____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ October 31, 1999 ____________________________________________________ Paul to the Romans by Robert Turner Introduction: I have attempted to reduce Paul's letter to direct statements and bite-size arguments, hoping this will assist in the study of that complex epistle. The seriousness of the undertaking and my own inadequacies team up to give me the ``willies,'' but it seems a needed effort. There is a revival of interest in the Roman letter--no doubt the result of the so-called ``grace-fellowship'' movement and neo-Calvinistic studies. We welcome more serious Bible study for whatever cause, and this is but a meager contribution. Paul to the Romans is in no sense a translation. It is not even a loose rendering of the text. It is simply what one man believes Paul is saying. No effort is made to repeat all of Paul's thoughts. We limited ourselves to the main arguments, chapters 1-11. The King James Version was used as chief guide, although the American Standard, Marshall's Literal English, and various word studies were freely applied. No effort was made to follow any commentary. For better or worse, these are my own conclusions. The Roman letter is amazingly complete. Paul does his own explaining, if we will give him half a chance, so I have tried to state Paul's material without distracting notes. The Roman letter says: 1) Mankind is Lost in Sin. We have individually sinned, despite opportunities to do better. God judges us individually in keeping with our deeds. He is just in condemning each of us. 2) Law is Not the Remedy. It emphasizes man's failure. Right-doing cannot correct wrongdoing. 3) God's Plan for Man's Right Standing is one of Grace. It was promised through Abraham. It was perfected in Christ's death and resurrected life. Its operation is forgiveness, the fruit of love and mercy. 4) The Condition is Whole-Hearted Faith. Man must individually give himself, his heart, his spirit, unto God in complete trust, in order to benefit from God's offer. Obedience ``from the heart'' must be manifested both in coming to Christ and in living unto God. 5) God's Grace is Extended by Invitation to All Men. The true ``Jew'' is the individual--Jew or Gentile--who submits himself to Christ. Paul deals repeatedly with Jewish misunderstandings and Jew-Gentile problems which this principle evokes. Overview I am Paul, a called one, as respects God's good news. This gospel was promised when Christ was promised: a descendent of Abraham through David yet the very Son of God, as proven by his resurrection. He called and sent me to all nations that the blessings of the gospel might be had by all who are obedient to the faith. This good news concerning Christ, when incorporated in a faithful life, is God's way of saving man from sin. Men universally could know of God as the Eternal Power and Deity by looking at His product, the created world. This should cause all to praise Him. Instead, men have allowed pride and fleshly lust to rule. Such men God justly ``gave up'' to the consequences of their own sin. All mankind shows a sense of moral ``ought.'' We claim to see wrong in others and know the wrongdoer is worthy of death. So, when we do wrongly, God is just in condemning us. Thus, Gentiles, having no access to codified law, stand justly condemned. A just God renders judgment according to the deeds of each individual, without respect of person. The Jews, with all their advantages, have failed to live according to the law of which they boast. They have erroneously thought that outward marks, as circumcision or lineage, will save. But God sees the inward man, the heart, the spirit of man. Yes, God is just in condemning both Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned. Law is not the remedy. Law (rightful authority of God and just administration of the same) has but emphasized man's failure. All have alike missed the mark. Seeking justification (freedom from guilt) on the basis of law alone is futile: for no amount of right doing can remove the guilt of wrongdoing. Even the Law and Prophets of old testify to this, saying the righteous man will live in this faithfulness (rather than by the perfectness of his doing). God's plan for man's righteousness is one of grace, expressed in the sacrifice of His Son. Christ paid the penalty for sin on our behalf, so that God is both just and the justifier of all who put their trust in Christ rather than themselves. Redemption (buying back), justification (making free of guilt), and propitiation (appeasement of the one offended, viz., God), are all made possible through the death of the Son of God and the operation of forgiveness. Nothing has been done to void law (for submission to divine authority is essential in all dispensations). But efforts to attain justification via perfect obedience are vain. Both Jews and Gentiles must trust in Jesus Christ for justification via forgiveness. As an example and test case, Abraham had right standing with God, not because of perfect doing so as to merit this standing, but by the operation of forgiveness on the basis of trust. As David said, God's grace is extended in the operation of forgiveness. And Abraham was justified, not as an uncircumcised believer, [but as] (one circumcised inwardly) who acted upon his faith. The significance of Abraham's case to us is two-fold: 1) He was an example for all who so trust in God, being the father of many nations; and 2) The blessings of the promise, being by promise, were his on the basis of a life-time of faithfulness rather than by perfect (meritorious) law keeping or outward fleshly marks. Jesus Christ died (as the offering for our sins) and was resurrected (to be our intercessor) so that all who trust in Him might have forgiveness of sins. True believers are no longer enemies of God, but are freed from guilt and are at peace with God. We rejoice in hope, even in times of tribulation, for we trust in God's grace. God is reconciled to imperfect man through the death and the resurrected life of Christ. Adam and Christ provide a contrasting study, for these two represent contrasting character groups. Adam first sinned, becoming the primordial ``father'' of sin; and because of his sin he was separated from God. All men have been separated from God because all have partaken of the spirit of rebellion which he introduced into the world, each becoming a sinner. Whether men sinned by violating their conscience, as did the Gentiles between Adam and Moses, or by violating positive precepts, given through Moses, as did the Jews, the end is the same. Adam's sin is representative of all that followed, and his death (separation from God) becomes The Death, considered abstractly, which envelops mankind. On the other hand one man, Jesus Christ, by the gift of Himself upon the cross, became the ``elder brother'' of those who trust in Him and thereby stand right-wise with God. Adam and Christ offer contrast in the character of their effect upon mankind: the first bringing separation from God, the second abounding in grace. They offer contrast in results: the first introducing condemnation, the second producing the means of justification. The Death was initiated by one, and The Righteousness (also considered abstractly) was initiated by the other one. Death which became universal, having been introduced by Adam, was countered by the universal remedy offered through Jesus Christ to Gentiles as well as to Jews. One brought sin into the world, and all who were influenced thereby became sinners; but the other was obedient (unto the death of the cross), and as many as are influenced thereby may be righteous, through the forgiveness of sins. Law, in and of itself, only makes sin (and the need for forgiveness) more apparent. But our need is more than met by grace, which reigns unto eternal life through the self-sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Should this make us less concerned about sin in our daily lives? No indeed! True Christians are dead to sin in intent and purpose. Christ gave His life, was buried, and was resurrected to live unto God. When we were baptized into Christ we declared our old manner of life to be dead and buried. Shall a ``dead'' man continue to be active? Having rejected our old manner of life, we must carry out our intent to live unto God. We are no longer under the curse of a system of law, so that a single sin condemns us. That bondage has been removed through Christ's death and the forgiveness it made possible. But we can still bind ourselves in a life of sin. You once yielded your members unto sin, and grew worse and worse. Now exert that same free agency to serve righteousness and grow more holy, living unto God. By sinning you earn eternal death; but serve righteousness, and God will give you eternal life through Christ. You see, it was not the law that was to blame for our former condition; it was our sinful conduct. Our former manner of living was to give in to appetites of the flesh. We were bound, as if by marriage, to this ``old man.'' But we (i.e., ``our old man'' of the flesh) died (when we died figuratively in baptism); so that now we (our ``new man'' of the spirit) are free to be married to a new and better life. Being joined to Christ we can, like Him, bring forth fruit to God. However, it would be a mistake to think that the flesh no longer has sinful appetites, or that man's spirit (apart from forgiveness in Christ) could prevail. (I, myself, must struggle to keep my body in subjection to my will; nor do I consider myself to have attained unto the perfection in Christ toward which I strive). I sometimes do what I know (deep inside) I should not do. I do not always live up to the high standards I know to be right and wish to follow. My spirit strives for a better life, but my flesh is weak. I am torn by this inner struggle. If I had only law and my own conduct for my hope, I would be most miserable. But I do not trust in my own strength. My spirit is so given to Christ that I can trust Him. Remember what I said about serving God from the heart or spirit of man? Law alone brings only deep despair; not because the law is weak, but because man is weak. But when Christ died as an offering for sin so that God can justly forgive, He made it possible for those who sincerely trust and strive to serve Him to attain unto righteousness before God. Yes, God sees the heart. To be carnally minded is death, now as ever. But through Christ the spiritually minded have life and peace. To be truly spiritually minded one must enthrone the Spirit of God in one's heart. Such enthronement will be evidenced in the intent and manner of our life (for Deity dwells only in those who love Him and keep His commandments with perfect intent). Our true and sincere desires will be compatible with the leading of His Spirit (expressed in His word), and we will fight against sinful inclinations of the flesh. Our spirits will cry, ``Father! Father!'' and God will recognize us as His children. Eventually God will change our mortal bodies, so that that which now wars against our spirit will be resurrected in glory to the praise of God. Because God sees deep into our spirit, He understands our innermost groanings. He reads our hearts and hears prayers we do not even know how to utter. In fact, the knowledge and planning and calling and justifying and glorifying in God's eternal purposes are all mustered on behalf of those who love and trust Him. We are brethren of God's Son, who died for us, and who intercedes for us. We are beloved of God in Christ Jesus, more than conquerors in Him. I am concerned for my Jewish brethren. They have been highly favored in the past, and I want them to be saved. But God's people are not chosen by accident of birth. In building the nation through which Christ would come, not all of the descendants of Abraham were selected. Isaac was chosen; Ishmael was not. Jacob was selected to be in that lineage; Esau was not. Then, as now, God's blessings were by promise. We must not think that an accident of birth gives us the right to argue with God. God sometimes uses even the rebellion of people and nations to accomplish His purposes. Respecting salvation from sin, there are two classes of people: ``vessels of wrath'' and ``vessels of mercy.'' The ``vessels of mercy'' include Gentiles as well as Jews, as indicated by prophets of long ago. Jesus Christ is the testing stone. Gentiles who seek right standing with God on the basis of trust in Christ are accepted. But Jews who refuse Christ and seek right standing on the basis of perfect works or physical lineage are rejected. Both the Old and New Covenants have this in common: they must be understood through an objective approach to, and faith in, testimony clearly given. Just as God made His commands clear to the Jews so that they could do them, so also has He made the word which produces faith in Christ. God sent His proclaimers to Gentiles as well as Jews (as predicted by Moses and Isaiah) so that whosoever will may hear, believe, and call upon the Lord, and be saved. But much of Israel, as prophesied, has rejected God's word. Has God utterly rejected physical Israel? No indeed! Do not be pessimistic as was Elijah. The preserved remnant, promised by Isaiah and others, will be saved through God's grace. But it must be by grace and not by meriting works. God's grace is expressed in Christ, the Deliverer; and those who trust in Him are the ``elect'' according to (by) grace. -- Concluded next week ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________