The transcript for this lesson will be added once it becomes available.

Introduction

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.

A Personal Challenge

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).

The Relationship Between
Paul and the Church at Rome

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

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

Tracing the Righteousness
of God Through the Book of Romans

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.

Romans 1:1-15

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

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.

The Righteousness of God in
Revealing the Unrighteousness of Man
(Romans 1:18–3:20)

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.

The Righteousness of
God in Saving Unrighteous Men
(Romans 3:21–5:21)

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.

The Righteousness of
God Is the Goal of Salvation
(Romans 6:1–8:39)

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.

The Righteousness of God in History
(Romans 9-11)

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!

The Righteousness of
God Reflected by Believers
(Romans 12-15)

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.

Paul’s Postscript
(Romans 16)

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.

Conclusion

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.

Romans focuses on the great themes of the Bible

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.

Romans is gospel-centered

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.

Romans is God-centered

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.

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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.

7 Bruce, pp. 18-19.

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.

Introduction

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 Overall Approach to the Study of Romans

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

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).

Structure of the Text

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)

• He was justified by his faith, not works (4:1-8)
• He is the father of all who have faith (4:9-17)
• His faith, like ours, was a resurrection faith (4:18-25)

(3) Boasting in the Lord (5:1-21)

• We boast in the hope of the glory of God (5:1-2)
• We boast in our present tribulations (5:3-10)
• We boast in God, through Jesus Christ (5:11-21)

The Key to
Understanding What Follows
(3:27-31)

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.

The Faith of Our Father, Abraham
(4:1-25)

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).

A Biblical Basis for Boasting
(5:1-21)

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.

Boasting in the Future: The Hope of the Glory of God

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.

Boasting in the Present: Hope in Our Tribulations

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.

Boasting With Respect to the Past: Exchanging Our Identity

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.

Conclusion

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.

The Theme of Man’s Unrighteousness

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.

The Theme of 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
Romans 1 - 3	2 verses
Romans 4 - 8	42 verses
Romans 9 - 16	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 Theme of Justification Expounded and Expanded

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.

The Theme of Faith

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.

The Theme of Boasting

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.

The Riches of the Gospel

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.

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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.

Introduction

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.

A Review and Overview of Romans

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).

Structure of the Text

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

Israel’s Condition and Paul’s Response (9:1-5)

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.

Israel’s Condition and the Sovereignty of God (9:6-29)

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).

Israel’s Condition and the Responsibility of Men (9:30–10:21)

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.

Israel’s Condition and the Certainty of Her Restoration (11:1-32)

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).

Paul’s Praise (11:33-36)

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.

Conclusion

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.

Observations

(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.

Principles

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.

Applications

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?

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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.