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The Structure Of The Epistle
The structure of this
epistle, given below, shows a reverse
pattern in the treatment of topics with one half moving from 01:01 to 08:39
while the other half treats the subjects in reverse order from 09:01 to
16:27.
A. Gospel, made known, Justification 1:1-6
B. Greetings, brief 1:7
C. Prayer 1:8,9
D. Intended Journey 1:10-13
E. Previous Ministry 1:14-17
F. The Conduct of Mankind 1:18 - 3:20
G. Doctrine - Justification 3:21
- 4:25 individual
- Conciliation 5:1 - 8:30
H. God's Sovereignty
8:31-39
h. God's Sovereignty
9:1-29
g. Doctrine - Justification 9:30 -
10:21 national
- Conciliation 11:1-36
f. The Conduct of the Saints 12:1 - 15:7
e. Previous Ministry 15:8-21
d. Intended Journey 15:22-29
c. Prayer 15:30-33
b. Greetings, extended, 16:1-23
a. Gospel, hushed up,
Conciliation 16:25-27
(adapted from the Concordant Commentary)
A.
Gospel, made known, Justification 1:1-6
Commencing his letter, Paul declares His special
calling and authority for service under Christ Jesus in dispensing the
evangel he was commissioned with. It was his assignment to introduce
faith-obedience (the obedience that arises out of a trust in God and in His
Son, Jesus Christ, to the nations as distinct from the people of Israel).
Just like Paul is, those who are called to believe in the evangel he brings
are slaves to the Lord, Jesus Christ.
B.
Greetings, brief 1:7
Because the
message he has for them is a priority, Paul greets all the believers ‘who
are in Rome’ only briefly and as a group. He reserves the acknowledgements
of particular individuals for after the presentation of the evangel.
But there is an important fact that they are to be aware of first. He
declares that ‘God, our Father’, and ‘the Lord Jesus Christ’, are now
bestowing upon them grace and peace - notwithstanding the fact that they,
who are of the nations had, hitherto, received only the crumbs off the
table of Israel.
C.
Prayer 1:8,9
Paul thanks God for giving the believers in Rome their faith, a faith
that is being heard of even in faraway places. It was his fervent prayer to
God, Whom he serves in the evangel of His Son, for their spiritual welfare
and that he would be given the opportunity to be with them personally
rather than merely through this epistle.
D.
Intended Journey 1:10-13
It has been Paul’s long-held desire to visit the ecclesias in Rome,
having heard of their faith through others who had been among them. But,
things had not worked out as he had desired so that he had still to
visit them. He assures them of his continuing desire to ‘be sharing some
spiritual grace’ with them so that their faith is established in
the truth of the evangel.
In hindsight, we can see God’s hand in Paul’s being ‘prevented
hitherto’ and in his increased eagerness to get in touch with the Roman
ecclesia. It led him to write to them – and thus we now have in our
possession the record of this sharing of faith.
E.
Previous Ministry 1:14-17
Having been commissioned by God to be the apostle of
the nations, Paul understood that he owed it to all, without exception, to
bring them the evangel – ‘for it is God’s power for salvation to every one
who is believing’ – a glorious evangel which reveals God’s righteousness in
graciously granting faith to those designated beforehand to receive His approach
present on the basis of the faith of Christ, wherein those who are
justified are living by faith.
Paul quotes from the book of Habbakkuk (2:4). That was a time when
the Temple system with its rites and ceremonies had become non-operational
and the only way the people of Israel could worship God was in faith. This
was a God-given precedent for the evangel which is based on faith ONLY –
where the efficacy of Christ’s faith is bestowed on designated ones so that
they can believe.
F.
The Conduct of Mankind 1:18 - 3:20
This whole section describes the consequence of
God’s indignation that is being revealed from heaven. God’s
indignation is not a consequence of men’s present behaviour – men’s
behaviour is the consequence of God’s indignation being revealed. It is not
that He is indignant because men behave atrociously. Because God has
sentenced men to be inherently dying creatures they cannot help
but sin and, thus, they behave in irreverence and injustice. This
indignation of God is not on men (who are irreverent and
unjust) but on the irreverence and injustice of men – even if men
have to experience the demonstration of His indignation. It is the sin that
God hates, and not the sinner, for God loves the world and gives His only
Son for their welfare.
Even though God’s invisible attributes are evident in
the creation around them, in the forefront of their consciousness right
from the beginning, men are inherently incapable of realising that
import. Though they may ‘see’ the fact of God, they do not, even cannot,
glorify or appreciate Him as GOD. Rather their logic is clouded and
their arguments go in circles, getting them nowhere near the truth.
Men are made stupid, and this even from the time of
Adam. They are inherently stupid – yet they claim to be wise and in their
‘wisdom’, which is the wisdom of the world, they change ‘the glory of the
incorruptible God’ into things that cannot possess that glory, but mortal
and tangible to their senses – into the form of humans and animals and even
imaginary creatures of their own concocted mythology.
The indignation of God is evident in man’s inability to
be righteous, to ‘do that which is right’. It is God Who gives them over,
consigns them, to the pursuit of degrading experiences, satiating their
lust through disrespecting their own bodies. Lesbianism, interaction with
animals, homosexuality, and such like have come down through the ages
across race and culture and have become unashamedly and arrogantly rampant.
The situation is being likened to that which held in the days of Sodom and
Gomorrah.
Because men do not recognize and acknowledge God as
God, their minds, their thinking and understanding, have become
‘disqualified’, so that they even practise and acclaim selfishness,
immorality, unfairness and injustice as justifiable in their quest for what
they perceive as ‘success’.
Men are
defenseless, powerless and incapable of avoiding or fending off this
degrading downtrend, this inexorable vortex of ungodly behaviour that God
has made them susceptible to. Each behaves as badly as all others do, so
that it is just an exercise in futility for anyone to be critical of
others. But, the very fact that they ‘recognise’ faults in others
demonstrates that they are aware of what wrongdoing is. Though most
will prefer not to ponder on the fact that such untoward behaviour draws
deserving retribution, nevertheless, each one will reap what he truly
deserves for his irreverent and unjust actions ‘in the day of indignation’.
God is
just – He will judge righteously. In the day of His judgment, those who
have done good will receive rewards; those who have done evil will face
deserved penalties. There will be no partiality.
But this
general indictment of mankind sees no one doing good; no one
righteous. No one – neither Jew nor Greek. The ‘Jew’ represents the
people of Israel (who have had the privilege of a revelation from
God through Moses), while the ‘Greek’ refers to the rest of the nations
(who have not had such divine revelation). Mankind, all of mankind, stands
condemned, and its inherent irreverence and injustice come under the
indignation of God – and with no way out.
Scripture
distinguishes between sin and transgression. Sin is defined as ‘missing the
mark’ and includes all wrongdoing whether done consciously, or unconsciously.
All men sin (Rom.3:23). Transgression can only be in the breaking of a
given set of rules – such as the law of Moses (Gal.3:19) – for it is
declared that where there is no law there can be no transgression
(Rom.4:15). Though the Jew, having been given the law, could
transgress, the Greek, not having been given any law by God, cannot
transgress. All who transgress, sin. But not all who sin, transgress.
Here, we
are speaking of ‘sin’. Because of Adam’s disobedience ‘death passed through
into all mankind, on which all sinned’. Consequently,
then, neither the Jew nor the Greek is free from sin.
Each and
every man has a conscience through which he judges his course of action.
But this conscience is arbitrary, depending on culture and environment, so
that what is right for one may not necessarily be so for some other.
It would
appear that only a specific set of rules and regulations given by God,
would be able to provide an authoritative standard for correct behaviour.
God did disclose such a code of conduct to His chosen nation, Israel,
through Moses at Sinai. But, this law, though it was holy, just, and good
(Rom.7:12) has no provision for empowering anyone to keep it, for
justifying anyone (Rom.3:20; Gal.2:16), or for vivifying and making anyone righteous
(Gal.3:19). The fact is that it was given ‘on behalf of transgressions’
(Gal.3:19), so that what was a sin for others was now more serious,
a transgression, for the people of Israel. And, as the transgression of
even one law constitutes the breaking of all (Jas.2:10), it was an
impossibility for men to observe the law as it should be.
Yet, when men who do not have this reference and standard to
assess their actions, do that which conforms with the spirit of this
God-given standard, it is evidence that a fundamental self-discipline, a
conscience, is in operation, and this will be a criterion for their day of
judgment.
But those
who are so proud to be called Jews, with all the privilege of having a form
of proficiency in the knowledge of God and of His law and, supposedly, able
to impart such understanding of it to others, are themselves transgressing
that very law that they boast of – thereby dishonouring Him. Being ‘the
people of God’, their evident hypocrisy tarnishes the name of their God,
the true God, among the nations.
Circumcision, which brings them under the covenant with God, is only
of value if they live in accord with the law of that divine contract.
Otherwise their circumcision is of no value at all becoming, in effect, a
mere physical maiming.
In contrast, if those of the nations, who do not have circumcision,
actually live in accord with that law, even though they are quite unaware
of its existence and validity, they would, in effect, be living as if they have
circumcision. And, they would be, relatively, in a position to judge the
transgressing Jews.
God is not looking at the outer trappings and boastful claims of men,
but at the reality within that produces acts fit for applause.
What, then, is the point of circumcision? What is so special about
being a Jew? The most important fact is that they, chosen out of all
peoples, and physically marked through the covenant of
circumcision, have been entrusted with the revelation from God given
through the centuries even from the time of Abraham. Though some may ignore
and even disregard this revelation, God remains true to what He has
declared.
Men may argue that, since man’s injustice demonstrates, by contrast,
God’s righteousness all the more, God should not become indignant over
their misdeeds. In effect they intimate that their doing evil provides God
the opportunity to generate good. But God, being God, sets the rules and He
judges men in accord with how they meet that standard.
The Jews are in no better position than the rest of mankind – for all
are slaves to sin; not even one is just, or actually realises the
predicament he is in, or searches for the true God. Each one does as he
likes without any fear of God, without Him in mind.
Clearly, the law applies only to those who come under it. Its
function is to identify what sin is. It is not designed to justify
anyone. So, even the most meticulous of observers of the law are just like
every one else – sinners, each and every one.
What Paul has led up to in his indictment of humanity is the
establishment of the foundational premise that all men are unrighteous and
that all are totally unable to remedy this situation.
G. Doctrine - Justification 3:21 -
4:25 - individual
‘Yet now’ is how Paul introduces the evangel, the good news he was
entrusted with, in contrast to the hopelessness mankind is actually in and
blissfully ignorant of the fact. (When you are lost, you are lost - even if
you think you are not, and even if you declare you are not – the fact
remains.) So far, Paul has been demonstrating the consequences of the
indignation of God on mankind. All sinned, all are unrighteous - so none
deserve anything less than condemnation.
‘Yet now’, Paul declares that where man has no righteousness of his
own and cannot work up any, ‘a righteousness of God’ is brought to
his attention. But this righteousness (that comes with
justification) that God bestows is made available exclusively as a
result of Jesus Christ’s faith and will, in accord with His
already-determined schedule, be given to all mankind.
But for now, as revealed through the evangel, it comes as an integral
part of the enabling gift of faith to those designated beforehand to be
believers. This is entirely apart from any works, not even the works of
law.
In the scheme of operations that God has set, He will be justifying
those of the Circumcision out of faith and those of the
Uncircumcision through faith.
But, since faith is the operating factor in justification and
salvation for both groups, then the law, with its works which require
strict observance, given to Israel through Moses at Sinai, is not a factor
in the reckoning of righteousness and salvation.
Paul goes to the precedent set in the case of Abraham who was
reckoned righteous in believing what God declared to him. In accord with
the axiom that ‘to the
worker, the wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as a debt’ -
righteousness is not something God owes to anyone – He graciously and
gratuitously bestows it on whomsoever He has determined He will give
it to.
Scripture declares
that ‘To Abraham faith is reckoned for righteousness’, and this was at the
time when he was as yet uncircumcised, and well over four hundred
years before the law was given. Hence, the promises were given to
him because of the righteousness of faith only. Scripture asserts that even
David, a stalwart of the law, rejoiced over this righteousness that God
reckons apart from acts.
Righteousness
to Abraham did not come as a result of circumcision. The fact is that
Abraham received circumcision as a seal, or badge, or insignia, in
recognition of his righteousness through faith. So, Scripture shows that
God bestows righteousness outside of circumcision. Circumcision, and the
strict observance of the Mosaic law which it entails, is not a factor in
the dispensing of righteousness and justification.
The law was not designed to dispense
righteousness. Rather, it is an ideal, a given standard against which men
can measure their inadequacy to live up to. But, with this knowledge of the
law, each infringement becomes a transgression. The standard set is so high
and demanding that the ideal is beyond the reach of any one of Adam’s
progeny. Added to this is the stipulation that the breaking of even one law
constitutes the breaking of all. As law comes with its attached penalties
for non-compliance, it can only bring on more of the indignation of God.
On the other
hand Abraham, displaying a faith bestowed on him, trusted that God would
fulfill His declaration concerning the generations that would proceed from
him – in spite of his physical limitations which made it naturally
impossible. This conviction and assumption of God’s integrity constitutes
righteousness – for him, as well as for all believers.
G. Doctrine – (b)
Conciliation 5:1 - 8:30 - individual
Individuals
who are now being called to be in the body of Christ are justified by faith
just as Abraham was. Because of Christ’s faith in His Father, even in His
obedience unto death for the salvation of all mankind, we have peace
with God and access into the realm of grace which gives us an
expectation of the glory of God. The love of God, bestowed on us
through the dispensation of holy spirit, is our assurance of this
expectation. Now, we can even glory in all our seemingly ‘negative’
experiences, appreciating these as necessary to the process for our growth.
We must come
to appreciate that we were never righteous and that, even now, we are
not righteous of ourselves. But, as members of the body of Christ, we have
a righteousness of God bestowed on us because of the righteousness of
Christ, our Head.
Scripture
declares that Christ died for our sakes – and this while we were still
infirm, still in tune with the rhythm of the world, still irreverent, still
sinners and as unrighteous as ever. Now, justified in His blood that was
shed on our behalf, we are removed from being under God’s indignation.
Though we were enemies, we have been conciliated to God through the death
of Christ, His Son.
Christ died –
but He has been roused. He is alive – and He is saving us through the
invigoration that enables us to be doing all that pleases the Father. We
glory in God for the part we are having in His operations.
But, what was
it that estranged us and made us need this conciliation with God?
There is
nothing ambiguous about the declarations of Scripture on this subject. And
yet, somehow, no one wants to pay attention to it preferring, instead,
their own theories and rationalizations.
When Adam,
against the specific directive of God, ate of the fruit of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, sin entered into the world. The penalty
specified to Adam for the disobedience to the instruction was death - that
he would become a dying creature until he actually ceased to be alive. So
it is that when sin entered, the dying and death ensued. And this ‘to die
shall you be dying’ affects every last one of his progeny. They are saddled
with the penalty that Adam incurred. Scripture clearly asserts that it is
because of this penalty of death, through which all are dying, that all mankind
sinned.
Men sin –
whether intentionally or unintentionally. But so long as there is no
law to transgress, there is no associated penalty to apply. Yet, from Adam
to Moses, men kept on dying – even though they were not given any law. Even
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil had become inaccessible and
hence, they could not, just like Adam, go against God’s instruction to not
eat of its fruit.
So, men were
not dying because of any sin of their own. They were dying because death
was passed through from Adam; they were dying creatures whether or not they
sinned. Scripture declares that it is because of the fact that (on which)
men are dying creatures that they sin.
As types,
Scripture places Adam as head of the old humanity – of mankind of the old
creation; and Christ as the Head of the new humanity – of mankind of the
new creation. Each, Adam and Christ, acts on behalf of the rest, and
not as a substitute for them.
Therefore, the
judgment on Adam’s offence brought condemnation and death to all his
progeny (keeping in mind that Christ is not out of Adam for He is
neither through Joseph nor through Mary) and thus death reigns over all.
While, on the
other hand, because of Jesus Christ’s obedience unto death, the
superabundance of the grace of God and the righteousness
which He freely bestows more than offsets all the offences of all men, and
thus men shall be reigning in life through Jesus Christ.
Scripture
shows the consequence that each, the one offence as well as the one just
award, has on all mankind. And it declares the effect that each, the
disobedience of Adam as well as the obedience of Christ, has on all
mankind, too.
Consequently – through one offence…for all
mankind…for condemnation.
Thus also – through one just award….for all
mankind….for life’s justifying.
Even as,
through the
disobedience of one man…the many were constituted sinners.
Thus also,
through the
obedience of the One……..the many shall be constituted just.
It is clear
from this that the law is not a factor in these operations. Instead,
Scripture asserts that the law was introduced to Israel to raise the
severity of any offence to a deliberate transgression (which draws a
relevant penalty). But, It also assures all that no matter how severe the
sin, grace more than covers it. Sin may reign in death for now – but we are
assured that grace will displace and annul that tyrannical reign soon.
This does not
mean that we have a license to continue to sin for, our old humanity having
been crucified and entombed together with Christ, we have died to sin. Now
justified from sin we should not be enslaved to its dictates anymore.
Instead, we should live as if alive from among the dead, living to God and
becoming implements of righteousness in His service.
The power of
sin is the law, and the law applies only to those it has authority over.
Therefore, not being under law but, rather, under grace, we should not
ascribe or concede to sin any jurisdiction over us. From the moment
we were given to be believing, we have been freed from sin through Christ’s
death to sin. Sin has become an outsider, an outcast – so, why allow it to
intrude upon and disrupt the freedom we should now be reveling in?
Jews who have
become believers have, in Christ, died to the law and are no more under its
jurisdiction. Their passions of sins have now lost the empowerment of the
law so that they can now serve righteousness in newness of spirit.
The law is
holy and just and good and it functions as it was designed to – it defines
what sin is, showing what misses the mark and falls short of the ideal. But
it empowers sin through enabling transgression (which brings on its
associated penalty). Without law, there is no transgression and sin is
powerless, dead.
All are dying,
therefore all sinned – all are disposed of under sin, all cannot help but
be sinning - sinning even when they do not intend to. No man can stop death
and, thereby, stop the dying and the sinning from occurring. This is an
insurmountable barrier for any in creation – and only God’s grace can deliver
each and every one of humanity from this predicament.
But what even
the law could not possibly do to overcome this barrier of death and dying
and sinning, God has already done in sending His own Son Who, representing
sin, was condemned on our behalf. As such, there is nothing that is now
condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. The spirit’s law of life in
Christ Jesus delivers us from the law of sin and death.
The
disposition of the flesh
is towards the satisfaction of its sensual dictates. Scripture declares
that it cannot be subject to the law of God and, therefore, cannot
please Him and is enmity to Him. Those who live in accord with it can only
finish in death.
On the other
hand, the disposition of the spirit is towards life and peace. This
is true of every living human being. A case in point: the infusion of
spirit – human spirit and not holy spirit - into the inert body of
Adam introduced life - and he became a living soul.
It is only
with the homing of God’s spirit in us, invigorating our spirit, that
the spirit of Christ is generated (Rom.8:16). And, only if we have
this disposition, this ‘spirit of sonship’, this frame of mind which seeks
to be pleasing to the Father in all things – the very same attitude Christ
Himself has displayed from the beginning – are we factually believers and
belong to Christ. It is not we who invoke this spirit - this is what the
homing of God’s spirit in us does. This spirit of sonship, this spirit
of Christ, this disposition of Christ that we now have is evidence that
we have been given the privilege of the homing of God’s spirit.
Put in another
way, it is the homing of God’s spirit that invigorates our spirit and
brings on this spirit of sonship, and qualifies us to address Him as Father
and to be treated as His sons. And only whoever are being led by
God’s spirit, these are sons of God. No others have this
privilege.
For, it is
declared that ‘… if anyone has not Christ's spirit, this one is not
His’ – which should mean that if anyone does not have this
disposition of Christ, that one does not have God’s spirit homing in
him, is not a believer (at least, not yet) and does not
belong to Christ (at least, not yet).
Those who are
led by God’s spirit have an individual allotment from God. And, if
they endure the sufferings that accompany a life devoted to God’s glory,
they will share also in Christ’s allotment in which He heads that in
the heavens and that on the earth.
Not only humanity, but the whole
creation instinctively awaits this display of the result of God’s grace on
believers – for it intimates their own delivery from the curse of death and
corruption that they have been under.
Scripture
insists that God determined every step of this operation for the
deliverance of believers who are members of the body of Christ when He
brought His beloved Son into being, before the eons were created, and
long before the rest of creation and the introduction of Adam and Eve. It
is God who foreknew and designates beforehand that they be conformed to the
image of His Son. And it is God Who calls, justifies, and glorifies, each
and every individual believer in the process. The believer has no
contribution to this procedure.
H. God's Sovereignty 8:31-39
For those who have been graced to be believers there is absolutely nothing
that can separate them from the love of God in Jesus Christ. It is God,
the One Who operates all in accord with the counsel of His will, Who
has chosen them and He is their Justifier. It is Christ Who died and
rose again and intercedes for them before God. What power is there that can
interfere in the slightest with this relationship believers have with God
and with His Christ?
[From here, the
topics treated so far are considered under a different aspect and in
inverse order].
h. God's Sovereignty 9:1-29
Paul held a sincere concern,
even to the surrendering of his own salvation, for the spiritual welfare of
his people of Israel who, though they had been enjoyers of significant
advantages that set them over the rest of humanity, were not
becoming believers in Jesus Christ. But this very fact is confirmation that
it is exclusively God’s prerogative in His wisdom, as God, to have
determined beforehand whom He will grant faith to for salvation, and only
these does He acknowledge as the children of the promise.
It is God, as the Potter, Who
decides what His creatures, the clay in His hands, will turn out to be –
whether for honour or for dishonour; whether to be recipients of His mercy
towards their glory, or of His indignation towards their destruction – for
His present purpose of displaying His power, His mercy, His indignation,
and the glory He will bestow on all His creatures.
In accord with His purpose,
only a ‘residue’ are being called now while the rest are kept under a
spirit of stupor. And though He could treat Israel the way He did Sodom and
Gomorrah, the time is coming when He will save all Israel.
g. Doctrine
Justification 9:30 - 10:21 national
Conciliation 11:1-36
Scripture declares
that the nations, who were not even aware of the righteousness that
is from God, have some who have had that righteousness reckoned to them
through a God-gifted faith in Him and in Jesus Christ.
Whereas the
nation of Israel, attempting to produce a righteousness out of
her own efforts through submission to circumcision and a strict observance
of the law given through Moses, has met with dismal failure. She fails to
realize that the law was never designed to confer righteousness on its
observers. She is unable to comprehend that faith in Christ is the key to
true righteousness. What we need to realize is that she is totally
unaware that it is God Who has blinded her spiritually in accord with His
purpose of the eons.
Salvation does not
come because of some exemplary single-mindedness or of some extraordinary
effort on one’s part. It is a gift wherein that one believes that
God roused Jesus from among the dead and he professes that Jesus is
Lord.
This belief and
profession entails that one first becomes aware of the evangel of God in
the declarations of Jesus Christ through those commissioned to
propagate it.
Though this evangel has gone into the entire earth, not all who hear
it believe. Only those whom God has chosen can and will believe – while the
rest are hardened and remain stubborn, just as Israel is at present.
f. The Conduct of the Saints 12:1 -
15:7
Paul now draws attention to
the expected behaviour of believers along the guidelines given in
revelation. Ours is now a different perspective which should transform our
attitude and conduct. The spirit of sonship is a gift integral with our
belief in the evangel. It should endow us with the disposition, or
attitude, of Christ so that we endeavour to be well pleasing to God
in our lives. Our faith is not a mere acknowledgement of God’s declarations
in Scripture, but a wholehearted commitment to our call. It motivates us to
a deliberate sacrifice of our time and effort to carry out the works that
God has prepared for our participation in.
We need to bear in mind,
however, that not all believers grasp this as well as others; not all have
the same ‘measure of faith’. Also, not all have been designated beforehand
to provide the same service to the ecclesia (1Cor.12:4-6). As such we
cannot demand from others what we, ourselves, may be ready ‘to put
on the line’.
The different members of the
body of Christ have different functions. Each should, therefore, fulfill
his ‘assigned’ service to the best of his ability, so that articulated
together and united in accord with the operation in measure of each
one’s part, we all contribute towards the growth and effective
operation of the ecclesia as a whole.
Understanding and accepting
this fact should move us to be compassionate over the challenges we all
face in our relationship with one another. Our love for each one in the
ecclesia should not be out of an obligation but, rather, unreserved and
sincere; not disdainful and merely tolerating one another, but humbly
accepting each other ‘as is’. In no way is anyone ‘better’ than others –
for each is, at any particular time or occasion, as yet an unfinished
product at some phase of development under God’s operation, A believer will
not be passive and uninvolved but, rather, will be eager to participate in
the operation of the ecclesia towards the growth of all.
It is not
for us to retaliate or to exact vengeance on those who persecute us, not
rendering evil for evil but accepting adversity as part of God’s will for
us, and not counting any loss or sacrifice on our part.
Civil law is for the good of society – without it there would be
utter chaos and no society even. It is designed to be a deterrent to evil.
We are aware that God is in absolute control of all, even in secular and
social matters, so that no matter what national government (whether just or
not) we find ourselves under, it is He (the Placer) Who has placed us there
for our good and for the good of all. To resist such authority, then, is to
resist God’s mandate.
We should be subject, not because we want to avoid the consequences
for not being so, but simply because we know that it is the right thing to
do. We should not refrain from fulfilling our rightful dues towards the
efficient running of the legitimate authority. We should show those in
authority the respect that is due to their office and settle the taxes
through which the system functions.
There should be nothing that we should be owing to anyone, except
love. Even the law given through Moses to the people of God, Israel, is based
on loving God and loving those whom they associate with. As
such, love encompasses much more than the law ever could. Christ expanded
the scope of love beyond the requirements of the written law to include
loving our enemies, even. The law becomes irrelevant and
insignificant to us, so to speak, if we are already loving others the way
we should. This is in line with the fact that the law is excluded from our
‘charter’ in the evangel of the Uncircumcision.
The
‘signs of the times’ confirm that we are fast approaching ‘the time of
Jacob’s trouble’ and the glorious coming of Jesus to establish the kingdom.
We are aware that ‘our expectation’ will be realised earlier than
that, for each new day brings us that much closer to our eagerly awaited
‘snatching away’, the next big item on God’s agenda.
We must realize that the time we have left to carry our salvation
into effect through the works that God has made ready beforehand for us to
walk in, is very short. We need to ‘clean up our image’ and heed the
promptings of holy spirit so that we will be conformed to the image of
God’s Son.
Those who have become mature in the faith should empathise and
sympathise with those who have not as yet experienced this privilege.
A believer who is a former Jew, for instance, may have difficulty
adjusting from his ‘kosher food’ and remembrance of ‘holy days’.
Some believers from among the nations refrain from eating meat
because of their former religious understanding of the sacredness of animal
life. These will need time to overcome their inhibitions and to adjust
their palate. Yet there are others who are vegetarians because of health
restrictions – do we expect them to get sick just to please our sense of
righteousness? (We find that from the time of Adam to the end of the Flood,
men (and all animals) ate only greens, the ‘herbage’ meant for food – were
Enoch and Noah less righteous because of what they ate? Only after the
Flood was meat eaten and the distinction made between the clean and the
unclean.)
In our context, those who stay away from meat may find it difficult
to grasp the relevance of One Person’s life having to be taken, even in
anguish and trauma, so that all other persons may have life beyond the
reach of death.
Patience must be exercised, and time is needed for them to become
mature in their understanding. It is up to the Lord to determine where each
one stands in doctrine and its application. It is He Who invigorates each
believer to function as he should.
All
together, each and every human who has ever lived will appear before the
dais of God to give account of his life. Here, there will not be any
judgment for reward or punishment. That will all be over and done with
already (the last such being during the Great White Throne period). It is
the point at which God sets everything right and all who have not as yet
been vivified will be. This is the Consummation when all will
wholeheartedly acclaim Jesus as Lord to the glory of God, the Father.
Much
earlier than this, believers will be vivified and will appear before the
dais of Christ to be requited in accord with their actions. Surely
Christ will know what rewards to bestow on believers for works likened to
gold, silver, and precious stones, or to wood, grass, and straw. So, why
criticize fellow-believers and look on them with disdain if they are not
enabled to perform as we expect them to? Instead of adding to their
difficulties, we should be able to accept them as they are and assist them
to develop a better understanding of the call we have.
The
physical, though important, is of lower priority when compared to the
spiritual. Though those who are not as yet strong in faith may have some
hang-ups over the consumption of certain food and drink, we should not be
confrontational and turn these into issues that disrupt the fellowship
within the ecclesia. Christ died for all believers no matter what their
stage of development may be at any particular time. As such, all should be
encouraged and assisted towards service under the Lord, committed to peace
and to the edification of one another.
This does not mean that we should ignore the
shortcomings of the infirm in faith - that would not be fellowship, but a
cop-out from service. We are told to bear their infirmities, to
accept the inconveniences, as we gently encourage them to a higher
appreciation for what God designates for them in the ecclesia.
We should lead them to a dedicated study of Scripture – for in this
‘manual of operations’ all that is needed for the growth of the believers
and for the efficient operation of the ecclesia is found. We should lead
them to ‘correctly cut’ the word of truth and to hold on to the ‘pattern of
sound words’ given through Paul in our evangel. A realization of the truth
will move them to ‘voluntarily’ make the necessary adjustments. Then, all
in the ecclesia will give glory to God, the Father of Jesus Christ, our
Lord.
e. Previous Ministry 15:8-21
Though
Christ was the Servant of the Circumcision in His ministry among the people
of Israel, reinforcing the truth of the promises made to their patriarchs,
God had always had the rest of the nations in mind for joyful blessings.
Paul quotes some proof-texts to substantiate his assertion. Now, knowing
this, believers should be living in joy and peace, and because of the holy
spirit they now have, be filled to overflowing with expectation.
Paul had
not as yet been among the congregations in Rome but, from all that he had
heard through others, they had developed wholesomely to the point of even
being able to correct one another.
This
being so, Paul felt confident that they would realize that he had been
given the authority, through the grace of God, to be ‘the minister of
Christ Jesus for the nations’. Acting ‘as a priest’, as if a
mediator, he brings to them God’s approach present of His message
for the nations and those being called would welcome it because it comes
with the invigoration and transforming power of holy spirit.
Paul declares that he has completed ‘the
evangel of the Christ’, remaining true to his commission, and not deviating
from the truth he was to carry nor from the facts of his own experiences.
Not wanting to intrude into areas where others were already evangelizing,
he was more interested in bringing the evangel to those who had not had
Christ preached to them before.
d. Intended Journey 15:22-29
Paul did have his ‘relief mission’ to carry out to Jerusalem, first.
He had volunteered to accompany the contribution the ecclesias of Macedonia
and Achaia had gathered for the poor of the Circumcision believers there in
appreciation for their having shared their spiritual blessings. Then, not
faced with any further pressing commitments, while en route to Spain, Paul
could proceed to fulfill his desire to spend some time with the believers
in Rome. He assures them of coming to them with ‘the blessing of Christ which
fills’ as soon as this mission was completed.
c. Prayer 15:30-33
In spiritual fellowship, Paul requests their earnest prayers,
encouraging them to ‘struggle with me’ in them so that he would not be
confronted and persecuted by ‘the stubborn in Judea’ (who had earlier
forced him to flee Jerusalem - Act.9:26-31). He requests that they pray
also that the material relief he was bringing from the ecclesias of the
nations to the poor among the believers in Jerusalem would be ‘well
received’ in the spirit of fellowship and concern in which it was sent. He
would then be able to visit with the ecclesias in Rome comforted by the
fact that his relief mission to Jerusalem was accomplished and worthwhile.
b. Greetings, extended, 16:1-23
Having
presented the evangel, which is his priority, Paul now takes the time to
bring to mind, individually, some (and there were quite a few) of the
believers in Rome, with whom he was acquainted.
Before closing, however, he
alerts them to the presence of false brethren among their ranks who, for
their own benefit, will use every ploy to cause dissensions and confusion,
and to distract from the truth of the evangel. He urges them to remain firm
in the face of this subtle, subversive, satanic attack, taking
courage from the fact that the God of peace (and not of dissension and
confusion) will be attending to the instigator and manipulator, Satan – and
swiftly, too.
a. Gospel, hushed up,
Conciliation 16:25-27
At the conclusion of his epistle, he reminds the
believers that it
is God
who establishes those who do
believe and are applying to their lives the evangel he brings. This message
to the nations concerning Christ Jesus was, in the wisdom of God, kept
secret - until revealed now, on schedule, in accord with His injunction. God
should be given the glory, even for the eons to come, for the privilege
they were sharing in the evangel.
CONCLUSION
It has taken quite some time to complete this
presentation of our study on the book of Romans. In our preparation of
these notes, we were blessed with many fresh insights into, and a deeper
understanding of, God’s operations. We trust we have been able, even in
some small but significant way, to adequately share our thoughts so as to
assist those who are studying it to also attain the exhilaration of knowing
what God is revealing to all of us who are being led by His
spirit, sons of God, motivated by the spirit of Christ, the spirit of
sonship.
To God be all glory. Amen.
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