Studies in Romans
Romans 1
This book is the backbone of our understanding of the New Covenant. It is a letter written to the Believers of Rome but it applies to all believers. The letter is written to both Jews and Gentiles who were now one in their faith. Some key issues are dealt with that affected both groups; the issue of Jewish pride among the believers and the warning to Gentiles who were developing an attitude of pride against the Jews who did not believe. Paul addressed Jews directly (2:17), Jewish Christians, and Gentile Christians. But the implication of his words indicate that Paul considered the Christian community in Rome predominantly Gentile. Some of the Believers there were made up of those who came to faith on the day of Pentecost described in Acts as Avisitors from Rome@ (Acts 2:10) who witnessed the miracle of Pentecost and heard Peter=s sermon and others who came to faith through them and Paul. It seems likely that Peter was not present in Rome since Paul greets many individuals in this letter (28 persons are named or referred to) but there is no mention of Peter. Phoebe (Rom. 16:1-2), apparently is the one who delivered this letter because she was making a trip to Rome. It was likely her trip to Rome that motivated Paul to write the letter. The letter was written in the late winter or early spring of a.d. 57 or 58. Paul wrote this letter to encourage them and build them up in their faith (1:11-15) and to tell them of his earnest desire to visit them. A second reason was to explain the essence of the Gospel and all that it entailed (1:15). The theme of the letter is to explain the Arighteousness of God”. When Paul uses the word righteousness he means a right relationship with God. The man who is righteous is the man who is in a right relationship with God, and whose life shows it.
He sought to explain the Arighteousness from God@ which Ais revealed@ in the gospel and which is received by faith (1:17). It is the righteousness that God gives us by grace through faith. This gift of righteousness includes justification which is the unearned privilege being able to stand before God. It also includes an ongoing process of transformation and growth which is called sanctification which is accomplished by the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. The process of sanctification leads ultimately to our glorification when a believer leaves his body and is brought into the presence of the Lord. The section of Rom. 9-11 is an illustration that nothing will cause us to lose this salvation. The concluding chapters deal with evidences that one is righteous. Paul begins with a survey of the Gentile world and considers its decadence and corruption. He then looks at the Jewish world and demonstrates that righteousness was not accomplished through the Law. The Jews had sought to solve the problem of righteousness by meticulous obedience to the law. Paul had tried that way himself, and the result was frustration and defeat. This was because of the weakness of the Law to change men. So Paul describes in this letter that the way of righteousness is through complete trust and surrender to Jesus as Lord and King of our lives. It is the way of faith. It is to know that the important thing is, not what we can do for God, but what he has done for us. The whole matter is one of grace, and all that we can do is to accept in wondering love and gratitude and trust what God has done for us. This does not free us from our obligations or entitles us to do as we like; it means that we now keep the commands of God in a new and different way by the work and power of God=s Spirit.
V. 1 - Paul is his name among the Gentiles his name in Israel is Saul. To this day on the first Sabbath after a boy is circumcised he is given his Hebrew name in the Temple. If he lives in the diaspora he has a name that is suitable for his assimilation into the culture he lives in. My Hebrew name is Melech (king), which actually came from my American name “Roy”, which in both Spanish and French come from the word meaning ”king”. Saul in Hebrew means “asked for”. Paul describes himself as a “Bond Servant”. A bond servant was a slave who willingly gave himself permanently to the service of his master (Ex 21:2ff). This kind of slave no longer had a will of his own, a plan of his own, a wish of his own; he surrendered all to the will of his master. Such was Paul=s understanding of his complete surrender to the will and call of God, who had purchased him from indebtedness to the god of this world so that he might serve a different master. The purchase price was the Blood of Jesus (1 Cor 6:20; 7:23). Called as an Apostle - According to Scripture apostles were those who had seen the Lord, and been able to testify of him and of his resurrection from personal knowledge (John 15:27; Acts 1:21, 22; 1 Cor. 9:1; Acts 22:14, 15). They must have been called to that office by Jesus (Luke 6:13; Gal. 1:1). Another qualification was the power of working miracles (Mark 16:20; Acts 2:43). The result is that most scholars believe that the apostles could have had no successors and that the office of an apostle ended with their home going. There is another meaning for the word “Apostle” and that is found in 2 Cor. 8:23 and Phil. 2:25 where the word “messenger” uses the same Greek word. But this usage is different and distinct from the title Apostle. “The twelve,” as they are called (Matt. 10:1-5; Mark 3:14; 6:7; Luke 6:13; 9:1) were given the “keys of the kingdom,” and by the gift of his Spirit fitted them to be the founders and leaders of the church (John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26, 27; 16:7-15). Judas Iscariot, one of “the twelve,” was removed by his betrayal, and Matthias was substituted in his place (Acts 1:21). Paul was added to their number by the Lord (Acts 9:3-20; 20:4; 26:15-18; 1 Tim. 1:12; 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11). Set Apart for the Gospel - Paul was set apart in 3 different ways, first from the womb (Gal. 1:15), Then as a chosen vessel of the Lord in Acts 9:15, and then set apart by the Spirit of God for the work of the ministry (Acts 13:2). In order to be set apart for a work we must be separated from something. As believers we are separated from the world to the Lord. We like Paul are set apart as well to proclaim the Gospel. The expression AGospel@ means literally AGood News@, a and is primarily derived from Isa 52:7 How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, "Your God reigns!" and Isa 61-62. The Good News is primarily the APower of God@ for redemption, wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification. (1 Cor 1:18, 30)
V 2 Which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures - The Gospel is not something new it was something that has been revealed from the fall of man in Gen. 3:15 and was revealed to God=s saints through the unfolding years. Jesus said of Abraham (John 8:56) “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." (John 5:46) "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. While the church is something “new” the Gospel is not. The Talmud, the Jewish commentary of the Older Testament declares “All the prophets prophesied not, but for the days of the Messiah.” (Sanhedrin 99a). The world was not created but only for the Messiah (Sanhedrin 98b)
V 3 - The gospel concerns "God's Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." He is both the Subject and the Author of the gospel. By Him and through Him the gospel was created and declared. He is the One who brings the good news of God to man. The gospel concerns two wonderful truths. The first is that God became a man. He was made of the seed of David; that is, he was born as a man, as a descendant of David. Concerning the incarnation it is important to understand the distinction between what the Roman Catholic and what Scripture teaches. They teach that Mary was the mother of God, but this is not accurate, Mary mothered a body for God to dwell in. The flesh is not God it is was a tabernacle for God. That is why the NASB is so good for it interprets the Scripture rightly when it says “according to the flesh.” This is the essence of John 1:14. This tabernacle was prophesied as descended from David who was the greatest ruler of Israel. He took up residence among us and had a human nature, and because He had a human nature, He suffered all the trials of life which we suffer. He did this in part so that we might know that He understands our trials and sorrows in life.
V 4 - The second wonderful truth of the gospel is most profound, for it proclaims the divine nature of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the Son of God before He came into the world. He is declared to be the Son of God by two things. The Spirit of holiness that dwelt in Him which declares Jesus to be the Son of God. His life on earth proved this in that He lived as a man for thirty some years and never sinned. A second proof was the resurrection from the dead. All other men are dead and gone. The proof is demonstrated by one simple question: "Where are they? Where are our mothers, our fathers, our sisters, our ancestors?" Once they have left this world, they are gone and the earth never sees them again. But not the Messiah. He died, but He arose and walked on the earth again. in V 3 He is born and in V 4 He is declared to be the Son of God. This is clearly a further clarification by Paul of the Diety of the Messiah. The indication or sign of His Sonship was His resurrection. In John 11 Jesus said to Martha that He was the resurrection and the life. In John 2:19 He declared "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up”, which is another reference to His resurrection. This is the essence of God’s Good News. As Hebrews 1 tells us “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.”
V 5-6 Paul had received God's grace and God's mission. Note the word "we." Paul now speaks of all believers, not only of himself. We too have received God's glorious grace, which includes His favor, His mercy, His love, His salvation. God’s grace includes all that God has done for us and all the blessings He showers on us. It includes His love for us from eternity past. (Eph. 1:3-4 4; 2 Tim. 1:9). It also includes His saving us freely, (Rom. 3:24; Eph. 2:8-9). It also includes His care and looking after us day by day (Phil. 4:19). The wonderful assurance that the work He has begun in our life He will complete Phil. 1:6). Like Paul we too are “called” we have been saved by Jesus. We also are called to the mission and task of Jesus to be His servants and ministers of the Good News.
V 7 Believers are called to be "saints" - We discussed this briefly last week but since we are so called it would help us to know more of this calling of sainthood. The Greek work that this word is derived from is the work hagios. Its Hebrew equivalent is kadosh. Its basic meaning is to be separated, set apart, and different. Morally, it means pure, sinless, righteous, holy. Something holy is set apart, separated, different from all other persons or things. It is something that God has set aside for Himself. This is not something man can do it has to be set aside by God Himself. God is preeminently and supremely holy (Luke 1:49; John 17:11; 1 Peter 1:15). His holiness is demonstrated by the presence of heavenly beings who do nothing but surround His throne day and night singing out the praises of His holiness (Isaiah 6:1f; Rev. 4:8). Those things associated with God are holy. The ground upon which Moses stood when God confronted him was holy (Exodus 3:1-5; Acts 7:33). The temple was holy (Matthew 24:15), and the Holy of Holies in particular was holy (Hebrews 9:2-3). The mount where Jesus was transfigured was called holy (2 Peter 1:18). The covenant that God made with Abraham was holy (Luke 1:35). The gospel and Scriptures are called holy (Matthew 7:6; Romans 1:2). Anything that becomes associated with God is set apart unto God in a very special sense and becomes different from other things. The Jewish are called a holy nation (Exodus 19:6). They were set apart in a very special way to God. The Old Testament deals primarily with the Jewish people and their special relationship to God: (Lev 20:26) 'Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine. The Jewish people were holy in that they were to be different from other nations by believing God and serving Him faithfully. God knew them in a special way above all the nations of the earth. The Jewish priesthood was holy, different from other men (Leviticus 21:6). The people's tithe or tenth was holy, different from other money and goods and used for different purposes (Leviticus 27:30, 32). The temple was holy, different from other buildings (Exodus 26:33). But the Jewish people failed in the role that God wanted them to play. The Old Testament is a continuous record of their rejection of God's will. Because they failed to keep the Covenant God made a New Covenant of which now the church is now said to be the holy people of God. The church is called a holy nation and a royal or holy priesthood, a people made up of all nationalities and languages and races (1 Peter 2:5, 9). The church is a people who set themselves apart unto God as holy and separated and different, who utterly trust Him and abandon themselves to follow Him. The church is now the dwelling place for God's presence. Believers are being built "together for a habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph. 2:21-22). The body of the individual believer becomes holy, for the Spirit of God dwells within the believer's body (1 Cor. 6:19-20). The body of the believer becomes the dwelling place for God's very presence, and the body replaces the holy of holies within the inner sanctuary of the temple. Thus, believers are called saints or holy ones.
V 8 - Paul continues his salutation to the church at Rome by giving thanks to God for them. He understands the miracle of God in bringing Gentiles in Rome to faith in the God of Israel. Rome was the capitol of the most powerful empire that the world had known. It=s army and road system brought peace and prosperity to all the nations that it touched. It did so with its economic enterprise and bureaucratic system of government. Paul is thanking God that a beach head for the Kingdom of God has been established in this strategic city. From Rome the world could be reached with the Gospel through the discipleship of the Believers at Rome. It is interesting to see the church=s humble and godly beginning in contrast with the church at Rome now. The Roman Catholic church which is seated at the Vatican in the heart of Rome is as far removed from its foundation as Israel is from its foundation and calling. I should say that this is not only true for the Roman Catholic Church but also for most of the Church. Paul writes that The faith of the Church at Rome was being talked about throughout the world, probably by people who were antagonistic to the faith.
V 9-13 - One of the reasons that the Gospel was being proclaimed throughout the world was the influence of prayer. Paul speaks of always being in prayer for the Saints at Rome. How does one pray without ceasing? It comes from being aware of the constant presence of the Lord. He is always near us and we are never out of His presence. Constant prayer keeps us in a state of dependence on God to go through our days. Paul practiced this and in the times when he was not occupied with the necessities of life he would pray for the brethren and any other needs that came up. In coming to Rome, Paul wanted to impart some spiritual gift to them. We=re not told what that gift is but whatever the gift was it was so that the church at Rome could be established (build up, or edify) and encouraged in their faith. When we minister to one another the Spirit of God blesses the person who is ministering and the one who is being ministered to. This is probably the fruit that Paul is referring to in V 13.
V 14-15 - Paul sees himself with an obligation to both Greeks and barbarians. The Greeks were not only those who spoke Greek but also to those who had adopted Hellenistic culture, in contrast to barbarians who had not. Paul knew that God had raised him up as a minister to the Gentiles to share with them the news of their election with Israel as the Chosen People. Paul was called to be to the Gentiles what Israel failed to be namely ministers and servants of God=s truth found in His Word the Scriptures. Just as Jesus was the second Adam (1 Cor. 15:21-22) because of Adam=s failure, so too Jesus was the second Israel (Hosea 11:1). Likewise Paul taught that the Gentiles were indebted to Israel (Rom 15:27). In V 15 Paul says that he longs to proclaim the Gospel to the believers that were there. This suggests that there is more to the Gospel than just salvation. In the rest of the letter Paul will explain this.
V 16-17 - In these two verses we have the essence of the Gospel. The word "gospel" is a translation of a Greek word from the New Testament, the concept of good news itself finds its roots in the Hebrew language of the Old Testament. Christians use the word to designate the message and story of God's saving activity through Jesus. The concept of Agood news@ finds its roots in the Old Testament. Bisar is the Hebrew verb which means "to proclaim good news." Originally, the word was used to describe the report of victory in battle (2 Sam. 4:10). Jewish theology taught that, like us, God was actively involved in their lives (including battles and wars) and so bisar came to have a religious connotation. To proclaim the good news of Israel's success in battle was to proclaim God's triumph over God's enemies. Believing credit for the victory belonged to God, the Israelites' proclamation of the good news of victory was, in fact, a proclamation about God. Israel proclaimed good news when God delivered the nation from its enemies and from personal distress this is a theme found throughout the Psalms. Isaiah=s writings prepared the way for it=s use in the New Testament when he described the anticipated deliverance and salvation which would come from the hand of God when the Messiah appeared to deliver Israel (Isa. 52:7).
V 18 teaches us that the wrath of God is quite real. The word wrath means God’s holy aversion to all that is evil. It is not something sudden but a consistent state of God’s attitude toward unrighteousness. God is angry with two classes of men the ungodly and the unrighteous. The ungodly are people who fail to love and obey God. These are people who do not live as God lives. There are many who members of churches who are ungodly (Jude 1:4) These are people who do not work at developing a godly nature nor honor God by their words and their actions. (1 John 2:36). The ungodly are those who do what they want when they want, who may give lip-service to God, but who ignore Him in their day to day lives. The unrighteous are those who fail to love others. While ungodliness describes man’s attitude in relationship to God, unrighteousness has to do with our relationship with our fellow man. An unrighteous man acts against men by cheating, stealing, lying, being abusive, enslaving men and taking advantage of them. These men hold the truth in unrighteousness. The word "hold" means to hold down, suppress, repress, stifle, hinder. Men know the truth from three sources: from nature (1:20); from reason and conscience (1:18; 2:15); from Scripture (John 5:39; 2 Tim. 3:16). Yet despite having access to the truth, they ignore, and even push the truth aside, doing all they can to avoid and get rid of it. Why? Because they want to live as they wish and not as God says. Scripture says: they "hold the truth in unrighteousness" that is, they know the truth while they go about living in unrighteousness. They are without excuse (2 Th 2:10). Satan will use every kind of wicked deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them.
V 19 - 20 The wrath of God comes because men reject the truth that is within them; that is, they reject their consciences, thoughts and reasoning about God. (Rom 2:15) in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them. Men can know enough to be led to God. They have a sense of God, but they suppress the sense, trying to get rid of it. Man chooses to take the truth that is within him and suppress it. This is the first reason why God reveals and shows His wrath. Men can see more than a Supreme Being behind the creation of the universe. They can see "the invisible things" of God. This means at least two things. 1. Man can see the "eternal power," the Supreme Intelligence and Force (or Energy), of God. 2. Man can look at the creation of the earth and outer space, of plants and animals, of man and woman; We have studied and harnessed creations purpose and laws. When man looks at all of this with an honest spirit, he sees clearly that the world was made by a Creator. Moreover as man considers God=s creation with an honest spirit, he will clearly see that God cares and provides for what He has created. The result is that Man is without excuse or defense in his rejection of God. (Acts 14:17) and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness." (Psa 19:1)
V 21-23 - Paul now itemizes the reason for Hiss judgment. First, man willfully ignores God (V 21a). Men can clearly know God both within themselves and outside of themselves: in creation and nature, in the earth and outer space. They can know that God gives them life and cares and provides for them, and that God runs everything in an orderly and lawful way, giving purpose and meaning to life. Secondly men are universally guilty of ingratitude to God (v. 21b). God deserves to be glorified and given thanks. But men did not glorify Him: did not worship, obey, or serve Him as God. Thirdly in the process of time men become increasingly "futile" ("empty" or "vain") in their imaginations, darkening their minds in an attempt to justify their immoral behavior (v. 21c-22). The more they reason the more corrupt and foolish they become as Paul states; Professing to be wise, they became fools.. Man becomes foolish when he makes his ideas, his opinions, his speculations the standard and the law of his life, instead of the will of God. The foolish man makes man the master of things. He found his standards in his own opinions and not in the laws of God. He lived in a self-centered universe instead of a God-centered universe. Finally the fourth reason for God=s righteous judgment is that the first three reasons leads to idolatry. The glory of God is exchanged for images of human and animal forms. The root sin of idolatry is that it is selfish. A man makes an idol. He brings it offerings and addresses prayers to it. Why? So that his own schemes and dreams may be furthered. His worship is for his own sake and not for God's. In this passage we are face to face with the fact that the essence of sin is to put self in the place of God (1 Cor 3:1920; Col. 2:8, 23)
V 21-23 - Paul now itemizes the reason for Hiss judgment. First, man willfully ignores God (V 21a). Men can clearly know God both within themselves and outside of themselves: in creation and nature, in the earth and outer space. They can know that God gives them life and cares and provides for them, and that God runs everything in an orderly and lawful way, giving purpose and meaning to life. Secondly men are universally guilty of ingratitude to God (v. 21b). God deserves to be glorified and given thanks. But men did not glorify Him: did not worship, obey, or serve Him as God. Thirdly in the process of time men become increasingly "futile" ("empty" or "vain") in their imaginations, darkening their minds in an attempt to justify their immoral behavior (v. 21c-22). The more they reason the more corrupt and foolish they become as Paul states; Professing to be wise, they became fools.. Man becomes foolish when he makes his ideas, his opinions, his speculations the standard and the law of his life, instead of the will of God. The foolish man makes man the master of things. He found his standards in his own opinions and not in the laws of God. He lived in a self-centered universe instead of a God-centered universe. Finally the fourth reason for God=s righteous judgment is that the first three reasons leads to idolatry. The glory of God is exchanged for images of human and animal forms. The root sin of idolatry is that it is selfish. A man makes an idol. He brings it offerings and addresses prayers to it. Why? So that his own schemes and dreams may be furthered. His worship is for his own sake and not for God's. In this passage we are face to face with the fact that the essence of sin is to put self in the place of God.(1 Cor 3:1920 NLT) For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, "God catches those who think they are wise in their own cleverness." {20} And again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are worthless." (Col. 2:8, 23) Don't let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and highsounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ. . . These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires.
V 24-27 - The major point in this section of Romans is that when men persistently abandon God, God will abandon them. Even when God’s own people ignore and disobey Him, He may temporarily abandon them (Psa 81:1112). Hosea speaks in much the same way about the unfaithfulness of the northern kingdom, represented by Ephraim, to whom God said: “Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone” (Hos. 4:17). When God’s Spirit came upon Azariah, He told Judah, “The Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you” (2 Chron. 15:2). The result is that God abandons man to his futile thinking, He allows Him to experience the consequences of his foolishness. The abandonment is described by Paul in three downward stages. Each is marked by the phrase, “gave them up” or “gave them over.” The sin of idolatry is followed by shameless immorality. This surrender took place in the desires of their own hearts. Because they left honoring God and listening to His voice, God gave them up to their own desires and shameful dishonor. The second abandonment is a result of changing the truth of God into a lie, and God gave them up to their self-satisfying passions. Today’s homosexuals insist that these verses mean that it is perverse for a heterosexual male or female to engage in homosexual relations but it is not perverse for a homosexual male or female to do so since homosexuality is such a person’s natural preference. This is interpretation is unsupported by the Bible. The only natural sexual relationship the Bible recognizes is a heterosexual one (Gen. 2:21-24; Matt. 19:4-6) within marriage. All homosexual relations constitute sexual perversion and rebellion and are subject to God’s judgment. In Romans 1:27, we have the terrible results of men and women who accept the lie instead of the truth of God. He let go of them. Men and women fall into the very depths of immorality when they abandon the truth of God. Homosexuality should never be looked on as anything less than a degradation of man and a shameful sin. The fact that our society excuses it makes it no less sinful before God. It is a mark that God gave them up to vile affections. The third and last stage of divine abandonment is found in Romans 1:28-32. The result of ungodliness against others, because of a deliberate choice on the part of man not to retain the knowledge of God, brought condemnation against their method of living. God gave them up to a reprobate mind—a mind condemned and rejected and worthless. Their rejection of God was deliberate and determined. If they had improved and increased their knowledge of God, it would have led to righteousness and the pleasure of God. Instead their reasoning faculties, intellectual and moral, were used for that which was not fitting. Following this, in verses 29 to 32 we have the moral condition of those whom God has given over to a reprobate mind: “filled with all unrighteousness,” manifestation of the forceful power of evil. Wicked passions lead to wicked acts and from this to wicked characters. We have the revelation of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ, and at the same time we have the revelation of God’s wrath against sin.
In V 28-32 we see the third and last stage of divine abandonment. This comes as a result of ungodliness against others. When men choose to reject the knowledge and ways by the way they live God gives them up to a reprobate mind. When this happens God begins to remove His protection from them. The result is that men become vulnerable to the destructive wiles of Satan and also experience the consequences of their own behavior. “You have forsaken Me and served other gods,” the Lord said to Israel. “Therefore I will deliver you no more” (Judg. 10:13). When God’s Spirit came upon Azariah, He told Judah, “The Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you” (2 Chron. 15:2). Through “Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest,” God again said to Judah, “Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He has also forsaken you” (2 Chron. 24:20).
This book is the backbone of our understanding of the New Covenant. It is a letter written to the Believers of Rome but it applies to all believers. The letter is written to both Jews and Gentiles who were now one in their faith. Some key issues are dealt with that affected both groups; the issue of Jewish pride among the believers and the warning to Gentiles who were developing an attitude of pride against the Jews who did not believe. Paul addressed Jews directly (2:17), Jewish Christians, and Gentile Christians. But the implication of his words indicate that Paul considered the Christian community in Rome predominantly Gentile. Some of the Believers there were made up of those who came to faith on the day of Pentecost described in Acts as Avisitors from Rome@ (Acts 2:10) who witnessed the miracle of Pentecost and heard Peter=s sermon and others who came to faith through them and Paul. It seems likely that Peter was not present in Rome since Paul greets many individuals in this letter (28 persons are named or referred to) but there is no mention of Peter. Phoebe (Rom. 16:1-2), apparently is the one who delivered this letter because she was making a trip to Rome. It was likely her trip to Rome that motivated Paul to write the letter. The letter was written in the late winter or early spring of a.d. 57 or 58. Paul wrote this letter to encourage them and build them up in their faith (1:11-15) and to tell them of his earnest desire to visit them. A second reason was to explain the essence of the Gospel and all that it entailed (1:15). The theme of the letter is to explain the Arighteousness of God”. When Paul uses the word righteousness he means a right relationship with God. The man who is righteous is the man who is in a right relationship with God, and whose life shows it.
He sought to explain the Arighteousness from God@ which Ais revealed@ in the gospel and which is received by faith (1:17). It is the righteousness that God gives us by grace through faith. This gift of righteousness includes justification which is the unearned privilege being able to stand before God. It also includes an ongoing process of transformation and growth which is called sanctification which is accomplished by the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. The process of sanctification leads ultimately to our glorification when a believer leaves his body and is brought into the presence of the Lord. The section of Rom. 9-11 is an illustration that nothing will cause us to lose this salvation. The concluding chapters deal with evidences that one is righteous. Paul begins with a survey of the Gentile world and considers its decadence and corruption. He then looks at the Jewish world and demonstrates that righteousness was not accomplished through the Law. The Jews had sought to solve the problem of righteousness by meticulous obedience to the law. Paul had tried that way himself, and the result was frustration and defeat. This was because of the weakness of the Law to change men. So Paul describes in this letter that the way of righteousness is through complete trust and surrender to Jesus as Lord and King of our lives. It is the way of faith. It is to know that the important thing is, not what we can do for God, but what he has done for us. The whole matter is one of grace, and all that we can do is to accept in wondering love and gratitude and trust what God has done for us. This does not free us from our obligations or entitles us to do as we like; it means that we now keep the commands of God in a new and different way by the work and power of God=s Spirit.
V. 1 - Paul is his name among the Gentiles his name in Israel is Saul. To this day on the first Sabbath after a boy is circumcised he is given his Hebrew name in the Temple. If he lives in the diaspora he has a name that is suitable for his assimilation into the culture he lives in. My Hebrew name is Melech (king), which actually came from my American name “Roy”, which in both Spanish and French come from the word meaning ”king”. Saul in Hebrew means “asked for”. Paul describes himself as a “Bond Servant”. A bond servant was a slave who willingly gave himself permanently to the service of his master (Ex 21:2ff). This kind of slave no longer had a will of his own, a plan of his own, a wish of his own; he surrendered all to the will of his master. Such was Paul=s understanding of his complete surrender to the will and call of God, who had purchased him from indebtedness to the god of this world so that he might serve a different master. The purchase price was the Blood of Jesus (1 Cor 6:20; 7:23). Called as an Apostle - According to Scripture apostles were those who had seen the Lord, and been able to testify of him and of his resurrection from personal knowledge (John 15:27; Acts 1:21, 22; 1 Cor. 9:1; Acts 22:14, 15). They must have been called to that office by Jesus (Luke 6:13; Gal. 1:1). Another qualification was the power of working miracles (Mark 16:20; Acts 2:43). The result is that most scholars believe that the apostles could have had no successors and that the office of an apostle ended with their home going. There is another meaning for the word “Apostle” and that is found in 2 Cor. 8:23 and Phil. 2:25 where the word “messenger” uses the same Greek word. But this usage is different and distinct from the title Apostle. “The twelve,” as they are called (Matt. 10:1-5; Mark 3:14; 6:7; Luke 6:13; 9:1) were given the “keys of the kingdom,” and by the gift of his Spirit fitted them to be the founders and leaders of the church (John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26, 27; 16:7-15). Judas Iscariot, one of “the twelve,” was removed by his betrayal, and Matthias was substituted in his place (Acts 1:21). Paul was added to their number by the Lord (Acts 9:3-20; 20:4; 26:15-18; 1 Tim. 1:12; 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11). Set Apart for the Gospel - Paul was set apart in 3 different ways, first from the womb (Gal. 1:15), Then as a chosen vessel of the Lord in Acts 9:15, and then set apart by the Spirit of God for the work of the ministry (Acts 13:2). In order to be set apart for a work we must be separated from something. As believers we are separated from the world to the Lord. We like Paul are set apart as well to proclaim the Gospel. The expression AGospel@ means literally AGood News@, a and is primarily derived from Isa 52:7 How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, "Your God reigns!" and Isa 61-62. The Good News is primarily the APower of God@ for redemption, wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification. (1 Cor 1:18, 30)
V 2 Which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures - The Gospel is not something new it was something that has been revealed from the fall of man in Gen. 3:15 and was revealed to God=s saints through the unfolding years. Jesus said of Abraham (John 8:56) “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." (John 5:46) "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. While the church is something “new” the Gospel is not. The Talmud, the Jewish commentary of the Older Testament declares “All the prophets prophesied not, but for the days of the Messiah.” (Sanhedrin 99a). The world was not created but only for the Messiah (Sanhedrin 98b)
V 3 - The gospel concerns "God's Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." He is both the Subject and the Author of the gospel. By Him and through Him the gospel was created and declared. He is the One who brings the good news of God to man. The gospel concerns two wonderful truths. The first is that God became a man. He was made of the seed of David; that is, he was born as a man, as a descendant of David. Concerning the incarnation it is important to understand the distinction between what the Roman Catholic and what Scripture teaches. They teach that Mary was the mother of God, but this is not accurate, Mary mothered a body for God to dwell in. The flesh is not God it is was a tabernacle for God. That is why the NASB is so good for it interprets the Scripture rightly when it says “according to the flesh.” This is the essence of John 1:14. This tabernacle was prophesied as descended from David who was the greatest ruler of Israel. He took up residence among us and had a human nature, and because He had a human nature, He suffered all the trials of life which we suffer. He did this in part so that we might know that He understands our trials and sorrows in life.
V 4 - The second wonderful truth of the gospel is most profound, for it proclaims the divine nature of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the Son of God before He came into the world. He is declared to be the Son of God by two things. The Spirit of holiness that dwelt in Him which declares Jesus to be the Son of God. His life on earth proved this in that He lived as a man for thirty some years and never sinned. A second proof was the resurrection from the dead. All other men are dead and gone. The proof is demonstrated by one simple question: "Where are they? Where are our mothers, our fathers, our sisters, our ancestors?" Once they have left this world, they are gone and the earth never sees them again. But not the Messiah. He died, but He arose and walked on the earth again. in V 3 He is born and in V 4 He is declared to be the Son of God. This is clearly a further clarification by Paul of the Diety of the Messiah. The indication or sign of His Sonship was His resurrection. In John 11 Jesus said to Martha that He was the resurrection and the life. In John 2:19 He declared "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up”, which is another reference to His resurrection. This is the essence of God’s Good News. As Hebrews 1 tells us “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.”
V 5-6 Paul had received God's grace and God's mission. Note the word "we." Paul now speaks of all believers, not only of himself. We too have received God's glorious grace, which includes His favor, His mercy, His love, His salvation. God’s grace includes all that God has done for us and all the blessings He showers on us. It includes His love for us from eternity past. (Eph. 1:3-4 4; 2 Tim. 1:9). It also includes His saving us freely, (Rom. 3:24; Eph. 2:8-9). It also includes His care and looking after us day by day (Phil. 4:19). The wonderful assurance that the work He has begun in our life He will complete Phil. 1:6). Like Paul we too are “called” we have been saved by Jesus. We also are called to the mission and task of Jesus to be His servants and ministers of the Good News.
V 7 Believers are called to be "saints" - We discussed this briefly last week but since we are so called it would help us to know more of this calling of sainthood. The Greek work that this word is derived from is the work hagios. Its Hebrew equivalent is kadosh. Its basic meaning is to be separated, set apart, and different. Morally, it means pure, sinless, righteous, holy. Something holy is set apart, separated, different from all other persons or things. It is something that God has set aside for Himself. This is not something man can do it has to be set aside by God Himself. God is preeminently and supremely holy (Luke 1:49; John 17:11; 1 Peter 1:15). His holiness is demonstrated by the presence of heavenly beings who do nothing but surround His throne day and night singing out the praises of His holiness (Isaiah 6:1f; Rev. 4:8). Those things associated with God are holy. The ground upon which Moses stood when God confronted him was holy (Exodus 3:1-5; Acts 7:33). The temple was holy (Matthew 24:15), and the Holy of Holies in particular was holy (Hebrews 9:2-3). The mount where Jesus was transfigured was called holy (2 Peter 1:18). The covenant that God made with Abraham was holy (Luke 1:35). The gospel and Scriptures are called holy (Matthew 7:6; Romans 1:2). Anything that becomes associated with God is set apart unto God in a very special sense and becomes different from other things. The Jewish are called a holy nation (Exodus 19:6). They were set apart in a very special way to God. The Old Testament deals primarily with the Jewish people and their special relationship to God: (Lev 20:26) 'Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine. The Jewish people were holy in that they were to be different from other nations by believing God and serving Him faithfully. God knew them in a special way above all the nations of the earth. The Jewish priesthood was holy, different from other men (Leviticus 21:6). The people's tithe or tenth was holy, different from other money and goods and used for different purposes (Leviticus 27:30, 32). The temple was holy, different from other buildings (Exodus 26:33). But the Jewish people failed in the role that God wanted them to play. The Old Testament is a continuous record of their rejection of God's will. Because they failed to keep the Covenant God made a New Covenant of which now the church is now said to be the holy people of God. The church is called a holy nation and a royal or holy priesthood, a people made up of all nationalities and languages and races (1 Peter 2:5, 9). The church is a people who set themselves apart unto God as holy and separated and different, who utterly trust Him and abandon themselves to follow Him. The church is now the dwelling place for God's presence. Believers are being built "together for a habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph. 2:21-22). The body of the individual believer becomes holy, for the Spirit of God dwells within the believer's body (1 Cor. 6:19-20). The body of the believer becomes the dwelling place for God's very presence, and the body replaces the holy of holies within the inner sanctuary of the temple. Thus, believers are called saints or holy ones.
V 8 - Paul continues his salutation to the church at Rome by giving thanks to God for them. He understands the miracle of God in bringing Gentiles in Rome to faith in the God of Israel. Rome was the capitol of the most powerful empire that the world had known. It=s army and road system brought peace and prosperity to all the nations that it touched. It did so with its economic enterprise and bureaucratic system of government. Paul is thanking God that a beach head for the Kingdom of God has been established in this strategic city. From Rome the world could be reached with the Gospel through the discipleship of the Believers at Rome. It is interesting to see the church=s humble and godly beginning in contrast with the church at Rome now. The Roman Catholic church which is seated at the Vatican in the heart of Rome is as far removed from its foundation as Israel is from its foundation and calling. I should say that this is not only true for the Roman Catholic Church but also for most of the Church. Paul writes that The faith of the Church at Rome was being talked about throughout the world, probably by people who were antagonistic to the faith.
V 9-13 - One of the reasons that the Gospel was being proclaimed throughout the world was the influence of prayer. Paul speaks of always being in prayer for the Saints at Rome. How does one pray without ceasing? It comes from being aware of the constant presence of the Lord. He is always near us and we are never out of His presence. Constant prayer keeps us in a state of dependence on God to go through our days. Paul practiced this and in the times when he was not occupied with the necessities of life he would pray for the brethren and any other needs that came up. In coming to Rome, Paul wanted to impart some spiritual gift to them. We=re not told what that gift is but whatever the gift was it was so that the church at Rome could be established (build up, or edify) and encouraged in their faith. When we minister to one another the Spirit of God blesses the person who is ministering and the one who is being ministered to. This is probably the fruit that Paul is referring to in V 13.
V 14-15 - Paul sees himself with an obligation to both Greeks and barbarians. The Greeks were not only those who spoke Greek but also to those who had adopted Hellenistic culture, in contrast to barbarians who had not. Paul knew that God had raised him up as a minister to the Gentiles to share with them the news of their election with Israel as the Chosen People. Paul was called to be to the Gentiles what Israel failed to be namely ministers and servants of God=s truth found in His Word the Scriptures. Just as Jesus was the second Adam (1 Cor. 15:21-22) because of Adam=s failure, so too Jesus was the second Israel (Hosea 11:1). Likewise Paul taught that the Gentiles were indebted to Israel (Rom 15:27). In V 15 Paul says that he longs to proclaim the Gospel to the believers that were there. This suggests that there is more to the Gospel than just salvation. In the rest of the letter Paul will explain this.
V 16-17 - In these two verses we have the essence of the Gospel. The word "gospel" is a translation of a Greek word from the New Testament, the concept of good news itself finds its roots in the Hebrew language of the Old Testament. Christians use the word to designate the message and story of God's saving activity through Jesus. The concept of Agood news@ finds its roots in the Old Testament. Bisar is the Hebrew verb which means "to proclaim good news." Originally, the word was used to describe the report of victory in battle (2 Sam. 4:10). Jewish theology taught that, like us, God was actively involved in their lives (including battles and wars) and so bisar came to have a religious connotation. To proclaim the good news of Israel's success in battle was to proclaim God's triumph over God's enemies. Believing credit for the victory belonged to God, the Israelites' proclamation of the good news of victory was, in fact, a proclamation about God. Israel proclaimed good news when God delivered the nation from its enemies and from personal distress this is a theme found throughout the Psalms. Isaiah=s writings prepared the way for it=s use in the New Testament when he described the anticipated deliverance and salvation which would come from the hand of God when the Messiah appeared to deliver Israel (Isa. 52:7).
V 18 teaches us that the wrath of God is quite real. The word wrath means God’s holy aversion to all that is evil. It is not something sudden but a consistent state of God’s attitude toward unrighteousness. God is angry with two classes of men the ungodly and the unrighteous. The ungodly are people who fail to love and obey God. These are people who do not live as God lives. There are many who members of churches who are ungodly (Jude 1:4) These are people who do not work at developing a godly nature nor honor God by their words and their actions. (1 John 2:36). The ungodly are those who do what they want when they want, who may give lip-service to God, but who ignore Him in their day to day lives. The unrighteous are those who fail to love others. While ungodliness describes man’s attitude in relationship to God, unrighteousness has to do with our relationship with our fellow man. An unrighteous man acts against men by cheating, stealing, lying, being abusive, enslaving men and taking advantage of them. These men hold the truth in unrighteousness. The word "hold" means to hold down, suppress, repress, stifle, hinder. Men know the truth from three sources: from nature (1:20); from reason and conscience (1:18; 2:15); from Scripture (John 5:39; 2 Tim. 3:16). Yet despite having access to the truth, they ignore, and even push the truth aside, doing all they can to avoid and get rid of it. Why? Because they want to live as they wish and not as God says. Scripture says: they "hold the truth in unrighteousness" that is, they know the truth while they go about living in unrighteousness. They are without excuse (2 Th 2:10). Satan will use every kind of wicked deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them.
V 19 - 20 The wrath of God comes because men reject the truth that is within them; that is, they reject their consciences, thoughts and reasoning about God. (Rom 2:15) in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them. Men can know enough to be led to God. They have a sense of God, but they suppress the sense, trying to get rid of it. Man chooses to take the truth that is within him and suppress it. This is the first reason why God reveals and shows His wrath. Men can see more than a Supreme Being behind the creation of the universe. They can see "the invisible things" of God. This means at least two things. 1. Man can see the "eternal power," the Supreme Intelligence and Force (or Energy), of God. 2. Man can look at the creation of the earth and outer space, of plants and animals, of man and woman; We have studied and harnessed creations purpose and laws. When man looks at all of this with an honest spirit, he sees clearly that the world was made by a Creator. Moreover as man considers God=s creation with an honest spirit, he will clearly see that God cares and provides for what He has created. The result is that Man is without excuse or defense in his rejection of God. (Acts 14:17) and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness." (Psa 19:1)
V 21-23 - Paul now itemizes the reason for Hiss judgment. First, man willfully ignores God (V 21a). Men can clearly know God both within themselves and outside of themselves: in creation and nature, in the earth and outer space. They can know that God gives them life and cares and provides for them, and that God runs everything in an orderly and lawful way, giving purpose and meaning to life. Secondly men are universally guilty of ingratitude to God (v. 21b). God deserves to be glorified and given thanks. But men did not glorify Him: did not worship, obey, or serve Him as God. Thirdly in the process of time men become increasingly "futile" ("empty" or "vain") in their imaginations, darkening their minds in an attempt to justify their immoral behavior (v. 21c-22). The more they reason the more corrupt and foolish they become as Paul states; Professing to be wise, they became fools.. Man becomes foolish when he makes his ideas, his opinions, his speculations the standard and the law of his life, instead of the will of God. The foolish man makes man the master of things. He found his standards in his own opinions and not in the laws of God. He lived in a self-centered universe instead of a God-centered universe. Finally the fourth reason for God=s righteous judgment is that the first three reasons leads to idolatry. The glory of God is exchanged for images of human and animal forms. The root sin of idolatry is that it is selfish. A man makes an idol. He brings it offerings and addresses prayers to it. Why? So that his own schemes and dreams may be furthered. His worship is for his own sake and not for God's. In this passage we are face to face with the fact that the essence of sin is to put self in the place of God (1 Cor 3:1920; Col. 2:8, 23)
V 21-23 - Paul now itemizes the reason for Hiss judgment. First, man willfully ignores God (V 21a). Men can clearly know God both within themselves and outside of themselves: in creation and nature, in the earth and outer space. They can know that God gives them life and cares and provides for them, and that God runs everything in an orderly and lawful way, giving purpose and meaning to life. Secondly men are universally guilty of ingratitude to God (v. 21b). God deserves to be glorified and given thanks. But men did not glorify Him: did not worship, obey, or serve Him as God. Thirdly in the process of time men become increasingly "futile" ("empty" or "vain") in their imaginations, darkening their minds in an attempt to justify their immoral behavior (v. 21c-22). The more they reason the more corrupt and foolish they become as Paul states; Professing to be wise, they became fools.. Man becomes foolish when he makes his ideas, his opinions, his speculations the standard and the law of his life, instead of the will of God. The foolish man makes man the master of things. He found his standards in his own opinions and not in the laws of God. He lived in a self-centered universe instead of a God-centered universe. Finally the fourth reason for God=s righteous judgment is that the first three reasons leads to idolatry. The glory of God is exchanged for images of human and animal forms. The root sin of idolatry is that it is selfish. A man makes an idol. He brings it offerings and addresses prayers to it. Why? So that his own schemes and dreams may be furthered. His worship is for his own sake and not for God's. In this passage we are face to face with the fact that the essence of sin is to put self in the place of God.(1 Cor 3:1920 NLT) For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, "God catches those who think they are wise in their own cleverness." {20} And again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are worthless." (Col. 2:8, 23) Don't let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and highsounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ. . . These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires.
V 24-27 - The major point in this section of Romans is that when men persistently abandon God, God will abandon them. Even when God’s own people ignore and disobey Him, He may temporarily abandon them (Psa 81:1112). Hosea speaks in much the same way about the unfaithfulness of the northern kingdom, represented by Ephraim, to whom God said: “Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone” (Hos. 4:17). When God’s Spirit came upon Azariah, He told Judah, “The Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you” (2 Chron. 15:2). The result is that God abandons man to his futile thinking, He allows Him to experience the consequences of his foolishness. The abandonment is described by Paul in three downward stages. Each is marked by the phrase, “gave them up” or “gave them over.” The sin of idolatry is followed by shameless immorality. This surrender took place in the desires of their own hearts. Because they left honoring God and listening to His voice, God gave them up to their own desires and shameful dishonor. The second abandonment is a result of changing the truth of God into a lie, and God gave them up to their self-satisfying passions. Today’s homosexuals insist that these verses mean that it is perverse for a heterosexual male or female to engage in homosexual relations but it is not perverse for a homosexual male or female to do so since homosexuality is such a person’s natural preference. This is interpretation is unsupported by the Bible. The only natural sexual relationship the Bible recognizes is a heterosexual one (Gen. 2:21-24; Matt. 19:4-6) within marriage. All homosexual relations constitute sexual perversion and rebellion and are subject to God’s judgment. In Romans 1:27, we have the terrible results of men and women who accept the lie instead of the truth of God. He let go of them. Men and women fall into the very depths of immorality when they abandon the truth of God. Homosexuality should never be looked on as anything less than a degradation of man and a shameful sin. The fact that our society excuses it makes it no less sinful before God. It is a mark that God gave them up to vile affections. The third and last stage of divine abandonment is found in Romans 1:28-32. The result of ungodliness against others, because of a deliberate choice on the part of man not to retain the knowledge of God, brought condemnation against their method of living. God gave them up to a reprobate mind—a mind condemned and rejected and worthless. Their rejection of God was deliberate and determined. If they had improved and increased their knowledge of God, it would have led to righteousness and the pleasure of God. Instead their reasoning faculties, intellectual and moral, were used for that which was not fitting. Following this, in verses 29 to 32 we have the moral condition of those whom God has given over to a reprobate mind: “filled with all unrighteousness,” manifestation of the forceful power of evil. Wicked passions lead to wicked acts and from this to wicked characters. We have the revelation of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ, and at the same time we have the revelation of God’s wrath against sin.
In V 28-32 we see the third and last stage of divine abandonment. This comes as a result of ungodliness against others. When men choose to reject the knowledge and ways by the way they live God gives them up to a reprobate mind. When this happens God begins to remove His protection from them. The result is that men become vulnerable to the destructive wiles of Satan and also experience the consequences of their own behavior. “You have forsaken Me and served other gods,” the Lord said to Israel. “Therefore I will deliver you no more” (Judg. 10:13). When God’s Spirit came upon Azariah, He told Judah, “The Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you” (2 Chron. 15:2). Through “Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest,” God again said to Judah, “Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He has also forsaken you” (2 Chron. 24:20).
