Abraham’s faith, for it was necessary to purchase the piece of land which would serve as the family burial site, in Canaan. That land which God had promised to give to Abraham someday was not yet his. He nevertheless bought the parcel of land, on which Sarah, and he, and his descendants could be buried (chapter 23).
As Abraham’s days drew to a close, he became very concerned about finding the right kind of wife for his son, Isaac. Commissioning his most trusted servant to secure a wife for his son, she was not be from among the Canaanites nor was Isaac to be taken back to the land from which he had come. Guided by the hand of God, his trusted servant found Rebekah as a wife for Isaac, from Abraham’s relative, Bethuel (Genesis 24). After this, Abraham died at the ripe old age of 175 (Genesis 25). Chapters 11–25 of Genesis portray 100 years of Abraham’s walk with God, as a sojourner in the land his descendants would one day possess. One fourth of this century of Abraham’s walk was spent in waiting for the son God had promised.
Abraham’s name is mentioned many other times in the Old Testament. Most often in the books of Israel’s history God’s name is mentioned to demonstrate that God’s actions were in fulfillment of His promise to Abraham. The consistency of God’s promises and program in history is clearly demonstrated. This same faithfulness is emphasized in the Psalms:
Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. Remember His wonders which He has done, His marvels, and the judgments uttered by His mouth, O seed of Abraham, His servant, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones! He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He has remembered His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac. Then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant, Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan As the portion of your inheritance,” When they were only a few men in number, Very few, and strangers in it. And they wandered about from nation to nation, From one kingdom to another people. He permitted no man to oppress them, And He reproved kings for their sakes: “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm” (Psalm 105:4-15).
When Isaiah spoke of the righteousness and salvation God was to provide, as He promised, He called upon His people to think back to their beginnings, in Abraham and Sarah:
“Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, Who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, And to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who gave birth to you in pain; When he was but one I called him, Then I blessed him and multiplied him.” Indeed, the LORD will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places. And her wilderness He will make like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness will be found in her, Thanksgiving and sound of a melody. “Pay attention to Me, O My people; And give ear to Me, O My nation; For a law will go forth from Me, And I will set My justice for a light of the peoples. My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And My arms will judge the peoples; The coastlands will wait for Me, And for My arm they will wait expectantly. Lift up your eyes to the sky, Then look to the earth beneath; For the sky will vanish like smoke, And the earth will wear out like a garment, And its inhabitants will die in like manner, But my salvation shall be forever, And My righteousness shall not wane. Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, A people in whose heart is My law; Do not fear the reproach of man, Neither be dismayed at their revilings. For the moth will eat them like a garment, And the grub will eat them like wool. But My righteousness shall be forever, And My salvation to all generations” (Isaiah 51:1-8).
Jeremiah too spoke of Israel’s future deliverance and salvation in terms of the fulfillment of God’s covenant with Abraham (see Jeremiah 23:19-26). Ezekiel likewise called upon Israel to trust in Him, by faith. They were to remember that Abraham, who was but one man, became a great nation because of God’s faithfulness to His promise (see Ezekiel 33:23-29). The final words of Micah’s prophecy remind God’s people of His faithfulness to His covenant promise to Abraham and to his descendants:
“Shepherd Thy people with Thy scepter, The flock of Thy possession Which dwells by itself in the woodland, In the midst of a fruitful field. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead As in the days of old. As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt, I will show you miracles.” Nations will see and be ashamed Of all their might. They will put their hand on their mouth, Their ears will be deaf. They will lick the dust like a serpent, Like reptiles of the earth. They will come trembling out of their fortresses; To the LORD our God they will come in dread, And they will be afraid before Thee. Who is a God like Thee, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, Thou wilt cast all their sins Into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt give truth to Jacob And unchanging love to Abraham, Which Thou didst swear to our forefathers From the days of old (Micah 7:14-20).
These Old Testament prophets spoke of the righteousness and salvation God would provide in fulfillment of His promise to Abraham. That righteousness, like the righteousness of Abraham, was not a righteousness which men earned by their law-keeping, but a righteousness which God Himself would provide through His Messiah, the coming Savior.
Abraham is also a very prominent person in the New Testament. Especially in the Gospels do we see the distorted thinking of the Jews concerning Abraham. The Jews took pride in their physical descent from Abraham, believing that being his seed was synonymous with salvation. John the Baptist immediately challenges this thinking as incorrect:
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you, that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. And His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:7-12).
Believing they had confirmed reservations in the kingdom of God, the Jews saw the Gentiles as those who would never enter into the blessings promised Abraham. They were wrong. Jesus’ teaching must have rocked the boat of Jewish exclusivism. Consider these instances of Jesus’ teaching which must have horrified the Jews. Note especially Jesus’ references to Abraham, the blessings of God, and the kingdom.
Jesus marveled at and commended the faith of the Gentile centurion:
Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled, and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. And I say to you, that many shall come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:10-12).
Because of his faith, the centurion would be at the banquet table, along with Abraham, but many of the “sons of the kingdom” would be cast into hell. Here was a revolutionary thought to the Jews, but one completely consistent with the Old Testament and with the gospel.
A similar shock was in store for the Jews when Jesus told the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). According to Jewish thinking, the rich man would surely go to heaven while the poor man was surely destined for hell. Jesus reversed the destinies of these two. The rich man was found in hell, and the poor man, Lazarus, went to heaven. Most shocking are the words of the rich man when appealing for mercy:
“Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘ Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, Father, that you send him to my father’s house—for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ But he said, ‘No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead’” (Luke 16:22-31, emphasis mine).
Imagine this scene and the Jews’ horror at these words from the lips of our Lord. Heaven was, not unexpectedly, “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16:22). But the rich man, who called out from hell, called out, “Father Abraham” (see verses 24 and 30). Priding themselves that Abraham was their physical forefather, the Jews were self-assured that they would enter into the promised kingdom and the blessings promised Abraham. And now, from the depths of hell, they call out to “Father Abraham.” Surely Jesus was teaching precisely what John the Baptist before Him, and Paul after Him, were teaching: that physical descent from Abraham does not assure anyone of salvation. Salvation is attained through faith and not through the fatherhood of Abraham.
The great showdown between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders was over Jesus’ relationship to Abraham:
Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s offspring, and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You shall become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. And the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s offspring; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.” They answered and said to Him, “ Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me; for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.” The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he shall never taste of death.’ Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I shall be a liar like you, but I do know Him, and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” The Jews therefore said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple (John 8:31-59, emphasis mine).
In this passage we see that the Jews emphatically boasted that Abraham was their father (verses 33 and 39). But clearly it was not Abraham who would save the Jews, but the Son (8:36). The Jews in reality, as evidenced by their unbelief, were sons of the devil (verse 44). Those who were truly Abraham’s seed would believe in Him and obey His words. In so doing, they would never see death (verse 51). Did Jesus think Himself better than Abraham, the Jews challenged? Jesus’ final response was, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM” (verse 58).
In preaching the gospel to the Jews, Jesus was presented as God’s only provision for entering into the kingdom and experiencing the blessings God promised to provide through Abraham’s seed (see Acts 7:2ff.). Paul adds a very significant note to this whole matter. He points out that the “seed” of Abraham, through whom the blessings were to be poured out on all who believe, Jew or Gentile, was singular. The “seed” was one Person—Jesus; it was not plural, the nation Israel:
Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ (Galatians 3:15-16).
No wonder Paul devotes an entire chapter to Abraham’s justification by faith! Not only does Abraham’s justification prove the Jews wrong for trusting and boasting in Abraham as their physical forefather, but it proves Abraham to be the father of all those who believe in God, by faith!
27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one. 31 Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.
Thus far, Paul has shown that all mankind fails to meet God’s standard of righteousness, all have fallen short of God’s promised blessings and have come under divine condemnation. Jews and Gentiles alike are under God’s wrath and the sentence of death. In His righteousness, God condemns the sin of men. In His righteousness, God has made a provision for man’s justification, by punishing Jesus Christ in our place on the cross of Calvary. All who believe in Jesus Christ and accept His provision of righteousness by faith, are justified, saved by grace.
What does all of this mean? Paul raises three questions at the end of chapter 3 in verses 27-31 which pursue the practical implications of his teaching. He asks and answers each question very briefly. He wants the answer to each question to be clear in the mind of his reader. He then follows up each answer, briefly provided in verses 27-31, with a more extensive explanation in his teaching which follows. Chapter 4 deals directly with the answer to the first two questions. Chapters 6-8 expand on the role of the Law in the life of the believer.
The first question, found in verse 27 is this: What basis does anyone have for boasting concerning salvation? There is no basis for boasting. Men cannot boast about receiving something which they did not earn. Men are saved by faith, on the basis of what God has done through His Son, Jesus Christ. Anyone who boasts in his salvation does not understand grace and may never have received salvation in the first place.
The second question is recorded in verse 29: Are God’s dealings with men universal, or are they restricted to Jews only? Paul’s question seems to extend beyond salvation alone to God’s interest and involvement in the lives of men. The Jews may have thought God’s only interest was in them and that He could care less about the Gentiles. The Gentiles would be like the outcast class in India,116 which neither receives the privileges of the upper class nor is even regarding as existing by those of a higher cast. Perhaps the Jews thought God looked upon the Gentiles in this same way. But Paul is quick to affirm that “God … is one.” God deals with both Jews and Gentiles on the same basis. This is because Jewishness and Gentileness is irrelevant to the issue of salvation. The only determining factor in salvation is the absence or presence of faith.
The third question is found in verse 31: Is the Law of no use or value, now that faith has come? Does entering into a relationship with God by faith set the Law aside? Not at all. Abraham’s faith was before the Law. The faith of men like David was evident in his love for and obedience to the Law. The Law was never meant to save. In one sense, the Law was as useless in Old Testament times as it is today. The Law could never save. The Law does have a positive role to play, however, and thus it is not to be rejected. Our Lord said He did not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it. Righteousness delights in the Law, but sin disdains it.
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, And whose sins have been covered. 8 “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.”
Do we have any grounds for boasting? More particularly, do the Jews have grounds? Our study of Abraham, especially in the Gospels, revealed that the Jews believed they did have grounds for boasting: Abraham was their forefather. But what if Abraham himself could not boast? If Abraham could not boast, could his descendants boast? By going back to the “first father” of the Jews, at least in their minds, Paul caused the whole Jewish system of pride and boasting to collapse with one well-placed blow. By demonstrating that Abraham himself had no grounds for boasting, no Jew could boast in Abraham or in being his descendant.
Performance is the only basis for boasting in oneself. Had Abraham’s righteousness been rooted in his works, he would have grounds for boasting, though in comparison with God his accomplishments, no matter how great, would be insignificant. If Abraham was justified by faith, then he could take no credit at all for his righteousness, for it would be a gift from God.
The Word of God instructs us that such was the case. Paul turns our attention to Genesis 15:6 and the statement made by Moses, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Abraham’s works were not the basis for his justification; his faith was the basis. Abraham’s faith was in God and in His promise of a son. Therefore, the one person about whom Abraham could boast was God. Abraham’s faith, and his justification, were a favor from God and not a payment for services rendered on God’s behalf. Works and grace are two very distinct entities. Men can only boast when they receive payment for their works. Men cannot boast when they receive grace.
Abraham’s faith alone did not save him. God saved Abraham by means of faith. But more than this, Abraham’s faith was in God’s promise and in God’s provision. Abraham believed God. Specifically, Abraham believed God when He promised him a son. Abraham’s faith was faith in God, in God’s promise, and in God’s ability to provide that which He promised. For the Jews, Abraham was the star of the show. To Paul, God was the center of attention. The greatness of Abraham’s faith is not in view, but the greatness of the God in whom he trusted. Indeed, we need not look far to see how frail and fragile was Abraham’s faith. How often his faith lapsed! He believed God, and yet he lied about the identity of his wife to Abimelech (Genesis 20).117 He believed God, and yet he had a son by Hagar (Genesis 16).
The process or transaction by which God justified Abraham is known by theologians as imputation.118 In our text, the term used for this imputation is “reckoned”7 (verses 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24).119 In general, the term means to “reckon,” “consider,” “compute,” or “take into account.” The reckoning process is essential to man’s salvation. It enables God to deal with men in a way which saves them and which demonstrates His righteousness. In our text, Paul stresses that God’s imputation is a coin with two sides. The imputation by which God saves sinners is two-fold.
First,120 God imputes the righteousness of Jesus Christ to men. Men cannot attain to God’s standard of righteousness. Men can never become righteous by their good works. Their righteousness must come from another source. Paul cites Genesis 15:6 to show that God reckoned Abraham to be righteous. He immediately follows this statement with another in verses 4 and 5 which stresses that this was not something which Abraham earned, but rather favor which God bestowed upon Abraham.
Second, the imputation which results in man’s salvation has another side: not only does God impute the righteousness of Christ to unrighteous men, He also does not impute men’s sins to them. God saves men by not imputing their sin to them and by imputing the righteousness of Christ to them. From what Paul has already said, and what he says elsewhere, we know that this is possible because Christ has taken our place. Our sins have been imputed to Christ, so that He was punished in our place. His righteousness has been imputed to us, so that we are regarded and treated as righteous by God, since we, by faith, are in Him.
The imputation of righteousness to men is illustrated by the justification of Abraham, who was reckoned righteous by God because of his faith. The non-imputation of sin to men is illustrated by the experience of David, as described by his own words in Psalm 32. This is his psalm of confession. His sin was that of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. The Law was in force, which pronounced sentence upon David. But the Law made no provision for David’s salvation. It could only pronounce him guilty and worthy of death. David knew the grace of God, and he pled for mercy and forgiveness. On the basis of his faith in the promise of salvation, and in the character of God, David pled for forgiveness and received it. God did not impute his sin to him, though he deserved to die. Men are saved because God imputes righteousness to them, but not their sin. God saves men through the process of imputation, on the basis of the work of Christ on Calvary, and in response to faith.121
Abraham’s righteousness then was not due to his Law-keeping or to his good works, but only to God’s grace. On the basis of faith alone, apart from works, God reckoned Abraham to be righteous. Abraham believed God’s promise and was saved. Abraham had nothing to boast about, other than God’s grace. His offspring could not boast either.
9 Is this blessing then upon the circumcised, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say, “Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.” 10 How then was it reckoned? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; 11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be reckoned to them, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised. 13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15 for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there violation. 16 For this reason it is by faith, that it might be in accordance with grace, in order that the promise may be certain to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the sight of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
Paul’s first question and answer recorded in Romans 3:27 has been documented by the experience of Israel’s most revered patriarch, Abraham. Paul now moves to the second question (3:29-30): Is God only the God of the Jews, or is He the God of both the Jews and the Gentiles? Paul’s opponents might be willing to concede that God has always justified men on the basis of faith and not by works. But just who is eligible for justification? The Jews viewed themselves as a privileged group, with exclusive access to God’s blessings. If a Gentile wanted to be saved, he must first convert to Judaism. He must be circumcised, and then keep the Law of Moses (see Acts 15).
In verses 9-17 Paul will turn to events in the life of Abraham, the “Father of the Jews,” to show that he is even more so “the father of all believers.” Paul turns to the rite of circumcision, which was the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant.122 He reminds his readers that Abraham was justified apart from works, without the Law, and years before he was circumcised. By Jewish definitions, Abraham was really a Gentile when he was saved.
The first recorded promise of a son in the Book of Genesis was given at the time of Abraham’s call (Genesis 12:1-3). At that time, Abram was 75 years old (12:4). In Genesis 15 we are told of a more specific promise of a son, of Abram’s belief, and of his justification by faith. It is almost as though we have been watching a motion picture. Suddenly, Paul shouts, “Stop the projector!,” right at Genesis 15:6. He now asks the question, “Was Abraham circumcised here, at the time he was reckoned as righteous by God, or was it later?” We all know it was years later. Abraham’s circumcision is recorded in Genesis 17, and we are told that he was then 99 years old. Abraham was justified by faith, apart from works, the Law, or circumcision. Let’s face it; Abraham was a Gentile when he was justified by faith. God is the God of all men, and not just of the Jews.
Circumcision did not contribute in any way to Abraham’s salvation. It could not have done so. It was merely a sign, a seal. Circumcision played much the same role in Abraham’s day as baptism does in our day. It is only a visible token or sign of an invisible change, of salvation. Abraham’s circumcision testified to his justification by faith, apart from works. His circumcision, like his salvation, meant something very different than what the Jews made of it. If Abraham could be saved without being circumcised, so the Gentiles could be saved, apart from circumcision, the Law of Moses, or Judaism.
Just as circumcision did not contribute to the salvation of Abraham, neither did the Law. The Law of Moses would not be given for more than 400 years. It did not exist at the time of Abraham’s justification by faith. And even if the Law were in existence at that time, it could not have saved Abraham. The Law cannot save. The Law cannot make any man righteous. The Law can only condemn men as sinners, worthy of God’s eternal wrath. If the Law could justify men, it would nullify faith. Faith, however, does not nullify the Law. Faith brings about the imputation of the righteousness which the Law defines and demands, but which it cannot produce. The Law required perfect obedience; God’s promise requires only faith.
Faith enables God to save men, because it enables God to deal with men in accordance with grace. The wrath which the Law demands has been suffered by our Lord on Calvary. Having satisfied God’s holy anger (propitiation, see 3:25), God can now deal with men in accordance with mercy and grace. God can prevent men from suffering the wrath they deserve and deal benevolently with men by giving them blessings they do not deserve.
Abraham is therefore shown to be much more than the “father of the Jews.” He is the “father of us all,” the father of all believers. This too is in fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, that he would be “A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS” (verse 17, citing Genesis 17:5). Abraham’s faith was faith in God. He believed that God is able to “give life to the dead.” Abraham’s resurrection faith is the last topic of Paul’s teaching, as recorded in Genesis 4:17-25.
17 (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the sight of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform. 22 Therefore also it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 23 Now not for his sake only was it written, that it was reckoned to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be reckoned, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.
Verse 17 serves as a transition, linking Paul’s argument in verses 18-25 with his previous teaching in verses 9-16. This verse is therefore included in both sections. In this last section of chapter 4, Paul strikes a final blow against the errors of Judaism. Turning to the life of Abraham one final time, he shows that Abraham’s saving faith was a “resurrection faith.” His faith, like ours, was in a God who was able to raise the dead.
The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead was a serious problem for the Sadducees. They did not believe in the resurrection, or in the afterlife, in heaven or hell, in angels or demons. They were anti-supernaturalists. The Pharisees had a different problem. They were supernaturalists. They did believe in heaven and hell, angels and demons, and the resurrection of the dead. Their problem was that while in principle they believed in the doctrine of the resurrection, they rejected it in the person of Jesus Christ. They refused to admit that Jesus had been raised from the dead. To do so would have meant they were wrong. This would prove that Jesus was the promised Messiah, and that God had shown His divine approval of His earthly ministry.
Jesus staked His entire ministry on His ability to rise from the dead (see Matthew 12:38-41; John 10:15-18). The apostles preached the resurrection of Christ as a fundamental element of the gospel, which must be believed in order for men to be saved (Acts 2:22-42; 3:14-15; 4:2; 17:18; Romans 10:9). The writer to the Hebrews teaches that all the Old Testament saints believed in the resurrection of the dead (Hebrews 11:13-40, especially verses 13-15, 19, 35, 39-40). Paul finds in Abraham’s life a dramatic demonstration of his “resurrection faith.”
Abraham “believed in God, who gives life to the dead, and calls into being that which does not exist” (verse 17). Abraham’s faith did not cause him to close his eyes to reality. He knew that so far as bearing children was concerned Sarah and he were “as good as dead” (verse 19). And yet he considered also that God’s promises are as certain as God’s power to fulfill them. And so he believed God’s promise of a son, even though this would take, as it were, a resurrection of the dead (he and Sarah, speaking in terms of their ability to reproduce). He knew that “what He promised, He was able to perform” (verse 21). It was because of this very faith, a resurrection faith, that righteousness was imputed to him (verse 22).
In verses 23-25, Paul links the “resurrection faith” of Abraham with the faith of every true believer today. Justification comes to all who, by faith, believe in God who raised His Son, Jesus Christ, from the dead. In the final verse of his argument (verse 25), Paul speaks of the work of Christ in such a way as to show the absolute necessity of the resurrection of Jesus, and in the sinner’s need to believe His resurrection, for salvation. The sacrificial death of our Lord, Paul writes, was required by our transgressions. Christ had to die, because “the wages of sin is death.” Our justification requires His resurrection, Paul writes:
He who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification (Romans 4:25).123
If anything is clear in this chapter it is this: Abraham’s justification by faith is precisely the same as that which the gospel offers to all men, Jew or Gentile, today. It is justification based upon the person and work of God, believed by faith, accomplished by imputation. It is a free gift, available to those who are uncircumcised and who are not under the Law of Moses, like Abraham.
Justification by faith is God’s only way of saving men. It is also the same way in which men have been saved from the beginning of human history. Men were not saved by works in Old Testament times and are now saved by faith. Men have always been saved by faith, apart from works. Abraham is an excellent example of justification by faith because he lived in a day when neither the Law of Moses nor the rite of circumcision existed as a part of Israel’s religion. He was saved apart from any works, apart from circumcision, and apart from the Law. His justification, like ours, was based upon God’s faithfulness to His promise and not on human performance. It is a gift of God’s grace and not something earned.
Abraham’s life teaches us important lessons about faith. We learn from Abraham’s justification that faith is the only means by which men may obtain righteousness. We also see that while men have faith in God, it is not perfect faith. Abraham’s faith faltered when he lied about his wife and when he attempted to produce a child through Hagar. His faith continued to grow, throughout his life, as he came to appreciate more and more the faithfulness of God. His faith enabled him to see life as it really was (he was as good as dead with regard to having a child with Sarah), but he saw God as powerful and His promises as sure. His faith was a reasoning faith. He did not have to be told that God was able to produce life from death; he reasoned that God was able to do as He promised.124
The faith of Abraham and the birth of Isaac remind us that even when we have faith in God’s promise there is no assurance that God’s promise will be immediately fulfilled. Abraham believed God’s promise of a son, but he still waited 25 years for that son to be given. The story of Abraham’s life makes it very clear that God had a certain time for that son to be born. God’s “delay” was a time for Abraham’s faith to be tested and strengthened. Why is it that some tell us that if we have not immediately received the answers to our prayers, we do not have enough faith? Faith may not remove all doubts, and it certainly does not remove all delays.
As I have studied this text, I have been reminded of the importance of remembering our roots. We dare not forget how it was that God saved us, and for what purpose we were saved. Abraham was hopeless and helpless, and God, in His great mercy and grace, saved him, apart from any human merit or contribution. Abraham’s justification, like ours, should result in humility, gratitude, adoration and worship. Abraham’s response to God’s revelation (the Abrahamic Covenant, and specifically God’s promise of a son) was belief, growth in faith, and giving glory to God (verse 20).125
Because of their unbelief and rejection of God’s full and final revelation in Christ, the minds of the Jews were darkened (see 2 Corinthians 3:12-18), so that they distorted Abraham’s conversion to that which fit and which sanctioned their own unbelief and self-righteousness. The Israelites forgot that the blessings of God upon them were not due to their own righteousness or status, but due to God’s grace. They failed to recall that the righteousness which God requires is also that which He provides, by imputation. Thus, there can be no boasting. There is no basis for pride. There should only be humble gratitude and thanksgiving to God for His unspeakable gift.
I challenge you to think through the Scriptures, Old Testament and New, and to recall all of the times when God instructed His people to remember their roots, in order that they might be humbled and serve God in truth. How easy it is for us to forget that we are what we are by the grace of God, apart from anything we have done, or will do. To God be the glory!
112 I include verse 17 in the last two segments because it serves as a transition between the two.
113 This does not include references to “Abram,” prior to the time when God changed his name to “Abraham” in Genesis 17.
114 The name Abram means “exalted father”; Abraham means “father of a multitude.”
115 Abraham was first promised a “seed” in Genesis 12:2 at the age of 75 (12:4). A more specific promise was given in Genesis 15:4. Abram was between 75 and 86 (16:16) when he was reckoned to be righteous by God, as recorded in Genesis 15:6. Isaac, the son of promise, was born to Abraham and Sarah when Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was 90 (17:17; 21:5).
116 I can well remember my first impression of this, while stranded at the airport in Bombay. One of the outcast class was sweeping the sidewalk with a primitive broom. This woman would not even look up at me, and those who passed her by would not even look at her, to acknowledge her as a person. She was not only looked down upon; she was not even looked at.
117 Abraham made it clear to Abimelech that this was not just the second time he had passed off Sarah as his sister. He explained that this was the agreement they had made long ago which they consistently practiced everywhere they went (see Genesis 20:13). It was Abraham’s foreign policy, based upon his fear of death. His resurrection faith would soon outrun his fear of death (see Genesis 22).
118 The verb rendered “reckon,” according to Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 379, is used 31 times in the New Testament. Of these 31 instances, Paul employs the term in all but 4 occurrences. Eleven of the 27 uses by Paul are found in Romans 4. Imputation is a dominant theme in chapter 4.
119 In verse 8 the expression is “take into account,” but the marginal note in the NASB points us to the fact that we have the same term rendered “reckon” throughout this passage.
120 So far as the order of our text is concerned.
121 Paul will elsewhere emphasize that even our faith is God’s gift and not some work of our own (see Ephesians 2:1-10).
122 The rainbow was the sign of the Noahic Covenant (Genesis 9:8-17). Circumcision was the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 17:9-14). The Sabbath was the sign of the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 31:12-17).
123 There is a great deal of discussion in the commentaries about the exact meaning of the term twice rendered “because of” in Romans 4:25. Regardless of the meaning we give to this term, the point remains: both the death and the resurrection of our Lord were necessary for man’s salvation.
124 The “reasoning of Abraham’s faith” is even more clearly stated in Hebrews 11:17-19. In this case, it was Abraham’s reasoning in relationship to the command of God to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice. I believe Abraham “reasoned” that God was able to “raise men even from the dead” (11:19) on the basis of Isaac’s birth. If Abraham and Sarah were “dead” with respect to child-bearing, then God gave life from death in the conception and birth of Isaac. If God could, as it were, raise Isaac into existence, from the dead, then Abraham reasoned that God could raise him back to life, after he was offered up to God as a sacrifice. How often men want God to tell them exactly what to do when God desires for men to reason it out by faith. I do not believe God is as pleased with unthinking obedience as He is with reasoned obedience, an obedience based upon the reasoning of faith. Faith not only has its reasons, it reasons.
125 I see here a deliberate contrast between Abraham’s “giving glory to God” (verse 20) and the unbelief of men as described in chapter 1: “For even though they knew God, they did not honor [literally, “glorify,” see marginal note in NASB] Him as God, or give thanks (1:21). While these unbelievers became increasingly darkened in their understanding of God and of reality (1:21-22), Abraham saw God and life ever more clearly (4:19-21).
Having bought and repaired numerous broken cars for my family, I have learned something about myself which may be true of all of us. It seems that no matter how hard I try to be objective, I see any car as better than it really is, especially a pretty one I would really like to have. One recent sports model, with a sun roof, seemed to have a lot of potential. Although it had neither an engine nor a transmission, I lifted the hood to look inside. While thinking about how the car might be repaired, I rested my foot on the front bumper. It gave a little. In pursuing the problem, I discovered something I had not noticed before—the frame was cracked.
Probably most of us have bought something, convinced of its great value, only to discover with time and observation that it was not all we expected it to be. Even when purchasing a new automobile, before signing the contract the salesman persuades us to buy an extended service policy. Before the car is even driven off the showroom floor, we must begin to worry about the car breaking down!
There is only one exception—the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ promises men the forgiveness of their sins and the certainty of a relationship with God that will last through all eternity. Once we have entered into this relationship with God, through faith in Jesus Christ, we discover a whole new world of blessings we had not anticipated, all flowing out of our justification by faith. In Romans 5:1-11, Paul enumerates some of the benefits of justification.
There is a vast difference between the “hype” of our world and the “hope” of the gospel. This world’s “hype” always lets us down. But the hope of the gospel only grows. Paul’s words in these verses offer some of the most comforting words a Christian will ever hear. For those who love God and who desire to explore the riches of His grace, Romans 5:1-11 is a gold mine of Biblical truth. Paul speaks here not only of the hope of future blessing, in heaven, but the hope which the Christian finds in the very midst of trials and tribulations. For the Christian living in this world so filled with despair, this message of hope is sweet indeed. Let us revel in the hope of the gospel as we study this passage.
After explaining his relationship to the gospel (1:1-17), Paul sets out to show the righteousness of God as evident in the gospel. God’s righteousness is revealed in His righteous judgment of sin. Presently, God’s wrath is revealed in His response to sin. It will finally be revealed in the eternal judgment of men at the second coming of Jesus Christ. Both Jews and Gentiles have failed to produce the righteousness God has required, and thus all are under the sentence of divine condemnation (Romans 1:18-3:20). God also demonstrates His righteousness in the salvation of men. His wrath toward the sinner was poured out on Jesus Christ who died in the sinner’s place. God’s anger was appeased in Christ, and thus God is able to save and to bless everyone who believes in Jesus Christ and who receives His salvation by faith.
Paul looks more closely in Romans 3:21–5:21 at this justification available to men through faith in the work of Jesus Christ. In Romans 3:21-26, Paul views justification from God’s point of view, focusing on the public demonstration of His righteousness. In Romans 4, justification is viewed from man’s perspective, focusing on the faith by which God’s righteousness is imputed. Now as we come to chapter 5, justification is viewed from an even broader perspective. The first verses of 1-11 look at justification as the basis and the beginning of all of God’s blessings for the believer. Verses 12-21 then look at justification as God’s means of reversing the curse of sin and death brought about by Adam and overturned by Jesus Christ.
Romans 5 falls into two clear segments, verses 1-11 and verses 12-21. If one understands the main theme of verses 1-11 to be “boasting” or “exulting,” the structure of these verses could be seen as follows:
If “the benefits of justification” is the theme of these verses, then the following structure would be preferred, based upon the repeated expression, “having been justified” (verses 1, 9):
Our study will follow this second outline of the structure of the text.
1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we126 have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith127 into this grace in which we stand; and we exult128 in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit129 who was given to us. 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Verses 1-11 sound somewhat like one of those $19.95 television commercials which begin by promoting such items as a salad machine. Before revealing the price, a set of knives, a glass cutter, and a 35-blade pocket knife are included—all for the remarkably low price of $19.95!
Paul begins Romans by showing the fallen condition of mankind and the righteousness of God in revealing His wrath toward sin. He then shows how God, in righteousness, has provided for man’s salvation, through the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is as though Paul is now saying, almost literally, “But wait, there’s more!” And there is more indeed. All of the blessings and benefits Paul describes here are those which accompany, and which are a result, of our justification by faith. Paul begins with the blessing of peace with God (verse 1) and ends with the praise of God (verse 11). He starts in the past, with the redemption Christ accomplished on the cross of Calvary, and ends in eternity future—in our escape from divine wrath (verse 11) and our enjoyment of the kingdom of God (verse 2).
Justification by faith might be compared to the gift of an admission ticket to Six Flags Over Texas. The admission price covers the price for all rides and amusements inside the park. So it is with justification: the atoning death of our Lord Jesus Christ purchases not only our salvation but every spiritual blessing, both now and in the future.
Chapters 3 and 4 describe the gift of justification by faith, largely in terms of the salvation it provides. Now, in these first 11 verses of Romans 5, Paul begins to expound some of the many benefits which accompany our salvation and which flow from our justification by faith. Let us consider these benefits of our justification by faith.
(1) The benefit of peace with God (verse 1). As a result of our justification by faith, Paul writes, we have “peace with God” (verse 1). “Peace with God” is very different from the “peace of God” (see Philippians 4:7). The peace “of God” is that inner tranquillity which God gives to the Christian, even when there is external turmoil. Paul himself evidences this peace as he writes Philippians. But “peace with God” is different. It is that peace which marks the end of our hostility toward God and of His hostility toward us (see Ephesians 2).
“Peace with God,” from the human point of view, is similar to propitiation, from the divine point of view. Our sin brings about divine indignation, divine wrath. The Lord Jesus Christ endured the wrath of God toward the sinner, thus satisfying and appeasing God’s wrath toward those who are in Christ by faith (see Romans 3:25). Since God’s animosity toward the believer has been appeased, God now deals graciously with those who have been justified.
From man’s point of view, the hostilities have ended. The one who has been justified by faith can now breathe a sigh of relief. The war with God is over. Peace has been declared. We have been reconciled to God. Peace is that prerequisite which is followed by many other blessings. All of the benefits described in this passage are first and foremost the result of justification and Second the result of the outgrowth of peace with God.
(2) The benefit of an introduction, by faith, into a standing in grace (verse 2a). Justification opens the door to God’s dealing with men on the basis of grace and not on the basis of works (see 4:16). Since justification is based upon the sacrificial death and righteousness of Jesus Christ, God can deal graciously with men, in spite of their sin. Justification by faith enables God to deal with men in accordance with grace, not in accordance with works. It enables God to bless men who were worthy of death and who deserve His wrath. Justification by faith gives men a place of standing, a place of security. There is no “iffyness” about our standing in grace. Because God deals with us by grace, our justification and our sanctification cannot fail, for it is contingent not upon our performance but upon His grace. And this standing in “grace,” which justification accomplishes, is merely the beginning. Paul calls it an “introduction.” Justification removes the wrath of God and gives us peace with God. We are taken out of the arena of our performance and placed in the arena of divine grace. A whole new world commences as a man is justified by faith, and as time passes, more and more of God’s plans and promises are unveiled before the wondering eyes of the believer.
(3) The benefit of the jubilant hope of a glorious conclusion (verse 2b). Justification by faith is a glorious beginning, but this same justification by faith is also the basis for our confidence in a glorious conclusion. Through the justification which God accomplishes on our behalf, we have confident assurance and joyfully exult in the “hope of the glory of God” (verse 2). The “glory of God” is the promised blessing of enjoying eternity in the presence and glory of God, in His kingdom. It is that reward offered to the righteous (2:5-10) to which all men, due to sin, have fallen short (3:23). That paradise lost by man’s sin, of which we had no human hope, is now a certainty for the one who has been justified by faith.
(4) The benefit of a jubilant hope in present tribulations130 (verses 3-8). Justification gives the Christian a glorious beginning of peace with God and of entrance into the realm of God’s grace, assuring the Christian of a glorious ending—the glory of God. But it also gives confident hope in the present, so that from beginning to end, hope characterizes the Christian life.
Paul does not speak of the present circumstances of the Christian as many religious hucksters do—of peace and prosperity, of health and wealth. Rather, Paul characterizes the normal Christian life as Jesus and the apostles did—a life in which one encounters tribulation (see Matthew 13:21; John 16:33; Acts 14:22; 2 Corinthians 4:17; 6:4; 7:4; 8:2; Colossians 1:24; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Hebrews 10:33; compare 2 Timothy 3:12).
We hardly need to be convinced to rejoice in times of peace and prosperity. But establishing that Christians can and should boast in their tribulations takes proof. Paul sets out to do just this in verses 3b-8 as he demonstrates the basis for boasting in tribulation on two different grounds. The first proof is found in verses 3b-4, where Paul informs us that we can rightly boast in what God produces in us, by means of our tribulations. The second proof is given in verses 5-8 as Paul writes of that which God has done within us, through His Holy Spirit, based upon our justification.
The Christian should rejoice in his tribulations because of what these are producing in him (verses 3b-4). Tribulation produces “perseverance.” God’s resources are more than sufficient to sustain the Christian, even as he faces adversity and difficulty. As a result, endurance over time produces perseverance—staying power. Likewise, perseverance produces “proven character.” Over a period of time, endurance becomes a state of mind and reflects one’s true character. What we really are becomes most evident in our response to adversity over the long term. Proven character, in turn, produces “hope.” Seeing that we can endure, and that our character has been strengthened in the process of facing life’s trials, we become more and more certain of the future. As we see God’s provisions for the present sustaining us, even in the most difficult circumstances, we become confident that God will surely sustain us to the end. He is the Author, the Sustainer, and the Finisher of our faith (see also Hebrews 12; James 1:2-4, 12; 1 Peter 4:12-19; 5:9-10; 2 Peter 1:3-11).
Facing tribulation might be compared to boot camp where the young recruit is taught to take orders and to obey them, under great adversity and in great personal discomfort. The recruit learns to obey, no matter what. As he does, endurance and character develop, and he gains confidence in his ability to perform his duties as a soldier. Or perhaps tribulation could be compared to jogging. In agonizing pain, our bodies cry out in protest. But when we endure, we gain strength of character and improved physical strength and stamina. We feel better and become convinced that we will benefit if we persist.
Although not emphasized here, Paul clearly is not teaching that we gain self-confidence by persevering in tribulation. Rather, we gain confidence in God as we stand amazed at His working in us. A friend related the adversity he faced while working on his car. Nothing was going right. Everything seemed to be going wrong. “Now I know I am a Christian,” he said, with great joy. “Before I was saved, I had a long list of words I used in times like these, but I don’t even use them any more!” My friend saw the change in his own life and recognized that it was the result of God’s grace. Seeing God’s grace at work in his life in times of tribulation assured him that God would finish that work in him which He had begun. And so it should be for every Christian. As our faith endures through life’s tribulations, we become more and more hopeful of that which God has promised to do in the future. Tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, proven character, and these produce hope.
Tribulation not only develops our character, it also reminds us of God’s character, bringing assurance that our hope will neither disappoint nor will it fail (verses 5-8). And the reason it does not, and cannot, fail is that it rests on the character of God Himself. Our hope is specifically backed by the love of God. God’s love was “poured out within our hearts” (verse 5) at the time of our justification by faith. It was “poured out” by the Holy Spirit, who was given to us at the time of our salvation.
As we reflect on God’s great act of love—our justification—our hope grows greater. For we see the “timing” of this act of love, which Paul urges us to consider. It was the “right time,” when we were “helpless” and “ungodly” (verse 6). Christ loved us “while we were sinners,” while we were worthy only of His eternal wrath. It is unlikely that one would be willing to die for a righteous man. Perhaps, though, one might be willing to die for a “good” man.131 But our Lord died for the unrighteous and the no-good. “While we were yet sinners,” Christ died for us (verse 8, emphasis mine). Now we begin to comprehend that the love of God was dramatically displayed in our justification. His love was poured out in our hearts. And this same love assures us of the hope we have in God’s future promises being fulfilled.
9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
In many ways, verses 9-11 simply continue the theme of the benefits of justification. Some interesting changes do occur, however. Verse 1 began, “Therefore having been justified by faith …” Verse 9 reads a little differently: “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” Let us carefully note the changes which can be briefly summarized.
(1) Verse 9 exchanges the “therefore” of verse 1 for the expression, “much more then.” This change is based upon the argument Paul has just laid down in verses 6-8. If God demonstrates His love for us while we were yet sinners, surely God’s love for us will be even more evident as His children, by faith. The benefits of justification are spoken of now as even more certain. The “now,” not found in verse 1 but added in verse 9, furthers this same argument. If God did so much for us then, out of love, how much more will He do for us now?
(2) Verse 1 speaks of our justification as the result of faith; verse 9 speaks of justification as the result of the redemptive work of Christ—“by His blood.” While both are true, Paul is now stressing that our justification originates with God, as a demonstration of His love. How incomprehensible! That which God did for us, out of His love, was at the cost of the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
(3) Verse 2 spoke of the Christian’s exultation in the hope of heaven, “the glory of God”; verse 9 speaks of being spared “from the wrath of God.” Verse 2 speaks of the positive hope of heaven; verse 9 speaks of the avoidance of hell.
(4) In verse 1 Paul speaks of the believer’s peace with God; in verse 11 Paul speaks of the believer’s exulting in God. It is one thing to cease to dread the wrath of God; it is quite another to delight in God. The former seeks to avoid God’s presence; the latter seeks to draw near to Him, in adoration, love, and praise.
(5) The Christian’s hope in present tribulations is the dominant thrust of verses 1-8, while the dominant thrust of verses 9-11 is the Christian’s hope of deliverance from the tribulation of God’s future wrath.
Justification by faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ brings about even greater blessings described in verses 9-11. Justification, based upon the shed blood of Jesus Christ, assures the Christian that God’s wrath has been satisfied, that the penalty for sin has been paid and we no longer need fear divine condemnation. Through faith in the work of Christ, we are saved from the coming wrath of God (verse 9).
The basis for the confidence of verse 9 is given in verse 10. We were enemies of God, yet we were reconciled to God through the death of Jesus Christ. Now, having been reconciled by His death, we are free to enjoy the benefits of His life. If by His death we were reconciled, surely by His life we will be saved from wrath. The death of Christ was an event in time and history with great benefits for the believer. But the life of our Lord is endless, and the benefits of His life hold promise of even greater things in store.
Based upon the redemptive death of our Lord, Jesus Christ, verse 11 concludes by pointing to the exultation which the Christian has in God. If our sin and God’s righteousness caused us to avoid God (as Adam and Eve hid from Him in the Garden of Eden), the death of Christ took away this fear, because justification produced peace with God. The life of our Lord now causes us to delight in God and in His presence. Now we boast in Him. As a result, we find God Himself our great reward. All of this has been accomplished through the cross of Calvary. And all of this is the result of justification.
Several very important truths emerge from our study, along with some practical implications.
(1) The work of Jesus Christ on Calvary is the basis of all spiritual blessings. The prerequisite and basis for all spiritual blessings is justification. For the believer, the work of our Lord Jesus Christ is the well from which are drawn all of the blessings of God. In Christ, God has chosen to save the world and to bless believers. Jesus Christ and His work are central; they are the core of all that is important. He is the Author and the Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). For now, and in eternity, He is the source of our blessings. He should be the focus of our attention, our adoration, and our obedience. He alone should be the subject of our boasting:
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body the fulness of Him who fills all in all (Ephesians 1:18-23).
For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19).
And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fulness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach (Colossians 1:17-22).
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf, and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:1-3).
If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4).
Why, if Christ is our righteousness, our Savior, our sufficiency, our source of all spiritual blessings, do some Christians keep looking inward, rather than upward? Why are we so intent on our self-concept—if our salvation, our security, and our blessings are all found in Him? Can it be that we have subtly been turned from Christ in our attention, our focus, and our devotion? I fear this is so. It is not in understanding ourselves that we find it possible to understand God, but in focusing upon Him that we begin to understand ourselves.
Since Christ is the source of all spiritual blessings, then rejecting Him is renouncing and rejecting all the blessings which He alone provides. How tragic the loss if you have rejected the salvation God has made available in Christ! This need not be so. Will you not consider His death on the cross of Calvary which has paid the debt of your sin? Will you not accept the righteousness God has provided in Christ and be justified “by His blood,” saved from the wrath of God through Him?
I find in Paul’s words here, a focus upon the work of Christ at Calvary, not on the individual conversions of the justified. In a previous lesson, I urged Christians to consider their origin, their beginnings. Here I must emphasize that our focus should not be so much on our conversion experience as on the redemption event, the cross of Christ.
A well-known Christian teacher has urged people to “drive a stake” by a commitment of faith. If doubts arise in the future, they can go back to the stake they have driven. This is wrong! We dare not go back to our experience or to what we have done. We must always go all the way back, to the cross, for this is the source of our salvation and our security. The work of Christ, and its benefits, is Paul’s emphasis. May our emphasis be the same.
(2) Our text teaches that Christ’s work is not only the basis for all our spiritual blessings but also assurance of the certainty and security of all these blessings. God’s love in Christ is the assurance of our hope. Our hope rests in Him and in His work—and thus our hope is certain and secure. Hope is not mere wishful thinking, but assurance, based upon God:
For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers (1 Timothy 4:10).
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:5-7).
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God (1 Peter 1:18-21).
The world in which we live exists from day to day on hype, not on hope. Hype promises much, but it delivers little. Hype sustains for a moment, but it fails with time and scrutiny. Hype always sounds too good to be true, and it is. Hope is solidly based upon who God is, on what He has done, and on what He has said. That for which we hope in God is even better than we could ever think, imagine, or ask:
but just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND WHICH HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21).
Christian hope is that blessed assurance which no unbeliever can experience. It is, however, something which the Christian can demonstrate and explain:
But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence, and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong (1 Peter 3:14-17).
(3) Christian hope, in the Lord, is not only demonstrated by our endurance in the midst of tribulation, but tribulation actually strengthens our hope. Unlike the misguided and deceiving “good-life gospelizers,” Paul does not sell hope by promising peace and prosperity—a beef steak on every plate and two Mercedes in every garage (beside the pool). Paul says that Christian hope is developed, and God’s love is displayed, in the context of tribulation! Who would ever have thought of this? But it is true. When prosperity comes our way, our hope and affections too often become fixed on the blessings, rather than on the one who blesses, God Himself (see Deuteronomy 8:11-20; 1 Timothy 6:17). When adversity comes our way, we are cast upon God, upon His work, and upon His promises. Who could ask for anything more than this? In such times of trial and testing the love of God, displayed so dramatically on Mount Calvary, is brought to our hearts and minds. Hope which does not fail in tribulation will not fail at all!
Many Christians want God to prosper them, to give them hope. But God sends adversity, which produces hope. Many want God to give them hope so they can endure the tribulations of life. But God gives us the tribulations of life to produce endurance and hope in us. Many want God to prosper them so they will be assured of His love. But God assures us of His love by the cross of Calvary and in the times of our deepest difficulties. How God’s ways surpass our own!
Pressing still further, the tribulations of life actually create in the believer a hunger for heaven:
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
(4) The goal of our hope is the praise of God—our boasting in Him. The last words of our passage tell us that because of our justification by faith, we “exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation” (Romans 5:11). The blessings God bestows upon us are not intended solely to bless us; they are intended to also produce praise toward God. All too often we view God’s actions from a man-centered point of view. We look at God as though His primary purpose is to “meet our needs” and to bring us joy and happiness. God’s purpose in the world is to demonstrate His glory and to promote His praises. For men, this would be a selfish goal. But not for God; it is for His glory and our highest good.
(5) The blessings resulting from justification are not expounded until after the redemptive work of Christ. The blessings God has in store are not expounded to the unbeliever but to the Christian (note the “we” throughout our text). Why, in our efforts to evangelize the lost, do we emphasize the fringe benefits of justification by faith, rather than justification itself? I fear it is because we are trying to “market” the gospel rather than to preach and proclaim it. I am concerned that we “tempt” people with the benefits of belief in Christ more than we confront them with the straight truth of the gospel, relying on God to convince and convert them.
Let us not forget that in the Gospel of John our Lord promised His disciples that the Holy Spirit would “convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment” (John 16:8). These are the truths we should be proclaiming to lost men. The benefits of justification are those treasures which believers will continue to discover and explore all of their lives, indeed, throughout all eternity. Let us learn from Paul that the true gospel is the message of God’s righteousness, of man’s sin, and of God’s provision through Jesus Christ. The love of God and the blessings of justification can only be understood and experienced by those who have first accepted Christ and have experienced justification by faith. Have you accepted the salvation God has made available in Christ and been justified by faith in Him? May you do so today.
126 The emphasis is now on all Christians, as a whole, and not on Jews and Gentiles. In previous chapters there was a strong emphasis on “they” and “you,” or on Jews and Gentiles. Here, Paul deals with all believers, because the gospel removes all distinctions. Having shown all men to be sinners, Gentiles and Jews, and all to be saved, by faith, without distinction, Paul now refuses to speak of Jewish believers and Gentile believers. Now, it is simply “we.”
127 Paul mentions faith for the last time in verse 2, until it is taken up again in 9:30. Faith, so important to our salvation and Christian life, is nevertheless set aside as a dominant theme in chapters 5-8.
128 The term rendered “exult” here is most often rendered “boast” elsewhere. The term is found three times in our text. Each time, the NASB renders it “exult.” The NIV renders it “rejoice.” The King James Versions renders it “rejoice” (verse 2), “glory” (verse 3), and “joy” (verse 11). It is most important to remember that Paul uses this term in context. Previously, Paul has spoken of that boasting of men in their own achievements, which is improper (see 2:23; 3:27; 4:2). Now, Paul speaks of that boasting (exulting or rejoicing) in God, which is not only proper, but necessary (5:2, 3, 11).
129 All three persons of the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—are referred to in our text.
130 Note the use of the plural here: “tribulations.” I take it that by using the plural, Paul is suggesting that tribulation in this life is not the exception but the rule.
131 It is interesting to note the way Paul distinguishes between a “righteous man” and a “good man.” The “good man” is obviously a better man than a “righteous man.” We might call the “good man” a “good old boy.” Given the “self-righteous” whom Paul has been indicting, the “righteous man” is not spoken of in a very flattering way, and rightly so. No matter how “righteous” some may feel themselves to be, others do not look on them as “good.”
My wife and I watched with fascination as the impact of one man upon the world was being described on television. The man was Christopher Columbus. According to research, Columbus was responsible for introducing many new things to America: horses, cattle, pigs, goats, and, if I recall correctly, small pox. Columbus brought not only some of Europe to America, he also took some things from America back to Europe. Among these were smoking and syphilis. Whether for the good of mankind or for his detriment, this one man made a great impact on his world.
Over the centuries of mankind’s history, many men and women have significantly impacted the destiny of those who followed after them. None, however, has had greater impact than Adam, the first man. In our text, Paul shows just how great the impact of Adam’s “fall” has been upon mankind. Paul stresses this impact to demonstrate that in spite of the curse, which Adam’s sin brought upon the human race, God has provided a cure in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
To the unbeliever, this passage promises and offers not only the forgiveness of sins, but a new beginning, in Christ. To the Christian, there are no more encouraging words than those found here. These words speak not only of the salvation which God has accomplished for us, in Christ, they also lay the foundation for the next section of Romans in chapters 6-8, for the basis for sanctification is found in the truths which Paul expounds here. The words of our text are words of life and hope for all mankind.
After explaining his relationship to those at Rome, his desire to visit them, and his purpose for writing this epistle (1:1-17), Paul sets forth the great dilemma: the righteousness of God and the rottenness of men (1:18–3:20). In His righteousness, God must condemn sinners. In his rottenness, every human being, Jew or Gentile, is under divine condemnation because each has rejected that revelation of God which he or she has received. The solution to this dilemma is the cross of Calvary. There, Jesus Christ took upon Himself the sins of the world and bore the righteous wrath of God for sinners. God’s righteous anger was thereby satisfied, and there His righteousness was made available to all men, through faith in Jesus Christ.
Viewed from a divine perspective, salvation was provided by God through Jesus Christ so that God’s righteousness might be revealed (3:21-26). This righteousness is imputed to men on the basis of faith, not works, as seen in the biblical account of Abraham’s life (Romans 4:1-25). The account of Abraham’s faith reveals that he was saved by faith alone, apart from works, and at a time when he was uncircumcised and thus, a Gentile. His faith, like ours, was in a God who had the power to raise the dead.
In Romans 5, Paul views the justification of men by faith from yet another, much broader, perspective. Paul first portrays man’s salvation as the grounds for exultation and boasting in 5:1-11. We may boast, confident in the certainty of entering into the “hope of the glory of God” (verses 1-2). We may boast even in our present tribulations, assured of God’s love, on the basis of Christ’s death, and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit (verses 3-10). We may finally boast in God, through the person and work of Jesus Christ (3:11).
In Romans 5:12-21, Paul views salvation from the curse of Adam to God’s cure in Christ. Adam’s one act of disobedience brought both sin and death upon mankind. Christ’s one act of obedience, on the cross of Calvary, brought about the solution to this curse. The work of Christ offers all men not only the promise of the forgiveness of their sins, but a new identity and a new beginning, in Christ.
Our text falls into three sections. Verses 12-14 describe the similarity between the act of Adam and that of Christ. Both men are “federal heads” of mankind, whose actions affect all men.132 Verses 15-17 emphasize the many significant contrasts between the act of Adam and the act of our Lord. The similarity between these two men is the basis for the work of our Lord. The differences between them are the basis for His becoming the cure for the curse which Adam brought upon the human race. Verses 18-21 sum up the results of the work of our Lord, in relation to those which stem from the action of Adam. Paul also defines the role which the Law played, in relation to man’s sin and God’s grace.
We can therefore summarize the structure of our text as follows:
(1) The link between Adam and Christ (verses 12-14)
(2) Distinctions between Adam and Christ (verses 15-17)
(3) Christ’s work, man’s sin, and the Law (verses 18-21)
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—13 for until the Law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
Paul sets out to establish two very important connections in these verses. The first link is that between Adam and mankind. The second is between Adam and Jesus Christ. These connections are essential, for they explain the way in which God purposed to save men from their sins. In particular, the work of Christ is presented as the reversal of the work of Adam. The curse which Adam brought on the human race has its cure in Christ.
Adam was regarded, rightly so, as the source of sin’s entrance into the world. With his act of disobedience, sin first entered human history. No believer would disagree with this. But Adam’s sin did much more than this—it brought guilt upon all mankind. Adam’s sin and resulting guilt was imputed to all his descendants. Adam sinned, and because of this he died. Adam sinned, and because of this, all men die. All men die because they sinned, in Adam.
Adam’s sin, along with its guilt and penalty, was imputed to all those who were born of Adam. Adam’s sin and death were imputed to mankind, for all mankind have come from Adam. In some way that is difficult to understand, all mankind sinned in and with Adam.133
Paul explains this more fully in verse 13. “The wages of sin is death,” both for Adam (Genesis 2:16-17) and for all others (Romans 6:23). All those who lived from the time of Adam until the time of Moses, when the Law was given, died. They did not die, Paul tells us, because of their own sins, for the Law was not yet given, and their sins were not a transgression of God’s commandments. Sin existed in those days, but it was not imputed, because there was no law. Why then did all those from Adam to Moses die? Because they all sinned, in Adam, and were therefore guilty and worthy of death.
It is very important that we understand what Paul is not saying here, as well as what he is saying. Paul is not saying that we all sin because Adam sinned, though this is true.134 Paul is saying that we all sinned when Adam sinned. Paul is saying that we are all guilty of sin, in Adam, and thus we fall under the divine death penalty. The period of time between Adam and Moses best demonstrates this, because those who died during this time period did not have their own sins imputed to them.
The point then is this: Adam’s sin and its consequences included and involved the entire human race. This does not really sound fair, does it? Come on, admit it. This sounds, at first, like a terrible injustice. Why should we suffer because of Adam?
There is a solution to our problem. First, we must understand and interpret Paul’s words here in the light of what he has already written. Men are not guilty sinners only because Adam sinned, corrupting and implicating the rest of the human race. Paul has already taught in chapters 1-3 that all men, without exception, are guilty sinners, because each of us is guilty of unbelief and disobedience toward God. All men have received some revelation about God from His creation. Some men have the added revelation of God’s Law. But regardless of how much men have had revealed to them about God, they have rejected Him and refused to worship or to obey Him. As a result, Paul has said, all men are guilty sinners, worthy of death.
Are we guilty sinners because Adam sinned? Yes, we are. But we are also guilty sinners because we have sinned. We are not under divine condemnation only because Adam sinned; we are condemned as sinners because we have sinned. Adam sinned, and we are guilty (Romans 5:12-14). All have sinned and are also guilty (Romans 3:23).
Does the curse of sin on the entire human race, due to the act of one man, trouble us? Then we must press on to the second link which Paul makes in our text. Not only is there a link between Adam’s sin and mankind’s universal guilt, there is a link between Adam and Christ. In verse 14, Paul informs us that Adam “is a type of Him who was to come.” Adam is a type of Christ.135
What seems to be bad news becomes very good news. There is a correspondence between Adam and Christ. Adam, we are told, is like Christ. It is this likeness, this link, which enabled our Lord Jesus Christ to die on Calvary, and to rise from the dead, and in so doing to free men from the curse brought upon them by Adam. Adam’s curse has its cure, in Christ, who is like Adam in some way. Before Paul will play out this “likeness,” he will first show how our Lord was distinct from Adam. It is in His “unlikeness” as well as in His “likeness” that our Lord provided men with the opportunity to be saved from their sins.
15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. 17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
If the link between Adam and our Lord is established clearly in verses 12-14, the distinctions are emphatically put forward in verses 15-17. Verse 15 begins with the word “But,” informing us at the outset that Paul is changing his focus, from the similarity between Adam and Christ to the distinctions between these two. Twice, in verses 15-17, the expression, “is not like” is found (verses 15 and 16). What delightful differences these are, between Adam and our Lord. Let us briefly consider them, as explained by Paul.
Christ’s work is distinguished from Adam’s in that His work is referred to as a “gift,” while Adam’s work is summed up in the term “transgression” (verse 15). Adam’s act was a transgression, bringing guilt to mankind and its penalty of death. Christ’s act was one flowing from God’s grace and resulting in grace to men. The first distinction between the work of Adam and the work of Christ is the difference between guilt and grace.
In verse 16, Paul adds two more distinctions between Adam and Christ. Adam’s act was but one act of sin and disobedience. Our Lord’s act involved many sins. Adam’s act was one sin that made the many sinners. Christ’s act was one act, but in this one gracious act, our Lord gathered up all the sins of mankind and died for them. Furthermore, while Adam’s sinful act resulted in the condemnation of all mankind, our Lord’s act resulted in the justification of men.
In verse 17, two further distinctions are presented by Paul. The first distinction is indicated by the expression, “much more.” The action of our Lord is greater than that of Adam.136 This becomes more evident in the light of the next distinction, which we find in this verse. Adam’s sin led to the “reign of death.” Adam’s sin brought sin and death upon all men. Christ’s act brings about the “reign of righteousness in life.” Adam’s sin brought life to an end; Christ’s act dethrones death and enthrones righteousness, which is evidenced in life. And since this life is eternal life, righteousness will reign forever. Adam’s sin ends life; Christ’s act extends life, forever, as a context in which righteousness will reign.
Whatever the similarity may be between Adam and Christ, the distinctions are far greater. Both the link and the distinctions between Adam and Christ make it possible for Christ to act in such a way as to undo the damage done by Adam and to shower upon men grace in place of guilt, righteousness in place of sin, and life in place of death.
18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The link between Adam and Christ is that both persons, though one man, have acted in a way that affects all men. Adam sinned, and his transgression brought condemnation upon all men. Christ’s act was one of righteousness, resulting in justification and life. Adam’s disobedience makes sinners of many; Christ’s obedience will make many righteous.
Having summed up the impact of Adam and Christ, Paul returns to the subject of the Law. Already Paul has said that those who lived before the Law (from Adam until Moses, verse 14) died because they sinned in Adam. Sin is not imputed to men without law (verse 13). The absence of the Law, for those who lived before the giving of the Law, was a kind of blessing. Without the Law, sin, other than that of their sin in Adam, was not imputed to them. Now, Paul must pick up the subject of the Law and its impact on men after it was given.
The giving of the Law did not solve the problem of sin. The Law was not given in order to reduce or remove sin but to increase it. While this sounds incredible, this is exactly what Paul says. And the reason: so that grace could surpass sin, abounding to men in righteousness and salvation. The Law increased sin, our Lord Jesus bore the penalty of that sin, and the grace of God is multiplied. The Law was not to deliver men from sin but to declare men sinners so that the sin introduced by Adam could be remedied in Christ.
How differently things look now! It first appeared that God might be unfair, condemning us as sinners, in Adam. But now we see this was in order that He might receive us as saints, in Christ. If the imputation of Adam’s sin to all mankind resulted in condemnation, the imputation of Christ’s righteousness results in justification. The means for man’s justification is the same as the means for man’s condemnation—imputation. The work of one man both condemns and saves men.
How Paul’s words must have shaken those self-righteous Jews, who believed they were righteous by virtue of their identification with Abraham and their possession of the Law. Being of the physical seed of Abraham did not save anyone. Being of the physical seed of Adam, however, condemned them. They were not righteous, in Abraham, but they were sinners, in Adam. And since Adam was the head of the whole human race, there is no distinction between Jews and Gentiles. Every son of Adam is a sinner, guilty, condemned, and subject to the death penalty.137 Being a “son of Abraham” did not change this.
Possessing the Law was no salvation for the Jews. The Law did not remedy the problem of sin but only caused sin to increase so that the problem became more dramatically evident. The Law not only increased sin; it made sin a personal matter. Now, those under the Law were not only sinners, in Adam, they were shown to be sinners on their own merits. Not only were the Jews guilty sinners, in Adam, they were also guilty sinners, on their own, as defined by the Law. The Law did not deliver any from sin, but it did declare many to be sinners. In these verses, Paul knocks the props out from under Jewish pride and boasting, in Abraham and in having the Law. If the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah, they rejected the only cure for the curse. Only Jesus could reverse the curse and make sinners saints. For them to reject Christ was to be left guilty, in Adam.
When the apostle Paul presented Christ as the cure for the curse of mankind, brought about by Adam’s sin, he removed all basis for boasting and pride. Those who are sinners, in Adam, can hardly boast about this. Those who are saved, in Christ, are saved by the work of the Lord Jesus and thus can take no credit themselves. As James Stifler writes,
Adam is a figure of Christ in just this respect: that as his one sin brought death to all, even when there was no personal sin, so Christ’s one act of obedience brings unfailing righteousness to those who are in Him, even when they have no personal righteousness.138
Contextually, Romans 5:12-21 serves a very important purpose. It lays the groundwork for Paul’s teaching on sanctification in Romans 6-8. If the work of Christ provides sinful men with a solution to the problem of God’s righteous wrath, it also provides men with a solution to the problem of the reign of sin and death.
Because of our own fallenness, we even tend to look at the work of Christ in a selfish, self-centered way. We who are saved delight in the certainty that, in Christ, our individual sins are forgiven. Our past, present, and future sins are all forgiven in Him, because of His death, burial, and resurrection on our behalf. But Christ’s work does much more than give us the forgiveness of our sins; by means of the cross, He has also provided freedom from the dominion of sin. This freedom from the reign of sin is the subject of Romans 6-8.
We might say that the work of Adam was a bad beginning for the whole human race. But the work of our Lord Jesus Christ offers men a new beginning. Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection does much more than to allow us to go on living just as we have in the past, but knowing that the sins we commit are forgiven. The work of our Lord makes it both necessary and possible for us to begin living in a whole new way, not as the servants of sin, but as the servants of righteousness. The work of our Lord not only forgives the sins of our past, it wipes out our past, and gives us a new future. What hope and encouragement for the sinner! In Christ, God offers men a whole new life, a new beginning, a fresh start. What good news this is—to the ears of a repentant sinner.
Taken in a broader perspective, Romans 5:12-21 explains much about the coming of our Lord. How important, and how fascinating some elements of the gospel accounts become when we see our Lord’s coming as being for the purpose of offering a cure for the curse which came through Adam. Was Adam a man? So Jesus was a man as well. The genealogies of the gospels make a point of this, and Luke specifies that Jesus was both the “son of Adam” and the “son of God” (Luke 4:38). While Adam brought sin upon the world, our Lord was proven to be without sin, so that He could die in the sinner’s place (2 Corinthians 5:21, see also Hebrews 4:15; 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5). While Adam was only a man, who could bring the guilt of sin on the world, Jesus was the God-man, whose righteousness could be imputed to men, by faith (Romans 3:21-22). Adam was tempted and failed (Genesis 3), but Jesus, though tempted, resisted sin (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). All of the “sons of Adam” are born sinners; Jesus was the “seed of the woman” (Genesis 3:15), and His conception and birth were of divine origin, through the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:34-35). Every aspect of Jesus’ birth, coming, life, death, and resurrection corresponded to that which was necessary, due to Adam’s sin, to save the human race.
By implication, a number of important principles become evident and are exemplified in our text. As we conclude, let us consider four of these principles.
(1) God takes sin seriously. Throughout the Bible, and in the world about us, men are constantly trying to minimize sin and its consequences. But the Bible constantly emphasizes the seriousness of sin. Our text dramatically illustrates the seriousness of sin. Look at the devastation one sin brought to the human race: Adam’s sin brought about his own death, but it also condemned all mankind to death. Who can say that sin is not serious?
Adam’s transgression was not even such that most people would call it sin. At best, men might look upon Adam’s sin as a misdemeanor, something as evil as spitting on the sidewalk (still illegal in some towns and cities, I am told). Adam simply ate the fruit of a tree.139 What was the problem? The problem was that God had commanded Adam not to eat of the tree (Genesis 2:16-17). An act which men would hardly even think of as sin becomes the cause of man’s downfall. God does take sin very seriously, and so must we.
It is not surprising that those who deny Jesus Christ as God’s Savior would tend to minimize sin. But it is greatly disappointing that Christians do likewise. Why do many of us ignore some of God’s commands—because we do not think they apply to us, or because we disagree with God’s commands, or simply because we do not want to obey? Here is but one illustration. The Bible has some very clear words to the church about the role which women should play in relation to their husbands. Why has the majority of Christendom found compelling reasons to utterly ignore such commands, as though they did not exist? God does not command us to do those things with which we agree, or in the doing of which we find good reason to obey. God tests our obedience by commanding us to do that which is contrary to our intellect, emotions, and will but which is consistent with His character and His Word. Let us beware of setting aside God’s commands. Adam did, and we died. Jesus was obedient, and thus we live.
(2) Our identity is found either in Adam or in Christ. Self-esteem has become the watchword of our age. Sin is now defined by at least one preacher as poor self-esteem. Sinful acts are said to be rooted in poor self-esteem. The highest good seems to be to have a “good self-image.” And thus the world, joined by many Christians, occupies itself by constantly looking backward and inward, into self, to develop a healthy self-love. Paul will have none of this. For Paul, looking backward, even to those things in which he once took great pride, meant he now saw them as dung (Philippians 3).
Ultimately, our identity and our worth are wrapped up in one of two persons: Adam or Christ. All that we are in and of ourselves, we are in Adam. We may contemplate and fabricate our own worth as much as we like, but we are, in Adam, sinners, worthy of death. Why do we keep trying to make something good of something the Bible calls bad? The identity of the Christian is in Christ. Let us dwell upon Him. Let us look to Him. Let us keep Him central in our hearts and minds. This is the consistent exhortation of the Word of God, and especially of the New Testament epistles.
(3) Those who are the victims of Adam’s sin are also guilty of personal sin, of their own doing. The word “victim” is rapidly becoming one of the most popular terms in our English vocabulary. We are considered victims of an infinite array of abuses. As “victims” we are absolved of all guilt and responsibility. We not only are justified in blaming others, we are urged to do so. We are told we are victims, and thus we say, “It isn’t my fault, I was victimized.”
In one sense, all mankind is the victim of Adam’s sin. But let us remember that while Paul seems to speak of mankind as a victim of Adam’s sin in Romans 5, he also says that we sinned in Adam. We are not relieved of our own guilt and culpability in the matter of sin. Even those who lived before the Law was given were sinners. We who have the full revelation of God in Christ and in His Word are even more accountable. But beyond this, we must not forget that in Romans 1-3 Paul finds every man guilty before God, not because of what Adam did, but because each individual has rejected the revelation of God given to him or to her. Yes, we are guilty because Adam sinned (Romans 5), but we are also guilty because we have sinned (Romans 1-3, especially 3:23).
In Romans Paul does not dwell on men as victims but on men as responsible individuals. We are, first, responsible for our decision concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are, as Christians, responsible for our actions. Let us not over-emphasize the victim aspect of life but rather the fact that in Christ we are victors, “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37).
(4) Birth is both the cause and the cure for man’s sin. In studying this Romans passage, it occurred to me that perhaps no other New Testament text better explains the words of our Lord, spoken to Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). John introduced this man Nicodemus as a “Pharisee” and as a “ruler of the Jews” (John 3:1), but Jesus referred to him as, “the teacher of Israel” (3:10). No doubt this teacher, this renowned teacher, had taught about Adam, about his fall, and the downfall of the human race. But Nicodemus, if he was like the rest of the Pharisees, trusted in his physical descent from Abraham and in the possession of the Law. What a shock it must have been for Nicodemus when Jesus told him that entrance into God’s kingdom required a second birth!
Yet this expression, “born again,” should not have been a foreign thought to Nicodemus. It should have caused him to think in those terms in which Paul is speaking in Romans 5. How was it that the human race fell into sin? It was on account of Adam. But how did each individual fall under the curse? It was by being born. Birth made one a son of Adam and thus a sinner (see David’s words in Psalm 51:5-7). The solution to the guilt of sin, encountered at birth, was another birth, a second birth. In order to be saved, men must exchange their identity with Adam (by which they are condemned) to an identity with Christ (by which they are justified). As birth was the source of a man’s sin, so another birth is the solution.
This is what the gospel is all about. Jesus Christ came to the earth to offer men a cure for the curse which Adam’s sin brought upon all mankind. The gospel confronts us with a choice. Will we remain in Adam, subject to the penalty of death? Or will we accept God’s provision for a new identity, in Christ? Being “born again” is our Lord’s way of speaking of that point in a person’s life when they acknowledge their own sin, their own guilt, and the just sentence upon them of death. It is ceasing to trust in what we are and clinging to who Jesus Christ is. It is finding our identity in Christ, rather than in Adam. It is turning from condemnation to justification, from death to life, and from Adam to Jesus Christ.
Have you been born again? As it was necessary for Nicodemus, a famous religious leader and teacher, it is necessary for you. Will you choose death or life, Adam or Christ? There is no more important decision you will ever make than this. The salvation which God has offered in Jesus Christ is not automatic. It must be received (Romans 5:17). Receive it today.
132 I have chosen my words carefully here. While the sin of Adam brings sin and condemnation upon all men, the death of Christ does not save all men. Paul clearly states in verse 17 that the blessings which are the outflow of the work of our Lord are for those who receive them, in and through Christ. I do believe, however, that there are certain aspects of our Lord’s work on Calvary which affect all men. For example, I believe that His resurrection from the dead is the basis for the resurrection of all mankind, some to everlasting life, and others to everlasting torment (see John 5:28-29; Revelation 20).
133 An illustration of the concept of federal headship can be found in Hebrews 7, where Aaron and his descendants (the Levitical priesthood) are said to have paid tribute to the greater priesthood in Abraham, when he gave a tithe to Melchizedek. In Abraham, the Levitical priesthood offered a tithe to Melchizedek, acknowledging the superiority of this priesthood over their own.
134 Our sin nature is the result of Adam’s sin, and thus, we sin because we are sinners, thanks to Adam.
135 Adam is the only person who is specifically identified as a type of Christ in the Bible. While others, like Joseph, Moses, and even Jonah, may have served as types in certain regards, only Adam is identified as such in God’s Word. Isaac is the only other person who is spoken of as a type (Hebrews 11:19). His return to his father, as one who seemed doomed to death, was a type of the resurrection of our Lord.
136 Allow me to illustrate this by likening the work of Adam to the captain of the Valdez and the work of Christ to the clean-up operation. It really was not that hard to run the oil tanker aground, to rupture the ship’s storage tanks, and to contaminate a vast area. What was hard was cleaning up the mess. Adam’s sin was like the grounding of the ship. Christ’s work will bring about a perfect “clean-up.” Christ’s work is vastly greater than that of Adam’s, just as the work of the clean-up crews is much greater than that of one man, the captain of the Valdez.
137 I understand Paul’s reference to death to include both physical and spiritual death.
138 James A. Stifler, The Epistle to the Romans (Chicago: Moody Press, 1960), p. 97.
139 Let me suggest a matter for further thought. In our text, it is Adam’s sin to which Paul refers, not that of Eve, even though Eve first ate the fruit. Why did Paul not blame Eve, like Adam did? In 1 Timothy 3, Paul tells us that Eve was deceived. Here, perhaps, Paul focuses on Adam as the transgressor, since he is the one to whom the commandment was given (see Genesis 2:16-17). Paul seems to be very consistent with his premise that guilt is only imputed to those who have received God’s commandment.
Chuck, a friend of mine who is an Air Force doctor, was based during his residency in the middle of the Mojave Desert. There in the desert Chuck loved to ride his motorcycle. While riding alone one day, he crashed, breaking his leg. To get the medical attention he needed, Chuck was forced to ride his motorcycle back to the base. But there were problems: his hand brake had broken off in the crash, and his broken leg was on the side of the footbrake. Chuck finally made it back to the base, but he could not and he did not stop at the gate. As he slowly passed by, the sergeant standing guard naturally felt compelled to stop him. Chuck was not in uniform when the guard caught up with him and began to flaunt his authority, rebuking him for not stopping.
In pain, Chuck had finally taken enough, and with his southern drawl he interrupted the Sergeant: “Now, just hold on, Sahgent. Befoe you go on, I think there are three things you ‘otta know. First, Ah’m a Majah. Second, Ah’m a doctah. And, third, Ah’ve got a broken leg.” “Yes, Sir!” the Sergeant responded, “Let me help you to the hospital!”
There are times when knowing a few facts can have great impact on our decisions and our actions. Most of us have “gone off half-cocked,” only to discover later that we acted without some very pertinent information. In our text, Paul is pointing out to his Roman readers some very important facts they must know,140 which will serve as the basis for their lifestyle.
The verses in our lesson (6:1-14), and their context of chapters 5-8, deal with one of the most important aspects of the Christian life—the subject of sanctification.141 Perhaps no other epistle in the New Testament is more thorough on the subject of sanctification than Paul is here.142 An accurate understanding and implementation of these verses is vital. Paul’s own words in our passage indicate that it is not difficult for the Christian to take a biblical truth to a most unbiblical extreme in practice. The doctrine of the spiritual life is not just controversial; it is a doctrine which is often not biblically based. We must make it a matter of diligent in-depth personal study, meditation, and prayer.
I strongly urge you to devote yourself to an intense personal study of Paul’s words here in Romans, as well as in other biblical texts. I also encourage you to read and study chapters 5-8 as a whole and discourage you from the study of any text in isolation. Let us look to the Lord to speak to us in our study, through the ministry of the Word and His Spirit. Let us be eager to learn what He will teach us about the spiritual life.
This lesson will begin with an overview of the Book of Romans, up to our text and on through chapter 8. We will also briefly outline the structure of our text before considering it a section at a time. Finally, we will seek to identify the message of the text and some of the principles and areas of application found here.
The classic structural division of Romans 1-8 is usually as follows:
(1) Romans 1:1-17 — Introduction
(2) Romans 1:18–3:20 — Condemnation
(3) Romans 3:21–5:21 — Justification
(4) Romans 6:1–8:39 — Sanctification
The more I have considered the Book of Romans in our study, I have come to view the division of the chapters a little differently. The major difference centers around the role of Romans 5. While chapter 5 may serve as a conclusion to Paul’s teaching on justification by faith,143 it is clearly the introduction to Paul’s teaching on sanctification.
Several reasons exist for my change of mind regarding the structure of chapters 1-8 in relation to chapter 5:
(1) Romans 5:1-11 introduces the subject matter Paul deals with in chapters 6-8. At the beginning of chapter 5, Paul instructs us that we have an “introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand” and that we “exult in hope of the glory of God” (verse 2). Paul concludes the section in Romans 8 by himself exulting in our standing and in the certainty of the “glory of God” which is to come. In Romans 5:3-10, Paul speaks of exulting in our tribulations, discussed again in greater detail in chapter 8. The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer, introduced in Romans 5:5, becomes a dominant theme in Romans 8. A strong sense of continuity exists between the subject matter of chapters 5 and 8.
(2) Romans 5 lays the foundation for what is taught in chapters 6-8. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ does much more than to forgive individuals of their sins and to assure them of eternity in heaven. The work of our Lord at Calvary is the basis for the restoration of the whole world and for the establishment of God’s promised kingdom on earth. Romans 5:1-11 looks primarily at the believer’s present exultation in tribulation and at his hope of the glory of God in the future. Romans 5:12-21 establishes the future restoration of God’s creation on the relationship between Adam and Christ. As Adam’s act brought sin, death, and chaos into the world, infecting every human being, so Christ’s act at Calvary is the basis for the solution. Apart from the foundation laid in Romans 5, nothing spoken of in Romans 6-8 would be possible. Thus, Romans 5 is closely linked with Romans 6-8.
(3) The major transitions from chapters 1-4 and 6-8 occur in chapter 5. The specter which hangs over men’s heads in Romans 1-4 is the righteous wrath of God. Man need not dread the specter which hangs over men’s heads in the wrath of God because His wrath was satisfied at Calvary, in the death of Jesus Christ. All who believe in Jesus Christ by faith are justified by faith and saved from the wrath of God. The specter found in chapters 5-8 is the reign of sin and death, brought upon the world by Adam. The righteous act of our Lord Jesus Christ has overthrown the reign of sin and death. The death of Christ for sin in Romans 1-4 changes to the death of Christ to sin in Romans 5-8. The “we/they” distinction between Jews and Gentiles found in Romans 1-4 disappears in the light of the cross in chapters 5-8. The salvation of individual men and women from their sins in chapters 1-4 becomes the salvation of men and of creation in chapters 5-8. Deliverance from the penalty of sin in chapters 1-4 becomes deliverance from the power, and eventually the presence, of sin in chapters 5-8.
All of this leads me to view Romans 5 as the introduction to chapters 6-8 even more than as a conclusion to chapters 1-4. Chapters 1-8 would thus be summarized:
Chapters 5-8 would then be outlined as follows:
In Romans 6:1–7:6, Paul establishes the basis for Christian behavior. He demonstrates why the Christian must no longer continue to live as he once did, in servitude to sin. Consider the imagery Paul’s uses to demonstrate this:
In Romans 7:7-25 Paul defends the Law, showing that it is “holy,” “righteous,” and “good” (7:12). The Law is not the cause of our defeat by sin but the weakness of our flesh. The solution to this problem is the Spirit of God who empowers us for godly living (8:1-11). Paul then shows how the Spirit ministers to Christians who live in this fallen world, giving them hope and power so that they may be faithful and obedient until He returns. The sovereignty of God and the work of His Spirit give the Christian confidence that God’s purposes and promises will be fulfilled and that we shall be “more than conquerors” in Christ (7:28-39).
Romans 6:1-14 divides into three main segments. Verses 1 and 2 contain Paul’s question and a very concise answer. Verses 3-11 establish the basis for his answer. Verses 12-14 lay out the application to Paul’s teaching.
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
Paul’s question in verse 1 suggests that there should be a response to what he has just taught in chapter 5. God gave the Law, not to defeat sin, and not even to reduce it, but to cause it to increase. The Law made sin more evident, and it increased the problem faced by mankind. But it also meant that the grace by which sin was to be dealt a death blow was also to increase. Since grace always surpasses and exceeds sin, the greater sin is, the greater grace must be. Increasing sin through the giving of the Law served to increase the grace bestowed to rid God’s creation of sin.
There is a corollary to the principle that grace always outruns and exceeds sin, and it is this: SIN ALWAYS SEEKS TO USE THAT WHICH IS GOOD TO PROMOTE EVIL.
The question Paul raises in verse 1 is an illustration of this. Paul’s answer makes it clear this is not something he would suggest or promote, but that some do. Even Christians use grace as a pretext for practicing sin. And so Paul asks the question, “Are we to continue in sin, that grace might increase?” If God caused sin to increase by the giving of the Law, with the result that grace abounded all the more, why should His children not do likewise? What’s good enough for God should be good enough for His children, should it not?
“May it never be!” is Paul’s response, and as always, it is an expression of shock, horror, and disappointment. It is an expression of his dismay that someone could take a valid truth—grace always outruns sin—and make it an excuse for doing evil. How could anyone who has become one with Christ, by faith, possibly suggest a lifestyle that is a continuation of the sins of the past? Would not anyone who is united with Christ not find this totally inconsistent with the work of Christ at Calvary? What an utterly preposterous suggestion! For a Christian to continue in sin, because his sins are forgiven and because grace will abound, is an abominable thought to Paul—and it should be to us.
Paul spends more time spelling out the reasons for his answer because he wants his readers to be very clear about his response. Justification was not intended as a license to sin, but as liberation from sin. It is God’s provision not only to be declared righteous but to live righteously. In verses 3-11, Paul employs the rite of Christian baptism as the basis for his negative response to the question raised in verse 1.
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
In preparation for further study of the passage in greater detail, some general observations of this text should be made:
(1) Paul is speaking to Christians. Paul is assuming that those reading his words here are genuine Christians who have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ. He makes no distinction between Jewish and Gentile Christians. He seeks, however, to strongly contrast the Christian’s lifestyle with his conduct in the past as an unbeliever.
(2) In verses 3-11 Paul seeks to amplify and document his statement in verse 2 that we have “died to sin.” Paul’s answer, in verse 2 to the question of verse 1 is predicated on the fact that those to whom he is speaking have “died to sin.” Verses 3-11 expound on the origin of our death to sin.
(3) The lifestyle of the Christian is the issue addressed. Paul teaches that conversion should change the conduct of one who has come to faith in Christ.
(4) The basis for Paul’s teaching is the gospel, specifically the cross of Christ. Paul does not leave the gospel behind, once he has taught justification by faith. He now seeks to apply the gospel, as it relates to Christian living. Christian conduct must be consistent with Christian conversion.144
(5) Paul assumes that a knowledge of the gospel is the basis for the Christian’s belief and behavior. There is a strong emphasis on knowledge145 in these verses. Ignorance of biblical knowledge is deplorable to Paul, just as the neglect of this knowledge is deplorable. What we do should be consistent with what we know to be true.
(6) Paul bases his teaching on the fact that every believer in Christ has been united with Christ and His work on the cross.
(7) The imagery used by Paul is that of baptism.
(8) The emphasis here falls on the death of Christ and its implications for the believer.
In Romans 5, Paul spoke of the identification of all mankind with Adam, with his sin, and with the penalty of death which God pronounced as the penalty for his sin. He also spoke of Jesus, the “last Adam” (see 1 Corinthians 15:45), and the salvation which He accomplished for all whose identity is found in Him, by faith. Paul now plays out the implications of the Christian’s union with Christ, which is initiated by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, publicly professed in water baptism, and which is to be lived out in a radically different lifestyle.
Fundamental to understanding Paul’s teaching in verses 3-11 is knowing what he means by baptism in these verses. By and large, the New Testament writers speak of baptism in two ways. First, there is the physical rite of water baptism. John the Baptist required men and women to be baptized as an outward evidence of their repentance (see Matthew 3:5-6). Jesus’ disciples likewise baptized men, those who repented of their sins, in preparation for the coming kingdom of God (John 3:22). Those who came to faith in Jesus as the Messiah were baptized as a testimony to their repentance and faith in Jesus (see Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 19:5; 1 Corinthians 1:13-16).
Water baptism was much more than an outward rite of washing (see 1 Peter 3:21; Titus 3:5-6). Baptism is an act of identification (see 1 Corinthians 10:2). Water baptism is but a symbol of the baptism of the Holy Spirit by which one is joined with Christ, by faith, in His death, burial, and resurrection. Spirit baptism is a fundamental work of the Spirit of God in one’s salvation (see 1 Corinthians 12:12; Galatians 3:27). When Paul refers to baptism here, in Romans 6, I believe he is referring to both water baptism and Spirit baptism, but his emphasis is on the latter.
Baptism, according to Paul here, brings about identification or union with Jesus Christ, in His death, burial, and resurrection. To be baptized into Christ is to be baptized into His death. The “old man”—the person we once were in Adam—died in Christ. Our body, in bondage to sin, was rendered ineffective by our death in Christ. Our Lord’s death at Calvary was not only a death for sin, but a death to sin. His death for our sins accomplished propitiation and the forgiveness of our sins. His death to sin achieved a separation from sin. Sin has no power over one who has died. We died to sin in Christ, and thus sin has no claim on us.
Death could not hold our Lord in its grip, and so He was raised from the dead. He was raised to newness of life. Since we have been united with Him, we were raised to newness of life in Him as well. Christ’s resurrection was accomplished, Paul tells us, “through the glory of the Father” (verse 4). Surely His resurrection was likewise to the glory of the Father. To continue to live as we once did, in sin, would not in any way be consistent with our death and resurrection in Christ. A godless lifestyle is therefore incompatible with our union with Christ in His death and resurrection.
The death of Christ ended an era in our lives. It closed that ugly chapter of our lives marked by sin and destined for death. It was but one event, ending the death-grip of sin on our lives. But the resurrection of Christ commenced a whole new and eternal life. The death of Christ was one event in history, a death to sin “once for all.” The life of our Lord is for all time, an endless succession of living toward God.
Living in sin is entirely inconsistent with the work of Christ on the cross of Calvary. It is entirely inconsistent with who we are and what happened to us, in Christ. Our death to sin and aliveness toward God is a fact which we must reckon as true. Just as we must receive the atoning work of our Lord as His act accomplished for us, personally, so we must also accept His death to sin, resurrection, and life toward God personally. We must regard ourselves as dead to sin and alive toward God. To do so is to agree with Paul that to continue to live in sin is inconceivable, in the light of our death to sin and resurrection to life, in Christ.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace.
Up to this point, Paul was willing to grant the possibility of ignorance. Perhaps the Roman saints did not fully grasp all that had happened to them at the time of their conversion. But now they did know. Now, mere mental assent to this knowledge is not enough. Paul challenges his readers as to what this knowledge requires of them, in action. Since sin’s grip on us has been broken by our death in Christ, we must no longer allow sin to reign in our mortal bodies. If some would dare to advocate “going with the flow” of sin, so that grace might abound, Paul would teach just the opposite. The sin which once controlled us must be brought under control. We dare not hand the keys over to our bodily lusts, to serve and obey them.
Instead of continuing to present the members of our bodies to sin, as instruments of unrighteousness, we must present our bodies to God, as those who have been raised from the dead. Now that we are Christians we must present our bodily members to God as the instruments which He may use to produce righteousness, in and through us. It is not enough to forsake sin; we must aggressively pursue righteousness.
The final verse of our passage, verse 14, serves as a conclusion to the section, as well as the introduction to the next section. Paul changes the imagery from baptism to slavery. If we are no longer under the bondage of sin, we are no longer the slaves of sin. Sin is not our master any longer. This, Paul writes, is because we are “not under law, but under grace.” The meaning of this statement will be explained in the next verses.
Several important truths are brought into focus by Paul’s words in our passage. Let us conclude by considering some of these truths.
(1) Man’s sin corrupts that which God has created, turning what is pure into that which is profane. God created a world of wonder and beauty, a world at peace and harmony. As we read frequently in the first two chapters of Genesis, “… it was good.” But then Adam and Eve sinned. From that point on in time, ugliness, chaos, and devastation have been the rule of the day. No longer does the description “good” seem to fit in our fallen world.
Our passage reminds me of the great impact which Adam’s sin has had on our world and on mankind in particular. Everything which man touches, man corrupts, including the splendor of the salvation which God has provided in Jesus Christ. Our righteous God cannot tolerate sin, and so, in His holiness, He condemned sin and sinners. In His mercy and righteousness, He provided for man’s salvation, by pouring out His holy indignation on His Son, Jesus Christ. God provided unrighteous men with His own righteousness, and what does man immediately do? He seeks to turn God’s grace into a license for sin. God’s salvation is distorted, so that salvation now becomes an excuse, even a mandate, for sin. The questions Paul has raised in Romans 6 only remind us of how desperately evil our hearts are, that we would seek to excuse sin as though we were serving God.
Sin blinds the unbeliever, but it also distorts the vision and the perspective of the believer. Paul’s words in our text serve as a strong caution, reminding us of the effects of sin which remain, in us. Paul informs us that even the truth can be distorted and perverted so that sound doctrine is twisted to excuse and to advocate sin. Let us beware of the danger here. How easily we can deceive ourselves and excuse sin in our lives. How easily doing what is wrong can be justified as serving the purposes of God. We must constantly be on the alert to this danger.
(2) The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is the basis for our conduct. The Christian conduct which Paul advocates and requires in our text is that which stems from a genuine conversion. In previous chapters, Paul was speaking of the fallenness of mankind. He was demonstrating to all men that all are lost and worthy of divine wrath. All men must come to faith in Jesus Christ to avoid the wrath of God they deserve. Paul’s words of condemnation apply to all men.
But Paul’s words here are addressed to believers. The “we” of our text refers to those who have come to faith in Jesus Christ. All those to whom he speaks here Paul understands to have been united with Christ in His death and resurrection. The conduct which the gospel requires is required of those who are saved. Sanctification is a subject appropriate for those who have already been justified. As we move into the subject of Christian conduct, let us not forget that Paul is assuming a Christian conversion. The lifestyle which Paul advocates is a Christian lifestyle, possible only for those who have been justified by faith.
(3) The cross of Jesus Christ is the standard for our conduct. Paul teaches that the gospel is not only the basis for our conduct, it is the standard. When the possibility of continuing to live in sin is raised, Paul refutes it by taking us back to the cross. Christ died to sin and was raised to newness of life. When we were saved, we were united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. How then can those who died to sin live in sin? The cross is the standard for our conduct. God saved unrighteous men, not in order that they could continue to live in sin, but to enable them to live in righteousness. We must live in conformity to God’s purposes and provisions and not in conformity to our former lusts.
I believe Paul views the gospel as the core of truth by which all other doctrine and practice must be judged. There is a contemporary song with words something like: “God didn’t teach us to swim to let us drown.” The point is that God prepares and provides for us to fulfill His purposes. Perhaps we should add these words to the song: “God didn’t save us to let us sin.” The purposes and provisions of the gospel set a standard. When this standard is violated by some teaching or practice, we must adhere to the standard and reject the practice or teaching.
(4) Those who would advocate turning back to previous practices are strongly warned in the Bible. The Bible does talk about those who would turn back to their former sins. Such people are called “dogs” and “hogs” and are spoken of as those who are lost and who were never saved (see 2 Peter 2:22). Let us beware of turning back to those sins which once bound us.
(5) Paul teaches “positional thinking,” not “positive thinking.” A great deal of positive thinking is being peddled today, much of it in Christian circles as though it were a Christian practice. Paul is not teaching “possibility thinking.” This kind of thinking seeks to envision what could be. If we but capture the thought, the reality will be created. Paul’s “thinking” is entirely different. The thinking Paul advocates is that which is rooted in the cross of Christ. It is not based upon what might be, or even upon what we presently perceive, but on what God has already done, according to His Word. Positional thinking is that thinking which reasons and which behaves on the basis of who we really are, in Christ. Compared to “positional thinking,” “positive thinking” is what Paul would call a “myth” and “speculation” (see 1 and 2 Timothy).
(6) The gospel of Jesus Christ does not offer forgiveness for those who would continue in sin, but salvation for those who would be delivered from their sins. When you read through the Bible, you will discover that God never proclaimed the gospel as a means by which sinners could continue to sin, but the means to have the assurance of forgiveness and eternal life. The gospel begins with a condemnation of sin and sinners, by a righteous and holy God. It offers men the solution for sin in Jesus Christ, a solution which includes both forgiveness of sin and freedom from sin. The gospel which the apostles preached did not make it easy for men to advocate living in sin as saints. Even so, some sought to pervert the gospel, even in Paul’s day.
Conversion is a radical change. It is not a man-made decision to “put God on our agenda,” but a divinely energized birth which tears up “our agenda,” and rearranges our lives to conform to God’s agenda.
In our own day and time, our presentation of the gospel has become so “soft sell” that it is very easy for people to believe that God sent His Son to Calvary so that sinners could sin and be forgiven, rather than knowing that God sent His Son so that sin could be remedied and removed from this earth. Christ did not come to sanction sin, but to defeat and dethrone it. When we seek to “merchandize” the gospel, to make it marketable and appealing to men, we will always play down those things which do not appeal to men and to their flesh. And when we preach this kind of gospel, we make it easy for the kinds of error which Paul abhors in our text to be advocated and accepted, even among the saints. A diluted gospel is a polluted gospel. The gospel offers deliverance from sin. Let us preach it this way.
(7) God turned the curse into the cure. I was preparing this week for a funeral service which I had been asked to conduct. The man had asked me before he died to come and visit him to talk about his funeral service. During my visit with him, I read these familiar first verses of John 14:
“Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:1-6).
Jesus was celebrating the Passover with His disciples, just before His death. In this “upper room discourse,” found only in John’s Gospel, Jesus gives us, along with His disciples, a whole new outlook on death. He had just told His disciples in chapter 13 that He would be betrayed by one of them and that He would die. He further told them that where He was going, they would not be able to come for a while.
The disciples were greatly distressed. To them, the death of our Lord was the end, not the beginning. His death was the cause for their separation from Him. No wonder they had always struggled with His words about His coming death. No wonder Peter would rebuke our Lord for talking of death. To them, death was the curse, the cause of a separation they did not want.
What they did not yet understand was that in the wisdom of God, the curse was also to be the cure. Jesus comforted His disciples in this discourse by telling them these two things (among others): (1) Though physically absent from them, He would be present with and in them through His Spirit. They would, in His absence, enjoy an even greater intimacy and union with Him. He would not be with them, but He would be in them. This was even better! (2) His death, though the cause of a temporary separation, was the cure for a permanent separation.
Allow me to expand on this second truth. Death was the curse, the penalty for sin. Death is separation from God. But when our Lord died, He endured that separation. When He died, He died to sin as well as for sin. Our Lord’s death was the means whereby sinners could live in eternal fellowship with God. Our Lord’s going was not to “build a place” for His disciples in heaven but to prepare a way for them to get to heaven. He was the way, and His death and resurrection were the means. What a glorious truth!
These disciples, who resisted hearing of our Lord’s death before His crucifixion and resurrection, were the same men who celebrated His death afterwards. We celebrate the death of our Lord every week in our church because God took the curse and made it the cure. No wonder Paul could speak of death in terms of hope and joy. For those who are in Christ, death does not separate us from God; it joins us with Him.
For I know that this shall turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall not be put to shame in anything but that with all boldness, Christ shall even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:19-21).
Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—for we walk by faith, not by sight—we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him (2 Corinthians 5:6-9).
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “FOR THY SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31-39).
140 The word “know” appears in verse 3; “knowing” is found in verses 6 and 9.
141 I understand sanctification to be the process by which God increasingly manifests Himself in and through the saints to His glory.
142 There are many other important Old and New Testament texts dealing with the sanctification of the believer. Some of the important parallel passages in the epistles, written by Paul, are Galatians 2-5, Ephesians 1-5, and Colossians 1-3.
143 We can thus entitle the chapter “the fruits of justification.”
144 See Colossians 2:6.
145 For further texts which emphasize the importance of knowledge as the basis for belief and behavior, see Ephesians 1:17; Colossians 2:7; 1 Peter 1:3ff.; 2 Peter 1:2-3, 12-21.
Most Americans find it easy to rejoice as we observe many nations throwing off the shackles of totalitarianism and dictatorship and moving toward democracy. We are elated to see some European nations, formerly held captive by a Communist dictatorship, cast off the shackles of slavery. But all is not well with these newly liberated nations. Freedom is difficult to obtain and even more difficult to maintain. Political liberation neither immediately nor automatically leads to democracy. Once a dictator is overthrown and his government toppled, the newly liberated people often find they are not equipped to handle freedom nor the governing of themselves. And so all too often, one dictatorship may fall, followed by anarchy, and later by yet another dictatorship.
The Christian life is something like this. Salvation brings immediate forgiveness for sin but not immediate freedom from sin. When a person is “born again,” or justified by faith in Jesus Christ, they are loosed from the bondage of sin. And yet sin soon seems to gain the upper hand once again. Sometimes a saint plunges headlong into sin, supposing that their salvation is a kind of sanction to sin. This appears to be the case with those whose questions Paul raises in Romans (see 3:5-8; 6:1, 15). Others struggle with sin, hating it and yet falling victim to its pull and its power, even as Paul will describe in Romans 7 (see verses 15-25).
In Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, the apostle spends more time dealing with the Christian’s victory over sin than he does with the forgiveness of his sins. While Romans 5-8 deals with the subject of sanctification (the lifelong process of our growth in grace, to God’s glory), its teaching is much broader. These chapters are rooted in our justification by faith (chapters 3b-4). Chapter 5 begins with the blessing of peace with God and the confidence of exulting in the “glory of God” in eternity (5:1-2), and chapter 8 ends with the complete restoration of this fallen and chaotic world. Romans 5-8 describes the roots of sin and the restoration of the creation from the ravages of sin.
Romans 6:1–7:6 provides the believer with a biblical basis for turning from sin to godly living, from the practice of sin to the pursuit of righteousness. In this text, Paul provides three lines of evidence in support of godliness. In Romans 6:1-14, Paul calls the Christian’s attention to their “baptism into Christ,” which unites them with both His death and His resurrection. Our union with Christ prohibits us from living in sin, because this would be inconsistent with and contrary to the work of Christ on the cross. In Christ we died to sin, and thus we must not continue to live in sin. In Christ, we were raised to newness of life, and thus we must live a new and different life in and through Him.
In Romans 6:15–7:6 Paul continues to drive home the truth that justification leads to sanctification. Paul uses two analogies in these verses to articulate and illustrate his point. He first turns to the analogy of slavery in 6:16-23. He then uses the analogy of marriage to show that our union with Christ frees us from our bondage to sin, which the text sustains and supports (7:1-6). We will seek in this lesson to understand the meaning and the message of Paul’s words in Romans 6:15–7:6 as it relates to our own practice of our justification by faith. In our next lesson we will concentrate upon the goodness of the Law and the ultimate source of our struggle with sin as we study Romans 7:7-25.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace.
Paul’s words in Romans 6:12-14 serve a dual purpose: they serve as a conclusion to Paul’s teaching in 6:1-11 and as an introduction to Romans 6:15–7:6.146 Because we have died to sin and have been raised to newness of life in Christ, we must not let sin reign in our bodies. Rather than to present our bodies as servants of sin, we must present our bodies as instruments of righteousness.
As a conclusion to Paul’s teaching in Romans 6:1-11, verses 12-14 inform us that we are obliged to live in the light of our union with Christ. As an introduction to Paul’s teaching in Romans 6:15–7:6, Paul’s words in verses 12-14 lay the foundation for what he will teach next. Verses 12-13 prepare the way for 6:15-23. Verse 14 introduces the subject which Paul will take up in 7:1-6. For this reason, I have begun our study here, to remind us that what Paul is teaching in verse 15 of chapter 6, he has prepared us for in the immediately preceding verses.
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! 16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. 22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In verse 14, Paul assumes the fact that the believer’s union with Christ takes him from one domain and places him in another. Justification by faith removes one from the dominion of sin and places him under the dominion of grace. In verse 14, the word “under” implies authority and power. That is why Paul speaks of sin no longer “reigning” in the body of the believer (6:12). The believer has been freed from the Law and now lives by grace. Because of this, sin shall no longer be our master (6:14).
Some may be tempted to take this truth and twist it into an excuse for sin. If sin is no longer my master, they challenge, can I master sin? If sin can no longer use me, can I use sin? Is the overthrow of sin an excuse to sin? Most definitely not! Paul again responds with horror to such a thought. “God forbid! May it never be!”
Verse 16 sums up Paul’s argument in verses 16-23. Several fundamental truths are implied or stated in verse 16 which are more fully expounded by Paul in verses 17-23. Consider these foundational truths which forcefully explain why a Christian should not sin.
(1) Sin is stupid. My words may seem to be a bit strong, but I am convinced they are no stronger than those of Paul. When he begins, “Do you not know?” he is saying the same thing. In Paul’s world and in ours, sin is not thought of as stupid but as sophisticated. Put differently, the unbelieving world thinks that righteousness is stupid, not that sin is stupid. When men reject the revelation of God in nature, they become fools but they think of themselves as wise (Romans 1:22). No wonder Paul puts the matter strongly. Paul’s words which follow this statement give us some of the reasons why sin is stupid.
(2) Sin is enslaving. Sin is like using crack cocaine: it only takes one dose, and you are hooked by it. We cannot master sin, but sin can master us when we choose to obey it. Paul traces a carefully thought-out argument in these verses. He bases his conclusion that sin is enslaving upon these premises:
(3) Salvation is liberating, breaking the believer’s enslavement to sin. The Romans were once enslaved by sin, but that all changed when they came to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. They once were slaves to sin, but no longer was this so. Their bondage to sin was broken in Christ (see verse 17).
(4) The salvation of the saints in Rome was the beginning of an obedience to teaching which condemned sin. The conversion of the Romans to faith in Christ was an act of obedience. They became obedient to Christ and to His Word. Their conversion was an act of renouncing their allegiance and servitude to sin and a commitment to obey God. The demands of discipleship were no surprise to these saints. They knew what they were getting into at the time of their conversion.
I wish I could say the same for the saints today. The gospel which is often proclaimed today is watered down. It minimizes commitment and repentance which requires a drastic change of lifestyle. It speaks of God as though He wishes to serve men, rather than to men, urging them to submit to God and to serve Him. When the demands of discipleship are later discovered by the new believer, they are often taken aback and sometimes even angry. What a sad commentary on the gospel we preach. Paul’s gospel, and that which the Romans received, was no such gospel. Our Lord and His apostles let men know where salvation leads. They did not play down the cost of discipleship.
(5) Turning back to sin is stupid, because in so doing we return to that slavery to sin from which we were liberated in Christ. If salvation liberated men from their bondage and enslavement to sin, the practice of sin is a return to that very bondage. Returning to sin, rather than resisting sin, is like “A DOG [THAT] RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT” or a pig that returns to “wallowing in the mire” (see 2 Peter 2:22; Proverbs 26:11).148
(6) To turn back to sin is to turn away from grace. Sin is stepping out of the realm of grace. Sin rejects God’s grace and incites God’s righteous wrath. Sin removes one from that realm where mercy and forgiveness may be found and leaves one in that realm in which condemnation and death are meted out. Sin, like circumcision, according to Paul, is “falling from grace” (see Galatians 5:4). This is not to say that the Christian who sins can lose his salvation, but he can and does place himself in a position where he is dealt with more severely. Paul does not want the Christian to doubt his salvation or to think he will lose his salvation, but he does wish the believer to take sin seriously.
(7) To turn back to sin is to walk in the way which leads to death, rather than to life. Returning to sin is especially stupid in the light of where sin always leads. “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). To leave the path of righteousness and to turn back to the path of sin is to leave the path which leads to life and to return to the path which leads to death. If we accept the premises of the Bible, the consequences of sin are such that sin is stupid, and only living in righteousness makes sense.
I want to pause at Romans 6:23 for just a moment. How often we use this text evangelistically, applying it to the unbeliever. This is well and good, for the principle is true and surely applies to the unbeliever. For the sinner to stay on the path of sin is fatal and foolish. But let us not overlook the fact that Paul is here applying the principle to the saint, not the sinner. He is applying the principle to the Christian who may be toying with sin, not the unbeliever who is living in sin.
It may be that the question raised in Romans 6:1 refers to a contemplated or proposed lifestyle of sin, while the question of 6:15 is less sweeping, referring to an occasional departure into sin. Most Christians know better than to try to excuse a heathen lifestyle. But most of us also find it very easy to excuse intermittent sin. We do not try to lapse back into our heathen lifestyle, but we do want to dabble with it once and awhile. If this is the case, Paul is telling us here that one little sin is like one fix with crack cocaine. One dose is addictive and enslaving. Thus, we must not surrender to sin at all. It is lethal! It is addictive! It is stupid!
The application of Paul’s teaching in this section is found in verse 19. Just as they had formerly presented their bodies149 in service to sin, now they were to present themselves as slaves of righteousness, the result of which is sanctification.
As we conclude this lesson, let us look back over some of the lessons Paul has taught here and reflect upon some of the implications of his teaching.
(1) Biblical doctrine is meant to be practical. The questions which Paul raises in Romans 6 (“What shall we say then?” verse 6; “What then?” verse 15) imply that we should say something in response to his teaching. Furthermore, both major sections of Romans 6 include a clear command to put this teaching to practice. Verses 1-11 are applied by Paul in verses 12-14, and verses 15-23 have a clear command in verse 19.
(2) It is often at the point of application that Christian heresy surfaces. Paul would not ask the questions he does in Romans if he did not expect Christians to misapply truth. Paul’s questions in chapter 6, along with his response to them, strongly suggest that there are Christians who will be orthodox in what they believe, but heretical in what they do. The statement, “May it never be!” found twice in chapter 6, suggests that Christians will take truth to sinful conclusions. Often, right doctrine is twisted to justify sin. Our practice, Paul insists, must be consistent with biblical doctrine.
Perhaps an additional comment should be made here. Just because one’s application of the truth is wrong, we cannot automatically conclude that their doctrine is wrong. If truth can be misapplied, then misapplication does not prove one’s beliefs are wrong. Those beliefs must be subject to scrutiny, but we dare not jump to the conclusion that wrong application always proves wrong doctrine.
(3) Romans 6 teaches us a great deal about sanctification—the lifelong process of spiritual growth which takes place in the life of the Christian, resulting in the glorification of God. By inference, our text teaches us that sanctification is surely not automatic. Once we have been saved, we are not predisposed to always do God’s will. Growth does not occur by accident. The Christian is faced with decisions and choices. While there is boasting and great confidence, there is also agony and struggle. The struggles and tribulations are a part of the process.
Sanctification is not immediate, and it is not easy, but it is remarkably simple. Paul’s words in Romans 5-8 are not that scholarly nor are his points difficult to grasp. We do not struggle with sanctification because it is so hard to understand, but because it is so hard to do. The reason for this struggle will be explained in Romans 7. The means for living righteously are yet to be expounded in Romans 8.
Sanctification is rooted in the cross of Jesus Christ. We were saved from sin and unto righteousness. Our sanctification is grounded in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He died not only for sin, but to sin. Since we have been baptized into Christ, we must not live in sin; we must die to sin. Our lifestyle must radically change as a result of our union with Him and His work at Calvary. Our sanctification is necessitated by the cross, and it is provided for by the cross. The cross of Christ is the key to our salvation and our sanctification.
(4) In our text, Paul teaches us a great deal about sin. As we have seen, sin is stupid. It is stupid because it leads to slavery, slavery to a cruel taskmaster. To choose to obey sin is to turn back to the dominion of sin from which we were delivered in Jesus Christ. It is like a dog returning to its vomit and a pig to its mire. It is returning to that path which inevitably leads to death rather than to life.
Sin is stupid only when it is viewed from a biblical perspective. Our world invites and encourages us to view sin very differently—as a great delight and an act of sophistication and wisdom. We will never see sin as stupid unless we see it from God’s point of view.
Sin is an addiction. I must admit that this realization has come hard to me. I have tended to react to this truth because it is one that has been a prominent theme in contemporary psychology. Every human malady seems to be the result of an addiction. People are now viewed not only in terms of their addiction to chemicals and other substances but also to other people (co-dependency).
According to Paul’s words in our text, sin is an addiction. While modern psychology may be right in drawing our attention to our addictions, it fails in many ways to deal with sin as it should. First, psychology tends to avoid the fact that addiction is sin. Often, the label of addiction serves as an excuse for sin and not as an identification of sin.
Psychology is also wrong in the way it seeks to deal with addiction. Its “cure” for addiction is really a curse. Jesus Christ is the only cure for our addiction to sin, any sin. The many “Twelve Step” programs which seek to deal with addiction refer to a “higher power,” but they do not point to Jesus Christ and the cross of Calvary alone as the means of deliverance. Man’s help comes from a “higher power,” a “god” of our own definition. Man will find no deliverance here.
Deliverance from the addiction of sin comes only from our Lord Jesus Christ, and His death, burial, and resurrection. Whatever your bondage or addiction might be, it is rooted in sin, and its only resolution is the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ died for sin, bearing the penalty of God’s wrath for sin. He also died to sin, delivering men from the power of sin. Have you trusted in the work of Jesus Christ? Here is the only deliverance from the addiction of sin God has provided for men. Jesus Christ is not a way; He is the way, the only way:
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6).
The secular means by which men and women are told they can rid themselves of addiction is to “take responsibility and control of your own life.” This is not God’s way. Man can never get control of sin, because it is bigger and more powerful than we are (see Romans 7 for a dramatic example). Deliverance from sin does not come by our mastering sin, but by a change in our master. In our sin and unbelief, sin, and ultimately Satan, is our master. We cannot master sin, but we can submit to Jesus Christ as our Master. When we do so, we not only die to sin in Christ, but God’s power and victory over sin becomes ours.
There is a contemporary slogan which expresses the best “deliverance” the world can offer from addiction: “Just say no.” This is no different than the legalism of the Judaizers. As Paul will make clear, we are not able to say no. Adding rules does not remedy sin; it even promotes sin. The only remedy to the addiction of sin is “Just say yes,” to the offer of salvation in Jesus Christ. Have you received God’s deliverance from sin’s penalty and power? I pray that you will.
(5) Slavery is not the only picture of salvation. Paul does not leave us with slavery as the only analogy of salvation. Paul has employed this particular analogy because of the weakness of his readers (see verse 19). Our relationship to God through Jesus Christ does involve servanthood (or slavery—Paul uses this imagery often), but many other dimensions are also involved. In Romans 7:1-6, Paul speaks of our deliverance through the imagery of marriage, a much more intimate and tender relationship. Later, in Romans 8 he will describe our relationship to God in terms of sonship. It is a great privilege to be a slave of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul often uses this expression for his own apostleship. But we are also the bride of Christ and the sons of God. To God be the glory, great things He has done!
146 Because of this dual purpose of Romans 6:12-14, one must deal with these verses twice. They must be dealt with as the conclusion of verses 1-11, and again as the introduction to 6:15–7:6. This is true of many other transitional portions of Scripture as well. In preaching and teaching the Scriptures, it is therefore difficult to present a neat package which deals with each text but once.
147 Note the “either … or” statement in verse 16. We are either slaves of sin or of righteousness. We are the slaves of one or the other.
148 One might argue that this statement is referring to one who was never saved. Even so, the principle is the same, and the folly of returning to sin is evident.
149 I understand the expression “your members” (verse 19, see also 6:13) to refer to the members of the physical body. “Members” is simply a way of referring to our body, in terms of its individual parts, many of which have different roles to play in the service of sin. It is no wonder that Paul will exhort his readers to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice” in Romans 12:1.
A number of years ago a very tragic boating accident resulted in the loss of two lives. A family enjoying a day at the lake made a turn in their boat, and the daughter fell overboard. Quickly turning the boat around, the father jumped into the water to save his daughter as it approached the drowning girl. The father could swim, but for some unexplained reason he quickly drowned, leaving the little girl still thrashing about in the water. No one on board knew how to operate the boat, and it continued to drift away as the father and daughter were perishing.
Nearby, a man was fishing from a small rowboat. Seeing the accident, he began to row to the scene to help in any way he could. Paralyzed from the waist down, the man’s ability to help was limited. Approaching the struggling girl, he held out an oar for her to grasp, but he could do no more because of his condition. Unable to hold on to the oar, the girl slipped beneath the surface of the water while the man watched helplessly, unable to do anything more to help her.
All of mankind is very much like the drowning girl. We are overcome by sin and unable to save ourselves. The Law of Moses, and any other system of rules, is very much like the paralyzed man attempting to rescue the girl. His intention was sincere and commendable, but he lacked the power to save the drowning girl. The Law is good, but it cannot save the sinner. Neither can the Law release the Christian from his bondage to sin. As a matter of fact, it is the Law which somehow sustains man’s bondage to sin. The solution to the problem of sin is therefore to be released from the Law and thus from sin. This release is described by Paul in our text.
Paul’s teaching on the relationship between righteousness and the Law comes to a dramatic climax in Romans 7. Man’s fundamental problem is his lack of righteousness. As Paul concludes in Romans 3:10, “There is none righteous, not even one” (quoting from Psalm 14). Because of man’s universal unrighteousness, the Righteous Creator of the universe is presently manifesting His wrath toward sinners. In judging sin, God demonstrates His righteousness. God also manifests His righteousness by saving some men from their sins. He has accomplished this by pouring out His righteous wrath on His own Son, Jesus Christ, who bore the sinner’s punishment. All who believe in Him by faith are declared righteous by faith alone, apart from works, including works of the Law. The Law cannot save anyone; it can only condemn all who are under it for failing to meet God’s standard of righteousness. The Law can only define righteousness and bear witness to the righteousness of God which has been manifested in the person of Jesus Christ. Man’s justification (being declared righteous before God) is by faith alone, apart from works:
21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:21-26).
Even Abraham, the honored patriarch of the Jews, was justified by faith and not by his works. He was declared righteous purely on the basis that he believed God’s promise, years before he was circumcised and centuries before the Law was given to Moses at Mt. Sinai (see Romans 4).
The Law could show men to be sinners, but it could not justify sinners. The Law can condemn, but it cannot save. It is just as helpless to produce righteousness in the lives of those who have been justified by faith. Put differently, the Law is as completely powerless to sanctify men as it is to save men. The self-righteous Jew of Romans 2 found that the Law in which he boasted could not justify him but only condemn him. Paul now adds that the Law was not brought in to reduce or to rid mankind of sin, but to cause the transgression of Adam to be multiplied many times over so that the guilt of every individual could be imputed to them, with the result that grace would abound even more than sin:
20 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 5:20-21).
If the Jews were inclined to overestimate the value of the Law as a deterrent to sin, there were many (often Gentiles) who twisted the grace of God into an excuse for sin.150 It is the evil of lawlessness which Paul addresses in Romans 6 as he proves that it is stupid for a Christian to sin. It is a contradiction of his union with Christ, to his death to sin and his resurrection to newness of life (6:1-11). It is also a return to that very bondage from which faith in Christ set him free, and a return to that path which produces shame and death (6:15-23).
We were not saved in order to live in sin. We were justified, declared righteous through the person and work of Jesus Christ, so that God might manifest His righteousness through us. To this, the legalist would shout a hearty, “Amen!” But it is here that the legalist goes astray from the truth of the gospel. The legalist seeks to solve the problem of sin by introducing the Law. “If you want to reduce sin and produce righteousness,” the legalist would say, “you must introduce rules.” Righteousness, to the legalist, is a matter of keeping the rules.
The gospel teaches just the opposite. To be freed from sin, you must be freed from servitude to the Law. Listen once again to Paul’s words found in Romans 6:14: “For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace.”
To the legalist, grace was the cause of sin, and the Law was the solution for sin. To Paul, legalism promoted sin while grace alone could overcome it. To be free from the mastery of sin, the Christian must be freed from the mastery of the Law.151
Throughout history, the two extremes of license and legalism have existed with each pointing to the other as the justification for their own error. The Law did not save Abraham, for it was not given at the time he was justified, by faith alone (see Romans 4). It was not the Law which saved Israel from Egyptian bondage, for the Law was not given until after God’s defeat of Egypt and Israel’s crossing of the Red Sea. Law-keeping would never save any Israelite but only faith.
When the Son of God added humanity to His deity and began His earthly ministry, He immediately distinguished His teaching and that of the Law from the false teaching and legalism of the scribes and Pharisees (see Matthew 5-7). All through His earthly ministry, scribes and Pharisees debated with Jesus and opposed His interpretation of the Law. The apostles and leaders of the church in Jerusalem had great difficulty concluding that the gospel was to be offered to the Gentiles and that Gentile saints were not to be placed under the yoke of the Law and made Law-keepers (see Acts 10-11; 15; Galatians 2:11-21). The apostles had to battle against both license and legalism as contrary to the gospel and to the grace of God. In Romans 6 Paul has shown license to be contrary to the gospel and to the grace of God. Now, in Romans 7:1-6, Paul will show us that legalism is contrary to the gospel. Paul will not only teach us that legalism is contrary to the gospel, but that in Christ we died not only to sin but also to the Law. Just as the Law could not save anyone, as we see in Romans 1-4, it cannot sanctify anyone either as shown in Romans 5-8.
The argument of Romans 7:1-6 is built upon all that Paul has taught before in the first six chapters of Romans. Man’s unrighteousness is the reason for God’s judgment and for His provision of righteousness, by faith, in Jesus Christ. Righteousness is not only that which the gospel provides, but what it requires. Those whom God has justified, He has saved, to live out His righteousness before men. The Law, however, is not the solution. It can neither save sinners nor sanctify them. Just as God’s righteousness was provided to save men, apart from the Law (3:19-26), God’s righteousness is produced in the Christian apart from the Law (7:1-6). The Law can define sin, and even increase it, but it cannot reduce or remove sin. When men are united with the person and work of Christ by faith, they not only die to the penalty of sin, they die to the practice of sin, and to the power of the Law over them, by which sin binds them (7:1-6). The real culprit, however is not the Law, for the Law is “holy, righteous, and good” (7:12). The real culprit is the flesh, which sin dominates (7:14-25). And the power which enables our dead bodies to overcome sin is the power of the Holy Spirit, the same power which gave life to the dead body of our Lord, raising Him to life (8:1-11).
The argument and structure of Romans 7:1-6 is apparent. In verse 1, Paul states the general principle, that the law only has authority over those who are alive. In verses 2-3 Paul demonstrates his point using the illustration of the woman whose husband dies, thus freeing her from the law and from her previous marriage, and enabling her to be married to another man. In verses 4-6, Paul applies the principle of verse 1 (and its illustration in verses 2-3) to the union of the believer with Christ and to his liberation from the Law. We can summarize the structure of our text in this way:
1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives?
The question, “Or do you not know?” repeated here in verse 1, links Paul’s words with the context. He has asked virtually the same question in 6:3 and 6:16. What Paul is saying in verses 1-6 of chapter 7 must be understood in connection with what he has previously said, especially in chapter 6.
The question, “Or do you not know?” underscores the continuity of Paul’s teaching. The term “brethren,” along with the parenthetical comment of verse 1, indicates the uniqueness of verses 1-6. Paul is here speaking particularly to the Jews, his “brethren.” These “brethren” are those who “know the law.” If the Gentiles are those most likely to abuse grace as an excuse for license to sin, the Jews are those who are likely to be the advocates of legalism. Jewish Christians, even the apostles, were inclined toward legalism. Imposing the Law of Moses on the Gentiles was a tempting way to try to overcome their heathen ways (see Acts 15).
Paul has already made the statement, “You are not under law, but under grace” (6:14). He will now begin to expound this truth. How is it that Christians are no longer “under law”? They are freed from the law by death. The law, whether this be the Law of Moses or any other law, only applies to men while they are alive. Dead men are released from the law.
To illustrate, imagine a hearse speeding on its way to the cemetery and racing through a radar trap. In hot pursuit, a motorcycle policeman speeds after the hearse. When the hearse pulls over, the policeman does not go to the driver, but he goes to the back door of the hearse where he opens the casket and slips the traffic ticket inside. Pretty ridiculous, is it not? No one can expect the law to have authority over a dead man.
Joe Bayly wrote a very excellent little book, originally entitled, “A View From the Hearse.” The title was changed in a later edition, but I like the original title best. Life does look different from the vantage point of death. Paul views sanctification “from the hearse.” He takes us back, once more, to the cross of Calvary, to the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord. Because every Christian is joined, by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, to Christ in His death and resurrection, Paul draws our attention to our own death, in Christ. In Christ, we died to the penalty of sin (Romans 3). In Christ, we died to the practice of sin (Romans 6). In Christ, we also died to the Law and its power over us. Our union with Christ in His death frees us from the Law. If those who have died are free from the Law, we are free from the Law because we died in Christ.
2 For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. 3 So then if, while her husband is living, she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she is joined to another man.
Paul illustrates the principle just stated in verse 1 with a practical example in verses 2 and 3. A married woman is bound to her husband by law. Because of this legal bondage to her husband, she is not free to marry another man. To marry another while her husband is alive would make her an adulteress. But death changes everything. The death of her husband nullifies the law, so far as her remarriage is concerned. Now, freed from the law,152 she may marry another and bear offspring to him.153
The principle is very simple: The law has authority over those who are alive. The authority of the law is set aside by death. Death frees one from the law and its bondage. This general principle, and Paul’s illustration of marriage, will now be applied personally, as it relates to the death of the Christian in Christ to the Law and the liberty which this brings.
4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
The title I have given to these verses sounds a little repetitious, does it not? I believe Paul meant to be repetitious. He does not want any Christian to miss the point: We are not under Law; we are under grace (6:14). When a person enters into justification by faith, the Holy Spirit baptizes them, joining them to Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. In Romans 6:1-11, Paul showed that being thus baptized, Christians have died to sin and have been raised to newness of life, in Christ. Here, Paul reminds us of another dimension of our identification with Christ. In Him, we also died to the Law and to its dominion over us. In so doing, we are freed from that which binds us to sin and its penalty—death.
Paul’s argument in verse 4 is stated differently than in Romans 6:1-11. In Romans 6, Paul speaks of our union with Christ as one union. We were united with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Now however Paul speaks as though there were two unions. We were united with Christ, our sin-bearer, in His death to sin and to the Law. We died with Christ, which freed us from our bondage to the Law. Having died to the Law, we are now freed to be united with another Master, Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead.
If I understand Paul’s argument correctly, Jesus is both our “former husband,” from which we were freed by our death to the Law, and He is now our “present husband,” to whom we are joined, and through whom we bear the fruit of righteousness to God. The Christ who died and the Christ who rose from the dead are the same Christ, but with two very different roles. The Christ who died became “sin” for us: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The Christ who rose from the dead was Victor over sin and death. Neither sin, nor death, nor the Law had any claim on Him. And so, having died in Christ, we are now freed from the Law, freed to be joined with the resurrected Christ, so that we might bring forth the fruit of righteousness to God. Our union with Christ as the sin-bearer made possible our union with Christ, the source of righteousness. Our union with Christ in His death is the basis for dealing with the negative aspects of sin, death, and the Law. Our union with Christ in His resurrection is the source of that which is positive, the source of righteousness. In the words of the secular song, our union with Christ in His death “eliminates the negative,” while our union with Christ in His resurrection “accentuates the positive.”154
In verses 5 and 6, Paul goes farther than he has before showing us that the Law promotes sin rather than putting it down. We have already seen one way in which sin is increased by the Law in Romans. Note the argument of Paul in these verses:
14 For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15 for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there violation (Romans 4:14-15, emphasis mine).
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—13 for until the Law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come (Romans 5:12-14, emphasis mine).
17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. 18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 5:17-21, emphasis mine).
Apart from law, there is no violation of law and thus no basis for condemnation. Adam and Eve had but one “law,” the commandment not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Their violation of this “law” Paul refers to as “the transgression” in Romans 5:17. Those who lived in the time period between Adam and Moses, when the Law of Moses was not yet given, died because they all sinned in Adam. When the Law of Moses was given, men now became sinners because they violated God’s Law. Thus, “the transgression” of Adam was increased by the Law of Moses to “many transgressions.” The Law of Moses therefore increased sin and did not reduce it.
In Romans 7:5-6, Paul speaks of yet another way in which law155 increases sin. All men are sinners, born in rebellion against God. We naturally reject His revelation. We even reject His grace. When commandments are given men by God, our sinful nature is eager to rebel. Thus, any commandment, even though it comes from God,156 is a temptation to further sin. The more rules from God, the more our rebellion against God.
In our natural, unsaved, state (“in the flesh,” verse 5), the Law157 arouses sinful passions, resulting in sin and death. The Law was not a cure and could mistakenly be considered a curse. This is a matter Paul will take up in Romans 7:7-25.
The Law poses a problem for the Christian and does not solve the problem of sin. Thus, the Christian must die to the Law, to be freed from the bondage to sin it facilitates. The real problem is indicated in verse 5, having been hinted at previously (see for example, “body of sin” in Romans 6:6). It is the problem of the flesh. The solution is to be found in the Spirit (verse 7). The role of the Holy Spirit will be expounded in detail in chapter 8.
The Law of Moses, or any other inferior law, can never save anyone. It can only define sin and condemn men for practicing it. The Law points out the problem, but it provides no solution. The Law did bear witness to the righteousness of God in Christ. The salvation which He provided on the cross of Calvary was not through the Law but apart from it. The Law cannot justify sinners.
The Law of Moses does define righteous conduct. God saved us in order that we might manifest His righteousness. Thus, the lawlessness of our former lifestyle must not continue on, now that we have been justified by faith, identified with our Lord Jesus Christ in His death (to sin), burial, and resurrection (to newness of life). The righteousness which our salvation requires cannot be produced by law-keeping, by rules and regulations. Here, in sanctification, as was also true in regard to our justification, the Law cannot produce righteous living and even passively promotes sin. Sanctification, like justification, comes about apart from the Law.
Our bondage to sin is linked to our bondage to the Law. The solution to this problem is the cross of Calvary. In Christ, we died to the Law and to its reign over us. In dying to the Law, sin no longer has mastery over us. Death to the Law, and its strong pull on our fallen flesh, is to be replaced by a life lived through God’s Spirit.
Before Paul expounds this new life in the Spirit, he must speak a word in defense of the Law. This he does in Romans 7:7-25. He will show us that the Law itself is “holy, righteous, and good” (7:12), but that sin uses the Law to appeal to our flesh and to overpower us. Then, in chapter 8, he will explain how the power of God, manifested through the Holy Spirit, enables us to serve God in spite of sin and the flesh.
How foolish and ignorant are those who would suppose that the work of Jesus Christ on Calvary was accomplished on our behalf, so that we could continue to live in sin. How foolish also are those who would say that the righteousness which God requires can be produced through law-keeping. The cross of Calvary forbids both lawlessness and law-keeping as a way of life. Walking in the Spirit is the only way of sanctification. Law-keeping will not save us and neither will it sanctify us.
Romans 6:1–7:1-6 has many implications and applications for Christians in our day. Before we conclude, allow me to step back and view our text in its broader context, suggesting some of the applications of Paul’s words to our own lives.
(1) Paul does not portray living in sin as a life of pleasure and delight, given up for the sake of a monastic existence. All too often, Christians seem to think of the Christian life negatively, in terms of all that they have given up. The former life of sin, which the Christian must leave behind, Paul views as that of which we should be glad to be rid. Before our salvation, we lived in ways that now make us ashamed (6:21). We were on a path which led to death (6:23), and we were enslaved to a cruel master (6:17). Christians who give up sin have given up nothing of value. We have lost nothing and have gained everything. Too many Christians view the Christian life differently. They seem to think that they have given up a great deal and that their gains are minimal. Giving up sin is not a sacrifice. We should agonize as little over giving up sin as we do over taking out the trash.
(2) Paul does not speak of obedience to Christ and living righteously as the high road which some Christians take and which the majority reject for the lower road of mere salvation. I know it is popularly taught that salvation and discipleship are separate issues. Thus, they say, one can be saved without being informed about and making a commitment to obeying Christ as Master. This simply does not square with Paul’s teaching in Romans. He says that when these saints were saved, they committed themselves to teaching which informed them of what salvation and sanctification involved (6:17). Paul does not speak of “two paths for Christians,” one of mere salvation and the other of discipleship. He speaks of two paths, the path of sin, leading to death, and the path of righteousness, leading to eternal life. The low road is the path of sin. The high road is the path of righteousness, leading to life. Whenever the Christian departs from this “high road,” he does not lose his salvation, but he does leave the path of life. No wonder Paul warns the sinning saint about death (see 1 Corinthians 5:5; 11:30).158 Just as the New Testament never conceives of a person coming to faith in Christ apart from submitting to baptism, so the New Testament never conceives of someone coming to faith in Christ apart from turning from sin and practicing righteousness.
(3) God sent His Son to provide sinners with the forgiveness of sins, and freedom from sin, but not to provide freedom to sin.
(4) To Paul, the cross is the central truth of the gospel, the key not only to our salvation but also to our sanctification. Over and over, Paul returns to the cross of Calvary. “In Christ” is the not only one of the most common expressions found in Paul’s epistles, it is the key to Christian living. We are justified, in Christ. We are sanctified, in Christ. We are enriched with all spiritual blessings, in Christ. We are eternally secure, in Christ. We are victorious, in Christ.
In the minds of many Christians, it is not like this. Christ is seen as the starting point, but that is all. Christ is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega, and everything in between. All things are from Him, through Him, and unto Him (Romans 11:36). Many Christians have begun with Christ, only to endeavor to find victory over sin through some other means. The cross of Christ is the only means of salvation, and it is the only means of sanctification. All things are summed up in Christ (see Colossians 1 and 2). Let us turn to no other than Christ and His cross. No wonder Paul’s only message was concerning Christ, crucified and raised from the dead (see 1 Corinthians 1 and 2). Christ alone is sufficient. Christ alone is our strength. Christ alone should be the object of our instruction, our devotion, and our dependence.
(5) Legalism is one of the great threats to the Christian of our day, not just to those of Paul’s day. It is certainly true that we can find ample evidence of license and libertinism in the church today. But the danger about which Paul warns us in our text is legalism. Legalism is not the cure for license. Grace is not an excuse for sin, but it does provide the cure for sin. It is not Law but grace which the church needs more of today.
When I speak of legalism, I am not speaking only of the danger of those who would seek to put all Christians under the bondage of the Law of Moses. I am speaking of the temptation to put Christians under rules and regulations, thinking that obedience to these rules will defeat sin and result in righteousness. Paul says in our text that legalism may look good but that it utterly fails to produce righteousness. This is consistent with his teaching elsewhere:
If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with the using)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence (Colossians 2:20-23).
Legalism will take forms in the church which have, as Paul states above, “the appearance of wisdom,” but which are of no value at all so far as overcoming the flesh. I wish to mention one current emphasis in Christian circles which, although it may have some elements of truth, is a teaching which tends toward legalism. It is the teaching concerning “accountability” to one another.
I believe the Bible clearly teaches our responsibility to one another, but I do not see the Scriptures teaching accountability in the way it is being presently taught and practiced. It sounds pious and encouraging to hear of one teen calling another to see if they have had their devotions, but is this a form of legalism? Are we accountable to God or to men? I am not saying that such teaching is completely wrong, but I am saying that it has the potential for legalism. Let us be on guard for legalism, whatever the form it may take. Rules and regulations do not make men righteous. Christ died to Law, that it might no longer bind us and so that we might be free, not to live in sin, but to be joined to Christ and to bear the fruit of righteousness.
(6) While the Law does not solve the problem of sin, neither is the Law evil. The Law is a problem. Legalism is an error with dangerous and deadly outworkings. Nevertheless, let us not wrongly jump to the conclusion that the Law is entirely evil and useless. The Law is “holy, righteous, and good” (7:12). Paul does not say that the gospel utterly condemns the Law, but that it “establishes the Law” (3:31). Those who walk in the Spirit “fulfill the requirement of the Law” (8:4). Paul will clearly defend the Law in the remainder of chapter 7. I simply remind you here of the goodness of the Law, even though it cannot save or sanctify men.
As I conclude, let me say a final word to any of you who may not yet have come to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Christianity has always had its hypocrites and its bad examples. There are those who would abuse the grace of God, making it an excuse (perhaps even a mandate) for their sin. They are wrong! There are also those who would seek to put Christians under a long list of rules, usually Don’ts. These folks are wrong too. Justification by faith is God’s solution for sin and its consequences. Justification by faith is God’s provision of righteousness, so that men might be saved, and so that they might manifest His righteousness in their lives. If you would be free from the burden of your sin, receive God’s gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. Trust in Him as the One who died in your place, bearing the punishment for your sins. Receive from Him that righteousness which you can never produce by your own efforts. Forsake your unrighteousness, and turn to Him who alone can make you righteous. Do it today.
150 See, for example, Romans 6:1, 15; 1 Peter 2:16; 2 Peter 2.
151 The translation of Romans 6:14 and 7:1 in the NASB and most other versions fails to indicate that the same term is employed in these verses. This term is rendered “be master over” in 6:14 and “has jurisdiction over” in 7:1. I do not argue at all with the translation, for it conveys what Paul said. It is helpful, however, to know that Paul is using the same term, and in doing so he is informing us that the mastery of sin is directly linked to the mastery of the Law. This, of course, he says in 6:14, and he expounds upon in 7:1-6. One cannot be free from sin until he is free from Law. This message was the opposite of what Judaism and the Judaisers taught. If Paul has corrected the libertine in chapter 6, he is also correcting the legalist now. Lawlessness (license) is wrong, and so is Law-keeping (legalism).
152 Her husband is surely not the Law, as some commentators hold. Her husband is hardly in view. It is not that her husband is so bad, for this is never stated. The point is only that she is not free to marry anyone else. Her bondage is a bondage which the law imposes on her. Death frees her from the law and the limitations it poses on her. The bondage Paul spoke of in 6:15-23 is bondage to sin. The bondage to sin is now linked with the law.
153 At first, it may seem that Paul’s illustration is flawed. For Paul’s illustration to fit the Christian’s experience, should the wife not die? First, Paul is not illustrating the Christian’s liberation from the Law in Christ here but the general principle stated in verse 1. The Christian’s experience in Christ is expounded in verses 4-6. Second, our freedom from the law has not been achieved by our own death but by our death to the Law, in Christ. We died to the Law by means of the death of another (Jesus Christ), just as the wife died to the law by means of the death of her husband.
154 Even that line which I can hardly remember, “and don’t mess with Mr. In Between,” seems to apply here, because the libertine seems to be tempted to live in sin, while calling on grace. Paul says that we must declare ourselves, recognize that there are only two masters, and choose whom we will serve.
155 This refers to any “law,” whether it be the Law of Moses, or some man-made rule.
156 Or perhaps we should say, “especially if it comes from God.”
157 Here it may well be that Paul is speaking particularly of the Law of Moses. Remember that he is speaking to “those who know the law” (7:1).
158 I want to be very clear on this point. A Christian cannot lose his salvation by sinning. But sinning is inconsistent with salvation, and it is turning from the path of life to the path of death. Paul does not try to motivate Christian living by holding salvation over the heads of the saints, as though sin might cause them to lose it. He begins his teaching on sanctification by underscoring the certainty of salvation and its benefits (Romans 5) before ever moving on to its obligations (Romans 6ff.).
One feels mixed emotions toward the Law when it is encountered in the Book of Romans. For in Romans we find both “good news” and “bad news” pertaining to the Law. Consider the two very different perspectives of the Law indicated by Paul in this book:
(1) The Law contains the “oracles of God” (3:2)
(2) The Law defines sin and righteousness (7:7) and bears witness to the righteousness of God in Christ (3:21-22)
(3) The Law was given to result in life (7:10; see Leviticus 18:5)
(4) The Law is spiritual (7:14); it is holy and righteous and good (7:12)
(1) Knowing the Law apart from obeying its commands only makes one more guilty (1:32–2:29)
(2) The Law cannot save man but can only condemn him (3:9-20)
(3) The Law brings about God’s wrath (4:15)
(4) The Law came in that sin might increase (5:20)
(5) The requirements of the Law are fulfilled by those who walk in the Spirit (8:4)
(6) Sinful passions are aroused by the Law (7:5, 8)
(7) Sin used the Law to kill us (7:11)
It comes as no surprise that sinners have no love for law, especially the Law of God. All men are born sinners, dead in their trespasses and sins. They hate God and His Law (see Ephesians 2:1-3). The natural man cannot understand it (see 1 Corinthians 2) and seeks actively to oppose and overthrow it (Romans 8:7-8). Yet unbelievers’ disdain for the Law of God is not surprising. What is distressing is the number of Christians who disdain the Law of God. The Law of God is seen by some Christians as something evil, something of which we would do well to be rid. Such thinking at best perceives of the Law of God as obsolete, superseded by grace.
Many sins, on the other hand, are looked upon as something good and desirable. This is surely true of the unbeliever. But here again even Christians may be tempted to view sin as something good and desirable, just as Eve saw that deadly tree as desirable, not only to look at but to eat from so that she might be like God, knowing good and evil. God’s Law consistently receives bad reviews from the world, while sin is heralded with great reviews. The Law is looked upon with disdain, or with mere toleration, while sin is thought to be desirable and appealing. If we must give it up, for God’s sake, we will, but only reluctantly.
While our text in Romans 7 is not the only passage we could use to show the hideousness of sin and the beauty of God’s Law, it is one of the most emphatic biblical statements concerning this reality. Paul’s words in Romans 7:7-13 are intended to convince his reader that the Law is a wonderful gift from God in which the believer can and should delight, and that sin is a horrible malignancy which the world would be better off without. As we study Paul’s words, pay special attention to those things which show us the beauty of the Law and those which show us the ugliness of sin.
Paul has focused on the topic of justification in the first four chapters of Romans. Now in chapters 5-8 our attention is turned to the outflow of justification—sanctification. Chapter 5 is foundational. In the first 11 verses Paul describes the benefits of justification. In verses 12-21 he expounds on the basis for righteous living. The righteousness of Jesus Christ overthrows and overcomes the sin of Adam and its consequences for all who believe in Christ by faith. In chapter 6 Paul shows the necessity for us to live out the righteousness of Christ and the folly of persisting in slavery to sin. In Romans 7:1-6 Paul turns to another dimension of the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf—His death not only to sin but to the Law. We died to the Law, in Christ, and we are freed from sin’s mastery over us (see 6:14).
Paul’s words indicate a very close connection between sin and the Law. Because of this, one might wrongly conclude that the Law itself is evil and indeed that the Law is our ultimate problem. Such a conclusion would be welcomed especially by the libertine who would like to do away with the Law altogether. If the Law is sin, then we would be right to reject it altogether.
The connection between the Law and sin is close, but to conclude that the Law is sin would be a horrible error. In verses 7-13 Paul seeks to show that while the Law and sin are associated, they are very different. The Law is righteous; sin is hideously evil. The evil nature of sin is evident in that it seeks to use the Law, which is good, to achieve its own evil purposes.
If Romans 7:7-13 clarifies the relationship between sin and the Law, verses 14-25 explore the relationship between the Law and the flesh. Here Paul contrasts the spiritual nature of the Law with the fleshly nature of man. This matter will be taken up in our next study.
The structure of our text revolves around two questions which Paul asks and answers in Romans 7:7-13. “Is the Law sin?” the first question, is found in verse 7. The second question is recorded in verse 13: “Is the Law responsible for my death?” Both questions, if answered in the affirmative, would imply that the Law is a mistake, something men would be better off without. Paul adamantly rejects both propositions and shows the goodness of the Law and the maliciousness of sin.
7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. 9 And I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died; 10 and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; 11 for sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me. 12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
Had we asked Paul the question, “Is the Law sin?” his strong and immediate response would have caused us to instantly regret asking such a thing. No one should ever conclude that the Law is sin! The Law does have a close relationship to sin and death. Why else would death to the Law (7:1-6) be the means by which we are freed from the mastery of sin (6:14) and the penalty of death (see 7:10)? Paul will demonstrate the goodness of the Law by pointing out its benevolent intent (7:7-13) and its spiritual nature (7:14-25).
Paul’s approach in our text is to contrast the Law and sin. He will first show the benevolent intent and purpose of the Law, as given by God, and then contrast the sinister use to which the Law has been put by sin. The Law was intended to define sin and to thus make sin evident (7:7-8). Sin abused the Law, using it to multiply sin (7:8). The Law was intended to preserve and promote life, but sin used it to murder us (7:10). The Law was given to men to reveal the truth to men; sin used the Law to deceive us (7:11).
Is the Law something evil, something of which we would do well to be rid? Most definitely not! Indeed, the Law is the means by which sin is identified so that we can reckon with sin. Paul insists that he would not have come to know specific sins without their being identified as sin by the Law. The Law marks out the spiritual mine fields which we will encounter in life so that we might avoid them. The Law does not identify that which is good as sin so that we might be kept from enjoying it, but that which is evil so that we might be kept from suffering sin’s consequences. The Law posts warning signs around poisoned waters so that we might not drink of them.
Paul’s words in verses 8-10 contrast the Law’s relationship to sin and the Law’s relationship to Paul. Before the Law came, sin was dead. After the Law came, sin came to life. Before the Law came, Paul was alive. But after it came, Paul was dead. This contrast can best be represented as follows:
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Sin is dead |
Paul is alive |
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The Coming of the Law |
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Sin is alive |
Paul is dead |
Paul chose a specific sin, and a specific commandment, to illustrate his point that the Law identifies sin. That commandment is: “You shall not covet” (Romans 7:7, see Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21).
Here Paul is summarizing the commandment which is spelled out in greater detail in the Law. In both Exodus and Deuteronomy where this commandment is recorded, God gives examples of the coveting which was forbidden: coveting your neighbor’s house, his wife, his servant, and so on.159 This commandment gives us a definition of coveting: to covet is to desire to have that which belongs to another, which cannot legitimately be ours. The command not to covet identifies as sin the desire to wrongfully possess that which belongs to another and instructs those who would obey God not to entertain such evil desires.
As good as this commandment is, sin twists and perverts it, using it in such a way as to produce coveting of all kinds. The very commandment not to covet, which was given to reveal the sin of coveting, sin has used to reproduce itself many times over. The commandment which was given to manifest sin was abused by sin to multiply it.
Paul’s point is thereby made: The Law is good. Sin is evil, as is evident in the way it uses the Law to produce further sin and death. The Law is not sin, because the Law reveals sin. Just as an x-ray is not a tumor simply because it reveals a tumor, the Law is not sin because it reveals sin. That which is good cannot also be evil. The Law is good.
Why did Paul choose the commandment forbidding coveting rather than some other command? Did he randomly choose this command, or was there a particular reason for his choice? I believe Paul deliberately chose the commandment pertaining to coveting for very significant reasons. Consider these reasons why coveting is such a serious and significant sin.
(1) Coveting is a matter of the heart. It is not a matter which can be judged by outward appearance. Murder and stealing are visible sins which are immediately apparent to anyone who sees the evidence of a dead body or missing goods. Coveting is a sin of the mind and heart. We can covet, and no one may ever know it. Legalism tends to dwell on externals, while true Christian liberty is a matter of the heart.160 Paul therefore avoids an external example, choosing instead an invisible, internal sin.
(2) Coveting is one of the characteristic sins of the flesh. Our flesh has its appetites which often come into conflict with God’s revealed will.161 These appetites, or desires, are often forbidden lusts (see Galatians 5:16, 19; Ephesians 2:3; 2 Peter 2:10). Sin frequently overpowers our flesh by appealing to its lusts.
(3) Coveting is a root sin which is often the cause of other sins. Coveting in and of itself seems to do no harm to anyone, but it very frequently provides the motivation for stealing and even murder. To put a stop to coveting is to “head other sins off at the pass.”
(4) Coveting is a sin which best illustrates Paul’s statement, “I would not have come to know sin except through the Law” (verse 7). Not all sins are crimes. Murder, perjury, and robbery are sins, and they are also considered crimes by society. Almost anywhere in the world, one will find laws against these sins. Society’s laws serve to signal us that if these activities are crimes, they must be wrong.
Coveting is a sin which is almost never considered a crime. I know of no government which has a law forbidding coveting. Part of the explanation for this is the difficulty of identifying coveting and proving that this offense has taken place, since it is a sin of the heart and mind. Another reason is that most people do not think coveting is really wrong. In some societies, like our own, many forms of coveting would actually be commended rather than condemned.
All of this powerfully demonstrates Paul’s point. Unless God’s Law had identified coveting as a sin, we would never have recognized it as such. Coveting is like a tumor hidden inside our body. Because it is not external, like murder, we do not recognize its deadly existence and nature. The Law is like an x-ray, exposing it for what it is and warning us that we must deal with it.
(5) Coveting is used by Paul not only as an illustration of the principle he lays down in verse 7 but also as a link to his illustration from his own personal experience in verses 9-11. Coveting seems to lie at the root of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. In the account of the fall, every tree in the garden was “pleasing to the sight and good for food” (Genesis 2:9). Adam and Eve were given possession of virtually everything in the garden with the exception of one tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the fruit of which they were forbidden to eat (see Genesis 2:16-17). Satan successfully focused Eve’s attention and desire on the fruit of this tree. The result was that she seemed to focus only on the fruit of this forbidden tree as “pleasing to the sight and good for food,” and, in addition, “able to make her wise” (Genesis 3:6). Her first sin, therefore, seems to be that of lust—desiring that which she did not possess, which could not rightfully be hers.
It seems in my understanding that Paul uses the sin of coveting as an illustration because it prepares the reader for his illustration recorded in verses 9-11. Consider Paul’s words in these verses carefully:
9 And I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died; 10 and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; 11 for sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.
These words are indeed puzzling. There are a number of attempts to explain them. Upon reflection, however, I think Paul’s meaning can be understood162 with a considerable measure of confidence.
Verses 9-11 are Paul’s version of a “murder mystery.” Paul tells us he was murdered. He gives us all the important facts of the case and then challenges us to solve the case given these facts. Paul gives us these facts to solve the mystery:
There seems to be only one interpretation consistent with the context and the facts supplied by Paul as outlined above: Paul was speaking of his personal experience, in Adam, at the fall, described in Genesis 2 and 3 and Romans 5.
Paul, like every other human being, sinned in Adam. Adam’s experience is the experience of every human being, every son of Adam. In Adam, all sinned, and all died (Romans 5:12). In Adam, Paul was once alive, apart from the Law. Only Adam in his unfallen state could correctly be described as alive apart from the Law. Other than Adam and Christ, no other person can ever be spoken of as alive, apart from the Law. We are all born sinners (Psalm 51:5). From the day of our birth we are “dead in our trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1-3). We have never been alive, other than in Adam before the fall. We will never be alive, other than in Christ and His work on the cross.
The law came to Adam (and thus to Paul) in the form of one commandment:163
“From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16b-17).
To eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would result in certain death. To eat of the tree of life, which was also at the center of the garden, would result in life eternal (see Genesis 3:22). Thus God’s commandment was intended to result in life for Adam and Eve. Disobedience would result in death.164 This is just as Paul described his experience, in Adam.
In the Garden of Eden, Adam was not deceived, but Eve was (see Genesis 3:13; 1 Timothy 2:14).165 Satan deceived the woman as to the nature of God, the truth of God’s Word, and the consequences of disobedience of His commandment. Eve and her husband partook of the fruit of this tree and died, just as all those who have sinned in Adam have done ever since.
This illustration shows us how personally Paul took the sin of Adam. It also illustrates the goodness of God’s Law and the sinister nature of sin. Hindsight shows us that God was gracious in forbidding man to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was a good commandment. Obedience to this commandment would have kept Adam and Eve from tasting death. On the other hand, the fall of man in the Garden of Eden shows just how evil sin is, using God’s command to tempt men, to produce coveting, then disobedience, and finally death.
No wonder Paul can conclude his response to the first question with these words in verse 12: “So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”
The Law is precisely the opposite of what the question in verse 7 implied. The Law is not sin. The Law reveals sin. Obedience to the Law was to result in life. The Law is good, righteous, and holy. Sin is evil. Sin results in death. Sin is sinister. Those who love the Law hate sin. Those who love sin hate the Law. While the Law cannot save us or sanctify us, it is a gracious gift from God.
The Law is like an x-ray. It cannot cure cancer, but it can point cancer out when we otherwise would not have been aware of its existence and its ominous threat to life. The Law points out sin so that God’s grace and mercy can provide the righteousness we lack in another way—through Jesus Christ, by faith, and apart from human merit. To those who have experienced God’s surgery, which has removed the cancer of sin and prevented death, the x-ray of the Law is a wonderful and gracious gift. The Law is not sin but a sign, pointing to sin and warning us of its deadly consequences.
13 Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
The question of verse 13 is the result of confusing the evil-doer and the instrument. It results from confusing the one who pulled the trigger with the gun which the evil doer fired, taking the life of another. Many people want to curb violence and crime in our neighborhoods by getting rid of the guns, rather than by dealing with the criminals. So it is with sin. Paul’s question indicates that some would like to do away with the Law in the hope of solving the problem of sin and death, when the source of the problem lies elsewhere. Blaming the Law for death, rather than sin, is like watching a policeman appear at the scene of a murder only to seize the murderer’s weapon and then release the murderer with a pat on the back.
“The Law is holy, righteous, and good.” Sin is incredibly evil. The fact that sin would use the Law to kill us is further evidence of the sinister nature of sin. Sin’s use of the Law to kill us is like a doctor deliberately misusing an x-ray machine to radiate a patient to death rather than locating the deadly tumor within the patient. The more holy, righteous, and good the instrument which sin uses to produce death, the more sin’s wretchedness is evident. Sin is sinister, hideous, and ugly. The Law is lovely—“holy, and righteous, and good.”
We may summarize the thrust of Paul’s words in our text this way: It is sin that is evil and the Law of God that is good. While the Law has its limitations and weaknesses, it is not evil, and it is not synonymous with sin. There is a close relationship between the Law, sin, and death, but the Law and sin are very different. The Law is “holy, righteous, and good,” while sin is sinister.
In the light of our text, as well as many other Scriptures in the New and Old Testament, this fact should not come as any great revelation to the Christian. Yet it is true that many Christians seem to have forgotten or ignored it. And those of us who may agree with Paul’s conclusion in principle are often tempted to deny it in practice.
Our culture166 would have us believe that sin is beautiful and that the Law (or God’s rule) is ugly. Consider this illustration. There is vehement opposition of gay rights and pro-abortion advocates to any legislation which would limit their freedom to do that which is not only sin but abnormal and perverted. The prohibition of these sins is seen as interference in the rights of individuals to live as they please. In other words, sinners want no laws which prohibit their sinful lifestyle or which even define their activities as sin. Any Scriptural reference to such practices as sin are written off as narrow, primitive and prohibitive (there are many, in particular and/or in principle).
It is no different today than it was in Paul’s day or at any other period of history. Unsaved men reject God’s revelation and God’s rule. They hate His Law. As Paul put it,
And although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them (Romans 1:32).
This takes us back to the principle which Paul laid down in our text: apart from God’s divine definition of sin in the law, we would not know sin to be sin.
If this is true—and it surely is—then the Law is of great importance, not only to those who have lived before us, but for Christians today. The Law of God points out sin which we would never have recognized as such apart from His revelation.
Let us pause to pursue the implications of what Paul has said about God’s Law and our ability to recognize sin. The Law of God is necessary precisely because of our inability to recognize it in and of ourselves. The Law calls those attitudes and actions sin which we would not have understood to be sin.
Our sin often results from the deception that convinces us that a certain action or attitude cannot be sin since it does not make sense to us that it is sin. I believe a good part of Eve’s deception was that she did not really believe eating from the forbidden tree was sin. God must have been mistaken. After all, the tree was desirable. How could eating its fruit be sin? It looked so good.
This is precisely the reason God had to give Adam and Eve the commandment not to eat of this tree. If we would not recognize sin as such, and it can only be revealed by divine revelation, then we must, by faith, believe God’s revelation. To reject God’s Law because it does not make sense to us is to fail to remember why the Law was given in the first place: because we will not recognize sin apart from the Law.
How distressing it is to see the commandments of God’s Old Testament Law and even the commandments of our Lord, rejected or set aside as irrelevant by Christians today, simply on the basis that they do not make sense to us. We insist that we must first agree that the actions and attitudes God forbids are really evil before we will accept His command and obey. This is to deny the very reason for the existence of divine revelation in the first place.
Let me cite just one example. It is not enough to observe in the practice of our Lord, in the clear precepts of the apostle Paul, and in the teaching of the Old Testament that women are not to rule over men or to teach them (see 1 Timothy 2:9-15; 1 Corinthians 14:34-36). Because we do not understand why this would be wrong, many Christians today refuse to obey. This is exactly the sin of Eve which led to the sin of Adam. God’s Law is given to us because apart from revelation, we cannot recognize sin. We must, like those of every age, believe God’s Word by faith, and obey it—not because we understand why an action or attitude is sin, but because we do not and cannot understand.
The Law of God is just as vital for Christians today as it was in the days of old. It reveals sin and righteousness, which we would not otherwise know. As a means of salvation, the Law is of no value. It cannot justify men nor can it sanctify men. But the Law is of infinite value as God’s definition of sin and as an indicator that sin is present and must be dealt with.
The Law is neither evil nor obsolete. It is God’s gracious gift to man. David’s words are as true for Christians today as they were for the saints in his day:
Forever, O LORD, Thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness continues throughout all generations; Thou didst establish the earth, and it stands. They stand this day according to Thine ordinances, For all things are Thy servants. If Thy law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Thy precepts, For by them Thou hast revived me. I am Thine, save me; For I have sought Thy precepts. The wicked wait for me to destroy me; I shall diligently consider Thy testimonies. I have seen a limit to all perfection; Thy commandment is exceedingly broad. O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thy commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are ever mine. I have more insight than all my teachers, For Thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, Because I have observed Thy precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Thy word. I have not turned aside from Thine ordinances, For Thou Thyself hast taught me. How sweet are Thy words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! From Thy precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp to my feet, And a light to my path. I have sworn, and I will confirm it, That I will keep Thy righteous ordinances. I am exceedingly afflicted; Revive me, O LORD, according to Thy word (Psalm 107:89-107).
The truth which David states in the Psalms is affirmed by our Lord and His apostles:
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17-18).
in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:4).
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law, For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:8-10).
For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (Romans 15:4).
Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come (1 Corinthians 10:11).
Let the women keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but let them subject themselves, just as the Law also says (1 Corinthians 14:34).
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
If the Law of God is so good, may I ask how much time you have spent in His Law this past year? There has never been a time when God’s standards of holiness are more needed than today.
Several other lessons may be inferred from our text as we conclude:
(1) We often fail to see our struggles with sin as having their beginning in our experience in Adam, or our deliverance in our experience in Christ. As I have interpreted verses 9-11, Paul takes the sin of Adam, and Eve, very personally. I do not think that most Christians are like Paul in this regard, and I challenge you, along with myself, to follow his example. The sin of Adam in the Garden of Eden and the righteous act of Jesus Christ in history are not just historical facts. They are our experience as well. If you are not saved—if you have never trusted in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins—then you have only experienced sin and death, in Adam. But if you have trusted Jesus Christ, you have died and been raised to newness of life in Christ. These are more than historical facts, recorded in a book; they are your experience. It is on the basis of this experience that you must live. We must take these two historical events far more seriously and personally, if we are to be like Paul.
(2) In our text, the enemy is sin, not Satan. If indeed Paul’s experience described in verses 9-11 was the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden, then “Satan” has been replaced by “sin.”167
Why is it that Satan is not described as the source of sin and death in our text? Why is it that Satan is hardly mentioned at all in Romans? Why is it that Satan is not more prominent in the Old Testament and even in the New?
I believe the reason is significant. It is true that we struggle not against “flesh and blood,” but against “the schemes of the devil,” against “rulers and powers and spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:11-12). But this cosmic struggle is not that which receives the greatest prominence or proportion in Scripture. This is because our great struggle as Christians is with the flesh.168 “The world, the flesh and the devil” are not three independent opponents of the Christian. Rather, the devil and the world oppose the Christian by their appeal to the flesh. Thus, in Romans 7, Paul focuses in on the flesh as the great battleground for the saint.
I point out this biblical emphasis on our struggle with the flesh, rather than with cosmic forces, so that we might not lose a biblical perspective of “the spiritual warfare.” It is popular today to focus on the cosmic struggle to the avoidance and neglect of the great personal war going on within ourselves, between the Spirit and the flesh. We would rather blame the devil or the demons for our sins than our own flesh. Let us beware of giving so much attention to the cosmic struggle that we neglect that war which Paul emphasizes in our text. Satan’s victories in our lives will come through sin’s appeal to our flesh.
Incidentally, we might also imply from our text that Satan takes special pleasure in achieving his sinister work through that which is good, even more than by using that which is evil. Satan seems to find special pleasure in using that which is “holy, righteous, and good.” Would he not find great delight in using the saints to achieve his purposes?
(3) Covetousness is a key and crucial evil, and it must be taken most seriously by the Christian who desires to please God by living righteously. Covetousness is that sin which Paul chose to highlight as a deadly evil which the Law exposes. I do not think we take it seriously enough. I doubt that we understand how much our culture has incorporated coveting into the social values of our day, as though it is beneficial, even virtuous. Television give-away game shows train us to covet things. Capitalism can use covetousness as a positive force which motivates men to work hard in order to earn money. American advertising considers itself successful if it has been able to produce coveting in a potential customer.
Coveting comes in other forms, especially in those which appear to be spiritual. The preachers of the “gospel of the good life” appeal to the covetousness of men by promising them all that their hearts desire, if they but give to their ministry. Coveting can also occur when we focus our attention on that which we do not possess. How often today the word “need” occurs in the vocabulary of the Christian. We present Christ as the “need-meeter.” We spend a great deal of time and energy trying to surface and explore our needs. These “needs” all seem to be things which we do not possess. Is our “need exploration” only producing coveting? If I understand the Scriptures correctly, God has met all our needs in Christ. That which we do not have, which we think we need, may either be that which God has graciously withheld, or it may be that which He has already provided but which we have failed to receive or to appropriate by faith. I fear that we are far too “need” conscious.169
The need for a definition of sin and righteousness has been met by the gracious gift of God’s Law. Let us gratefully receive it as such.
159 There is a slight variation between the commandment as stated in Exodus 20:17 and as stated in Deuteronomy 5:21. I think this is to underscore that these specific areas of coveting are merely illustrative.
160 See Luke 16:15.
161 For example, Satan attempted to appeal to our Lord’s appetite, striving to tempt Him to act independently of the Father’s will in order to satisfy His appetite. Jesus’ response was that there were things more important than physical bread or the satisfying of physical appetites (see Matthew 4:1-4).
162 Whatever interpretation you might decide is most consistent with the context and Paul’s precise words, the point of his illustration is clear and irrefutable: sin misused the Law to bring about Paul’s death.
163 “The commandment,” see verses 8, 9, 10.
164 The commandment which God gave to Adam (and thus to Paul as well) is an excellent illustration of the role of the Law, which was never to save those who obeyed but to define sin, showing men their need for salvation. Law-keeping would not have saved Adam and Eve. It would not have enabled them to earn eternal life. The commandment which God gave them was not to eat of the fruit of the tree of life, which would have resulted in eternal life (Genesis 3:22), but it was to avoid eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. To have obeyed God’s law would have prevented Adam and Eve from the death sentence, but it would not have provided them with eternal life. Meditating on the deeper meaning of the law they had been given would have led Adam and Eve to conclude that they should find life in eating from the fruit of the tree of life, which they could have done, by faith.
165 Paul’s statement, that sin deceived him, was the one objection I had to the interpretation that Paul was speaking of his personal “fall” in Adam. How could Paul say that he was deceived, when Eve was deceived, but not Adam? Before now, I have always thought of my sin and its consequences as coming only through Adam. Yet, in the inspired account of Genesis, Eve’s participation in the fall is prominent. Just as Adam’s sin has consequences for men, Eve’s sin has consequences which fall on all women. The fall therefore was the collective result of the sins of Adam and Eve, and the consequences of the fall come from the actions of both. Thus, Paul can rightly say that he was deceived, when speaking of his participation in the fall.
166 The Bible would call the influence of our culture “the world.” See, for example, John 15:18, 19; 16:33; 17:9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25; Romans 12:2; 1 John 2:15-16; 4:5; 5:4.
167 If we cannot interchange the Law and sin, we can much more easily interchange Satan and sin, which Paul seems to have done in our text.
168 There is a great deal of difference between “flesh and blood” (literally blood and flesh in the text of Ephesians 6:12) and “the flesh.” “Flesh and blood” is a term used synonymously with “men,” mere mortals. “We struggle not against human enemies, but against cosmic forces of evil.” In Romans, “the flesh” is our old fallen nature which is weak and which is easily overcome by sin.
169 I highly recommend the book, Need—The New Religion by Julian Anthony Walter (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1985).
In her book, Joni, Joni Ericson Toda describes her first distressing realization of the grim reality of her paralysis. Joni was only 15 when she was permanently paralyzed from the neck down as the result of a diving accident. She was rushed to the hospital for extensive tests and x-rays to determine the extent of her injury. As she lay unclothed on a hospital cart, the sheet covering her slipped to the side leaving her partially exposed. In her modesty, Joni desperately wanted to cover herself, a small task easily and quickly accomplished before her accident. But now, as much as she wanted to make her arms and hands move, they simply would not respond. Joni knew in her mind exactly what she wanted to do, but her body was totally unresponsive. You and I can only taste of Joni’s struggle in small portions. My body generally does what I ask it to do nowadays, although to my chagrin, it does it slower and not nearly as well. It is threatening that some day it might not even respond to my requests at all.
Paul describes in the Book of Romans a much deeper frustration—one with which only Christians can identify and one with which all Christians can identify. The Christian’s agony comes from realizing that our sinful flesh refuses to respond to the requirements of God’s Law. Those things which we as Christians despise we find ourselves doing. Those things which we as Christians desire we fail to accomplish. No matter how much we may wish to serve God in our minds, we find ourselves sinning in our bodies. As Paul describes his frustration in Romans 7, with his mind he desires to serve God. He agrees with the Law of God and rejoices in it. He wants to do what is right, but his body will not respond. He watches, almost as a third party, as sin sends a signal to his body, and as his body responds, “What would you like to do?” Paul finds, as we do, that while our fleshly bodies refuse to obey God and do that which we desire and which delights God, they quickly and eagerly respond to the impulses and desires aroused by sin.
Joni’s difficulty only partially describes the analogy of Romans 7, for it is one thing to have our body not do what we tell it to and quite another to realize that our body is very obedient to something else. That is the frustration of Paul in Romans 7. Every Christian who reads Romans 7:14-25 should immediately identify with Paul’s expression of frustration and agony due to the weakness of his fleshly body: “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24). We are confronted with a dilemma as we try to live righteously. If there were no answer for this question, we would hardly dare to press on. But there is an answer! Thanks be to God, there is a solution!
Some of our most tender nerves are touched by Paul’s teaching in verses 14-25. For the truths taught here could be taken as the most depressing and hopeless realities of our lives. But Paul does not dwell on the weakness of our flesh in order to discourage us. Rather, Paul exposes the weakness of our flesh as the root problem which prevents Christians from living the kind of lives God requires and which we, as Christians, desire in our innermost being. Paul exposes the weakness of our flesh to prepare us for God’s provision for godly living, the solution found in Romans 8. Those of us willing to honestly identify with the agony of Romans 7 will be ready for the ecstasy of God’s gracious provision for living righteously in Romans 8. If Romans 7 takes the Christian to an all time low, Romans 8 takes us to a refreshing high. Let us welcome these words of encouragement as a revelation from God, for these verses are God’s good news for sinners.
Paul lays down his argument in Romans 1-11 as he builds to three peaks. The first peak is found in Romans 3:21-26 where in verse 21 Paul, with great joy and enthusiasm, presents the good news: God has provided the righteousness which all men lack and which God requires for eternal life. In Romans 8:1-17, we come to the second peak of the book when Paul tells the Christian that God has provided the means for righteous living which all Christians lack. Finally, in Romans 11, Paul tells us of God’s work among His people, the Jews, in bringing about their righteousness by means of the Gentiles in His sovereign program for His people.
In each case, only after Paul demonstrates the need for righteousness and man’s inability to produce it by his own works does Paul introduce the righteousness which God provides and produces. In Romans 1:18–3:20, Paul demonstrates the universal sinfulness of all men, Jews and Gentiles. Man’s desperately sinful condition is summarized in Romans 3:10-18, where Paul employs the Old Testament Scriptures themselves to prove his point that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.
Romans 7:14-25 is similar to Romans 3:10-18. These verses sum up the Christian’s utter inability to live righteously, in his own strength. Rather than citing the Old Testament Scriptures here, Paul refers to his own experience as we read of his final cry of despair in Romans 7:24. The darkest hour of Romans 5-7 comes just before the dawn of Romans 8.
Romans 5 begins by assuring the Christian of the certainty of salvation and of its many blessings in which we boast. The basis for our struggle with sin (in Adam), as well as the basis for our victory over sin (in Christ), is exposed in the last half of chapter 5. Romans 6 stresses the necessity of living righteously, not in sin as we once lived before our salvation. Romans 7:1-6 speaks of our death to the Law and the freedom this grants us to be joined to Christ and to produce the fruit of righteousness. In Romans 7:7-13, Paul establishes the goodness of God’s Law and the wickedness of sin. Now, in Romans 7:14-25, Paul brings us to the root of the problem, the cause of our constant defeat by sin: our own flesh, the “body of this death” (verse 24).
This portion of Scripture is fraught with problems and different interpretations, and even some would say that this is a description of Paul as an unbeliever. Many of us are uncomfortable with the fact that Christians struggle, and yet it seems that one must begin by saying this is the struggle of a Christian. In the Book of Romans we are not in the salvation section but in the sanctification section. Christians and non-Christians alike struggle, but they struggle with very different things. The non-Christian’s enemy is God and ultimately the struggle of the unbeliever is his struggle with God. His distress and troubles are a manifestation of the wrath of God. We were born in our transgressions and sin; we were at enmity with God—sin is not the problem. For the Christian, sin is the enemy. And that changes only at conversion so that the struggle Paul is describing is his personal struggle with sin as a believer.
Before considering Paul’s teaching verse by verse, we need to make several observations concerning this text as a whole.
(1) Paul changes from the past tense in verses 7-13 to the present tense in verses 14-25. This change strongly suggests (as other evidence will confirm at least to my satisfaction) that while Paul speaks of his experience as a non-Christian in verses 7-13, he is now speaking of his experience as a Christian in verses 14-25.
(2) Note the progression in our text which presses on to the problem which is the source of the spiritual struggle of every Christian—the awesome power of sin. Paul begins by stating that the problem is not with the Law of God but with his own flesh (verses 14-16). He then goes on to show that the real culprit is sin and not the flesh (verses 17-23). Sin is evil; the flesh is weak.
(3) In our text, Paul is describing his own personal struggle with sin. This is the most dramatic testimony of Paul’s struggle with sin. We have little difficulty believing that we struggle with sin or that others like Peter struggled, but Paul somehow seems above it all. This is a misconception, as our theology should remind us, and as Paul’s words instruct us. Paul’s struggle is a deeply personal struggle, with sin and with his own flesh. It is a war within. It is a war which results from his conversion, a war which did not exist until he was saved.
(4) Paul is not able to understand or to precisely analyze his own struggle with sin. I remember reading Don Baker’s book, Depression, in which he describes his own deep depression, hospitalization, and recovery from what we would call a nervous breakdown. Baker had no quick and easy explanation either for his breakdown or for his recovery. Paul tells his reader that he does not understand what he is doing (verse 15).
We tend to think of Paul as the man with all the answers. If anyone can understand sin and our struggle with it, it would be Paul. But in our text Paul is the one struggling, and he does not offer a quick and easy explanation. This is because sin cannot be understood. Sin is irrational. We try to rationalize our sinful actions to make it appear that we have reasons, good reasons, for our sin. But there is no good reason for sin. Sin is an irrational act which has no easy, rational explanation.
(5) Paul is not trying to supply us with the solution to his problem but simply describing the immensity of the problem of sin and the intensity of his struggle with it. The solution to the Christian’s struggle with sin is explained in Romans 8. The struggle is described in Romans 7. While we are eager to hear God’s solution, we must first be convinced of the seriousness of the problem. Drastic situations require drastic measures. This situation is drastic, as are the measures God outlines in chapter 8.
14 For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15 For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good.
In Romans 7:7-13, Paul has shown that God’s Law is “holy, righteous, and good” (7:12). In verse 14, Paul makes a very significant statement: “The Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.” Paul seems to be saying this: “The Law is not the problem, I am.” We might paraphrase it this way: “The Law is spiritual. I am carnal.” Both statements catch us somewhat off guard. Both need explanation and clarification.
The Law has already been shown to be “holy, righteous, and good.” Now Paul tells us something more, “The Law is spiritual.” Just how is the Law “spiritual”? How does being “spiritual” differ from being “holy, righteous, and good”? To understand and agree with Paul’s words, we must take several important matters into account:
(1) Paul is speaking specifically of the Law of Moses and not just “law” in general.
(2) As such, the Law of Moses was given by God. God was the Author of the Law.
(3) The Law of Moses is Scripture, “… inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16; see also Romans 15:4).
(4) The Law defines and reveals sin, showing men to be sinners, under divine condemnation and in need of a righteousness not their own.
(5) The Law reveals the character of God to men. It also anticipates and bears witness to the righteousness of God as revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.
(6) It defines sins and determines their penalties so that those who break the Law can be punished (see 1 Timothy 1:7-11).
(7) Far more than being a mere set of rules, the Law is suggestive, giving those who seek God much fuel for meditation, prayer, and praise.
(8) The Law cannot be understood apart from divine illumination (see Psalm 119, especially verses 8, 26-27, 32, 33-34); 1 Corinthians 2:6–3:3). No man can understand God’s revelation apart from the Spirit of God. The Law is spiritual; it therefore requires the Spirit to interpret it to unspiritual men.
(9) The Law is not concerned merely with externals but with man’s heart and spirit.
(10) The Law turns men from trusting in themselves and points them to God, in Whom alone they must trust and worship.
The Law is not Paul’s problem. Paul tells us that he is the problem. The Law is “spiritual,” and he is not. He is “of flesh.” His nature, by birth and by virtue of his union with Adam, is fallen. His fleshly nature is hostile toward God and friendly toward sin. Nothing good dwells in his flesh. His nature impairs not only his ability to comprehend the Law of God but inclines him to disobey it even if he did understand.
Imagine that I had been stricken with a fatal ailment, and I would soon die. I learn that an Hispanic doctor has discovered a cure—if only I can contact the doctor, my cure is certain. But there are problems: the doctor is in Mexico and speaks only Spanish. I live far away and speak only English. I am also intensely prejudiced against Hispanics and even if I could understand him, I would be completely unwilling to accept this man’s cure.
Paul’s flesh is in “bondage to sin” (verse 14). Because of this, the standards set by the Law are not met. Those things which the Law requires, Paul finds himself failing to do. Those things which the Law prohibits, Paul finds himself practicing. He does the very things he hates (verse 15). One thing can be learned from Paul’s confusing and chaotic condition and conduct: if not in his actions, at least in his attitude, Paul agrees with the Law of God, confessing it to be good (verse 16). Paul hates those sins which the Law condemns. Thus Paul is in agreement with the Law. Paul wishes to do what the Law commands. Paul is, once again, in fundamental agreement with the Law. Paul’s mind is in agreement with God’s Law, but his flesh is opposed to it. The Law is not the problem; Paul is.
17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
Paul recognizes his fundamental agreement with the Law. As he has shown, this testifies to his own appraisal of the goodness of the Law (verse 16). But the problem goes even farther than this. His agreement with the Law shows that the source of the problem is not Paul, but the strength of sin. Nothing good indwells Paul’s flesh, but sin is present in him.
Paul’s flesh is naturally opposed to God, to His Law, and to anything righteous. Paul’s flesh is responsive to sin. Paul’s flesh (his fallen nature—all that he was before he came to faith in Christ) has become sin’s sanctuary. In one sense, Paul is a prisoner of his own flesh. Deep within himself, Paul wishes to do that which God’s Law defines as good. He desires not to do that which the Law calls sin. His desires conform to God’s Law. His deeds reject and resist God’s Law. He is almost schizophrenic in his spiritual life.
But Paul’s agreement with the Law of God in his mind shows that he is not really the one practicing sin. He is being held as a hostage by sin, in his own flesh! What he is doing, he is doing against his own will! Paul has been taken prisoner by sin. Sin has taken advantage of the weakness of his flesh and has perverted the Law to entice men to sin, rather than to keep them from sin.
Paul’s flesh is weak, and he is overpowered by sin. Paul’s escape and deliverance must take place by his deliverance from his own sinful flesh, his “body of death.” Listen once again to his agonizing cry for help:
Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? (Romans 7:24).
If there is anything clear in this text it is the intensity of the problem. The desperate struggle in the life of the Christian to do what is right on his own power leads to complete frustration and failure - even the apostle Paul says this is his experience.
25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.
Paul’s deliverance from the power of sin which takes advantage of him by means of his weakened and fallen flesh is through Jesus Christ and His cross. Just as the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ was God’s provision for the righteousness we lack for eternal life, so the cross of Christ is God’s provision for the righteousness He requires of His saints. We will find the explanation in chapter 8, but Paul does not leave us hanging with no hope.
Paul’s condition is repeated once more in verse 25. He is living two lives. In his mind, Paul agrees with the Law of God and submits himself to it. But in his flesh, Paul finds his body in service to sin. I am reminded of the way I felt during a radio pledge week a few years ago. My family was committed to the support of this Christian radio station but found the making of a pledge contrary to our convictions. We also had strong reservations about having our names and the amount of our donation broadcast. As we were listening to those who pledged to give, to our utter amazement and chagrin we heard our own daughter’s name. Unknown to us, she had called in to make a pledge. I felt something like Paul, knowing that he had unwillingly become a part of something he did not agree with or desire.
This text is foundational to our view of the Christian life. As we conclude, allow me to point out some important truths and their implications for our lives.
(1) There is an intense struggle going on within the Christian. Conversion to Christ does not instantly solve all our problems. It even results in some problems we had never experienced as unbelievers. Before our salvation, we were never in opposition with sin. We were unknowingly the slaves of sin, all along thinking we were serving our own interests. Before our conversion, we were enemies of God. Our struggle was the result of our opposition to Him and His present judgment in our lives. As a result of faith in Christ, our animosity toward God ended and a new animosity—toward sin—began. The struggle which Paul is describing in Romans 7:14-25 is the result of his conversion.
(2) An overwhelming sense of despair over our struggle with sin and our defeat by it is an essential step in the solution to this problem. Paul’s despair was legitimate and even necessary. Until we hate sin, we will not turn from it. Until we reach the end of ourselves, we will not look to God. Just as unsaved men and women must come to the end of themselves in order to receive God’s gracious provision of righteousness, by faith in Christ, Christians too must come to the end of themselves to find the solution, once again, at the cross of Calvary.
(3) The problem with many Christians is not their despair, like that of Paul, but their lack of it. If coming to the end of ourselves is essential to turning to God for our deliverance, then many Christians will never turn to God for victory over sin because they do not recognize their true condition or take it seriously enough. It was the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees who did not come to Jesus for forgiveness simply because they did not think they needed it. It is the “smooth-sailing saints” who do not come to the cross for deliverance from the power of sin in their lives because they do not agonize over their condition as Paul did. My concern is that I lack the kind of agony that Paul has. I lack the kind of intensity that Paul has.
Why is it I do not feel the struggle as much as he does? How can Christians fail to identify with Paul here in Romans 7? Let me suggest several reasons.
We fail to agonize over sin because we have redefined our old sins, giving them new Christian labels. Aggressive, self-assertiveness, once condemned as sin, now becomes “zeal for the Lord.” These are the same vices, the same sins, but we now sanctify them by putting Christian labels on them.
We live superficial, hypocritical lives, which deny the reality of our sin, and our failure to live as God requires.
We ignore and reject God’s Law, as though it were “of flesh,” while we are the ones who are spiritual (the exact opposite of what Paul says in verse 14).
We teach Christians to “cope” with their sin. Paul never teaches Christians to cope. In effect, we say to Christians that they need to learn to live with the agony. Paul says, “No, you don’t. You need to have that agony so intense that you can’t live with it, and you can only turn to God.”
We seek to convert our socially unacceptable sins to those sins which are socially acceptable. We know that robbery and murder are unacceptable to society, and so we redirect our sinful energies in areas which serve our own self-interest, but in ways which bring us the commendation of others, rather than their condemnation. We give up those sins for which society puts men in prison and take up those sins for which society will make us president.
We appeal to unholy motives in order to produce conduct which appears righteous. We use pride, ambition, greed, and guilt within the church, making these illicit motives the reasons for acceptable conduct.
We cannot stand to see people “putting themselves down” and thinking of themselves as wretched creatures, and so we attempt to build their self-esteem. We would not turn Paul to the cross for the solution to his problem; we would rebuke him for his poor self-esteem, and put him in a class or program which made him feel good about himself.170
Those of us who are Christians and can identify with Paul are blessed. Those of us who cannot identify with Paul are to be pitied. It is not that we are plagued because we think too little of ourselves, but because we do not take sin seriously enough. The agony of Romans 7 is a prerequisite for the ecstasy of Romans chapter 8.
(4) Sin is complicated, but its solution is simple. Paul has already said it—sin is beyond our comprehension. We do not understand it. We cannot understand it. But we do not have to understand it in order to solve the dilemma it poses.
I know a young man who was converted to Jesus Christ. He was a homosexual before his conversion, and he also practiced homosexuality as a Christian. He found the solution in the cross of Jesus Christ. In speaking to a group of ministers, he said something very important. “Do not try to understand, and please do not try to identify with me in terms of my homosexuality. You cannot and should not understand. You do not need to understand. Identify with me on the level that we all struggle with—sin, due to the weakness of our flesh.”
He is absolutely right. Whatever form sin might take, the solution is the same. The solution to sin is not to be found in understanding it. The biblical solution to sin is not to be found in any other provision than that of the cross of Calvary, the teaching of God’s Word, and the enablement of His Spirit. Let us look for no other solution. Let us receive that which God has provided, in Christ.
How great is your struggle? How great is mine? I think if our struggle is as great as Paul’s we will in desperation give up all self-help efforts, and we will turn to the cross. God has provided a righteousness we cannot produce by ourselves. That righteousness Jesus Christ offers to us through the power of the Spirit. “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” The answer is to come in Romans 8. The very Spirit that raised the dead body of Jesus Christ from the grave is the Spirit that dwells in you and will give life to your mortal bodies. God has the solution. The solution for Christians is the walk of the Spirit. But we will never get to that point until we have come to the desperation of Paul in Romans 7.
My prayer is that you may begin to grasp the immensity of the struggle with sin. May you forsake all efforts to serve God in the strength of your flesh. May God help each of us to acknowledge that our flesh is a body of death from which we must be delivered. May God help us to understand as we proceed in our study of Romans the walk of the Spirit, the provision that God has made for us to live in a way which is pleasing to Him.
If you, my friend, are reading this and your struggle ultimately is not with sin but with God, I pray that if you do not know Jesus Christ personally you will today acknowledge your sin, acknowledge that there is nothing you can do to earn eternal life, and that you will trust in Jesus Christ who has been punished on your behalf and who offers to you the righteousness which God requires.
Whether your struggle is with God, as an unbeliever, dominated by sin, or it is a struggle with sin, as a Christian, the cross of Christ is God’s provision. I urge you to accept it.
Verses 14-16 make the first statement as Paul says something I think most of us do not believe. The Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.” I think contemporary Christians would say just the opposite if this verse were not staring them in the face. If you asked many would say, “I am spiritual, and the Law is carnal. I am spiritual and the Law is a matter of mere externals.” That is not what Paul says. Paul says the problem is the Law’s basic essence; it is spiritual and my basic essence is that there is no good that dwells within me. We are on two different wave lengths: First, I can not understand the Law, and second, even if I could understand it I would not do it because I am operating in the flesh, and there is no good that dwells in my flesh. My flesh resists the Law. It hates the Law.
In what sense then do we say the Law is spiritual? First we must say the Law (the Law of Moses), is spiritual because it is God’s Word. It is divine revelation, “the oracles of God”—it is God’s revelation to men. Can we not say that the Law is Scripture? When we come to 2 Timothy 3: All Scripture is inspired, God breathed and profitable for teaching, etc., most people tend to say, “Yes, Pauline Epistles, New Testament, maybe the Gospels, but maybe some of the Old Testament.” But in essence much of that Scripture which was in the hands of those who received that statement was Law. The Law is Scripture, the Law is God-breathed, the Law is profitable. The Law speaks to men at the spiritual level. This is where the legalistic Sadducees and Pharisees missed the point. Because they were not spiritual, they could not understand the Law. Jesus kept saying to those who were the experts in the Law, “Have you not read? Have you not understood? You are greatly mistaken.” Why did He keep saying that to those who were the most expert in the Law? Because they did not understand that the Law was spiritual, and they were not. Unspiritual men cannot understand spiritual law. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is saying the Law does far more than address mere externals. The Law addresses man’s spirit.
So over and over again Jesus kept taking the Law to its innermost part, to its spiritual dimension, which went right over the head of those who were most expert in the Law. That is why we fail to read 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 where Paul is saying: “But just as it is written, ‘THINGS WHICH EYE HATH NOT SEEN AND EAR HATH NOT HEARD AND HAVE NOT ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN—it is above us and beyond us—it is spiritual—beyond our dimension—these things God has prepared for those who love Him.’ For to us God revealed them through the Spirit for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.” No man can understand God’s revelation apart from the spirit of God—the law is spiritual; it therefore requires the spirit to interpret it to unspiritual men. We must have the Spirit of God to understand the spiritual dimensions of the Law. That is why David the Psalmist says, “Oh, how I love Thy law; it is my meditation day and night” because it did far more than say, “Do this,” “Don’t do that.” That is why David said, “Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things from Thy law.” There was much more in the Law than simply the external commandments. There was that addressing of the heart. “The Law is spiritual. I am of flesh.”
In my deepest humanity apart from God I am simply flesh. There is no good thing that dwells within me. The mind set on the flesh, Paul says, is death. It is opposed to God—opposed to His rule and His reign. And therefore I find that in my own nature that I am opposed to that which is true of God and His Word. “The Law is spiritual; I am of flesh; sold into bondage to sin.”
When Paul says “I” he sometimes means “I” the new creation in Christ and at other times he is saying “I” the old me in Adam. If you are honest, don’t you sometimes wonder as a Christian which of you is doing it? Sometimes, isn’t it really hard to know even when you are doing those things which seem so pious—you ask yourself, which one of me is doing this? Is it the legalistic me who thinks that somehow in the external act of reading the Bible, of preaching, of praying, of ministering to others, that I am really serving God. That is what often Pharisaism was all about: “Have we not cast out even demons in your name. Have we not done all of these things?” But they did them not unto God, but for themselves.
170 I appreciate these words from John R. W. Stott, on this text in Romans: “Indeed, an honest and humble acknowledgment of the hopeless evil of our flesh, even after the new birth, is the first step to holiness. To speak quite plainly, some of us are not leading holy lives for the simple reason that we have too high an opinion of ourselves.” John R. W. Stott, Men Made New (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1966), p. 74.
Our family was on vacation during the fuel crisis a number of years ago when we ran short of fuel in a remote western part of the United States. In the small town where we found it necessary to spend the night, only one motel was available, and my children still laugh about the night we spent in the Alpine Lodge. Our room had no private bath; the bathroom down the hall had saloon-type doors one could see over and under. The flashing red neon sign outside our windows illuminated our room all through the night. Downstairs we checked in at the bar of a tavern. At that bar sat a man well under the influence of already-consumed liquor. I could not help but overhear the man’s conversation with the bartender. This drunken man was actually witnessing to the bartender about his need to trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. Imagine a drunk telling a sober bartender he needed to get saved!
A radical change is expected and required when a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ. When no change becomes apparent, we begin to wonder if there has been a genuine conversion or if the one who was truly saved understands God’s Word concerning sanctification and discipleship. Charles Colson, in his excellent book, Loving God, entitles one of his chapters, “A Christian Gangster?” Gangster Mickey Cohen had made a profession of faith, and it was hoped that he had sincerely come to faith in Jesus Christ. Time evidenced that Mr. Cohen wanted to continue to live as a gangster with the assurance that he would go to heaven when he died. For a man like Cohen, genuine conversion to Christianity would require some radical changes in his mindset, motivation, and methods.
That change is both necessary and radical for anyone who comes to faith in Jesus Christ. The libertine extreme seeks to minimize the change which is required, wanting to avoid any rules or commands. They want to speak only of grace and not of righteousness or God’s Law. They want to continue to live in sin just as they did as unbelievers. This view is described and rejected in Romans 6. The legalist, on the other hand, wants to bury the convert to Christ with rules and regulations. He does speak of righteousness and holiness, but of the kind men define which is accomplished by human effort and not divine enablement. Paul discusses this point of view in Romans 7, showing legalism to be both sinful and impossible.
In Romans 6, Paul tells us that righteousness is required of those who have been justified by faith. Those who have died to sin must no longer continue to live in sin. They must no longer present their bodies to sin, but must present their bodies to God as instruments of righteousness. Paul shares in Romans 7 from his own experience as he shows that living a righteous life is humanly impossible. The Law is not the problem, for the “Law is holy, righteous, and good.” The problem is the weakness of our flesh. Unaided by God, the best a Christian can do is to serve God with his mind but to serve sin with his flesh. Great agony over this condition causes the Christian to cry out to God who alone can deliver him from the body which is dead with respect to achieving righteousness.
Chapter 7 ends with a very desperate cry for deliverance and a brief summary of the nature of that deliverance: “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:24-25).
Paul will explain in Romans 8 the nature of God’s provision for our deliverance. The words of our text in verses 1-17, along with those which follow in chapter 8, are some of the most encouraging words in all of the Bible.
“Spenner is reported to have said that if holy Scripture was a ring, and the Epistle to the Romans its precious stone, chap. viii. would be the sparkling point of the jewel!”171
Those who can identify with the agony of Paul in Romans 7 will rejoice with him in the ecstasy of Romans 8. Do you desire to serve God and to obey His commands and yet find it impossible to do so? If not, then you should go back to the beginning of Romans and start reading again. Either you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, you fail to understand what God requires, or you do not see the futility and inadequacy of merely human effort. But if you have come to that point of despair of which Paul speaks, then you have come to the point of dependence upon God. Read on, my friend. There is more good news for you. The solution to your problem is now the topic under discussion in Romans 8.
Let us look to the Holy Spirit, of whom theses verses speak, to enlighten our minds concerning those things which we would never grasp apart from His divine illumination (see 1 Corinthians 2:6-16).
Romans 8 may be seen as falling into three distinct but closely related segments. Verses 1-27 describe the ministry of the Holy Spirit in relationship to the believer. The sovereignty of God is stressed in verses 28-30. Verses 31-39 contain Paul’s spontaneous outburst of praise in response to the security of the saint and the certainty of God’s purposes and promises.
In our text the following structure can be observed:
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Verses 1-4 |
The Holy Spirit, God’s Provision for (1) escape from condemnation, and (2) enablement to fulfill the Law |
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Verses 5-11 |
The necessity of walking in the Spirit, rather than walking in the flesh |
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Verses 5-8 |
Why walking in the flesh cannot please God |
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Verses 9-11 |
Why walking in the Spirit will please God |
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Verses 12-17 |
Paul’s words of application |
To better understand our text in Romans 8:1-17, it may prove helpful to make a few overall observations concerning the Book of Romans, this chapter, and its larger context.
(1) Romans is a logical, systematic treatment of the gospel. In this epistle, Paul deals with the gospel in terms of its necessity, its basis, its nature, and its outworkings. Paul is not writing to a church he has founded or visited, but to a church he hopes to visit in the future. He is not writing to address and correct specific problems but to provide this group with a solid foundation, a foundation for their Christian lives and for his future ministry among them.
(2) Romans is the most systematic treatment of the doctrine of the spiritual life in all of the New Testament. Thus, what Paul includes and what he omits in this epistle must be taken very seriously in terms of what is important to the Christian life.
(3) Paul’s teaching is based on the assurance of the salvation of the saint, their possession of the Spirit and the certainty of their sanctification. Paul does not try to motivate the Christian to trust and obey out of doubt or fear but out of confidence, assurance and gratitude for what God has done and will do. The mood throughout is that of the certainty of the saint based on the sovereignty of God (see 8:1, 9, 11, 15-17, 28-39).
(4) The Holy Spirit is the prominent subject and the most prominent person of the Godhead in this chapter.172 While there has already been considerable attention given to the flesh prior to chapter 8, there have been very few references to the Holy Spirit. This chapter is, by far, the most concentrated teaching on the Holy Spirit in the Book of Romans. The term “spirit,” which can refer either to man’s spirit or to the Holy Spirit, occurs only four times in Romans before chapter 8 (1:4; 2:29; 5:5; 7:6). Of these four previous occurrences of the term “spirit” in Romans 1-7, one instance is a clear reference to a man’s human spirit (Romans 1:4). The second reference (2:29) is debatable. The third reference (5:5) is a rather clear reference to the Holy Spirit. The use of “Spirit” in Romans 7:6 is somewhat debatable as well (capitalized in the NASB, but with a footnote with the alternative rendering, “spirit”).
In Romans 8, the term “spirit” occurs 18 times in the NASB and 19 times in the King James Version (see the translation of Romans 8:1 in the King James Version for an additional use of the term). This term occurs but 7 more times in Romans 9-16 (9:1; 11:8; 14:17; 15:13, 16, 19, 30). Thus, the term “Spirit” or “spirit” occurs in chapter 8 over 60% of the time when it is used by Paul in Romans.
(5) The Holy Spirit is God’s provision for holy living in the life of the Christian. The Holy Spirit is the answer to the problem of the Christian’s “body of death,” a body dominated by sin and dead with respect to producing any work which is righteous, according to the definition of the Law of God. Romans 8 deals with the ministry of the Holy Spirit pertaining to the salvation and sanctification of an individual. It is in Romans 12 that Paul approaches the subject of the ministry of the Holy Spirit for service and ministry when the subject of spiritual gifts is addressed. Why do some want to talk of the gifts of the Spirit in relationship to salvation and to sanctification when Paul does not even raise the subject of spiritual gifts until it comes to the matter of serving others?
(6) Every Christian receives all of the Spirit he or she needs, at the time of their salvation. Nowhere does Paul say that the Romans need to receive the Holy Spirit, nor receive more of the Spirit, as though they did not possess the Spirit. The question is not whether the Christian possesses the Spirit but whether the Spirit possesses the Christian. The question is not having the Spirit but walking in the Spirit.
(7) The ministry of the Holy Spirit is diverse, affecting virtually every aspect of one’s life. There is not just one ministry of the Holy Spirit described here by Paul, but many. The Spirit is involved in our salvation (8:1-2) and in our sanctification (8:3ff.). The Spirit initiates, guides and empowers our actions, so that the righteousness God requires is fulfilled (8:9-14). He also assures us of our sonship, as the Spirit of adoption (8:15ff.).
(8) In Romans 8 there is very little specific (some would call it “practical”) application given by Paul. Paul does not give commands, but exhortations. He speaks here in terms of the Christian’s obligations. His teaching is more in terms of principles than specific practices. His application likewise (see verses 12-17) is general. I find it most interesting that Paul has chosen to separate (for good reason) his teaching on the spiritual life in Romans 6-8 from his specific applications in chapters 12-16.
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Paul’s condition, as described in the last half of Romans 7, was agonizing and frustrating. With his mind, he served God, but with his flesh he served the law of sin (7:25). Paul’s dilemma is two-fold. First, there is the matter of his sins, committed as a Christian. Second, there is the problem of righteousness. What can deliver him from his sins? What can enable him to be righteous? Verses 1-4 deal primarily with the first problem and briefly allude to the second, discussed more fully in verses 5-11.
Paul’s first problem was that of his sin and of the condemnation which sin brings upon sinners. The solution to the problem of sin Paul describes here may be summarized in this way: For all who are in Christ, by faith, there is no condemnation for sin, but rather the condemnation of sin in the flesh.
Paul’s teaching in Romans 8:1-4 is fundamental to the Christian life. The Christian need not be overcome by guilt or by fear, due to his sins. The cross of Jesus Christ is the solution from sin and its condemnation, for all who are justified by faith. The death which Christ died was for all of the sins of the one who receives His work, by faith. Pre-Christian sins and post-conversion sins are covered by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. This is no license to sin, as Paul shows in Romans 6, but it is the assurance that through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ Christians have been delivered from divine