Romans
ROMANS 1
The book of Romans opens up in Paul’s typical fashion, with a greeting to the saints (v7). In his greeting, Paul includes his qualifications for writing the letter, “called to be an apostle” (v1) and mentions the “gospel” in the first few verses. Paul’s gospel here is that Jesus was God’s son (v3) who rose from the dead (v4) and who commissioned His disciples as apostles to preach in all nations (v5). The Romans that Paul writes to have amazingly already believed this message before Paul ever arrived at Rome (v6). This shows us the swift spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Rome with the 20 years of Christianity, as this book was written in the AD 50s.
Paul explains his estranged relationship with the church at Rome. He had not visited them, yet their “faith was spoken of throughout the whole world” (v8). This was a bold church and an example to other believers. Although not a local member of this church, Paul says that he prays for them every day (v9)! Wow, that is convicting. Most Christians don’t even pray for their local church brothers and sisters every day.
It seems Paul made plans and an attempt to visit Rome (v10), and wanted to bless them (v11) and preach the gospel there (v15), but his plans were foiled. God would bring him to Rome later, yet under different circumstances, which we see at the end of the book of Acts.
Not long after Paul’s introduction he begins some meaty declarations - first he qualifies the gospel and then sin. Paul’s gospel is the “gospel of Christ”, which is the “power of God unto salvation” (v16). In this good news we are able to see and accept God’s righteousness (v17), yet we are required to ‘believe’ and have “faith”. All that put their trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sin are radically changed and given God’s righteousness. That is good news!
Beginning in verse 18, we learn why the gospel is so important. God is not happy with sin. Paul mentions the “wrath of God”, which word is only used a few times in the New Testament, and it is ALWAYS applied to the lost. Jesus taught that the wrath of God abides on the unbeliever (John 3:36). No Christian will ever experience His wrath, only His grace.
Verses 19-32 are descriptive of those that have rejected God. It says that they, “hold the truth in unrighteousness” (v18), are able to see “the invisible things of him from the creation of the world” (v20), they are “without excuse” (v20), and that they “knew God” (v21). All of the world knows who God is by His witnesses both in creation and in the conscience of the inner man. Man’s problem is not evidence; it is a heart condition of rejecting God
The results of rejecting God are severe and prove that, upon rejection, God will ‘give them up’ (v24) to their own heart’s desire. Once a person has rejected the truth there is nowhere else to go (John 14:6) but down into depravity: idolatry (v23), perversion (v24), materialism (v25), homosexuality (v25-27), confusion (v28).
These things lead to a long list of sin (v29-31), which we typically see associated with this crowd of people today. Why is it that when people reject God that they get WORSE in their morals than before? Because God “gave them over” (v28), and they have nowhere else to go. If they reject God’s righteousness (v17), they cannot be righteous.
Verse 32 teaches us that when someone willingly rejects the “power of God unto salvation” (v16), they will take refuge with other sinners and rest under God’s judgment. Birds of a fetter flock together.
ROMANS 2
Chapter 2 begins to deal with a large portion of Paul’s content in this book – sin.
Coming out of chapter 1 and seeing man’s reprobate mind makes it easy to judge, but we are quickly humbled in chapter 2 and reminded NOT to compare ourselves, “thou that judgest does the same things”(v1). Paul makes his case clear, that ALL sin will be judged by God (v2, 6) and that we should not compare our sins because all sin produces tribulation and death (v9). In light of the sins of chapter 1, Paul reminds his readers that God is longsuffering and willing to save the worst of sinners (v4), not willing that any should perish (2 Pet 3:9). If we aren’t careful, our indignation towards others sins will cause us to despise the “goodness and forbearance” of God (v4).
We see the phrase, “to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile” (v10), as this chapter will flow into a specific address to the Jewish believers in Rome. They are reminded that “there is no respect of persons with God” (v11). Jews would have thought themselves better than Gentiles and it would have been easy and appropriate to ‘judge’ them, but Paul says the Gentiles have “the law written in their hearts” (v15) and they are capable of serving God as well.
Beginning in verse 17, we see a direct address to the Jews, who “restest in the law” (v17) and “knowest his will” (v18), but are called ‘guides of the blind’ (v19) and ‘instructors of the foolish’ (v20) because they were not applying and obeying what they knew (v21). This is a dangerous place! It is called hypocrisy and Jesus did not speak well of it. We know that these Jews in Rome were hypocrites because they were doing the very things they judged the Gentiles for (v22-23), to the end that the Gentiles hated God (v24).
Verses 25-29 use the issue of circumcision as an illustration for this kind of hypocrisy. Circumcision was a religious rite for Israel, given to Abraham as a sign of promise, and continued through Moses for all males. A good Jew would have been circumcised on the eighth day of birth and would look down their nose to ‘judge’ the uncircumcised Gentiles, yet the bible teaches here that God is more concerned about the “circumcision of the heart” (v29) than He is keeping the law “outwardly” (v28).
Our piety can easily become a source of pride, which is why this chapter is written. It reminds us that ALL are under sin, and that “the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance” (v4), no matter our race or our religious status. No amount of religion can forgive sins or affect the heart! This is why we need the gospel (v16) as mentioned in Romans 1:16.
Let us keep humble hearts and remember that we are no better than other sinners. We must guard our hearts to keep them sensitive to the word of God and the Spirit of God, remembering Christ and the great love wherewith He loved us. That love is still available to all others!
ROMANS 3
The beginning of chapter 3 is a continuation of chapter 2. If circumcision is no longer necessary and is “that of the heart” (2:29), the author asks, “what advantage then hath the Jew?” (v1). In other words, what does it matter to be Jewish if both Jews and Gentiles are saved the same way and the same in Christ (1 Cor 12:13)? The answer is that the Jews benefit from a long lineage of being God’s people and having the word of God (v2), “unto them were committed the oracles of God”. Webster’s definition serves best to understand what an oracle is:
“Among Christians, oracles, in the plural, denotes the communications, revelations or messages delivered by God to prophets. In this sense it is rarely used in the singular; but we say, the oracles of God, divine oracles, meaning the Scriptures.”
Paul asks the question to introduce the subject of Israel’s apostasy, which he will deal with later, “what if some did not believe”? (v3), meaning if the “oracles of God” are through Israel, what if God’s people reject Him (as they did with Jesus?). Here we see that God judges all men equally, and that “all men are liars”(Psalm 116:11).
As the chapter continues, Paul builds his case that “all are under sin” (v9), including both Jews and Gentiles. Then he compiles an argument for the sinfulness of man by quoting multiple Old Testament sources:
V10-12 (Psalm 14:1-3)
V13 (Psalm 5:9)
V14 (Psalm 10:7)
V15-17 (Isaiah 59:7-8)
V18 (Psalm 36:1)
We now have the sinfulness of man in full view and the law the brought into view, which makes “all the world … become guilty before God” (v20). The author’s point will be that the law cannot fix the exceeding sinfulness of man because the law merely reveals what sin is, “by the law is the knowledge of sin” (v20).
This gives room for God to swoop in and save man from their sinful condition “without the law” (v21). This would be challenging for a Jewish believer to accept, but it had been “witnessed by… the prophets” (v21), so Israel should have known about it. Now the requirements for right standing with God would be faith, “upon all them that believe” (v22).
Jesus is the answer to our exceeding sinfulness. What the law could not do (Rom 8:3), God accomplished through the “propitiation” (payment for sin) by the offering of His own son (v25). Man is now “justified freely by his grace” (v24) through “faith in his blood” (v25). Amen and hallelujah! The requirements for salvation and righteousness have been simplified to faith in the finished work on the cross, not the works of men or keeping of the law. This ‘excludes boasting (v27, Eph 2:8-9) and justifies us “without the deeds of the law”(v28). Anyone that tells you there is something to be added or included in your salvation other that faith in Jesus Christ is a liar and a false teacher – there are no salvific ‘works’ in the age of grace.
Finally concluding in verse 31 the author asks, if we “make void the law” because of faith? Do we just get rid of the “oracles of God” (v2)? What are their place? Paul will write later that the law has its place in God’s economy and that it is fulfilled and continuing to be fulfilled today. The chief way that God uses the law today is to reveal “that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful” (v13). The law is what proves man’s sinful nature and God’s holy nature. It is for the “lawless and disobedient” (1 Tim 1:9). The law points man to their need of salvation, it is not something to be applied by the Christian.
ROMANS 4
Paul continues his argument that justification with God comes through faith by using the example of Abraham. Faith is of utmost importance to God (Heb 11:6), as Romans says Abraham was not “justified by works” (v2), but rather when he “believed God” (v3).
Using logic, Paul helps these Christians in Rome understand that if works justified us before God, then God would ‘owe’ us salvation as a “reward” (v4). Instead, however, salvation is by “grace” (v4, Eph 2:8-9) and not something to be earned. This salvation is “imputed” to man “without works” (v6), meaning that it is given to man or ‘placed into man’ by God. It is not something that is within our own nature – it has to be given to us and faith is the requirement for such transaction.
Again, the issue of circumcision comes up, which was a critical issue for the Jews, especially considering that this sign originated with Abraham (Gen 17:10). Man is always looking for a physical, controllable means whereby to outsource our faith into some other duty. It’s easier to DO something than to actually trust in God. Paul says here though that circumcision was given to Abraham AFTER his faith. Abraham was not justified by his action; it was instead a “sign” and a “seal of righteousness” (v11). Abraham is then an example for all people to be saved by faith, “not of the circumcision only” (v12). As we have already seen, circumcision is “that of the heart” (Rom 2:29).
Verse 13-15 remind us that the law is incapable of saving us, as it merely points out what sin is. “the law worketh wrath” (v15). If righteousness had come by the law “faith is made void” (v14).
Abraham’s example of being saved “by grace” (v16) still teaches us today and he becomes “the father of us all” who would share “the faith of Abraham” – meaning, to trust by faith in His word apart from religious duties. Of course, like circumcision, ‘good works’ naturally follow salvation, but they are not a means of our justification.
What kind of faith does someone need to be saved? A convincing faith. Abraham’s faith is described in verses 17-20 as “believed” (v17), “hope” (v18), “not weak in faith” (v19), “strong in faith” (v20), and “being fully persuaded” (v21). These are all strong words that describe the nature of real faith, and what is required for salvation. Many have made false professions because they have not truly believed in their heart that Jesus rose from the dead (Rom 10:9) and that His payment on the cross is sufficient means for our justification with God.
Abraham’s faith wasn’t in his own actions or feelings, it was in “the promise of God”, which is the same thing we must believe to become “born again” (1 Peter 1:23). Apart from the word of God it would be impossible to know how to be justified with God, because His word is the seed which germinates unto eternal life for those that believe.
Finally, we see the conclusion made. Paul wisely brings his audience around to their own decision, “it was not written for his sake alone” (v23), meaning that God had recorded these events in Abrahams life for our benefit (Rom 15:4). Now it is up to “us” (v24) to make a decision and trust God in the same way that Abraham did. What is the qualification? “if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord form the dead” (v24). Just as God was able to bring life out of the “deadness of Sarah’ womb” (v19), He is able to bring life to the sinner by ‘imputing’ in unto them.
Belief in the resurrection is paramount to salvation. God may be working in someone’s life to convict them up sin and draw them to His Son prior to their conversion, but it is impossible to be saved without believing that Jesus “was raised again for our justification” (v25). If there is one doctrine that we must vehemently protect, it is the resurrection.
Just like Abraham, all who believe what God says in His word will be saved. Today, that means believing the gospel (1 Cor 15:1-4), which upon one’s belief (Eph 1:13), they will have the same righteousness God gave to Abraham “imputed” unto them.
ROMANS 5
Chapter 5 begins with “therefore”, which points us back to the previous chapter. You could also say ‘because of’ the previous verses, we “have peace with God” (v1). Our justification with God is based on the imputed righteousness of 4:22, which is given to us by faith. Once we have been justified, we now gain “peace with God” (v1) and “access by faith” (v2).
The change made in Christians is so great that “tribulation” and “patience” (v3-4) become positive qualities for believers, who are able to “glory” in such difficulties (v2). What is it that enables Christians to endure such circumstances with hope? “because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts” (v5). Christians have the continual affirming of the Holy Spirit (the comforter), which enables them to bear all things.
Christians also have the reminder of Christ’s suffering for them, “Christ died for the ungodly” (v6). Paul makes an argument that one would barely surrender their life for a “good man” (v7), but Jesus died for us “while we were yet sinners” (v8). In so doing, Christ saved us from wrath through His blood (v9) and changed us from “enemies” (v10) to sons (John 1:12). Christs atonement is received at the moment of salvation, “whom we have now received the atonement” (v11). Christians are not waiting for a future blotting out of sins – it already happened on the cross and was applied when they trusted in Christ.
Verses 12-19 introduce the consequence of sin and Adam’s responsibility in man’s condemnation. We have already learned that sin is revealed by the law (3:20) - now we see that sin still existed prior to the law, it just wasn’t “imputed” (v13). Even though the law had not been written until Moses, Adam fell and “death reigned” (v14) over every person.
In this we see the “grace of God” (v15) – just as sin had entered into the world through one man, salvation was also brought through one man: Jesus Christ. Adam was a “figure of him that was to come” (v14). Christ’s death on the cross would now offer salvation to “all men” (v18), “so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (v19).
Although the law makes sin and offence “abound” (v20), it is not to be done away with. The law is useful for recognizing sin (1 Tim 1:9) and if used well it will “bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith” (Gal 3:24).
Chapter 5 concludes with death’s reign. It will continue “unto death” (v21), being inescapable. In contrast those who believe in Jesus Christ will continue “unto eternal life” (v21). The eternal security of the believer is clear – just as much as sin and death is 100% successful, so also will Christ’s righteousness “reign” (v21) in the heart of every believer with a 100% success rate, saving them eternally from their sin.
ROMANS 6
This chapter is a response to the conclusion of the last. Because the believer is eternally secure the question is asked, “shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” (v1). This is a reasonable and logical question, and a personal issue many have with the doctrine of eternal security. If all of our sins are removed do, we then have permission to ‘live it up’? The answer… “God forbid” (v2). It would be a false gospel and misunderstanding of the bible to see grace as permission to sin.
What is the reasoning not to continue in is? The change that happened in the believer upon salvation. Paul calls it being “baptized into Jesus Christ” (v3), which is not water baptism, but literally being placed INTO Christ, as he later says “to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1). At the moment of salvation Christians are immersed into Christ, which happens through the Spirit, not water. (1 Cor 12:13).
In the same way that Jesus was buried and “raised up from the dead” (v4), Christians should also live in “newness of life”, “in the likeness of his resurrection” (v5).
Verse 6 begins a series of thought introducing the “old man” (the person you were in sin before salvation). The “old man” is dead, having been “crucified with him” (v6), meaning that your old identity has been murdered and you are now resurrected to a new identity in Jesus Christ. Your ‘new man’ is now able to make a choice, through the power of God, not to “serve sin” (v6), something that you were incapable of doing before. This begs the question: are you “dead with Christ”? (v8) Have you fully embraced your identity as ‘living unto God’ (v10)?
If these realities are true of us, then we have some reckoning to do. The word reckon in verse 11 means, ‘calculate’ or make it so. Which means that we now have a choice. Our victory over sin happened on calvary and was applied to us the moment that we trusted in Christ, but we are all still ‘calculating’ (reckoning) what that truly means for our lives. God did not take away our free will upon salvation, but He did make a significant change in our lives so that we can apply our free will, leveraging our position in Christ, so that sin would not “reign in your mortal body” (v12) or that you would “obey it in the lusts thereof” (v12).
The key to victory over sin is found in verse 13. It depends upon what we “yield” ourselves to. There are only two options: “unto sin” or “unto God”. The way that we overcome sin is by yielding to something else! Instead of fighting harder, we give up – not give in. Giving up means we yield (surrender) to God and allow Him to work in our lives instead of sin. The word “instruments” (v13) gives us more context. God wants to use us as a ‘tool or weapon’ “of righteousness” (v13). Instead of being used by sin to do evil, we surrender to the new nature that we have in Christ and pursue righteousness instead. Are you struggling with sin? Yielding to what God says and what you know is right will give you power.
Another analogy us used to answer the same question from verse 1, which is repeated again in a new way, “shall we sin because we are not under the law” (v15). The answer is the same, “God forbid” (v15). This time it is taken further from yielding to servantry, “who ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are”(v16). When we choose to yield to sin, we become enslaved to it. There are again, only two options – we will all be the servants of something: “servants of sin” (v17) or “servants of righteousness” (v18). Christians ought to “reckon” and “yield” ourselves to God and righteousness in the same way that we would serve sin in our lost state – we were compelled to it. How much more so ought we to serve, obey, or be given to righteousness in a compulsory way! This is truly the antidote to ‘fighting sin’… instead choose righteousness in every way! Give yourself wholly to it! This is Paul’s solution in verse 19.
Verse 20 tells us that while we were lost, there wasn’t a single ‘good thing’ that we did because we were “free from righteousness” (v20). It was literally impossible to please God in our lost state – we were free from it. All of us start from scratch for eternal reward in heaven and purpose in God’s kingdom at the moment of salvation. Which means that we ought to get started NOW serving God, since everything prior to salvation had not eternal merit. As has been said, it should be counted as “dung” (Phil 3:8).
This is then the contrast: sin = death (v23) and submission to God = life (v22). We must conclude that if we are to do any good at all, even in our own lives with victory over sin, it must be through our identity as being ‘in Christ’ and submitted to God as His instruments and servants to His will instead of our own. That is the recipe for victory, and something a lost person is literally unable to do!
ROMANS 7
There was a continual struggle in first century Christianity to understand the purpose of Judaism and the law of Moses in this new ‘grace based’ faith in Jesus. The book of Galatians is complementary to this chapter.
The illustration of marriage is used to reveal the law’s “dominion” over man (v1). Just like marriage, it is “as long as he liveth” (v1) and “bound by the law” (v2). A married couple is bound to each other until one of them“be dead” (v2), upon which the remaining widow or widower is “loosed from the law” (v2) and “free” (v3) to marry another without being in adultery. The spiritual picture in this illustration is found in verse 4, where we learn Christians are “dead to the law by the body of Christ” (v4). Since the law could not produce righteousness, and Jesus paid for our sin on the cross, “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness” (Rom 10:4), our obligation to the law has ceased, just as our obligation to a dead spouse in marriage ceases.
Christians are actually “married to another” (v4). You could say that we are ‘married to Jesus’, being “espoused” to Christ (2 Cor 11:2) in the Spirit, which is seen in picture later in Ephesians (Eph 5:22-28). The law is dead, and we now only have allegiance to Jesus Christ – not Judaism.
Verses 7-14 may seem confusing at first but they can be summarized as follows. The law of God in the Old Testament reveals what sin is (v7), but the law itself is not sinful (v12). However, since sin is revealed by the law, it is essentially using the law, “taking occasion by the commandment” (v8, 11) and continuing to produce death. Remember, where there is now law, there is no sin (Rom 5:13), so when the law comes, it simply reveals the depths of sin. Verse 13 summarizes well that, “sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful”.
The law is good, but what it reveals is not good. It reveals that man cannot live up to God’s standard of holiness - even the great apostle Paul admits to being “carnal, sold under sin” (v14). Romans is such a wonderful part of the canon of God’s word because it clearly reveals the exceeding sinfulness of ALL men (Rom 3:23), so that grace can abound through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
The rest of this chapter is a personal admission to the struggle with sin from the author. It also reveals the depths of sin being deep within our being, “evil is present with me” (v21). It would seem that there is no escaping the sinful nature “in my flesh” (v18). This is an important distinction because we have previously learned that righteousness has been imputed to believers by faith (Rom 4:24). Therefore, there is a difference in the flesh and the Spirit, as the next chapter will continue to reveal.
Since sin is “in my members” and “warring” against us, even in our minds, we must never let our guard down. At no point can a Christian say that they are totally devoid of sin in the flesh, for even in our good deeds the possibility of evil “dwelleth in me” (v20).
Christians are not victims however, as we saw in chapter 6 we are able to overcome sin so that it doesn’t rule over us by surrendering to the new nature God has put within us in Christ. Christians do, however get weary from warring against a sinful nature in our members to where we will eventually say, “who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (v24). The mature believer knows their war with the flesh and looks forward to the day in which they will see Jesus Christ in glory, receiving a new body without a sinful nature (Phil 3:21).
Christianity is not a religion of perfection, it is an acceptance of our sinful nature and a reliance upon the grace of God to be sufficient for our failures through the exclusive payment of Christ on the cross, not our own deeds.
There is a glimmer of hope at the end of this chapter! The battle with the flesh can be won, but it is NOT WITH the flesh, it is won with the mind. Paul says sin is “warring against the law of my mind” (v23) and that in spite of it he is able to “with the mind… serve the law of God” (v25). It is possible for the Christian to put to death the works of the flesh through our mind and our thinking (Rom 12:2). It is then imperative that we are daily “renewing” the mind and the new man with knowledge (Col 3:1). Like any good soldier at war, having accurate intel is imperative to the battle. Christians have the word of God, the sword of the Spirit to put the flesh to death (Eph 6:17, Heb 4:12), using it is our only chance at victory!
ROMANS 8
This chapter is the greatest mention of the word “Spirit” in the entire bible. It gives us a great perspective into the indwelling work of the Spirit in the believer.
Christians are called to “walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (v1), which is to live and abide in the new nature in Jesus Christ. We now walk after “the law of the Spirit of life” (v2) where the Spirit of God produces “life” (v1) in us, compared to the “flesh” which produces “condemnation” (v1), and the “law of sin” (v2) which was unable to save us (v3).
Our righteousness was not fulfilled by the law, as Romans repeatedly explains (v4), so we are therefore told NOT to focus on physical things, or even to “mind” them (v5). Verse 5 does not leave Christians with an absence of critical thinking of intellectual thought, instead we are called be “spiritually minded” (v6). We ought to think deeply and wholly about the issues of life, interpreting through spiritual eyes instead of carnal ones. Romans will go on to tell us that the “renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2) is of utmost importance to our sanctification from this world.
The flesh, that is to say the carnal man not walking in the Spirit, or the lost man without the Spirit, is at “enmity against God” (v7), “not subject” to Him (v7), and “cannot please God” (v8), therefore we ought to highly consider two things: 1) am I a saved Christian with the Holy Spirit? Because without salvation you can do nothing to please God 2) am I ‘minding’ the Spirit or the flesh? Because you could be wasting your time or even worse, producing “death” (v6) in your life.
Since this chapter lays out the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, we learn something from verse 9: you either have the Holy Spirit or you do NOT, “if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (v9). There is no more or less, no ‘second blessing’ or no sense in which the Holy Spirit will evacuate your body, as we will learn at the end of the chapter. The Spirit here is also called “Christ be in you” (v10), meaning that the Spirit is not just a force (as the Jehovah’s Witnesses would say), He is Christ and He is God – as God is “one LORD” (Deut 6:4).
The Spirit’s power is on full display inside the life of a Christian submitted to Him. The same Spirit that “raised up Jesus from the dead” (v11) will also “quicken your mortal bodies” (v11), giving life to you and enabling you to supernaturally defeat the sinful nature that we so regularly combat (see chapter 7). The Spirit’s power will enable you not just to ‘control’ the flesh or ‘tame’ it, but to “mortify the deeds of the body” (v13). To mortify is to KILL or put to death. In this way, Christians are able to conquer our most difficult sins. We do not get to claim victimhood to our flesh for we possess a power greater than our sinful nature if we would submit to it.
We learn another name for the Spirit, “the Spirit of adoption” (v15), which teaches us that upon our salvation we were placed into a new spiritual family, becoming the “sons of God” (v14) and “children of God” (v16). Our parentage has changed and we now receive God as our Father, “whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (v15). God’s indwelling Spirit “beareth witness” (v16) inside of us that we are His people. This is then a litmus test for someone’s salvation. In the quietness and honesty of your person is there a “life and peace” (v6) that reveals to you that you are the “children of God” by faith in Jesus Christ? If you do not have this witness, you are not saved and need to be born again to receive the Spirit of God and brought into God’s family (Eph 1:13).
Verse 18-25 bring an interjection that compares our present reality with the one to come. The nature of Christians has changed by the indwelling Holy Spirit, but these verses remind us that salvation and victory over sin in this life is only part of God’s plan. We see the “sufferings of this present time” compared with “glory which shall be revealed” (v18), meaning that there is even more to the Christian life AFTER this one.
We learn that humanity was “made subject to vanity” (v20), by reason of sin we have become worthless, but we are also reminded that “creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together” (v22). One day God will recreate the earth without sin (Isa 65:17), and one day Christians will be glorified together with “the redemption of our body” (v23). Hallelujah! We look forward to that day with anticipation, but until then “we hope for that we see not” (v25) and trust God by faith, walking in the Spirit, enduring our “infirmities” (v26).
We learn more of the Spirit’s work as an intercessor, for He helps us “pray as we ought” and is able to speak to God on our behalf “with groanings which cannot be uttered” (v26). This verse is not teaching that the Spirit will make you speak in a ‘prayer language’, as the groanings of the Spirit are NOT “uttered”, it refers to the Spirit’s work inside of you as He “searcheth the hearts” and “maketh intercession… according to the will of God” (v27). We then ought not to be concerned about the exact words that we speak in prayer, and be more attentive to God’s presence deep within us by His Spirit. The Spirit will take your honest heart conversation with God and interpret it to the Father to accomplish God’s will in your life and your prayers
Even the difficult things in the Christian life are not wasted, for God will make them “work together for good”(v28) and He uses them to accomplish His purposes in conforming you to “the image of his Son” (v29). Even if those sufferings result in the end of one’s life, we have the calm assurance that those who have trusted in Christ, He “did predestinate” (v29) to be like unto His Son, which will ultimately happen when we are “glorified” (v30) by being given a new resurrected body (Phil 3:21).
Note here that “foreknow” (v29) does not mean ‘foreloved’, or preselected, as most Calvinists would claim. God has a foreknowledge of all who will call upon Him for salvation and He will ensure that they come to hear and believe the gospel.
Lastly, this chapter ends with the triumph of the believer and another great proof of eternal security. We have the wonderful and encouraging words, “If God be for us, who can be against us” (v31) and being reminded that God “spared not his own Son” for us, we are assured that He will not abandon us. There is nothing in this world that could ever “separate us from the love of Christ” (v35). As that question is asked, it is answered in great detail by things which include: difficulty (v35), death (v38), spirits (v38), and the future (v38). If that isn’t enough, “nor any other creature” (v39) is included, which includes you or anyone else. Those that have trusted in Jesus Christ for their salvation are eternally inseparable from Him by nature of the work the He did upon indwelling and sealing you with His Holy Spirit at salvation (Eph 1:13). Hallelujah!
ROMANS 9
In Romans 9 we learn a great deal about God’s redemptive purposes in the world and we see a shift of those who believe in the gospel, from Jews to Gentiles. This is not as much about God’s choosing as it is Israel’s lack of faith in their Messiah (v32). Many pastors and theologians get caught up in the Jewish focused chapters of Romans 9-11 and come away with different results, but rightly dividing the word of truth, and letting the scripture speak for itself, the results are clear: salvation has left Israel and been taken to the Gentiles, “because they sought it not by faith” (v32).
Paul begins this chapter with his heart for his own people, the Jews. Although he was called, “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Rom 11:13) and technically Peter had “the apostleship of the circumcision” (Gal 2:8), Paul still deeply wanted his fellow countrymen to be saved. He shares his “great heaviness and continual sorrow” (v2) and would rather himself be “accursed from Christ” (v3) than for them to be lost. That is perhaps a strange conviction to have, but it reveals to us God’s heart for His people the Jews.
Israel has a great heritage in the history of faith, receiving many benefits like the “covenants, and the giving of the law” (v4). Jesus himself came as a Jew, “as concerning the flesh” (v5). Yet being born with these benefits did not guarantee a person was “of Israel” (v6).
There is a distinction made here of the “children of the flesh” and the “children of God” (v8), which are represented in Isaac and Ismael, “in Isaac shall thy seed be called” (v7) and ultimately Jacob and Esau (v12). There is always a distinction made between God’s people, and those that reject Him.
In verses 11-13 we learn that God has chosen certain people for certain things. He chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob over their brethren, “that the purpose of God according to election might stand” (v11). This is not a selection to salvation, but unto a purpose. The word “election” is God’s ‘choosing’. He has chosen to work through some and not others, and has also chosen to exalt some and not others. This choosing does not dismiss personal responsibility in salvation, for all are called in repent and believe in Christ and God gives every man that opportunity (John 1:9, John 12:32).
Many erroneously read ‘double predestination’ into verse 13, with a “love” and “hate” relationship, but the church is not in view here. This is an Israeli context with people fulfilling God’s purposes, not being predestined to heaven or hell. Esau was determined by God to “serve the younger” (v12, Gen 25:23). Some things are determined by God ahead of time. Things like our lot in life, who our leaders are, what genetics we received, our spiritual gifts, etc. are not necessarily within our control. We ought to see God’s providential hand in our circumstances instead of fighting against it.
Life isn’t always ‘fair’ but God is still ‘just’, as some people will receive more mercy from God, “I will have mercy on whom I will” (v15), while others receive less. Though not in view in this chapter, think about King Saul and King David – David received significantly more mercy (Isa 55:3) than Saul when the kingdom was ripped from him.
Pharoah is used as an example of God working all things together for good (Rom 8:28). Pharoah is said to be raised up for the ultimate purpose to “shew my power in thee” (v17). Could things have gone differently for Pharoah? Certainly, there is nothing that says he couldn’t have acted otherwise, but we do know that God “hardeneth” (v18) Pharoah’s heart. Concerning this hardening, Pharoah began this process for himself (Exo 8:15), it was not unjustly applied against his will.
These verses teach us something about God – He is able to use and include man’s freewill in coordination with His own plan, that His “name might be declared throughout all the earth” (v17). A few other examples of this are the prophetic events in the book of Revelation – they will happen, but man will chose their level of responsibility in them, likewise with Judas – although it was “written” that Christ would be betrayed, “woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed” (Matt 26:23-24). In this way, God, unbound by human will, but by foreknowledge working with it, can use one to “honour” and one to “dishonour” (v21). Ironically enough, God received honour from Pharaoh anyways (Exo 14:4, 17, 18).
Verses 22-23 are transitional to take the concepts that we just learned and apply them forward in the context of the current time of the church age. God, who was “willing to shew his wrath” will also “endure with much longsuffering” those vessels that would be “called” (v24) to become “vessels of mercy” (v23). This is transitional because it now points to “even us” (v24), meaning the church, but especially the Gentiles.
That the Gentiles are in view is easily seen from the quotes from the Old Testament (Hos 1:10, 2:23). In contrast to salvation being given to the Gentiles, Israel will only have “a remnant… be saved” (v27). God always has a handful of His people that will be faithful, no matter what the rest were doing – Paul was one of them!
How do we conclude then? Verses 30-33 greatly summarize this chapter and prepare the reader for the next. The Gentiles “have attained… the righteousness which is of faith” (v30), while the Jews have “not attained to the law of righteousness” (v31) because “they sought it not by faith” (v32), which became a “stumblingstone” to them (v33). God has designed the gospel in such a way that Christ is a “rock of offence”to all who will not trust God by faith (1 Cor 1:18). The Jews especially struggled with accepting God’s righteousness by faith alone (a theme in this book) and were therefore rejected by God. More of this will be revealed in the coming chapters.
ROMANS 10
As Paul continues from the previous chapter about his own people rejecting their Messiah and God taking salvation to the Gentiles, he never loses his heart for Israel, “that they might be saved” (v1). He even acknowledges that they are a people with a “zeal of God” (v2), but that zeal is misplaced – something Paul can relate to, as he was once “ignorant of God’s righteousness” (v3) while he was lost and persecuting the church (Acts 8:1). Not all zeal is good though, for it depends upon how our zeal is informed. An example of that, though not in the text, are the prophets of Baal in the days of Elijah, they were cutting themselves and begging their god to show up (1 Kings 18:28), but their zeal was misplaced in a false god. It is possible then to have zeal, “but not according to knowledge” (v2).
Israel’s real problem with Christ is revealed in verse 3. They wanted to “establish their own righteousness” (v4) instead of accepting the “righteousness which is of faith” (v6). Jews had been raised in a faith + works-based religion in Judaism. This was the “righteousness of the law” (v4), that a man would have to “live by them” (v5, Lev 18:5), meaning to keep the whole law to be righteous. The point has been made many times in Romans that “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (v4, Rom 3:21). As we will see in the coming verses, God’s righteousness “is of faith” (v6). We then reiterate our point on zeal. What is our faith placed IN? It is either in our own righteousness to keep the law, or it is in faith that Christ’s righteousness is enough (Phil 3:9).
The “righteousness which is of faith” (v6) relies wholly on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (v6-7), not in anything that we can do to “ascend” (v6) or “descend” (v7) - that is the work Christ did for us (Eph 4:8-10). This faith is not far off, as Deut 30:14 is quoted, “the word is nigh thee” (v8), meaning God is not attempting to hide the gospel or trick people, it is readily available and simplified for us in these famous upcoming verses.
Accepting Christ’s righteousness for ourselves is as simple as believing “in thine heart” (v9) and confession “with thy mouth the Lord Jesus” (v9), but these two must be paired together. So that salvation would be by faith only, and not a work, the heart is required and mentioned twice, yet both a necessary.
Let us ask the question: how can I be saved? According to Romans 10:9-10 you must believe “God hath raised him from the dead” (v9) and “confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus” (v9). This act of faith will bring about “righteousness” (v10) and “salvation” (v10). At the moment in time that a person “calls upon the name of the Lord” (v13), they are saved from the penalty of their sin and are given Christ’s righteousness, entitling them to their new position in Christ as seen in Romans chapter 6. This the moment a person is “born again”(John 3:3, 1 Peter 1:23). We see a genuine act in response to such salvation is boldness, “whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed” (v11). Although it can be scary to profess Christ publicly, we ought to be skeptical of someone who will not mention the name of Jesus Christ or the fact of His resurrection from the dead.
This saving message is so easy to accept that we must continue to preach it today! Questions ought to be reasonably asked about those have not heard. If Christ is the only way to be right with God (John 14:6), then we ought to do something about it, for “how shall they heart without a preacher” (v14). Even more so, who will go? For they must “be sent” (v15), just as Jesus sent the 12 and the 70 (Mark 3:13, Luke 10:1), he continues to send His disciples into the world today (Matt 28:19-20), and churches continue to send labourers into the harvest (Acts 13:1-4).
Furthermore, if you go, will you “preach” (v15)? For we learn here that the power of conversion rests not upon argument or reason, it is in the audible preaching of the word of God, “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (v17). The job of the preacher is to cast the seed of the word of God upon the hearts of men that the Holy Spirit can do with it as He pleases and that men can respond in accordance with their heart condition (Mark 4:3-9, 1 Peter 1:23). We must acknowledge that when preached, “not all obeyed the gospel” (v16), meaning that there will be rejection. Simply hearing the gospel provides the opportunity to respond, but our listeners must have “ears to hear” (Luke 8:8). Only God can know the condition of a person’s heart. It is our job to get them the message and let Him take it from there.
You might ask, what about those that have never heard the gospel preached? What about people living in countries with closed borders or false religions? The answer is found in verse 18, God concludes that all have heard, “their sound went into all the earth”, which is reminiscent of Psalm 19. God gives all men the witness of creation, “unto the ends of the world” (v18). All are “without excuse” (Rom 1:20) and know who God is. Those that respond to Him in the revelation that He gives through conscience and creation will certainly be given the opportunity to hear the gospel.
The final verses in this chapter (v19-21) remind us of our context. Because of Israel’s rejection of the gospel by faith, God has taken the Gentiles, “them that sought me not” (v20) and “them that are no people” (v19), as His new people of faith and will use them to “provoke” Israel “to jealousy” (v19, Deut 32:21). God has long extended salvation to the Jews, “I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient people” (v21), and they have rejected it over-and-over. By the time of this writing, 20 years has passed since the Jews crucified their Messiah (Matt 27:22-25). With the revelation of the book of Romans, and especially chapters 9-11, we learn that God now has a new people. During the next 2,000 years of history, God will work exclusively through those that trust Him by faith in the gospel (Rom 10:9-10), no matter a person’s bloodline or religious efforts.
ROMANS 11
Romans 11 will conclude this highly Jewish themed parenthesis in the book of Romans. Picking up from the results of the previous chapter, Israel is a “disobedient people” (10:21), and while there will be hope for them yet, sadly, the majority of Jews that live today will continue to reject Jesus. If and when they do accept Him, it must still be by faith and the gospel, without the law.
This chapter begins with the question of what will happen to Israel since they have rejected God. Will God cast away “his people which he foreknew” (v2)? “God forbid” (v1). Note that this foreknowledge is not the church or predestination, it is God’s purpose for Israel.
Using Elijah as an illustration, God always has a “remnant” (v5) of true believers that will follow Him, even whenever Israel makes idolatrous decisions on a national level. Just as God “reserved” (v4) to himself Jews that would not worship Baal in Elijah’s day, today, in this age of “grace” (v6), there will also be some Jews who will call upon Him in salvation as we saw in the previous chapter (Rom 10:9-10). This is called “the election of grace” (v5), again not referring to the church, but Jewish believers who would put their trust in the gospel apart from the law. Half of the bible’s use of the word election is in Romans chapter 11 (3 out of 6), therefore we ought to qualify the word. The word means ‘choosing’ or ‘choosing out’. That is, God has chosen to use the gospel, and all that believe in it become a part of His purpose. This election is “of grace” (v5), and “no more of works” (v6).
It says of these Jewish believers in Christ, “the election hat obtained it and, the rest were blinded” (v7), therefore all of Israel who chooses to reject the gospel will be further “blinded” (v7) and given the “spirit of slumber” (v8), that they would have a “snare” and a “stumblingblock” (v9) set before them that “they may not see” (v10). This may sound unjust or unfair, for God to make it more difficult for someone to hear and believe the gospel, for that is His heart (2 Peter 3:9), but this has happened before. Jesus said a very similar thing to the Jews that rejected His miracles while He was on earth (John 12:37-43).
Since God is able to work all things for good (Rom 8:28), he is even able to use the fall of His own people, literally ‘from grace’, so that the gospel can go to the “world” (v12) and the “Gentiles” (v12) because the “casting away of them” (v15) has then become “the reconciling of the world” (v15).
Paul is self-described here as “the apostle of the Gentiles” (v13), and although he accepts and preaches the gospel by faith to the Gentiles, he cannot help but always desire that His people the Jews follow in His footsteps of believing in Christ, “If by any means I may prove to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them” (v14). We ought to live exemplary lives for what we want others to ‘emulate’.
So that this church in Rome, and bible believing Christians all over the world would not rejoice at Israel’s condemnation, Paul has tempered our response and reminded us that Gentiles, and the church, still need Israel and the historic roots of Judaism, using the illustration of a tree (v16-24). It is a lengthy illustration, but it teaches us much!
There are two trees in this illustration. The first is Israel, the “olive tree” (v17) who is the “root” (v16) and “holy” (v16), which makes the branches holy. The second tree, the Gentiles, are the “wild olive tree” (v17), which is not naturally a part of this tree but is “gaffed in” (v17). This means that the branches which were grated in cannot boast about their own holiness because they are not holy on their own (v18). It is only their connection to the tree (as a result of Israel’s failure) that they are made holy.
What shall we say then of the Jews that have rejected of the gospel? Are the still part of the tree? No, “because of unbelief they were broken off” (v20) and the only reason the Gentiles remain as God’s people are because they “standest by faith” (v20).
There is good news for God’s people Israel though, “if they abide not still in unbelief” (v23) then God will “graff them in again” (v23). If God was able to graft in that which was “contrary” (the Gentiles into Israel), then “how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree” (v24). This means that it is still possible for a Jew to believe in Christ and be saved, but they must be ‘graffed in’ the same way as the Gentiles, by grace through faith in the gospel!
Verse 25 tells us that the “blindness” which has happened to Israel has resulted in the “fulness of the Gentiles”, which Jesus calls, “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). This is the period of history that we live in today, which has a partially blinded national Israel and a Gentile majority base of believers. This blindness is called a “mystery” (v25), which is not ‘unknown’, but contrary is a knowable teaching of scripture that we must steward (1 Cor 4:1). In this case, a lack of stewardship around the restoration of the nation of Israel will result if a faulty eschatology and a terrible interpretation of the scriptures, allowing for the false doctrine of ‘covenant theology’ and ‘amillennialism’ to sweep in.
There is coming a day when “all Israel shall be saved” (v26) and when “I shall take away their sins” (v27). God’s people Israel will nationally accept Christ as their Lord and believe the gospel. This will happen at the mid-point of the tribulation when God uses the 144,000 Jewish witnesses (Rev 7) to bring about national revival in Israel. God will then draw them into the wilderness to comfort them (Hos 2:14) while they lament their rejection of Him and crucifying their Messiah (Zech 12:10). God’s purpose for Israel remains in their “election” (v28) for that future state as that was God’s plan all along (v29). Just a note that having an ‘elected’ LOST group of people proves that the word elect doesn’t always mean ‘people predestined to salvation’, as any Calvinist would claim.
Until the future when Israel is restored, their current state “as concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes” (v28), along with anyone else that rejects Jesus as Lord and salvation by grace through faith. Its seems possible for Gentiles to minister to Jews in such a way that “through your mercy they also may obtain mercy” (v31). Perhaps through much longsuffering and continual witness the slumber can be wiped from their eyes to clearly see? What a humbling event for a Jew to be led to Christ by a Gentile! They could truly say “there is no difference” and find the same salvation (Rom 10:12).
Verses 32-36 end this section with salvation available to ALL! As God intends to display His “mercy upon all” (v32), for all can be saved, even blinded Jews. God’s foreknowledge and willingness to cooperate with man’s free will and also work His plans throughout history cause us to conclude that his ways are “past finding out” (v33) and there is not math that “hath been his counsellor” (v34). He is always working His glorious plan, and sometimes He lets us into in through His revelation like He did here in Romans 11.
ROMANS 12
Romans 12 transitions out of the doctrinal parenthesis that Romans 9-11 revealed. Things now get back to being devotionally applicable to our everyday Christian life.
Because of the mercy that we saw poured out in the previous chapters, those of us that have accepted it ought to respond in worship and obedience as a “living sacrifice” (v1). The transaction that resulted in Christ taking away our sins, makes the Christian life a “reasonable service” (v1). Because of His mercy, we can say with the author of Romans, “I am debtor” (1:14) – or we owe it to God to serve Him! No longer are the animals upon the altar in sacrifice, now it is our bodies in obedience to His Spirit and His word (1 Peter 2:5).
Service to God will not come on accident, “be not conformed to this world” (v2). There is good news in verse 2 however! It is possible to overcome the world and “prove” out the “will of God” in our lives. This happens through the “renewing of your mind” (v2). As Christians wash and refresh their minds with what is true in the word of God it will set them apart from the “course of this world” (Eph 2:2). Regular exposure to God’s word will influence our thinking, including how we think about ourselves, “not to think of himself more highly than he ought” (v3), and how not to fall into self-deception, “but to think soberly” (v3). Good thinking will then include, “the measure of faith”. Whatever you are thinking about, make sure that it is in faith and with a renewed mind!
Verses 4-5 are reminiscent of 1 Corinthians 12, which is a much more significant mention of the “body of Christ” (v5), but the teaching is summarized here well that, “we, being many, are one” (v5) – that is, every Christian is connected to other Christians by membership into the body of Christ, and especially into a local congregation. There is no excuse for any Christ, ‘thinking soberly’, to be absent from being “members one of another” (v5). Much of the Christian life, and some specific instruction listed below can only be applied towards other believers, therefore you can’t apply all of God’s word to your life without being in church!
God has given His people spiritual gifts through which they can serve Him and each other, there are highlighted in verses 6-8. This is not a comprehensive list, see also 1 Cor 12:4-11 and Eph 4:11. Every Christian has at least one spiritual gift and here we learn some basics for how to apply a few of them, for example: “prophesy” must be done in “faith” (v6) and giving with “simplicity” (v8). Some of the sign gifts are no longer applicable today, as we have a complete revelation from God (1 Cor 13:8-12). Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? Get with your pastor and jump into ministry to discover them and use them well!
The remainder of this chapter continues with a series of one-shot phrases that every Christian ought to apply. If you cannot find something to apply to your life directly in verses 9-21 then you aren’t paying attention! We see instruction on Christian relationships (v9-10), work ethic (v11), attitude in trials (v12), need for generosity (v13), response to our enemies (v14, 17-21), and care towards others (v15-16).
More space is given in verses 17-21 than any other subject in this chapter, therefore it is worth highlighting. Christians have some pretty clear commands on how to interact with their persecutors. We are called not to retaliate, “recompense to no man evil for evil” (v17), “live peaceably” (v18), “avenge not yourselves” (v19), and take care of our enemies (v20). This kind of response was foreign to the law, which was “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” (Exo 21:24), therefore it was needful that early Christians would have sufficient revelation on how to handle conflicts when they arise.
Note this does not mean Christians must be doormats and continue in mistreatment if there is a “way to escape” (1 Cor 10:13). Paul escaped many dangerous scenarios and did not feel compelled to be a martyr when there was a way out (Acts 9:25, 14:5-6, 19:30).
ROMANS 13
There are three prominent themes in this chapter: submission to authority (v1-7), loving one another (v8-10), and not walking in the flesh (v11-14).
Continuing on from the previous chapter, where Christians are called to suffer well at the hands of their enemies, the focus now shifts to submission to governmental authorities. What is a Christian to do if their earthly authority is not good or unwise? Submit. This is a theme that God has given to believers: wives submit to their husbands (Eph 5:22), children to their parents (Col 3:20), servants to their masters (Col 3:22), the church to their pastors (Heb 13:17), and all to the government (1 Peter 2:17).
The governments of this world many not always represent God’s character, but they do represent Him in authority, therefore “let every soul be subject unto the higher powers” (v1). Since submission and authority are dear to God’s heart, He backs up anybody that has a position, “whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God” (v2). This is not to say that God favors oppressors, but that submission to authority, even an ungodly one, is of appropriate Christian character because it shows a respect for God and faith that He is the one in control (Psa 75:7, Prov 21:1).
What is the purpose of governments? To execute judgment. All societies need some kind of authority and leadership. If governments are doing their job well, they are “a terror… to the evil” (v3) and they will praise “that which is good” (v3). Somebody has to make the decision for right and wrong in a societal sense. In this way, earthly authorities picture God, being called, “the minister of God” (v4), because God is the penultimate judge who will “execute wrath upon him that doeth evil” (v4).
What then of the ultimate consequence of disobedience? Is the death penalty biblical? “he beareth not the sword in vain” (v4). We ought to fear authorities because they ultimately possess the ability to take away our freedom or our life, just like God, who in final judgment, will use the sword of His word to judge the whole world (Matt 10:28).
Christians “must needs be subject” (v5) for our own “conscience sake” (v5), to keep our hearts right, including paying takes, “pay ye tribute” (v6), and respect, “custom… fear… honour” (v7). As these phrases transition out of governmental authorities, one final statement admonition is made, “owe no man any thing” (v8). Whether it is a governor, tax collector, or a brother in Christ, Christians are to “love one another” (v8), and we can’t do that if we are withholding our duties as good citizens of the land the Lord has placed us in.
We then move into love as the fulfillment of the law (v8). But this love is not a type of ‘feeling’, it is the type of action, “thou shalt not kill” (v9), etc. Love can be defined in Romans as “worketh no ill to his neighbour” (v10), as we cannot be harming our neighbour and be loving them at the same time.
The New Testament reiterates several of the 10 commandments, letting us know that they are still valid for us today, and they actually help us know better how to love God and love each other. The only commandment not restated for Christians in the New Testament is the Sabbath (Col 2:16).
This chapter concludes with an admonition to, “awake out of sleep” (v11). A contrast is drawn between “wake”and “sleep”, “day” and “night” (v12), “darkness” and “light” (v12). Christians have no business behaving themselves in the same way as the lost world, since the day “when we believed” (v11). We are now called to “cast off” (v12) those deeds which were done in our sinful past, and “put on” (v12) the armor of God (Eph 6:11), the new man (Col 3:10), and the Lord Jesus Christ (v14). We cannot be successful in the war against darkness if we are unaware of the battle, ill equipped for it, or disobedient to our Lord.
There are three groups of sinful activities listed in verse 13 that are attributed to “darkness” (v12) and the “flesh” (v14, Gal 5:19-21).
“rioting and drunkenness” – intoxication, public indecency and rebellion
“chambering and wantonness” – sleeping around and sexual perversion
“strife and envying” – coveting and fighting because of it (v9)
Do you see a particular sin that you are prone to? They are all unbecoming of the believer in Jesus Christ and the only way to have victory over them is not through life reform, it is by submitting to Christ’s Lordship over your life, “put ye on” (v14), and making a personal choice to avoid them, “make not provision” (v14).
ROMANS 14
This chapter is a treatise on Christian liberty. As we have heard very much about Jews and Gentiles in the church at Rome, here we can see the practical struggles that they had to live “dead to the law” (Rom 7:4), while also allowing for some of the Jewish traditions, so long as they weren’t trusted in for righteousness or being imposed on others, especially newer believers.
We begin then with weakness, “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye” (v1). Christians are called to minister to and serve those that are weaker than them (Rom 15:1). Here though, the context is Christian liberty and what offends the conscience. That is evident with one’s dietary convictions (v2-3) and days of the week that one considers ‘holy’ (v5-6). It would have been difficult for Jews to totally accept that the feasts and dietary restrictions of the law were no longer necessary, therefore there was room for personal convictions so long as it wasn’t used against others, “who are thou that judgest another man’s servant” (v4).
It is then acceptable to “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind” (v5). If someone wants to keep the Sabbath or to refrain from eating pork, very well! Do as you like so long as it is “to the Lord” (v6) and kept to yourself (v7).
Whichever side of liberty you find yourself on, more conservative towards the law or more free from it, you cannot “judge thy brother” (v10). This issue could inspirationally go beyond the issues of the law and into more gray areas of personal liberty such as alcohol, entertainment, company, etc. When others do things that we think are ‘wrong’, but aren’t clearly a sin issue or what would cause others in the church to “be grieved with thy meet” (v15), then we ought to let it be between them and the Lord.
This area of liberty is a personal one, to which all Christians will “stand before the judgment seat of Christ”(v10), and “standeth of falleth” (v4), so that “every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (v12). The ultimate question of liberty is accountability to Christ – does God give me a clear conscience to do this?
There is a second communal factor to Christian liberty. All is well when we get to live out our personal convictions without the judgment of another, but what about the greater whole, as we are “members one of another” (Rom 12:5)? We have a duty to each other not to “put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall” (v13) in the path of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Although we have liberty (v14), it is possible to use our liberty to “destroy” (v15) our fellow brothers and sisters with the exercise of that liberty. As we have learned in chapter 13, “love worketh no ill to his neighbour” (Rom 13:10), therefore liberty must give life and not death (2 Cor 3:17).
A good test for exercising your liberty in light of how it affects others is verse 16: will it be “evil spoken of”? This is reminiscent of Paul’s words to the Thessalonians, “abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thess 5:22). If at first glance what we are doing is indistinguishable from evil, it ought not be part of our life,for it would be damaging to others or possibly our own reputation as a Christian.
The focus of Christian liberty must be the “kingdom of God” (v17), in which we live, for it is “not of this world”(John 18:36). Why then would we squabble about what we CAN do or CANNOT do in this life? Instead focus on, “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (v17). There is no restriction to such things! Remember, we are called to “live peaceably with all men” (Rom 12:18). True liberty will always help us, “follow after the things which make for peace” (v19) and will concern itself with the things which “may edify another”(v19). If your liberty is only about you exercising your liberty, that is selfishness.
“meat and drink” (v17) is mentioned multiple times (v21) in this section, so these were clearly visible issues. Alcohol and smoking come to mind as an issue for the modern believer. Verse 22 helps us conclude that if God and our conscience “alloweth” (v22) then we can proceed with our liberty, “to thyself before God” (v22), but we never have the right to offend (v21).
Verse 23 concludes with a helpful summary: liberty is ultimately an issue of “faith” (v23). If we “doubteth” (v23) in our heart or are conflicted, vacillating back-and-forth on our conviction then our doubt will actually produce sin. Liberty then, without clear conviction, faith, and peace, is not liberty but sin. If you are bothered by an activity in your conscience, then you already have the answer in your heart.
ROMANS 15
Romans 15 begins to wind down this letter. It bridges the gap from 14, with liberty and the possibility of offence that it brings, and ends with the author describing his travel arrangements, with a hopeful plan to visit the Christians in Rome.
Since liberty can be such a divisive topic, Christians are reminded that the “strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak” (v1) and that our Christian lives should be about others and “his good to edification” (v2). Our focus then ought to be on Christ who, “pleased not himself” (v3), for if He did, certainly He would not have endured the cross. Jesus being our example took our “reproaches” (v3) away and put them onto Himself on the cross. This quote from Isaiah 53 reminds us of Christian suffering. Being like Jesus means that we are willing to care about the things of others, being willing to be burdened by them.
Verse 4 bridges the Old Testament and the New Testament together, obviously pointing back to Isaiah 53 under the current topic, but it is a good teaching moment for the Christian to understand the power of the scriptures. This verse gives us permission to read the things “written aforetime” knowing that they were “written for our learning” (v4). Meaning that the Old Testament, with all of its stories, laws, genealogies, history, etc. was not exclusively written for the ‘original audience’, others were in view when God wrote those scriptures. God has put His word together in such a way that those who would never live under the old covenant could still learn from the Old Testament scriptures, learn something about God, and apply them to their lives. In fact, an absence of the scriptures in one’s life will be a lack of “comfort” and “hope” (v4). Gentiles ought not neglect the Hebrew scriptures. This, however, does not make all of the Old Testament applicable to you as a Christian under grace, as it has been said before, ‘All of the bible is written for you, but not all of it has been written to you’. Be careful then not to apply the law to grace, as the letter of Romans repeatedly warns about.
Again on the subject of unity, Christians that read and apply the scriptures will be on the same page, “likeminded one toward another” (v5) and of “one mind” (v6). This kind of unity is paramount in the church because a lack of it will ultimately steal the worship of God, “that ye may… glorify God” (v6). Disunity will always affect worship.
Verses 8-12 give us further insight into God’s plan to save the Gentiles through Christ, with several rapid fire quotations from the Hebrew scriptures, revealing that it was God’s plan all along to get the gospel to the Gentiles.
V9 – 2 Samuel 22:50
V10 – Deut 32:43
V11 – Psalm 117:1
V12 – Isaiah 11:1, 10
In verses 15-22 we get a good sense of Paul’s ministry, where he describes it as “the grace that is given to me of God” (v15). It is no doubt grace based on what he did before his conversion (1 Tim 1:13). God can take even the worst of people and turn them into able ministers (2 Cor 3:6). He describes himself as “the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles” (v16), with his labour being in “the gospel of God”, whereby he saw his ministry as worship so that when others believed, their faith would be and “offering… acceptable” (v16) to God. What a precious was of seeing ministry! To serve God is to help others serve God because worship and ministry is really all about Him
Although Paul had a tremendous ministry career, he would only “glory” (v17) in those things which “Christ wrought by me” (v18). He was not concerned with the deeds of others and said that he did not “build upon another man’s foundation” (v20), which is commendable and certainly telling for what an apostle’s ministry should look like. Not everyone will have this kind of ministry, but any person that is a ‘sent one’ ought to preaching the gospel “not where Christ was named” (v20, otherwise why would we send you there?
At the time of writing, Paul has had at least two missionary journeys under his belt, and he is a seasoned minister. He is able to look back and say with a clear conscience “I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” (v19) in the areas that he ministered. This is an absolutely incredible phrase and should give us pause to consider the seasons of our own life: can we look back to our last job, family outing, circumstances, geographical location, etc. and say that we were sincere witnesses for Christ? If not, today is the day that we can, under much conviction, choose to change that and ‘strive’ to “preach the gospel” (v20) in our current season. Who knows, maybe some would believe (v21)? Doing so will keep us busy, as Paul said that his attempts to visit Rom in the past were foiled by necessity in ministry (v22).
Ministry can separate us, but hopefully not forever! Paul had long desired to visit Rome (v23) and began making another attempt to travel there and then on into Spain (v24), but first had to make a stop at Jerusalem to dispense an offering given by the Macedonian churches (v26). Here we see Gentile churches now contributing to the Jewish church in Jerusalem (v27), which “ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28). There are no more boundary lines for race in the church. This does not dispose of one’s history or culture, but it removes the barriers between people of very different backgrounds to be one in Christ. Giving can often times the a good way to keep our hearts pure and loving towards one another
Concluding the chapter is a request for prayer, “that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me”(v30) so that “I may be delivered from them that do not believe” (v31). This is a wise prayer as entering Jerusalem would mean entering the home territory of the Jews that predominantly rejected Christ and persecuted His preachers.
We get the sense that chapter 15 is concluding something by using the phrase “Amen” (v33), much like chapter 11. What comes next will be a final admonition to the church at Rome and a formal conclusion.
ROMANS 16
The end of Romans includes an impressive number of relationships considering that Paul had never actually visited the church at Rome. There are at least 35 people named here! This shows us the way in which people moved around the Roman empire in the first century and how the churches knew each other and communicated with each other.
Phebe is mentioned, who is a “servant of the church” (v1). She was known for labour and “hath been a succourer” (v2) of the church (to provide help and aid). Here many would say that Phebe is a ‘female deacon’, as the word translated “servant” (v1) is the same word translated as “deacon” in other places (1 Tim 3:1), but it would be erroneous to include a female as a deacon based on the qualifications set forth by Paul elsewhere. Deacons are called to be “husbands” and “rule” – very masculine qualities (1 Tim 3:12). We can’t interpret a bible passage on its own – it is to be interpreted through the whole of God’s revelation.
Many of these relationships were dear to Paul, including Priscilla and Aquilla who, “laid down their own necks”(v3) for Paul’s sake, Andronicus and Junia who were “my fellowprisoners” (v7), Rufus’ mother who was as his own (v13), and Timothy “my workfellow” (v21) and son in the faith (1 Tim 1:2). We find then a deep bond with those that we serve the Lord together in ministry with. These relationships get the most airtime, and in our own case, likely first come to mind. Who did you gone through a hard season with? Who have you shared Christ with? Who has served you when you needed help?
Although Christians are a communal people with deep and valuable relationships, we are also a people of order and doctrine. Whenever people choose to do something outside of Christian orthodoxy, divisions must be made – especially in the realm of false doctrine. In this most relational chapter we are told, “mark them which cause divisions and offences” (v17). We ought to be on the lookout for those who break our social protocols and develop division and strife. But even more than social bounds, the people warned against and ‘marked’ are those that teach “contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned” (v17). Doctrine is ultimately what divides us. Anyone that teaches “contrary” (opposite) to a right understanding of the scriptures must be avoided, “avoid them” (v17).
Perhaps our greatest weakness at times is separating from people. It can be emotional and against our nature to divine from those who teach something not found in the scriptures – especially if they were once on the right track. The people Paul mentions are known for serving themselves and “not our Lord Jesus Christ” (v18). Though they wax long and eloquent, like many preachers today, they uses their “good words and faith speeches” to “deceive the hearts of the simple” (v18). This is the danger in false teaching – many will be fooled. We must protect new and weak believers. At some point, disfellowshipping a brother teaching false doctrine is the RIGHT thing to do.
Many doctrinal watchdogs enjoy the sport of debate and study into the nuance of divisions of doctrine, but here we are told not to study false doctrine, but instead to be “wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil” (v19). We ought not to go looking for a fight but instead let “our hearts be established with grace” (Heb 13:9).
Romans concludes with a reminder of Christian victory, “the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly” (v20). Although our “adversary the devil” (1 Pet 5:8) was defeated on the cross (Col 2:15) he still remains “god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4) until the coming day in which he will be defeated by Jesus Christ. Paul says this coming victory will be “shortly” (v20). Christians are always looking forward to the day of Christ’s return when He will make all things right again.
Paul used a scribe to write his letter to the Romans, who gets to include himself in the work – “Tertius” by name (v23). A few others are listed that hosted Paul during the time of his writing, including a man of well estate “Erastus” (v23). We never know what relationships the Lord will give us in the ministry, but we can be certain that He will provide and use them for good.
A final word is given again, as concerning “my gospel” (v25), which has been a theme of the book from first chapter to last - the “preaching of Jesus Christ” (v25) being a preeminent virtue of an apostle’s ministry. We are reminded of the gospel’s “mystery” (v25) and other mysteries whereby are “now made manifest… by the scriptures of the prophets” (v26). We then have a definition of a biblical mystery, which is further clarified in other places (Eph 3:3-6).
After writing such a magnificent document, Paul concludes in humility, giving God all the glory. None of the writings in this book have been of his own mind – they are all from“God only wise”(v27) and Paul wanted to make sure He got the credit for it. When we conclude anything, we can certainly rejoice in the work of our hands (Ecc 3:22), but we ought to also give God the credit, who inspires us with thoughts and ideas (Neh 7:5). In Paul’s case, he spoke under inspiration of the Holy Ghost (2 Peter 1:21) but it was a collaborative effort, using his experiences and personality