Greatest Cure For Sin Is Faith!

But now God has shown us a way to be made right with Him . . . . We are made right with God by placing our faith (belief and trust) in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone have sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness (grace), declares that we are righteous (justified and declared not guilty). He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us (redeemed or ransomed) from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin (atonement). People are made right with God when they believe (trust) that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for He was looking ahead and including them in what He would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate His righteousness, for He Himself is fair and just, and He declares sinners to be right (justified) in His sight when they believe (trust) in Jesus. . . . our acquittal (justification or righteousness) is not based on obeying the Law. It is based on faith. So we are made right (justified and made upright) with God through faith . . . and not by obeying the Law. . . . There is only one God, and He makes people right (justified or not guilty) with Himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Romans 3:21-28, 30 (NLT)

The next section of Romans is Romans 3:21-4:25. This section is further divided into Romans 3:21-31 and then Romans 4:1-25. Previously, the Apostle Paul revealed that all people (both Jews and Gentiles) are unrighteous (Romans 1:18-3:20). In this next section, the Apostle Paul teaches that God has revealed our complete cure from the sin disease and unrighteousness that has infected all people. The main focus of the book of Romans is revelation God’s righteousness (Romans 1:16-17). Evident is the fact that both Jews and Gentiles alike are ALL unrighteous sinners before a holy and righteous God. Even more, all people are lost, infected with a sin disease, and fall short of God’s righteousness and glorious standards (Romans 1:18-3:20, 23).

Yet, God has graciously provided a cure to our sin disease that was also previously revealed by the Old Testament Law and the Prophets (Romans 3:21; see also Micah 6:6-8). We are cured from our sin disease and declared righteous (justified and not guilty) by wholeheartedly believing and trusting in God’s saving activity through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s unique Son, who in His kindness freely takes away our sins (Romans 3:21-24). This is God’s free gift and to receive God’s free gift only requires faith. This faith (trust) means placing our personal confidence in Jesus Christ to forgive our sins, to make us right with God, and to empower us (through the Holy Spirit) to live holy lives in accordance to God’s righteousness. Even more, God's solution to sin is available to all people regardless of our backgrounds or past behaviors. God sent His one and only Son (Jesus Christ) to take the punishment for human sins and to reconcile all people to God through our faith (Romans 3:25; see also 2 Corinthians 5:21). When we believe and trust God, a great exchange takes place. We give Jesus Christ our sin disease, and He gives us His righteousness, forgiveness, and salvation (see also 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21). In other words, God places the righteousness of Jesus Christ on our records in the place of our own sinfulness. And no one can change this record. As the righteous Judge, God declares us humans not guilty, removes all charges of sin from our record, and set us from the bondage (power) of the sin disease (Romans 3:24).

In the Person of Jesus Christ is revealed God’s perfect righteousness. God used Jesus Christ’s sacrificial blood on the Cross and our faith in God’s saving activity as the means of saving humans from His holy wrath and curing our sin disease. Our righteous and acquittal as not guilty is based not based on our good deeds but on what Jesus Christ has done and our wholehearted faith (trust and belief) in Him (Romans 3:27). So, we all saved (Jews and Gentiles) by faith in Jesus Christ from our sin disease and God’s wrath against all sin (Romans 3:28-29). God treats all people the same, whether Jews or Gentiles, and we are all acquitted from guilt, sin, and God’s wrath (punishment) by faith.

Then, the Apostle Paul illustrates our righteousness (or justification) by faith alone from the life of Abraham (Romans 4:1-25). The Holy Scriptures teaches that Abraham simply believed God, and that is why God canceled Abraham’s sins and declared him righteous or “not guilty” of sin (Romans 4:1-3, 22; see also Genesis 15:6). “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3, NIV). In other words, God “reckoned” (Romans 4:4, 9-10) and “imputed” (Romans 4:6, 8, 11, 21-24), as well as “counted” Abraham as righteous as a gift received through Abraham’s faith in Him. The Apostle Paul quotes Genesis 15:6 in Romans 4:3 and Genesis 15:6 is also quoted two more times in the New Testament to demonstrate that our salvation by faith was nothing new (see Galatians 3:6; James 2:23). Even in the Old Testament, God looked for wholehearted faith and trust in Him, not perfection (see also Psalms 1:3; Psalms 40:4; Jeremiah 17:5-10; Habakkuk 2:2-4). God’s blessings were given to people by faith (trust) in Him and not obedience to any rules, rituals or ceremonies (Romans 4:16). “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence” (Jeremiah 17:7, NLT).

Wholehearted faith and trust in the true and living God has been the standard since the Law of Moses and proclaimed by Joshua, David, Elijah, Jeremiah and many other Old Testament prophets (Romans 3:21). For example, Moses taught that we must “love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, NLT). Joshua proclaimed to the people, “Now respect the Lord and serve Him fully and sincerely. Throw away the gods that your ancestors worshiped on the other side of the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord. But if you do not want to serve the Lord, you must choose for yourselves today whom you will serve. . . . As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14-15, NCV). The Prophet Elijah proclaimed: “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that You are God in Israel . . . . so these people will know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You are turning their hearts back again” (1 Kings 18:36-37, NIV). Most important, Jesus Christ came to point people back to God and to love Him with our lives. Jesus Christ taught, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38, NLT). Therefore, the teaching of wholehearted faith (trust and belief) by the Apostle Paul and throughout the New Testament is not new but has also been proclaimed throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. We are saved by faith in the true and living God — the same way people were saved in the Old Testament! Twenty-one times in Hebrews 11 you find the same words “by faith” – wholehearted faith in the true and living God. Even more, the clause “living by faith” is quoted frequently in the New Testament to support the teaching that people are saved by God’s grace through faith (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 10:38-39). In other words, God declares us righteous because of our faith in Jesus Christ. This has been called God’s free gift, by God’s grace, “through the redemption that come by Jesus Christ”, and “through faith”.  Furthermore, our genuine faith brings glory to God. “Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God” (Romans 4:20, NLT).

To reinforce his teaching on faith, the Apostle Paul used Abraham as a good example of living by faith (Romans 4:1-25). When God spoke to Abraham, Abraham listened. God asked Abraham to trust Him and His promises. Abraham trusted and obeyed God and God declared Abraham righteous because of this trust (Genesis 15:5-6). God accepted Abraham not because he led a perfect life but because of his responsiveness to God’s promises (Romans 4:13). When God told Abraham to look at the stars and said “So shall your offspring be” (Genesis 15:5, NIV), Abraham believed God's promises. The Hebrew word translated “believed” means “to say amen.” God gave a promise, and Abraham responded with “Amen!” Simply put, Abraham trusted God to keep His promise of providing him and his wife Sarah a son even though Abraham and his wife were old and well past childbearing age (Romans 4:18-19). When God told Abraham that he would give him and his wife a son who would have many descendants and become a great nation, Abraham believed! And because his faith was strong, Abraham did not worry about the fact that he was too old to be a father at the age of one hundred, and that Sarah his wife, at ninety, was also much too old to have a baby. Abraham never doubted God but believed God and Abraham praised God for this blessing even before it happened (Romans 4:-18-20). Abraham was completely convinced and sure that God was well able to do anything He promised. And because of Abraham’s faith, God forgave Abraham’s sins and declared him righteous (Romans 4:21-22). The Apostle Paul used the example of Abraham to assure the church in Rome and all people today that God will accept us as He accepted Abraham — when we believe the promise that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again to make us right with God, filling us with God’s goodness (Romans 4:24-25).

Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of the Jewish nation (Romans 4:1, 12). Yet Abraham is also declared the spiritual father of who believe in Jesus Christ (Romans 4:11; see also Galatians 3:1-18). In other words, Abraham is the father of all who truly believe and trust God, both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 4:16; Galatians 3:7, 29). Abraham did not become righteous (justified) by his good actions (Romans 4:4) because he was far from perfect. The book of Genesis reveals that Abraham’s life was full of bad moments as well as good moments because Abraham's life was marked by mistakes, sins, and failures as well as goodness. Sometimes, Abraham even strayed from God’s path. Yet, Abraham ALWAYS remained faithful to God and trusted in Him, similar to other Old Testament heroes like Noah, David, and many others (see Hebrews 11). In other words, Abraham always looked to God and God alone as his Leader and King for all of life. Like Abraham, God wants everyone to have faith in Him and His promises. God wants us to follow Him completely and make Him the center of our daily lives (see also Matthew 6:33). “Those who are right with God will live by trusting in Him (Habakkuk 2:4, NCV). Our righteousness (justification) from God does not come by our obedience to rules, rituals or good deeds but by faith alone in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross for our salvation and righteousness (Romans 4:5-9; see also Ephesians 2:8-9). The true and living God graciously accepts all people from every nation who wholeheartedly (sincere and genuine) trust in Him as Abraham (Romans 4:17).

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 (NIV)

What is the meaning of the word “sin”? Some sins seem bigger or worse than others. Yet, the Holy Scriptures states that any sin – big or small – makes us humans sinners and separates us from a holy and righteous God. All sin leads to death regardless of how great or small the sin may seem. The word “sin” either as a verb or noun has three dimensions. First, sin can mean breaking God’s Old Testament Law such as lying, committing adultery, coveting (jealous), or murder. These sins are direct violation of God’s Commandments and normally defined as sin. This can also be defined as transgression or breaking the Law. Second, sin is also defined as the failure to become what God has entrusted us to become as defined at Romans 3:23 in stating “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” This has been described as sins of commission and sins of omission. In other words, this dimension of sin is not transgressing God’s Commandments or breaking the Law but “falling short of the glory of God” and failing to become what God intended for all people to become from the beginning of creation. All humans were created in God’s imagine and was created to reflect God’s glory (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8:4-8; see also Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10; Hebrews 2:5-9). We often fail to become when we waste our opportunities and live our lives contrary to God’s intentions. Third, sin is defined as rebellion. Rebellion is probably the most fundamental aspect of sin. Not only does one disobey God’s Command and fall short of God’s glory, but one does not WANT to become what God wills. In essence, this sin is selfishness and wanting to be god – a “me focus.” The first definition of sin is action while the second definition of sin is inaction. However, the third definition of sin is an internal attitude of the heart and of the mind. While the first and second definitions sin can be done in ignorance, but the third dimension of sin is simply a willful rejection, disobedience or rebellions against God and God’s will. This definition of sin is described as “heart hardened” or a willful neglect of God and God’s will. Through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, God empowers believers in Jesus Christ through His Holy Spirit to WANT to live holy lives in accordance to God’s righteousness and holiness.  In other words, God gives genuine believers of Jesus Christ a new heart and new internal attitude that wants NOT to rebel against God but to want to obey God wholeheartedly.

By the Apostle Paul emphasizing faith, he is not saying that God's Laws and Commandments from Old Testament are unimportant (Romans 4:13). Instead, the Apostle Paul is teaching that Jesus Christ saves us by FAITH ALONE from our internal sin and rebellion. Then, God empowers from within through His Holy Spirit to obey God’s moral laws and commandments and perform good deeds (Titus 3:3-8; see also Ephesians 2:8-10). “But—When God our Savior revealed His kindness and love, He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His grace and mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of His grace He declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7, NLT). The Holy Spirit not only helps us do the right thing but helps us do the right thing with pure motives – a heart obedience or “circumcision of the heart.” Therefore, through faith in Jesus Christ’s finish work, we are declared righteousness by God and we are also sanctified whereby God makes the believer more and more like His Son, Jesus Christ. God's saving power and abundant blessings are experienced by those who genuinely believe in Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16-17). God’s righteousness is graciously given to those who BELIEVE (Romans 3:22; see also Hebrews 10:19-25). The object of our faith is Jesus Christ who died for our sins and rose again from complete death.

Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? . . .  For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” . . . So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith . . . That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing. Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. And when God counted him as righteous, it was not just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in Him, the One who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and He was raised to life to make us right with God. Romans 4:1, 3, 11, 17-25 (NLT)

References

Life Application Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005.

New Student Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992.

The Amplified Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1987.

Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008.

Loyd, Melton, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament. Columbia Campus: Erskine Theological Seminary, 2014.

Wiersbe, Warren W. Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, 1989.

All Are Sinners!

But God shows His anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because He has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities — His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they would not worship (glory) Him as God or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. . . . They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator Himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. . . . For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But He will pour out His anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism. . . . For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the Law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. . . . Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. But now God has shown us a way to be made right with Him . . . We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness (grace), declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. Romans 1:18-21, 25, 2:5-11, 28-29, 3:9, 21-24 (NLT)

The next big section of the book of Romans is Romans 1:18 through Romans 3:20 and then Romans 3:21 through Romans 3:30. In Romans 1:18 through Romans 3:20, the Apostle Paul states clearly that ALL people – Jews and Gentiles – are sinful and lost and we all stand before God guilty (Romans 3:23). From Romans 1:18 throughout Romans 3:20, the Apostle Paul thoroughly explains to both groups – Jews and Gentiles – why they need Jesus Christ and the power of the Gospel (also called the Good News). The Gospel message is the “power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith” (Romans 1:16-17, NLT). No one can claim by their own efforts or merits to be good or right in God's sight. All humans have a deadly disease – sin and this sin disease also makes us guilty of the death penalty (Romans 3:9, 23; see also Romans 6:23). Yet God has graciously offered all humans a cure and lifeline for this disease and the answer is Jesus Christ (Romans 5:8). The Apostle Paul gives us the cure to our deadly disease in Romans 3:21-30. Our sin disease can only be cured and we can be found not guilty through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21-30; see also Romans 10:8-10). This means wholehearted faith in in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Apart from God’s saving activity in Jesus Christ, we have no hope and meaning in life.

First of all, the Apostle Paul explains in Romans 1:18-32 that all Gentiles (non-Jewish) are guilty sinners without Jesus Christ. God has graciously revealed Himself and His qualities to all humans through His creation. Humans know that there is a true and living God who had the wisdom to plan and the power to create the natural world (Romans 1:20). True facts about God are not hidden in creation as these facts are “clearly seen” (Romans 1:20). In looking at the created world, all people can see abundant evidence of God’s existence and power. ALL of creation reveal the Creator – the true and living God (Psalm 19:1-4; Psalm 29:3-9; Psalm 104:1-30). “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims the work of His hands” (Psalms 19:1, HCSB).

Moreover, God gives Gentiles “the work of the Law written in their hearts” (Romans 2:15). All people know in their hearts that God exists, as well as God’s moral requirements (Romans 1:21, 32; Romans 2:14-15). In other words, Gentiles have an inner sense of right and wrong. This inner judge, the Holy Bible calls “conscience”, is an inner sense of what God requires. Around the world all people in every society have an inner sense of God’s moral law. The Gentiles have a sense of sin, a fear of judgment, and an attempt to atone for sins and appease whatever gods are feared.

Yet, Gentiles humans have suppressed or rejected the truth about God in order to live their lives independent of God and God’s ways (Romans 1:21-22), and turned the truth about God into a lie (Romans 1:25). In essence, Gentiles have chosen a selfish, rebellious and prideful lifestyle without wholehearted dependence, trust, and faith in God (Romans 1:21, 25, 28). Instead of looking to God and trusting, the Gentiles saw themselves as the center of the universe and made themselves into god with their selfish plans and decrees (see also Genesis 3:1-7). The temptation in the Garden was to live separate from God (pride or arrogance) and not living in submission and dependence on the true and living God. Because of their rejection of God (sin), “God gave them up” to their own selfish desires and self-centered life-styles (Romans 1:24, 26). Sin is often identified as deeds, such as stealing, murder, adultery, or lying (see Exodus 20:1–17; Deuteronomy 5:1–21). However, sin is really an attitude deep within the human heart and is often expressed as “I know better than God” or “I want it my way.” This attitude led Adam and Eve to that first disobedient act in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:3, 6). To follow our own selfish wills, lusts, and desires in disobedience of God and God’s Word is to put self in the place of God and become our own god (Proverbs 3:5, 7; Proverbs 14:12). Sin is selfish!

Therefore, God allowed Gentile humans to go on with their sins and reap the sad consequences of all sin. This is the meaning of Romans 1:18, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven” (literal translation). God’s wrath is not limited to the end-time judgment of the wicked (1 Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 19:15; Revelation 20:11-15). Here in Romans the wrath of God is His abandonment or the turning over of the wicked to their sins (Romans 1:24-32). God revealed His wrath, not by sending fire from heaven, but by abandoning sinful humans to their lustful and selfish ways and the tragic consequences that flows from sin and rebellion against God. In other words, the wrath or judgment of God is going on right now because God gave them up (Romans 1:24, 26, 28) and let them suffer the consequences. Thus, the wrath of God is present! The pain, suffering, torment, and agony we experience are expressions of the very wrath of God because of our sinfulness, selfishness and the sinfulness of others. God's wrath results when we reject God and God’s holy standards. The greatest wrath and judgment God can inflict on humans is to let us have our own way and suffer the consequences. Sin hurts all people — individuals, families, and whole societies. Once caught in this downward spiral, NO ONE can pull themselves out this deadly pit except God! So, “People did not think it was important to have a true knowledge of God. So God left them and allowed them to have their own worthless thinking and to do things they should not do” (Romans 1:28, NCV). The Apostle Paul names twenty-four specific sins the Gentile humans did, all of which are with us today – sexual sins, homosexuality, greed, hatred, envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, and gossip. “Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents” (Romans 1:29-30, NLT). (For other lists of sins see Mark 7:20-23, Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 5:10-11; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 12:20-21; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:31; Ephesians 5:3-5; Colossians 3:5, 8; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; 2 Timothy 3:2-5; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15).

Not only are the Gentiles sinning, the Jewish world is also guilty of sin! (Romans 2:1 – Romans 3:20). In these verses, the Apostle Paul gives extensive detail, space and evidence to discuss Jewish sinfulness. The very things Jews condemned in the Gentiles, they themselves were practicing! Jews believed that they were free from God’s wrath and judgment because they were God's “chosen people”. In His goodness, God had given Israel great material and spiritual riches: a wonderful land, a righteous Law, a Temple and priesthood, God's providential care, and many more blessings. God had patiently endured Israel's many sins and rebellions, and had even sent them His Son, Jesus to be their Messiah. Yet, Israel rejected God’s Messiah – Jesus. When God measured the deeds of the Jews, He found them just as wicked as the Gentiles. Nevertheless, the Jew boasted they had God’s Law. Yet, Paul stated that the Jews’ possession of the Law did not count but only the actual practice of the Law. According to the Apostle Paul, being a Jew meant nothing if the person did not obey God's laws. Paul goes on to explain that a real Jew is one whose heart is right with God and obeys God inwardly (see Romans 2:25-29). God want a heart relationship with all people – Jews and Gentiles and not just religious rituals and actions (see Jeremiah 4:4; see also Isaiah 1:10-20; Isaiah 66:3; Jeremiah 6:20; Jeremiah 7:22-23; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21; Micah 6:6-8). The Apostle Paul made it clear that membership in God's family is based on internal, not external, actions and qualities (Romans 2:28-29). All whose hearts are right with God are real Jews and apart of God's family (see also Galatians 3:7). Attending church or being baptized, confirmed, or accepted for membership is not enough. God desires our wholehearted trust, obedience, and allegiance to Him and not merely an outward physical actions and deeds (Romans 2:25-29; see also Deuteronomy 10:16; Jeremiah 9:26; Ezekiel. 44:9). The Jewish people had the religious actions, but not the inward heart devotion and attitude God so desires. God wants justice, mercy, and humility from all people as these good deeds and heart attitude summarized the whole Old Testament law (see Micah 6:6-8; see also Matthew 22:34-40; Matthew 23:23). God not only sees the deeds but He also sees the “thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

In summation, the Apostle Paul taught that ALL people of the world stand guilty before a holy and righteous God with a deadly sin disease (Romans 3:9-23). Both Jews and Gentiles (religious and irreligious) are guilty before God. The Apostle Paul quotes from Psalms and Isaiah to show that, from head to foot, we are all lost sinners. Romans 3:10-18 provides collections of Old Testament quotations that the Apostle Paul gives to underscore his charge that both Jews and Gentiles are under the power of sin (see Psalms 5:9, 10; Psalms 14:1–3; Psalms 36:1–4; Isaiah 59:7, 8). Essentially, there is a universality of human guilt and sin – the whole world is guilty, Jews and Gentiles! Sadly, no human cure and no human good deeds can declare us not guilty and cure our sin deadly disease. We cannot save ourselves (Romans 3:20). We can do good works, but good works are not good enough to save us (Ephesians 2:8–9). Even when we humans try to obey the Old Testament Law, we fail miserably!  Neither Jew nor Gentile can obey God's Law without God’s help. Only God can save us from sin because we are all trapped by a deadly sin disease.

Romans 3:21-30 discuss God’s solution and cure to sin. These verses are normally called the “Good News of the Gospel.” However, Romans 4 completes the Good News message by providing us how we can all access God’s cure. So, the Good News of the Gospel is not that God sent His Son to die for ungodly sinners but also that God’s Son died for us and we all have access through faith. Romans 4:1-25 describe the access to the Gospel for all sinful people. The Apostle Paul teaches in Romans 4 that access to God’s forgiveness and cure is by faith alone. FAITH is central to the Gospel. The Good News of the Gospel is not just that Jesus Christ died for ungodly people but that Jesus Christ died for us and we all have access by faith. In other words, access to God’s saving work through Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection is by faith. The Apostle Paul picks Abraham, the father of Judaism to support this argument of faith alone. God started the redemptive work with Abraham in Genesis 12 that culminates with the coming and return of Jesus Christ in book of Revelation. Abraham responded in faith to God’s call in Genesis 12:1–3 and this faith was accounted to Abraham as righteous (Romans 4:3; see also Genesis 15:6). Therefore, the Apostle Paul declared that wholehearted faith in God’s finished work found in Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection can declare all people NOT guilty and finally cure our deadly sin disease (Romans 3:21-30).

Let everyone begin today by surrendering our wholehearted love, devotion and trust in God’s saving activity through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s unique Son (Romans 3:21-31). We are declared NOT GUILITY, RIGHTEOUS, AND SINLESS by trusting Jesus Christ to take away our sins (Romans 3:21-30).

But now God has shown us a different way to heaven (now and eternal) — not by “being good enough” and trying to keep His laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the Scriptures told about it long ago). Now God says He will accept and acquit us — declare us “not guilty” — if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like. Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending Him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in His kindness freely takes away our sins. For God sent Christ Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to end all God’s anger against us. He used Christ’s blood and our faith as the means of saving us from His wrath. In this way He was being entirely fair . . . . And now in these days also He can receive sinners in this same way because Jesus took away their sins. But is not this unfair for God to let criminals go free, and say that they are innocent? No, for He does it on the basis of their trust in Jesus who took away their sins. Then what can we boast about doing to earn our salvation? Nothing at all. Why? Because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds; it is based on what Christ has done and our faith in Him. So it is that we are saved by faith in Christ and not by the good things we do. And does God save only the Jews in this way? No, the Gentiles, too, may come to Him in this same manner.  God treats us all the same; all, whether Jews or Gentiles, are acquitted if they have faith. Well then, if we are saved by faith, does this mean that we no longer need obey God’s laws? Just the opposite! In fact, only when we trust Jesus can we truly obey Him. Romans 3:21-31 (TLB)

References

Life Application Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005.

Spirit Filled Life Study Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991.

The Amplified Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1987.

Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008.

Loyd, Melton, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament. Columbia Campus: Erskine Theological Seminary, 2014.

Wiersbe, Warren W. Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, 1989.

Wiersbe, Warren. With the Word Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991.

Only By Faith

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” Romans 1:16-17 (NLT)

The Good News, also called the “Gospel”, is a message and a story of God’s saving activity through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s unique Son (Romans 1:1, see also John 1:14). Thus, the Good News is from and about the very Son of God, Jesus Christ! This message starts with Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry and continues with the apostolic preaching in the book of Acts.

The Good News message starts with the Jews first. “Salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22). The Good News about God came "to the Jew first" in the ministry of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) (Matthew 10:5-7; see also Romans 1:16; Romans 11:18) and the first Apostles. Of course, the first disciples and apostles were faithful Jews who recognized Jesus as God's Messiah to the human race. Even more, the “very words of God” (Romans 3:2), the covenants, the Law, the Temple, worship, revelation of God’s glory, and the Messianic prophets came from the Jews (Romans 9:3-5). These privileges were given to the Jews not because of their superior merit or because of God’s partiality to the Jews. Instead, these privileges were necessary that the Gospel message begin at a particular point with a particular people, who in turn were responsible to carry the Gospel message throughout the world to all people.

The Gospel message has a life-changing power to change people's lives from inside the heart! This message, through the power of God’s Holy Spirit, does what no amount of mere human can do – to change! Only God can change a person as the Gospel is the power which blasts away self-complacency, self-delusion, and sinful self-reliance. This message of Jesus Christ had transformed the lives of the first disciples and apostles, including Paul’s own life, and they knew the Gospel could transform the lives of others. The outcome of the Good News is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).

The basic meaning of the word “salvation” is “deliverance”. The Good News delivers sinners from the penalty and power of sin. Salvation is the great need of the human race (see Romans 10:1, 9-10). If men and women are to be saved, it must be BY FAITH in God’s saving activity through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The outreach of the Good News is for everyone – Jews and Gentiles without distinction of age, sex, race, or condition (Romans 1:16-17). All people are lost without Jesus Christ! But faith is the key to receiving the Gospel message and life-changing power. Most important, God does not ask people to behave in order to be saved, but to BELIEVE. Only faith in Jesus Christ’s finished work saves! By trusting Jesus Christ, our relationship with God is made right. So, “from first to last” God declares us to be righteous because of faith and faith alone in Jesus Christ. Simply put, the Good News is “the power of God” to change a person’s life by their faith.

Romans 1:16-17 are key verses of the book of Romans. In these verses, Paul announces the theme or thesis: “the righteousness of God.” The Good News is the power or “dynamite” or “dynamo” because through the Good News the righteousness of God is revealed. The word “righteousness” also means “righteous”, “just”, and “justified”. The basic meaning of righteousness is moral uprightness or doing the right thing for the right reason – a pure heart and pure motives. Righteousness is used in various ways in the Holy Bible, righteousness refers (1) to God's holy character (John 17:25), (2) to the gift everyone receives through faith in Jesus Christ’s finished work (Romans 3:21-22; Romans 5:17), and (3) to standards of right living (Romans 6:18; 2 Timothy 2:22). In the Person of Jesus Christ is revealed the perfect righteousness.

The Good News reveals a righteousness that is by faith. As sinners, we receive God’s righteousness from faith to faith that is righteousness is received by faith in Christ Jesus’ finished work and is in turn revealed in faithful living to God. In the Old Testament, righteousness was by works, but people soon discovered they could not obey God's Law and meet God’s righteous demands.

In Romans 1:16-17, Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4: “The just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4, NKJV). In other words, “those who are right with God will live by trusting in Him” (Habakkuk 2:4 NCV) and trusting that God is directing all things according to His purposes (Romans 8:28). Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted frequently in the New Testament to support the teaching that everyone is saved by grace (God’s gift) through wholehearted faith (see Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Ephesians 2:8) and should live by faith (Hebrews 10:38-39; Hebrews 11:6-7; see also Genesis 15:6). In essence, the Apostle Paul is emphasizing in Romans 1:16-17 that one can be righteous in God's sight only through faith. This faith means wholehearted acceptance of Jesus Christ, a personal trust, a confident surrender, and firm reliance in God and characterized by a life style of righteous living (see Paul’s teaching on righteous our living at Romans chapters 12, 13, 14, and 15). Wholehearted faith in God will always lead to moral living.

As we trust God, we are saved and find life both now and forever. Through faith in God’s saving activity in Jesus Christ, we receive salvation from the penalties of sin or past sins (Luke 7:50; Romans 1–3; Ephesians 2:8); present salvation from the power of sin in the daily life (Romans 5:10; see also Romans 6:3–11), and future salvation (or heaven) from the actual presence of sin (Romans 8:16–25; 2 Corinthians 4:16–5:10). If anyone believes the Good News that same person has life (union with God); otherwise he has death and separation from God. The basis of salvation is God’s grace (Romans 3:23–26) and the only means by which we sinners can receive God’s grace is through faith (Romans 10:9–17).

The Holy Scriptures discusses six kinds or expressions of faith. Doctrinal faith refers to the content of our belief (Jude 3). Saving faith is trusting in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation (Acts 16:31). Justifying faith is a person’s reliance on the fact that God has declared one righteous through faith (Genesis 15:6). Indwelling faith is trusting God’s Word in and through us (Galatians 2:20). Daily faith is day-by-day dependence on God – the sanctification process (2 Corinthians 5:7). The gift of faith is a special ability received from God’s Holy Spirit (Hebrews 11:1–3). Illustration of this kind of faith is God’s hall of faith found at Hebrews 11. These individuals listed in Hebrew 11 experienced God’s blessing as a result of their faith and all pleased God by their faith (Hebrews 11:6).

Essentially, no one can please God without faith in Him (Genesis 15:6; Romans 1:17; Romans 4:20). Living by faith means we place our whole heart, our dependence, and our reliance on God first and foremost for all of life needs (Matthew 6:33; see also Habakkuk 2:4). This faith ceases from all self to all God. We are to live patiently and by trusting our sovereign God. The Jewish rabbis taught that there were 613 commandments for the ancient Israelites to obey if they wanted to be righteous. Psalm 15 reduces those commandments down to eleven. Isaiah 33:15-16 gives six requirements, and Micah 6:6-8 lists three requirements and to two by Isaiah again (Isaiah 56:1) and to one by Habakkuk 2:4 — faith! Faith (belief and trust) in God is of upmost importance rather than any works (see also Genesis 15:6; Romans 4).

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. This message was preached first to the Jews alone, but now EVERYONE is invited to come to God in this same way. This Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven—makes us right in God’s sight—when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scripture says it, “The man who finds life will find it through trusting God.” Romans 1:16-17 (The Living Bible)

References

King James Version Study Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1988.

KJV Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1994.

Life Application Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005.

NLT Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2008.

Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Chicago, IL: Moody, 1995.

The Amplified Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1987.

Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008.

Morris, Leon. The Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids, Eerdmans Pub., 2012.

Wiersbe, Warren W. Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, 1989.

Paul’s Thanksgiving (Prayer)

Let me (Paul) say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in Him is being talked about all over the world. God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about His Son. One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles. For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News. Romans 1:8-15 (NLT)

Paul begins his Roman letter with thanksgiving (Romans 1:8-15) as with his other letters (e.g. see 1 Corinthians 1:4; Ephesians 1:16; Philippians 1:3-4; Colossians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:2). All access to God, whether through prayer (John 15:16) or thanksgiving (Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 3:17), is through Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul was eager to visit Rome. One of the burdens of Paul's prayer was that God would allow him to visit Rome. Paul would have visited Rome sooner, but his missionary work in the eastern churches had kept him busy (Romans 15:15-33). Paul did not establish the church in Rome and had never visited Rome. So the Roman letter is Paul’s letter of introduction to the Roman church and his preparation to visit. Paul’s eagerness to visit Rome was not of a sightseer, but the eagerness of a soul-winner of the Gospel (Good News). As God's missionary, Paul wanted to share with the Roman church the true meaning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:10-13). After his experience with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9; see also Acts 22:3-16; Acts 26:9-18), Paul’s entire life was consumed with spreading the Good News of Christ's resurrection and salvation to all people — both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 1:16-17). Actually, the book of Romans is Paul’s explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Roman church.

The Roman church was at the world's political power center and highly visible. In Paul’s day, Rome was the center of the world in every way: law, culture, power, and learning. “All roads led to Rome.” Fortunately, the Roman church had a good reputation and a strong faith (or faithfulness) and the “whole world” knew of the faith of the Christians at Rome (Romans 1:8; Romans 15:20-22). So strong was the faith of these Romans that Paul speaks of them in worldwide terms. Paul wanted to visit the church at Rome so he could teach the Christians there (Romans 1:9-10). Moreover, Paul longed to encourage and also to receive encouragement from the Roman church (Romans 1:11-12). He was looking forward to a time of mutual blessing in the love of Jesus Christ.  

Before Paul could visit the Roman church, he had to complete his work in Corinth, the city from which he most likely wrote this Roman letter. Paul believed that he had finished what God wanted him to do in the eastern Mediterranean and was looking forward to taking the Gospel ("spiritual blessings") to the new lands of Rome and onto Spain (Romans 15:23-24). The need to plant and nourish churches in the eastern Mediterranean had occupied Paul. Paul's future plan was to spread the Gospel message into western Mediterranean – Rome and onto Spain. Before Paul could visit the Romans church, he first needed to return to Jerusalem to deliver a gift of money collected from the Gentile churches for the needy Jewish Christians in Jerusalem (Romans 15:23-29). After leaving Jerusalem to deliver the gift, Paul hoped to be able to travel from Jerusalem to Rome, and then on to Spain. Paul had a desire to preach the Gospel in Spain where no man had laid a Christian foundation. Rome was to be a stopover for that journey as he proceeded to Spain. Paul wanted to use the Roman church as a base of operation for a mission to Spain (Romans 15:24, 28).

But before coming to Rome, Paul had to return to Jerusalem to make a certain contribution for the poor Jewish Christians at Jerusalem (Romans 15:25-29). One of the most important missions Paul had during his third journey was the gathering of a special offering for the poor believers in Jerusalem (Romans 15:25-31; 2 Corinthians 8:4; 2 Corinthians 9:1). The Jewish church in Jerusalem has fallen on hard time. The period of A.D.50s had significant time for Palestine with droughts and storms that destroyed the crops. So, the Jerusalem church had fallen into dire poverty. During his third missionary journey, Paul had collected money for the poor believers in Jerusalem. Details about this collection are recorded in 2 Corinthians 8-9. The churches in Macedonia—Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea—had given money sacrificially even though they too were poor (2 Corinthians 8:2-5). Paul wanted to personally present the gift to the Jerusalem Christians as an act of Christian love (Romans 15:25-26). More importantly, Paul intended to accompany the offering from these Gentile Christians to the Jewish Christians in hopes of uniting or reconciling in fellowship the Jewish and Gentile Christians (see also Psalms 133). Paul hoped the material gifts of Gentile love would help to build some bridges between the churches. The gift represented the love and concern of the Gentile churches for their Jewish brothers and sister in Christ living in Jerusalem. Sadly in the first century, there was fraction or division among the Gentile and Jewish Christian churches. Unfortunately, there were still Jews Christians who opposed the message of God’s grace to the Gentiles preached by Paul and who wanted the Gentiles to become Jews and accept the Jewish Law. Yet, the power of the Gospel was to reconcile a holy God to an unholy people (2 Corinthians 5:11-21) and also to reconcile the Jews and Gentiles (Romans 13:8-10). Paul saw the division in the church as a direct denial of the power of the Gospel.

Even more, the Gentile contributions also recognized the moral debt they owed to the Jerusalem church which had first spread the Gospel. The Gentiles Christians had received spiritual wealth from the Jews Christians. Paul considered the Gentile Christians debtors to the Jews, for it was the Jews who gave to the Gentiles the Jesus Christ – the Word of God and the Son of God (John 1:1-14). Thus, Paul believed the Gentile Christians ought to feel an obligation to Israel, and to pay that debt by praying for Israel, sharing the Gospel, and helping in a material way.

Yet, Paul’s visit to Jerusalem with the love offering did not bring the reconciliation and did not solve the problem of Jews and Gentiles. In Acts 21, Luke indicated the hostility against Paul in Jerusalem and James, who is the head of the Jerusalem church, did not even want to talk to Paul. Eventually, Paul was stoned to death and arrested by the Romans. Then, there was a series futile of trials until Paul appealed his case to Caesar as a Roman citizens and Paul ends up in Rome as a prisoner! The book of Acts ends with Paul under house arrest, teaching and preaching freely awaiting a court date. So, Paul gets to Roman as a prisoner.

When Paul wrote this Roman letter, he had no idea that he would go through imprisonment and even shipwreck before arriving in Rome! Yet, Paul’s imprisonment in Rome became a blessing in the fact that Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, and Philippians letters were all written from Rome during Paul’s first imprisonment. Church traditions say that Paul was eventually released for a time, and that he used this opportunity to go to Spain to preach the Good News. However, this fourth missionary journey is never mentioned in the book of Acts.

References

KJV Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1994.

Life Application Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005.

NLT Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2008.

Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008.

Wiersbe, Warren W. Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, 1989.

Loyd, Melton, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament. Columbia Campus: Erskine Theological Seminary, 2014.

Beginning of the Book of Romans

This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach His Good News. God promised this Good News long ago through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures. The Good News is about His Son, Jesus. In His earthly life He (Jesus Christ) was born into King David’s family line, and He was shown to be (designated) the Son of God when He was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority (grace) as apostles to tell Gentiles (non-Jews) everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey Him, bringing glory to His Name. And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be His own holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Romans 1:1-7 (NLT)

The New Testament Book of Romans has been called Paul’s masterpiece and one of the greatest of Christian writings! No other book of the Holy Bible so completely sets forth the great doctrines of the Christian faith and the great truths of God. This book is fundamentally about God and Paul’s preoccupation with God. God is the most important word in Romans. Everything Paul touches in this book relates to God. The Book of Romans has rightly been called “the Constitution of Christianity,” “the Christian Manifesto,” “the Cathedral of the Christian Faith.” Even more, this great book provides teaching on justification, sanctification, divine election, condemnation, the perseverance of the saints, total depravity of humanity, the last judgment, the fall of humans, the revelation of God in nature, the final restoration of the Jews, and much more. Martin Luther called Romans “the chief part of the New Testament, and is truly the purest Gospel. It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it (the Book of Romans) word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul.” Martin Luther (1522) in Luther’s Works (1960), vol. 35, p. 365.

The author of the book of Romans is Paul. The apostle Paul was smart, well-spoken, and dedicated to His calling to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He enthusiastically presented his case for the Gospel in his letter to the church in Rome. Rome was the capital of the Roman Empire and this Empire had spread over most of Europe, North Africa, and the Near East. Paul had heard of the Roman church, but he had never been there, nor had any of the other apostles. The church in Rome was not founded by Paul. Neither Paul nor the other church leaders, James and Peter, had yet been to Rome. Thus, Paul had never met most of the believers there. Nevertheless, the people must have known Paul personally, since Paul personally greets them in the final chapter, Romans 16. Paul planned to visit and preach in Rome and hoped to continue to take the Gospel message of Jesus Christ farther west -- even to Spain. In fact, Paul was anxious to go to Spain with the message of Christ (Romans 15:28).

We do not know how or when the church began in Rome. Most likely, the Roman church had been begun by Jews who had come to faith in Jerusalem during Pentecost (Acts 2:10). These faithful Jewish believers spread their faith on their return to Rome and established the assemblies in Rome. There were probably several assemblies of believers in Roman houses and not just one church. In Romans 16, Paul greets a number of house churches as small groups of believers met all over the city (Romans 16:5, 10-11, 14). In the Roman church, there were both Jews and Gentiles because Paul addresses both groups in his Roman letter (see Romans 1:13; Romans 2:17-29; Romans 4:1; Romans 7:1; Romans 11:13-24; Romans 15:15-21).

The apostle Paul wrote the Roman letter about the year A.D. 56. This letter was written during Paul’s ministry in Corinth at the end of his third missionary journey just before his return to Jerusalem (Acts 20:3, 22; Romans 15:25). In Romans 15:25, 30–32, Paul anticipated his departure for Jerusalem. Following his trip to Jerusalem to deliver the collection for the Jerusalem saints, Paul enthusiastically planned to make a fourth missionary journey to the western extremity of the Roman Empire – Spain (Romans 15:24). Paul wanted the Roman church to help him with making that journey and wrote this letter to the Roman church to establish contact in preparation for the anticipated visit.

This letter was written by Paul to both Jewish and Gentiles believers to encourage them in the Christian faith and to express his desire to visit. Although many barriers separated Paul and the Roman church, Paul felt a bond with these Romans and he longed to see them face to face. The letter was probably carried to the Christians at Rome by one of the deaconesses of the church at Cenchrea, Sister Phoebe (Romans 16:1).

In the opening verses of the letter, Paul introduces himself to the believers in Rome. First of all, Paul calls himself a “servant of Christ Jesus” or more accurately a slave of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:1; see also Galatians 1:10; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1). As Christians used the term “servant” conveys the idea of complete and utter devotion and total loyalty. The Greek word for servant is “doulos”. In his mind, Paul was not just a servant to the Lord but a slave that completely belonged to his Master (see also I Corinthians 4:1–4). In loving devotion, Paul had enslaved himself to Jesus Christ and chose to be completely dependent on and obedient to God as his beloved Master. In other words, Paul is affirming that he belongs to Christ without reservation. The term is applied to Abraham (Genesis 26:24), Moses (Joshua 1:2), and to the prophets from the time of Amos (Amos 3:7; Isaiah 20:3).  

Second, Paul calls himself an apostle (Romans 1:1). In fact, Paul opened his New Testament letters by introducing himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ (see Romans 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:1; Titus 1:1). Paul’s apostleship was a calling (Romans 1:1). Paul was “not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ Himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead” (Galatians 1:1, NLT). Thus, human authority had nothing to do with Paul’s apostleship, for his commission came through Jesus Christ and God the Father (Galatians 1:1), through the “commandment of God our Savior” (1 Timothy 1:1). Paul presented his credentials at the very outset of Romans because some people in the Roman church may have questioned his authority as an apostle.

An apostle means “one who is sent by authority with a commission” or “one who is sent with a commission.” Essentially, an apostle means messenger, missionary, or ambassador. While Jesus Christ ministered on earth, He had many disciples (“learners” or “followers”), and from these He selected twelve apostles, called “the Twelve” (Mark 3:13-19; see also Matthew 10:2-4; Luke 14-16; Acts 1:13). One of the requirements for an apostle in the early church was the experience of seeing the risen or resurrected Jesus Christ – the Resurrection (Acts 1:21-22; Acts 2:32; Acts 3:15). According to the book of Acts, an apostle was one who had witnessed Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry “from the time He was baptized by John until the day He was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection” (Acts 1:21-22, NLT). Thus, qualifications for an apostle were clear: participation in Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry beginning with His baptism and an official witness of the resurrection (Acts 1:21-22). The resurrection is the central affirmation of the Christian faith (Acts 17:18; Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:20; 1 Peter 1:3).

Paul was neither a disciple nor an apostle during Jesus’ earthly ministry. Thus, Paul’s enemies said that he was not a true apostle for this reason. But, Paul said he had seen the risen Christ and been specifically commissioned by Him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-18; 1 Corinthians 9:1). Paul claimed his apostleship on at least four grounds: (1) he was a chosen vessel of God (Acts 9:15); (2) he was personally commissioned by Jesus Christ (Acts 9:6); (3) he had visible seen the risen Christ (I Corinthians 9:1–2); and (4) he was the recipient of divine revelation (Galatians 1:10–12, 16–17). Paul's personal encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus revolutionized his entire way of thinking and living and established him as an apostle. He saw that God has been active in Jesus Christ and that through Christ’s death He had brought salvation to humankind. Indeed, Paul had seen the risen Christ and the writer of Acts mentioned Paul’s personal encounter with the risen Christ on three different occasions (Acts 9:1-9; see also Acts 22:3-16; Acts 26:9-18). After seeing the resurrected Christ, Jesus Christ personally called Paul to be His apostle to the Gentiles. Thus, Paul was careful to point out that he had been made an apostle by Jesus Christ just as much as the original Twelve. His apostleship was not from human selection and approval, but by Jesus Christ’s appointment. Therefore, he had the authority to teach and preach in the Gospel of Jesus Christ because he had seen the risen Christ (Acts 1:22; Acts 2:32; 1 Corinthians 15:8). Paul has been “sent,” “called” and manifested the signs “that mark an apostle” (2 Corinthians 12:12).

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me (Paul). Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NLT)

Moreover, Paul was a preacher of the Gospel (Acts 9:15) and specially “set apart for the Gospel of God” (Romans 1:1, NIV). He was set apart for the ministry of the Gospel long before his Damascus road experience (Galatians 1:15). Paul was very religious person and trained under Gamaliel, a famous first century Jewish teacher (Acts 22:3). Paul has been brought up an orthodox Jew, a loyal Pharisee, a fanatical to the point of persecuting the Christians before his conversion. Paul was a Hebrew of the Hebrews (Philippians 3:5–6). Even more, Paul was a good Pharisee and he knew the Bible. When Paul was a Jewish rabbi, Paul was separated as a Pharisee to the laws and traditions of the Jews. But when he yielded his life to Jesus Christ, Paul was separated to the Gospel and its ministry. By quoting sixty-one times from the Old Testament, Paul revealed to both the Jews and the Gentiles that the Holy Scriptures were really speaking of Jesus Christ. Therefore, Paul’s ministry bridged the gap between the Jews and Gentiles of the first-century church

At Romans 1:3-4, Paul summarizes the Good News about Jesus Christ. The Good News means “Gospel” (Greek euangelion). The central figure of the Gospel is Jesus Christ, in and through whom the history and the promises of the Old Testament are fulfilled. Some of the Old Testament prophecies predicting the Good News regarding Jesus Christ are Genesis 3:15; Genesis 12:3; Psalms 16:10; Psalms 40:6-10; Psalms 118:22; Isaiah 11:1; Zechariah 9:9-11; Zechariah 12:10; Malachi 4:1-6. The Good News is the message that Jesus Christ (1) came as a real human by natural origin, (2) conceived by the Holy Spirit, (3) was part of the Jewish royal line through King David, (4) lived and walked the earth reflecting God’s glory – e.g., God’s love, goodness, mercy, light, compassion, etc. (5) wrongly accused, crucified (died), and was raised from complete death, (6) opened the door to God's grace and kindness to all people – both Jews and Gentiles, and (7) Jesus Christ is able to save all who trust and believe in Him (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; see also John 1:1-18; Romans 1:9, 16; Philippians 2:5-8). Essentially, the Good News states everyone (Jews and Gentiles) can be forgiven and go to heaven because of what Jesus Christ did on the Calvary’s Cross. A person is saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). Paul dedicated his adult life spreading the Good News of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, the most important message in the world.

Jesus gave His life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. All glory to God forever and ever! Galatians 1:4-5 (NLT)

Moreover, Paul stated that Jesus is the Son of God, the promised Messiah (Christ), and the resurrected Lord as well as a descendant of King David (Romans 1:3-4). That the Messiah would be a descendant of David is taught in the Old Testament (see Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Ezekiel 34:23-24, etc.) As a descendant (seed) of King David, this emphasizes the humanity of Jesus Christ and His human lineage (see 2 Samuel 7:13; Jeremiah 33:17). With this statement of faith, Paul declares his agreement with the teaching of all Scripture and of the apostles. Paul declared that those who became wholehearted followers of Jesus Christ are invited by Him to become part of God's family, and be holy people (“to be saints,” set apart, dedicated for Christ’s service) (Romans 1:6-7). Paul wanted to bring all people, both Jew and Gentile, into obedience to the faith of Jesus Christ and the book of Romans helps Paul accomplish this mission.

References

King James Version Study Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1988.

KJV Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1994.

Life Application Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005.

NLT Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2008.

Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008.

Butler, Trent. Holman Bible Dictionary. Broadman & Holman Pub., 1991.

Morris, Leon. The Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids, Eerdmans Pub., 2012.

Wiersbe, Warren W. Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, 1989.

God Is Glory

Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around Him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. Ezekiel 1:28 (NIV)

To the prophet Ezekiel, God’s glory appeared like fire and brilliant light (Ezekiel 1:27-28). Ezekiel saw God’s bright light around the cloud and an enclosing fire within the cloud. Both were reminders of God’s holiness and power for “our God is a consuming fire” (Exodus 3:1-5; Exodus 19:16, 18; Deuteronomy 4:24; Acts 2:3; Hebrews 12:29). With Ezekiel’s vision, Ezekiel realized that he was beholding the glory of the Lord (Ezekiel 1:28). The glory of the Lord is one of the key themes in the Old Testament book Ezekiel (Ezekiel 3:12, 23; Ezekiel 8:4; Ezekiel 9:3; Ezekiel 10:4, 18-19; Ezekiel 11:22-23; Ezekiel 39:21; Ezekiel 43:2, 4-5; Ezekiel 44:4). Overwhelmed by God's holy presence and his own sinfulness and insignificance, Ezekiel could not help but fall down and worship God out of reverence and awe (Ezekiel 1:28). This same experience of reverence and worship also occurred with the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-7). The prophet Isaiah also saw the Lord God in all His holy glory (Isaiah 6:1-4) and resulted in Isaiah’s responsive worship, praise, and adoration of God (Isaiah 6:5-7). The prophet Isaiah’s vision of God (Isaiah 6:1-7) included both the awareness of God’s practical features and the nature of God, particularly God’s holiness (see also John 12:41).

The prophet Ezekiel was inducted into his prophetic mission (Ezekiel 1:1) with an overwhelming vision of God’s glory – much as the prophet Isaiah was granted a glorious vision of God enthroned high and lifted up. When God’s glory was symbolically revealed to both the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah, the glory took the form of brilliant light (Exodus 40:34; Isaiah 6:3). What is remarkable about the prophet Ezekiel’s experience is that God’s glory had for centuries been associated with the Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:11; Psalms 26:8). Yet, the prophet Ezekiel witnessed God's glory leave the Jerusalem Temple and go over the Mount of Olives. Because of Israel's sins, God’s glory left the Temple. But God promised Ezekiel that one day the city of Jerusalem and the Temple will be blessed by the glorious presence of the Lord. The city will be called "Jehovah Shammah—THE LORD IS THERE" (Ezekiel 48:35).

And the Lord went before them (the Israelites) by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He (the Lord God) did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people. Exodus 13:21-22 (NKJV)

In the Holy Scriptures, visible appearances of God’s glory came with God’s magnificent and brilliant light covered by a cloud. God’s cloud enclosed “the glory of the Lord” which otherwise would blind those who saw God’s glorious presence (see Exodus 13:21-22; Exodus 16:10; Exodus 19:16; Exodus 24:15-17; Exodus 34:5; Exodus 40:34-35, 38; Numbers 9:15-16; Numbers 16:42; Deuteronomy 5:23; 1 Kings 8:10-11; Psalms 26:8; Psalms 68:4; Ezekiel 10:3-4; Haggai 2:7; Matthew 17:5; Matthew 24:30; Matthew 26:64; Mark 9:7; Mark 13:26; Mark 14:62; Luke 9:34-35; Luke 21:27; Acts 1:9; Revelation 1:7; Revelation 14:14-16). Whether with the lighting flash or in the blinding splendor and brightness, a light and a cloud often accompanied God’s powerful and majestic appearance (Theophany) (e.g. see Exodus 24:16-18). Moreover, God often spoke to the people from the cloud (see Numbers 12:5-6; Deuteronomy 31:15-16; Psalms 99:6-7). Even more, the presence of God’s glory signaled the presence of God Himself among His people (Exodus 24:16; Exodus 33:22; 2 Chronicles 7:1-3; Ezekiel 1:1-28).

God’s glory dwelling in the Tabernacle (see Exodus 40:34) and later the Temple (1 Kings 8:11) assured the ancient Israelites of God’s holy, yet gracious presence among them. At the dedication of the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35) and Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 8:11), God’s glory filled those structures, indicating God’s approval of them and that His presence would now reside there. With that proclamation came an awe-inspiring physical manifestation of God, the Shekinah, a bright shining cloud that could look like fire, white-hot (see also Exodus 24:17). The Shekinah was itself called the glory of God and appeared at significant moments in the Holy Scriptures as visible signs of God's active presence on earth (see also Exodus 33:22; Leviticus 9:23-24; Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 8:4; Luke 2:9; Acts 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:17). God is called “Glory” (see 1 Samuel 15:29; Psalm 106:20; Jeremiah 2:11; Hosea 4:7; Hebrews 9:5).

Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. Now whenever the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journey, following it. But if the cloud did not rise, they remained where they were until it lifted. The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all their journeys. Exodus 40:34-38 (NLT)

A pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night guided and protected the ancient Israelites as they traveled across the wilderness (Exodus 13:21; Numbers 9:15-22). For forty years, God had graciously led Israel by His fiery cloud. The cloud and the fire were not just natural phenomena but were the vehicle of God's presence and direction for His people. God’s glory was also revealed in nature, such as in a thunderstorm (Exodus 19:16; Job 37:2-5; Psalm 29:3, 7). Glory’s glory can also be a unique manifestation, such His revelation on Mount Sinai (Deuteronomy 5:23-24). Similarly, the glory of God sent the fire that kindled the first sacrifices of the sanctuary (Leviticus 9:22-24). Such revelation did not reveal all of God for no one can see God and live (Exodus 33:18-23; see also Isaiah 6:5). The greatness of God’s glory is something that we can never fully comprehend, but before which we can only stand in awe and worship.

Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him (Moses) and proclaimed His Name, the Lord. And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished . . .” Exodus 34:5-7 (NIV)

When Moses requested to see God’s glory, “Show me Your glory” (Exodus 33:18), God answered Moses' plea by revealing to Moses His goodness, moral beauty, and holy character (see Exodus 33:18-34:7). In other words, God’s revelation of Himself to Moses was the visible manifestation of His moral character and holiness (see also Isaiah 6:1-7). God's glory is revealed in His mercy, grace, compassion, faithfulness, forgiveness, and justice (Exodus 34:6-7). We too can respond and give glory to God when our lives and character resemble God’s glory (see Micah 6:6-8). To “give glory to God” means to speak or act in a way that acknowledges God’s glory (Joshua 7:19; Psalms 22:23; Psalms 86:12; Isaiah 6:1-7; Isaiah 24:15). “O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, NLT).  

Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, He has spoken to us through His Son (Jesus Christ). God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son He created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God. Hebrews 1:1-3 (NLT)

In the New Testament, God now reveals the glory of His nature, character, power, and purpose in the person and role of His Son, Jesus Christ (John 1:14-18; Luke 9:32; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Hebrews 1:1-3). The Gospel writer John spoke of the glory of Jesus and made no distinction between the two, attesting to Jesus’ oneness with God (see also John 17:1-5). God is called the glorious Father (Ephesians 1:17) and Jesus Christ is the full glory and image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4) and the Light of the world (John 1:4; John 8:12; 1 John 1:5). As John testifies, “We have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son” (John 1:14). The aged Simeon saw the baby Jesus brought to the Temple and described Him as “a Light to reveal God to the nations, and . . . the glory of your people Israel” (Luke 2:32).

God’s glory was mentioned with the announcement of Jesus Christ’s birth to the shepherds:  “Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them (shepherds), and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them” (Luke 2:9, NLT). Also, God’s glory was evident at the Mount of Transfiguration of Christ (Matthew 17:2-5) and later manifestations included the revelation to the apostle Paul at the time of his conversion (Acts 9:1-19; Acts 22:3-16; Acts 26:9-18) and to apostle John on the Isle of Patmos (Revelation 1:12-20). Most importantly, God’s glory was revealed in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection (John 17:1-5). The display of God’s power in raising His Son from the dead is labeled glory (Romans 6:4). The apostle Paul declared that the presence of Jesus Christ in the lives of believers provides assurance that we will shares in that glory (Romans 5:2; Romans 8:17-18; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Colossians 1:27). When Jesus Christ returns again, “At that time the sign of the Son of Man (Jesus) will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30 (NIV); see also Matthew 26:64). Jesus Christ will further manifest God’s glory in His restored kingdom (Revelation 21:11, 23). The heavenly city yet to come will a city that has “no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light” (Revelation 21:23, NLT)

Jesus Christ:  “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT)

Today, the church and believing Christians is the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:10-23; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 2:20-22). God today does not live in buildings but in His people (Acts 7:48-50; see also 1 Kings 8:7). Our responsibility is to glorify God individually (1 Corinthians 6:20) and collectively as the church (1 Corinthians 14:23-25). Quite amazingly, God made humans to reflect His glory – light, moral character, and holiness (see also Leviticus 11:45; Leviticus 19:2; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:16). God wants to share His presence with His people. If we live for Jesus Christ, we will shine like lights and reflect God’s glory. The apostle Paul teaches believing Christians are being “changed into His likeness from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18; see also Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:15). Though we do not now find ourselves surrounded by a visible light, there is a brightness, a splendor, or light all believing Christians should reflect in their daily lives.

Our sins and wickedness can cause God’s glory to depart (see Ezekiel chapters 8 through 11). In other words, our sins can drive God’s glory away from our lives and churches. When you read Jewish history, God’s glory that once dwelt in the Tabernacle departed when the priests and the people sinned against God (see 1 Samuel 4:21-22). When Solomon dedicated the Temple, God's glory once again came to dwell with His people (1 Kings 8:10-11), but departed again as Israel’s sins drove God's glory away (Ezekiel 8:4; Ezekiel 9:3; Ezekiel 10:4, 18; Ezekiel 11:23).

God expects everyone, particular His followers, to carry on His Light through good deeds (e.g., mercy, kindness, goodness, compassion, forgiveness etc.) (Matthew 5:14; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 2:4-10; Philippians 2:12-15). Our good deeds and works in the world brings honor and glory to God (Matthew 5:16; 1 Corinthians 10:31). Besides, the ultimate purposes of all our actions are to bring God glory (see Psalms 29:1-2; Psalms 86:9, 12; Psalms 96:7-8; Psalms 115:1; Luke 2:14; Romans 11:36; Romans 16:27; Ephesians 1:12, 14; Revelation 5:13; Revelation 7:12; Revelation 15:4; Revelation 19:1, 7).

Certainly, God wants to be loved, respected, and exalted for His greatness and goodness. The to-and-fro of seeing God’s glory and giving God glory is the true fulfillment of human nature at its heart (Isaiah 43:7; Zephaniah 3:14-17). Human praise to God can be false or half-hearted. Glory is also humans’ recognition of God’s holiness, greatness and might with a response of confession, worship, and praise. (Compare Isa. 58:8; 60:1.) All of life’s daily activities, too, must be pursued with the aim of giving God love, allegiance, and pleasure, which is glory-giving on the practical level (1 Corinthians 10:31; see also Jeremiah 3). Most important, God will NOT share His glory with another. This is why Reformation theology was so insistent on the principle, "Glory to God alone" (soli Deo gloria), and why we need to maintain that principle today with equal eagerness. God's glory-showing requires our glory-giving!

Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle. Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies— He is the King of glory. Psalms 24:7-10 (NLT)

Life Application Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005.

NLT Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2008.

Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008.

Butler, Trent. Holman Bible Dictionary. Broadman & Holman Pub., 1991.

Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994.

Packer, J.I. Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs. Carol Stream, IL:  Tyndale House Pub., 1993.

Wiersbe, Warren W. Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, 1989.